Page 16 of Unpredictable Flames

“What is it, Jake? Is it the fact that I was with Liam?” I asked, afraid of the answer. “Because what we had wasn’t as grand as you think it was.”

“It’s not just that,” Jake sighed, rubbing the back of his head exasperatedly.

“Then what else could it be?”

“I don’t think this is a good idea. Me and you,” he finally confessed, and I felt like my whole world crashed down.

As Jake's words hit me like a sudden storm, a whirlwind of emotions swept through me, leaving my world in chaos. The ground beneath me felt unsteady, and all I could sense was the crushing sense of regret.

“I think... us being together… Lily, it's not right.” Jake's voice filled the space between us, each word piercing my heart with a brutal clarity.

“Oh, I see,” I managed to say.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. I felt the walls closing in, the air growing heavy with a suffocating silence. The words echoed in my ears, reverberating with a hollow ache that consumed me whole.

“But, Lily, I can't deny this feeling. I feel incomplete without you, and I don't know why,” Jake continued, shattering the fragile semblance of composure I clung to.

“What did you say?” I looked up at him to see a soft smile plastered on his face.

“I... I don't understand, Jake,” I managed to whisper, my voice barely above a breath as confusion and longing tangled in my chest.

He took a deep breath, his gaze unwavering as he began to speak. “Lily, it's been building up inside me, slowly and unexpectedly. I find myself thinking about you all the time, your laughter echoing in my mind like some strange melody I can't forget.” Jake's voice softened, his words carrying a truth that resonated deep within me.

“I never thought I'd feel this way, but every moment we spend together, every smile you grace me with, it's like a piece of me comes alive,” he confessed, his vulnerability mirroring my own. “Makes me believe again.”

“Believe in what?” I dared to ask.

“I know it may sound silly, but… believe in love.”

“What are you trying to tell me?” I couldn’t help but just keep asking questions.

Jake let out a sigh, then looked at me with a sincere look in his eyes. “I think I’m in love with you, Lily.”

As Jake's heartfelt words washed over me, a surge of warmth spread through my entire being, igniting a fire within me that I had never known. It was a sensation so profound, so achingly beautiful, that it felt as though the very essence of my soul was stirring from deep within.

With quivering lips and a heart that beat rapidly from anticipation, I met Jake's gaze, my eyes reflecting the raw intensity of my emotions. “Jake, I... I think I love you too,” I whispered.

“You have no idea how much your words mean to me, how they've awakened something in me that I never knew existed,” I continued, my voice filled with happiness.

As our hearts lay bare before each other, I felt a sense of liberation washing over me, a release from the shackles of doubt and hesitation that had held me captive for so long. “I know you may think this is silly, but I've yearned for this, Jake. For us,” I confessed.

“I remember when I was still a little kid, and you and Cole would walk in through the backdoor. I always wanted to be noticed by you. I wanted you to see me Jake, but you never did.” I laughed.

But I noticed Jake’s demeanor change, and I silently cursed myself for talking too much. “What is it? Is it something I said?”

“No, it’s not you. It’s Cole.”

“Cole?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. “What does he have to do with anything?”

“Cole is your brother, and my best friend.” Jake sighed.

“I still don’t get what the problem is?” I laughed nervously.

“It’s the fucking code. I can’t be with you if he doesn’t approve.”

“Then I’ll tell him. I don’t see a reason why he won’t,” I scoffed.

“Because he just won’t.” Jake groaned in frustration. “We made a pact when we were still young to never meddle with family, and you, Lily, are family.”

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