Page 32 of Faking It with My Bossy Ex

“Maybe if I talk to her, we could do long distance …”

“She’d never do that. It’s probably the reason she didn’t tell you in the first place. She loves you, so she thinks that she has to be here for you.” Jake's gaze is sad more than anything. “If you want her to go, you’ll have to make her go.”

“Are you saying I have to break up with her?” A pit settles in my stomach.

“I’m saying you have to decide what’s more important, you or what Amy has worked for and dreamed about since she was three.” He shakes his head.

“It’s in your court, Dylan.” Jake walks back to the door after snatching the pamphlet back. “By the way,don’tmention that I was here.”

I stand in the middle of my room, my hands dangling by my side. Angry arguments from my childhood scream through my head.

“I left everything behind for you! Do you get that? I would have been more than this!” My mom’s face contorted as tears streamed down her face, her voice rising as she yelled at my dad.

“For me? I didn't ask you to do anything.” He glares at her with none of the warmth he used to have for her.

“You didn’t have to ask.”

It’s history repeating itself. Amy and I, no longer looking into each other’s eyes like we want to be there with one another forever, instead with anger, hurt, and blame.

No. I have to do something about it. I won’t let that happen. Amy knows what she wants, and she should get it, no matter what the cost is.

***

Dylan

Present Day

The temperature in the library just dropped below zero and I’m pretty sure it has nothing to do with their heating system. Jake avoids my gaze, ashamed. He sort of should be.

Tyler, on the other hand, looks like he’s ready to choke me out with his bare hands and string me up outside the library, execution style.

“So, how was the trip?” I ask, extending my hand and shaking Jake’s hand. I hold my hand out in front of Tyler for a solid ten seconds before dropping it. He looks at me like I’m a bit of gum on the bottom of his shoe that he has the inconvenience of scraping off.

“Fine.” Jake bites the word out.

“None of your business.” Tyler takes a step forward and shields me from Amy. Man, he would be one unhappy camper if he knew how much time we’ve been spending together these past few days.

“We’re, um, getting something at Laura’s bakery. Can we meet up later?” Amy’s voice is brittle. Is she worried about her brother’s hurting me? She’s adorable.

She wraps her arm around Tyler’s and leads him out. He’s like a hopping mad rooster, almost doubling back to give me a piece of his mind or, more probably, his fist.

“Jake, can I talk to you for a second?” I had no idea her brothers would show up, but it’s perfect. There’s something I need to clear the air with Jake about.

He hesitates, glancing toward Amy and Tyler, who are almost out the front door of the library.

“It’ll only take a second.” I step closer, motioning to one of the study rooms we’ve been using for the fundraiser. He crosses his arms, his jaw ticking with frustration and probably a bit of discomfort.

Good. I hope he’s as uncomfortable as he’s made me, indirectly, but still.

“I want to tell Amy the truth.” There. The words are out there. He can blow his top now.

“Why? It’s not like you want to get back together with her …” His shoulders deflate. “You do, don’t you?”

“I do.” Saying it makes it that much more real. “I messed up, letting her go back then. You told me some things that scared me so bad I reacted without thinking. Now that time has passed, and we’ve … well, found each other again, I want to know where that would take us.”

“If you tell her, she’s going to hate me.” He sounds resigned more than anything, and for a moment, I wonder if I’m in the wrong for asking if I can tell her.

“So it’s better that she hates me? There’s no way she’ll give me another chance if she doesn’t know the truth, Jake. Amy’s the one for me, Jake. I don’t know how else to put it. I might have spent years lying to myself that wasn’t true, but she is. Ineedher in my life.”

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