Page 28 of Unpredictable Flames

Alissa may have sensed the pain in my voice because her tone softened. “Hey, what's wrong? You don’t sound okay.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I spilt my heart out to her. “It's Jake... he's been texting some girl named Ali on his laptop, even after everything we've been through.”

I could hear the hurt in my own voice as I told her about last night's confrontation. “I tried to talk to him about it, but he just dodged the question and said he was tired. It's like he doesn't even care. I get that I should have expected it from the literal Lakeridge playboy, but what hurt the most was that he would do this to me just one damn day before my birthday.”“I don’t know Lily. I don’t think Jake would do that to you.”

“Oh please, Alissa, don’t give me that bullshit,” I said, between choked sobs. I poured out my heart to Alissa, the words tumbling out in a jumble of hurt and frustration. “I just... I thought he cared about me, you know? I gave him everything, Alissa. I opened up to him in ways I never have with anyone else, and this is how he repays me?”

“Oh, Lily, I'm here for you,” Alissa said, her voice filled with empathy. “Are you sure about all this? I mean, you've never complained about Jake before.”

I sniffled, wiping away the tears that stained my cheeks. “I'm sure, Alissa. I'm just so tired of all this drama. I just want to leave.”

I took a shaky breath before asking the question that had been burning in my mind. “Alissa, could I come to stay with you for a while? I just need to get away from here.”

There was a pause on the other end, and my heart sank with uncertainty. But then Alissa spoke up, “It might not be easy, but I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, why don't you come over later? We can talk more then.”

Relief flooded through me at her words. “Okay," I agreed, grateful for her support. “Thank you, Alissa. I don't know what I'd do without you.”

After hanging up the phone with Alissa, I knew I had to act fast. Hastily, I made my way back to my room and rummaged through my closet, pulling out clothes and stuffing them into my suitcase. I was unsure of what the future held, but I knew I needed to be prepared for anything.

As I packed, my fingers brushed against a familiar fabric, and my heart skipped a beat. It was the same outfit I had on the day my apartment caught fire. A shiver ran down my spine as the memories flooded back—the smoke, the flames, and the paralyzing fear. But then Jake had burst in like a guardian angel, fearless and determined, rushing in to save me without a second thought for his own safety.

His selflessness had touched me deeply, and for a moment, I allowed myself to bask in the warmth of that beautiful memory. I knew he was a firefighter, and it was his job to save lives, but the way he cared for me afterwards felt beyond all that. It hurt just to think about it.

My thoughts then drifted to Jake's injured shoulder. He had fought to protect me, even taking a bullet intended for me and pushing me out of harm's way. How could someone who seemed so selfless, so devoted, betray me in such a manner? The question haunted me. It felt like a puzzle with pieces that refused to fit.

With a heavy sigh, I set the clothes aside, unable to bear the weight of their memories any longer. The decision weighed heavily on my heart, but I knew deep down that I couldn't stay here, trapped in a web of lies and deceit. I needed space—to breathe, to think, to heal.

Determined to escape the suffocating grasp of my thoughts, I stepped into the shower, the soothing rush of water washing away the remnants of doubt and pain. The hot water rushed over me, melting away the tension in my muscles and easing the ache in my heart.

After what felt like an eternity, I turned off the water, wrapped myself in a towel, and walked out of the bathroom. Grabbing a change of clothes, I quickly got dressed and ordered an Uber to take me to Alissa’s apartment.

“So much for my twenty seventh birthday,” I scoffed, walking out of the house and into the car waiting for me.

A few minutes later, the car dropped me off at Alissa’s house, and I slowly climbed up the stairs and rang the doorbell. I heard the sound of footsteps approaching the door and readied myself to spend my birthday with my best friend.

The locks clicked, but the door remained closed. I furrowed my brow in confusion, then took matters into my own hands, grasping the handle and pushing the door open. "Alissa?" I called out, stepping into the house.

And then it happened — “SURPRISE!”

I let out a startled squeal as the room erupted in cheers and applause. A wave of shock washed over me, quickly followed by a surge of warmth as I took in the scene before me. Alissa had planned an actual surprise party for my birthday, and I couldn't believe it.

I spotted familiar faces in the crowd. Friends who had gathered to celebrate with me. My heart swelled with gratitude as I hugged each of them tightly, feeling their warmth and love enveloping me.

Then I got to Alissa, who wouldn’t stop grinning. “I can't believe you planned this whole thing for me, Alissa,” I exclaimed, my voice filled with appreciation.

Alissa smiled, but her eyes twinkled mischievously as she replied, “Actually, I can't take the credit for this one. You might want to thank someone else.”

Confused, I followed her gaze and found myself locking eyes with Jake, emerging from the crowd with a bouquet of flowers in his hand and a sly grin on his face.

My heart skipped a beat as I stared at him, rooted to the spot. What was he doing here? And why did he have flowers?

Before I could process the rollercoaster of emotions swirling within me, Alissa leaned in close, her voice barely a whisper as she revealed, “Oh, and you should know. I'm Ali.”

Ali? The name echoed in my mind, and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. The girl Jake had been texting—the one I had accused him of betraying me with—was Alissa all along. The realization washed over me in a dizzying whirlwind, leaving me stunned and speechless.

But as Jake approached, a sheepish smile playing on his lips, I felt a warmth spreading through me. He stopped inches in front of me with his sheepish grin and those damn flowers, looking more handsome than ever.

“Happy birthday, babe,” he said, handing me the flowers, and I couldn’t stop the tears from slowly streaming down my face. I took the flowers from his hand, feeling happier than I had ever felt in my life.

---