Book 2: Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

That night we went back home snuggling up with one another before Jay knocked out on me. It was the first time where I held him in my arms the whole night. Stroking his beautiful curls, the whole time. We haven't slept comfortably like that in a while, so it was nice to be able to be close again. Close and his official girlfriend!

Not that I wouldn't do this any other time, but since we've made things official, I decided to get up a little early and make us both some breakfast. This time making French toast with berries. It took a bit but just as I was about to be done Jay woke up. He had classic bedhead and immediately came over to me kissing my cheek in the process. His arms wrapped around me as he watched me make the last piece of French toast.

"I'll never get tired of you making breakfast in the morning." He hugged me tighter.

I turned the stove off pouring him a cup of his coffee. "I've got everything ready even your nasty coffee." I handed him the cup.

"You didn't have to do that. I can make coffee," he smiled sipping some. "And it's not nasty!"

Laughing, I made his plate setting up the table. "It's plain black coffee. There's nothing in it to you know spice it up."

He rolled his eyes taking a seat at the table. "Don't knock it till you try it." He said raising his glass.

I'm not ever going to be into drinking coffee without cream and sugar. I think it's a disservice to coffee everywhere but what do I know? Either way, we were going to enjoy breakfast together and possibly go furniture shopping! It's been on the back burner for a few days now. I wasn't exactly sure where Jay was going to go with the whole decorating thing, but it made me excited to be able to help.

Pushing it aside, I was still so happy about last night's events. The shock was also still present because I had no idea he would ask me such a thing. He made the night so perfect that I didn't see that coming. Especially giving our situation. Our relationship would have to be even more private than it already was. However, Jay never seemed to mind that. He always found a way to make his interactions with me seem normal in front of everyone else. This would be no different.

Smiling, I looked at Jay reminiscing about last night. "Have you had any serious girlfriends before?" I asked him curious why he would choose me.

"Define serious," he says thinking about his past.

My jaw dropped. "You mean to tell me; you asked me to be your girlfriend and don't even know what it's like to have one?"

Jay chuckled. "It's not that I don't know what it's like. It's just I've never thought I'd meet someone who is everything I would want in a girlfriend."

"I don't know, with the way you've been around Kameron I beg to differ."

I probably shouldn't have said that, but it's been killing me to know what exactly they did that night. Where did they go? Jay said just coffee, but Kameron obviously told me it would not be just coffee. Sure, she was saying a lot to get under my skin. However, for someone who claims to not like a person he sure is chummy with her a lot. None of it made sense to me making me believe that her and I were alike more than I thought.

This shouldn't be a topic of conversation. I already agreed to be his girlfriend so why would I question him now? He didn't exactly give me an answer about what happened though I hadn't asked him either. I'm sure he would tell me, or would he think I'm crazy? Judging by his face, he seemed visibly annoyed that those words even came out of my mouth.

"Seriously, Autumn we're on this again?" He questioned tired of the same old conversation.

I slumped back in my chair not stopping until I got a definite answer. "You never told me what you guys did that day."

"You never asked," he says.

"But now I am."

Sighing, Jay stopped eating looking at me intently. This was our first day officially together and I turned it sour. Maybe if he would answer the question, it wouldn't be such a big deal. However, Jason had this knack of beating around the bush. Even if they did do something could I be mad? I am still seeing Cyrus. It'll only be natural if he were to see someone else on the side too. Though his lack of transparency made it hard to believe that nothing more than *coffee* happened.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" He questioned. "I've said the same thing over and over again."

I chuckle sarcastically. "Yeah, you've said *I don't like her that way* or *she's just a friend*. But your actions say otherwise," I explained. "Do you see my confusion here?"

Jay ran his fingers through his hair sweating profusely. He was definitely nervous. "Do you not trust me?"

My eyebrows furrowed. "What? Why would you ask such a thing?"

"Why do you keep asking about Kameron? I wouldn't have asked you to be my girlfriend if anything were going on between her and I." He had a point, but it didn't change the fact that he still wouldn't say what they did.

"Then say what happened." I prompted.

But that didn't make him give me a straight answer. He instead got up from the table and walked away. It felt like that was my answer right there. Something did happen and he wasn't telling me. Was it to spare my feelings? He knows how insecure I've been about him being around her. I've been open and honest about what happened with Cyrus why couldn't he do the same? This relationship is already off to a bad start.

Following him, he was going to do anything to avoid telling me what went down. It was sending me mixed signals. Should I have been worried about her from the beginning? I let him make me believe there wasn't any worries on my end, but that didn't seem like the case. If Jay couldn't tell me the truth, then we couldn't be in a serious relationship. There is nothing without trust and honesty. Though I trusted him, his lack of honesty was beginning to make me question everything.

"Jason, you can't ignore this forever. I'll continue to ask you until you give me an answer," I say to let him know this isn't going away.

His eyes rolled again. "Is it that important for you to know? We just went out." He continues to beat around the bush.

Now I was getting frustrated. "I told you exactly what happened with Cyrus and me. If you can't do the same, then..." I trailed off. "I'm afraid we can't be together."

That caught his attention as his eyes softened. "Are you joking right now?"

I shake my head. "I'm dead serious." My voice was stern. "On that note, when you're ready to talk come find me. Until then, I think I'm going to go stay with the girls for a few days."

With that I packed a bag and didn't hesitate to call Jeremy to pick me up. Granted I was going to go over there anyway but this gave me even more of a reason to. We were supposed to be filled with great emotion finally putting a label on us. Instead, he couldn't tell me one simple thing like I had done for him last night. I guess I shouldn't have said yes so quickly, but Jay has been honest with me about everything. Suddenly, now he couldn't tell me the truth with no explanation as to why he couldn't. Something was being hidden and he didn't do a good job of concealing it.

**********

Jeremy asked if I were okay as I had a bag packed with me. I didn't answer him because I didn't want to talk about it at the moment. This was something Jay and I had to deal with on our own. At any other time, I would question if I was being dramatic. However, I knew I wasn't. He couldn't answer one question. The same question I had answered for him the night before. That screamed red flags. If he were going to be dishonest about that imagine what other things he would lie about.

Taking that off my mind, I walked out back to calm my nerves on my favorite bench. When I got there, it became apparent that I wasn't alone. In fact, the last person my mind would guess to be there is a crying Jenna. This is my first time seeing some human emotions coming from her. It would be our first real interaction since I've been here. Normally, Jenna wouldn't be profusely crying the way that she was. Something bad must have happened for her to be doing that.

Maybe I'll regret this in the long run, but my heart wouldn't let me leave her there alone. As much as she was a pain in the ass last year, I didn't want to see her so distraught. We weren't friends by any means necessary. We probably never will be. Though, if she needed a shoulder to cry on, I was willing to be that. At least for now.

Sitting down, Jenna looked my way immediately upset that I saw her like this. Only she wouldn't be mean or say anything nasty toward me. Something big must have happened for her to not even throw a small insult my way. It's almost like I didn't even know her.

Wiping her tears, she looked at me with her green eyes red from crying. "Great, now you're going to go tell everybody you saw me crying."

"Why would I do that? We don't like each other but I'm not a narc," I say nonchalantly.

She stayed silent for a moment before speaking up again. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you didn't want to stay."

I sighed. "I don't but something came up," well it's true. "Since we're asking questions, why are you crying and alone?"

Jenna gulped. It would be okay if she didn't want to tell me. We weren't friends in the slightest, so she wasn't obligated to, but I wanted her to be okay. This whole thing was for her wedding, and she was crying before we even got to the wine tasting. One of the most fun parts! It's only been three weeks, she had Cyrus, and clearly, Kameron was in her corner since she's been after Jason the whole time. What could have gone wrong for her?

Luckily, Jenna was willing to share a little bit of information with me. Even if it was vague but I got the gist. "Try being in my shoes. Doing things for all the wrong reasons. Every emotion being one-sided," she explains. "Sometimes I wonder why I do what I do and then I remember its part of the game."

I swing on the bench as I ask her more questions. "Why play it if it makes you unhappy?"

"Because feelings don't just disappear Autumn, you should know." A bit of her attitude came out.

My eyebrows furrowed. "I-I don't know what you're talking about." I truly didn't.

She rolled eyes at my obliviousness. "Don't play coy with me, I know Cyrus still has feelings for you and probably always will." She stood up walking toward the door. "That doesn't mean I'll let you just have him. Although I admit you aren't as bad as I first thought. You are still competition to me."

I didn't know what to say because on one hand she was talking to me normal, but also said I was competition. Little did she know Cyrus was seeing me again and I'm sure that would make her hate me more. I took whatever good thing I could get out of her though it didn't make me feel good to know she was going through the motions like this. Jenna obviously was a bitch to me, and she already won. Me sneaking around with Cyrus obviously wasn't going to help him take her seriously. Every day I'm seeing myself more like Kameron.

"That being said, thanks for doing this for me. I never did have many friends." With that she walked away leaving me stunned.

Did Jenna just thank me?