Duskwood: Love's Beginning

11 - Jayna

Well. That little chat with Jake certainly got my blood pumping. I couldn't believe it. I'd dropped some subtle hints here and there, but I didn't think he'd picked up on them or, much less, reciprocated any interest I might have. I wasn't what you'd call the most assertive person, but I also didn't pull my punches and was known for being straightforward about my feelings. Even after what I'd been through, I didn't see the point in missing opportunities in this short life.

I'd never met Jake, and maybe I never would. But we had forged a rapport that my lonely self craved, and there wasn't much I could do about it now that these feelings had started. I looked forward to our next conversation even more.

Then the kidnapper sent me that video of Cleo jogging in the woods and the strength of my connection to Jake was tested once again. He asked me to keep the video from the others.

Every time I thought I knew him, something happened and I started to question what I thought I had figured out. But despite my doubts, when he asked me to trust him, I let his reasoning convince me and decided to keep quiet. Because crazy or not, I did trust him. And I wanted him to know it.

"I did it because of you," I told him, and he sent a smiley to me. Our bond was still there. I felt him holding back from me, but I also knew he could feel it too.

And even though I still felt guilty about it, Jake did manage to cheer me up a little. He told me that the kidnapper had to send the video to Cleo to get a reaction. That our culprit must have misjudged me.

He was complimentary of me in ways I didn't feel I deserved. Yet, it felt so good that he felt that way. He thanked me for trusting him and said he wouldn't forget it...maybe I was reading too much into it, but it felt like his way of showing that he cared about me, too.

My break was over. I replayed our conversation in my mind as I continued to run around the clinic. Focusing on his words and a job that I was good at, helped me have a few moments of peace.

And then, it all hit the fan. Lilly went ballistic and decided she couldn't keep her mouth shut anymore. She was so angry, I was cringing from the viciousness she was spewing at me. She blamed me for everything! I was both angry at hurt, hot tears stinging my eyes as I hid in the bathroom at work. Then she asked for the group to vote to kick me out.

It played out painfully. Richy was "neutral" and I begrudgingly had to agree with him on his reasoning that he saw both sides of the argument. I appreciated how much Jessy fought for me, and how Cleo did too. Thomas, sadly, did not fight for me against Lilly. Understandable, but it hurt as well.

Lilly was forcing them to choose between us. How could I possibly win against Hannah's own sister?

I was starting to feel like an outcast once more. I had just started to get sort of comfortable, and now I was about to get kicked out from yet another group of friends. Until Jake came to the rescue. He forced a video to open up in the group chat, just a disembodied, altered voice hidden by an ominous-looking eye logo. He told them that they needed me–needed both of us, and he would not allow them to kick me out. He also warned that he was watching.

I was beyond shocked at how he advocated for me. Prior to this, he had left all communication directly to the group up to me–for better or worse, it was my voice that was heard and my shoulders that any blame or praise fell upon. The fact that he had stepped in meant a lot, even if the others were less appreciative of his methods.

But Jessy's comment that he must really like me? That stuck with me. At a point when I'd been beaten down and battered, I had some hope. Everyone might not like me, but I had Jessy. And I had Jake.

To my dismay, I finally saw what Jake meant about the necessity of reading the texts. He was doing it to find Hannah, but he decided to do it to protect me, too. I could just hear him saying "I told you so" with that little smile. But I didn't care.