This Summer

The Half Truth

Emily's POV.

"What did you just say?" I muttered quietly, moving back to sit on my bed.

"Now you know why I want you to stay away from him." He came to kneel in front of me, grabbing my hands to hold.

"But he, mom, and his mother says he didn't do it." I argue.

I have exactly no idea why I'm even defending him, but it just feels right.

"If he didn't do it then he wouldn't have gone to juvenile."

"But still, I don't know." I slowly removed my hands from his to place my face between them.

"He r***d her, he--"

"Do you even know the girl he supposedly r***d?"

I heard him pause for a second before answering, "No I don't."

"Well, do you at least know the full story?"

He sighs, "No i don't."

I removed my face from my hands to stare at him before saying, "If you don't, then don't go around accusing him of things you don't even have the full picture of."

"Listen, It's best for you to stay away from him, please." His eyes looked deeply into mine, pleading for me to listen to him.

But I just can't misjudge him about something I know nothing about. That would be completely unfair and It just wouldn't be right.

"Mark, I can't just ignore his presence, he's going to be staying here for two months for crying out loud." I said in exasperation.

"Just get out, mom. NOW! You won't ever understand." Jake shouts, and I can feel the vibrations of his voice.

"See, he can't even control his temper. He lashes out at everyone within a second."

"Well, I said something that gave him the impression I was trying to protect myself from him. And since I wasn't aware of him being in juvie and you didn't tell me, I hurt his feelings." I tell him, already getting tired of this conversation.

"The guy could care less about what you say to him." Mark says, "And if you really think that you can talk to him and be friends, let me give you a wake up call, he'll just shut you out and not give you the chance to even try and understand him."

"As if you would know." I rolled my eyes.

"I know because I tried, Em. I tried to be a friend to him but one day he just shut me out and I don't even know what happened or why he did. If you really think you can get through to him, then you're completely wrong." He stands up and begins to pace around my room.

I raise my eyebrows at his attitude, "And tell me when it happened? You never once mentioned this to me before."

I stared at him in disbelief. I can't believe he never cared to tell me this. We always tell each other everything, so why did he hide this from me?

"It wasn't important for you to know."

I gape at him, "Oh, so now it's important right?"

He sighs and takes a deep breath before he speaks, "Look, Jake is my cousin from afar. I won't say I hated him but I just didn't like him from the moment I met him. The guy is weird, but whenever I'm in New Jersey I have to talk to him."

Jake is from New Jersey too? He doesn't seem like he's from New Jersey.

"I've never really got to know him because I never had an interest in getting to know him. But at the beginning of February, after school had started and I was back in New York with you, my family called and told me that something bad had happened and that I needed to come back home quickly. They told me something really bad had happened to my friend Maddie."

"Maddie, huh? You just said you didn't know the girl." I glared at him.

"Okay, I lied. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to know any of this. I already closed this book a long time ago and wasn't ever planning on retelling it."

"Wow, Mark. It's like I've never really known you. Since when do we hide things from each other?"

"Come on, it isn't like you don't have secrets, too," he retorts.

"Actually I don't, Mark. I tell you everything because I trust you and because you are my best friend."

"And that's why I'm forcing myself to tell you this, because that's the only thing I've ever kept from you."

Wow, forcing yourself to tell, how nice. I thought to myself.

He doesn't give me the chance to question him more as he continues.

"You've met Maddie before. You spoke to her once when she came to New York a couple of years back. I love Melissa with all my heart, because she was my first friend ever. She has always been by my side."

I scoffed quietly. If he loves Melissa with all of his heart, what does he love me with all of? And if she always stood by his side, where did I stay? Behind his stupid back. The more he speaks, the more I want to rip my hair out of my head.

"She was that one friend who would always be by my side, even if I messed up or if we had a fight. And I was the same for her, I was that friend she could count on whenever something happened. Because no matter what, we will always be there for each other."

I just stand there looking at my boyfriend talking with so much love and admiration for this Maddie girl. I have a feeling that his love for her is deeper than that of a friend. I don't know if I'm supposed to feel jealous or angry at that fact. I should be, because she holds a special place in his heart that I probably don't, but I'm not jealous. Not even in the slightest bit. I'm just annoyed about being kept in the dark and making me look like a fool. I don't really know why I'm not jealous, but I'll just figure that out later.

"And when they called and said she was in trouble, I knew I had to go there. To be there for her. So I took the first flight back to New Jersey."

I will admit one thing, listening to him to talk about her and his love for her and the need for him to be by her side was really starting to annoy the sh*t out of me.

Wait he said at the beginning of February was when he travelled back to New Jersey.

"You mean the time you told me that your cousin had died? And I told you to tell your mother that I'm here if she needs anything, and you told me she doesn't like talking about it?" I said through clenched teeth.

His mother has never really liked me for some unknown reason, and I've never really liked her for my unknown reason. Well, for one thing, she was really annoying and liked to think she was really classy.

"I know, I know, I lied to you but I didn't want you to think I was in love with her just because I flew there right away. I just really needed to be there and I didn't want you to worry." He explains. "I promised I was going to tell you everything when I came back but I couldn't say what she told me."

I stayed silent and just looked at him, waiting for him to continue explaining. I don't want to be mad at him right now for not telling me and lying to me, so I decide silence is the best option right now.

"I went to see Maddie in the hospital. She was a complete wreck. I didn't know what happened or what kind of pain she was going through. I wanted to help, to do something, but I first needed to know what happened. She wouldn't tell me at first, she would just cry in my arms over and over again. The tears were unending. I was so worried, but I had to stay hopeful. But on the day before they let her go she told me everything. She told me what she told the police, what she told everyone. She....." His voice was tremulous, "She didn't deserve what she was going through, what he did to her. She was innocent, she was someone who would never hurt anyone. She never talked badly about anyone, she just couldn't. She was so sweet to everyone around her." Tears flooded his eyes as he spoke.

I've never ever seen Mark cry about anyone or anything at all. I stood up and reached for his hand.

"He is a monster who destroyed her in every way possible. He planted memories that will haunt her for the rest of her life."

I moved my hand to his neck, pulling him to me.

"I saw Jake everyday when he was on trial. I saw how his lawyer fought for him, how his mother fought for him, how he fought for himself. But the day Maddie walked in through the court doors and testified against him. He stopped. He finally stopped lying to everyone. He stopped acting and took what he deserved. Maria was furious with him for giving up so quickly. She told everyone that Maddie was just lying but no one believed her. How could they with all the evidence, Maddie's testimony, and the witnesses. They had proof of his acts."

We move to the bed and sat. Mark takes hold of my hand firmly like I'm going to disappear.

"Then why did you try to befriend him?" I can't help but ask, not understanding why Mark would talk to him if he knew everything.

"Because I only wanted him to confess. I tried being friendly with him. I lied to him. I just wanted to hear him say he did it. But he never did, not once. He didn't ever even come close to saying it. And I hate him for it, for destroying her life, for killing the Maddie I once knew. I snapped at him and in seconds, I was on the floor beneath him while he threw punches at me."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?" I rubbed circles on his back, trying to comfort him.

"I didn't want to remember any of it."

"I'm sorry, Mark."

"You have nothing to be sorry about. I'm sorry for not telling you. Now you know the reason why I don't want him near you."

I nod my head, but still don't know what really to believe.

"I just can't imagine what I'll do if..." He chokes on a sob, and my heart cracks a little at the sight.

"Mark, look at me," I demand, but he just shakes his head.

"I know how to take care of myself, and I have you."

He wipes his eyes and moves closer, cupping my face between his hands.

"I really love you, Em, and the thought of you getting hurt, I--"

"Nothing is going to happen to me." I assured him.

He rests his forehead on my shoulders and closes his eyes.

"Please promise me you'll stay away from him." He whispers.

"I can't, Mark. He's staying for six weeks. You'll just have to deal with him for some time, okay?"

"But just don't get too involved."

"I'll try to leave him out of some activities, but I can't promise anything."

I don't know if my mom is aware of why Jake was in juvie, and If she knows and now that I know, will she still let them stay with us? And if I tell her, will she tell them to leave and stay away from her? Will she still want them here?

"I'll go back to my room now." He says, letting go of my hand and standing up.

"Are you sure? You could stay here." I offered, "You can sleep beside me, just for tonight at least."

"Are you sure that's okay?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Okay. I'll just lay here then." He takes his shoes off and scoots inside into the bed.

"I'll go change and come back." I move his hair back from his face, and he smiled at me.

I walked over to my dresser and pulled out a shirt and a pair of sweatpants. I take my makeup remover with me on the way to the bathroom. I knock twice and when I get no answer, I enter. I quickly change into my clothes and wash my face thoroughly. As I dry my face, the door swings open. A gasp escapes my lips when Jake walks through.

His eyes met my shocked ones, "I-I am.. I'm so s-sorry." He quickly stuttered out and retreats even faster out the door before I get the chance to tell him It's okay and I'm already done.

I still don't know how to feel about what Mark told me. He never heard Mark's side of the story. I decide to think about that later and leave the bathroom so that he can use it.

He's sitting on the edge of the bed, his elbows resting on his knees with his face between his hands.

I cleared my throat to get his attention, but he didn't look up. I'm not sure he heard him the first time.

"Uhh... Jake," I said softly, he raises his head slowly to look at me.

"I just wanted to tell you that the bathroom is now empty."

He just nods his head and goes back to the same position he was in before. I took that as my cue to leave, I turn to walk towards my room door. The moment my hand touches the doorknob, Jake surprises me by speaking.

"I'm really sorry, but I swear I knocked on the door four times. But I didn't hear anything, I swear. I swear--"

I turn my head to him and cut him off, "First stop swearing." My tone came out harsher than I intended it to be, " And secondly, I was washing my face, which is why I probably didn't hear you knock."

"I know but I just wanted to--"

I speak over him, "But nothing. It was an accident, and I assure you that nothing happened."

His dark blue eyes shone so brightly in the dim light, that I could stare at them for the whole night.

"I heard what he told you. And I heard you gasp when I entered. I know you might think differently of me now and I don't blame you. All I'm saying is that you don't have to pretend that it doesn't affect you."

"Are you finally finished?" I ask, and he raises his perfect eyebrows at me.

Perfect eyebrows? I'm pretty sure that I'm a creep.

"Obviously, I would be surprised if you entered. It's not like I was expecting someone, you just scared me. And it wasn't because of what he told me, but because it was sudden and unexpected. It's a normal human reaction if you don't know, you know nothing about what I think of you."

Hell, I don't even know what I think of you.

"What did he tell you about what I did," He pauses, his eyes staring intensely at me. "You don't believe what he said about me?"

"I don't know the full story, so I can't judge anyone." I shrugged, "It's empty, you can use it." I pointed to the bathroom before leaving his room.

I open my door and close it, leaning on it and clutching my shirt for dear life. I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding. My eyes dart to the bed and i'm instantly relived to see Mark asleep. I hang my dress inside my closet and walk to the bed. I move the covers and slip in, careful not to wake him up.

"Em...," He breathes.

"Yeah, I'm here." I searched for his hand under the sheets. His fingers wrap around my hand as soon as our fingers touch.

He opens his eyes, "You're very beautiful, you know." He surprises me by moving closer to me.

I smiled, "Thank you."

"Tell me something that you really love about me."

"I really love how much you care about me." I say without any hesitation.

He closes his eyes and smiles, "I should do this again."

"Really?"

"Yes."

I smile, even though I'm pretty sure he can't see me.

"I think I like sleepy you way more than the wide awake you." I tease, bringing my hand to his cheek.

"You're losing me to sleep, Em. I'm sorry."

"That's alright. Goodnight, Mark."

"Goodnight, Em."

I close my eyes and allow sleep to consume me, enjoying the fact that Mark is most likely disobeying his mother by sleeping next to me.