The Bad Boy Saved Me

Chapter 31

Everyone is sat around the table in complete silence. The amount of awkwardness that is floating around causes chills to run down my back every so often.

Everyone is silently eating their lasagna while I just sit here, my food untouched.

Jake is sitting to my right, Cole is across from me, and John is across from Jake. Everyone would occasionally glance at me, probably hoping I would start a conversation.

"Um- So how's the food" I finally spoke, trying to ease the tension in the dining room.

Jake looked at me raising one eyebrow at my pathetic attempt to start a conversation.

Hey I'm sorry it's all I could come up with. I don't see you saying anything better.

"It's amazing" Cole said smiling at me. "Where did you learn to cook like this"

I tensed up remembering how my mother had stood in the Kitchen with me for hours trying to teach her 10 year old daughter how to make lasagna.

It took some time but I got it down eventually. She was always really patient with me, even though we had to start over multiple times.

My dad was different then, whenever he came home from work I remember running into his arms squealing like crazy. Then mom would appear from the kitchen shortly after and he would hug her, while still holding me in his arms, and kiss her on the forehead. He would even bring me home gummy worms, which were my favorite candy at the time.

And our family dinners were never silent like this, we were always talking about how our day was and what I learned at school. I remember when I told dad a boy at school was being mean to me. He tought me how to beat him up that night. So I went to school and I kicked him in the shin the next day, never heard from him again.

"Arianna"

I turned my head to see Jake looking at me with worried eyes. "Are you okay"

"Yeah I'm fine" I whispered giving him a small smile.

Jake raised his eyebrow at me, probably able to tell I'm lying. Then he reached up and brushed my cheek with his thumb. I furrowed my eyebrows and gave him a questioning look. He showed me his thumb, which was wet. I hadn't realized a tear had escaped from my eye.

"My mom tought me how to cook" I smiled at Cole.

"She must be amazing"

Jake glared at Cole, hoping he will get the message to drop the subject.

"She was" I said looking at my hands that lay in my lap.

"Was?" He questioned.

"Cole" Jake scolds.

"What" He asks innocently.

"He's fine" I told Jake. "She died in a car crash when I was 10"

"Oh my gosh, Ree I'm so sorry i didnt know"

"It's okay"

It was silent for a while again. The sound of forks scraping against plates filled the air. I just sat there fiddling with my fingers in my lap.

Until John spoke up. "So why are you staying here"

Looks like we're getting straight to the point.

I bit my lip looking around the table at anything but John. I glanced at Jake and he nodded at me telling me he's here and I'll be okay.

I took a deep breath and focused my gaze on my lap.

"Well, before I came here my dad was" I paused taking another deep breath. I felt Jake put his hand on my knee. "He was abusing me"

I finally got the guts to look John in the eyes. He was staring at me but his eyes held no emotion what so ever.

I looked back at my lap and continued. "One day he took it to far so I called Jake and he came and picked me up"

"What exactly is too far" John asked.

"Dad" Jake scolds John. "You don't need to answer that Arianna"

"I think she does" John barks back.

Jake slammed one hand on the table causing me to flinch, and he kept one hand on my knee. "You know, if you weren't such an ass all the time, she would be more comfortable and you would already know about all this"

I placed my hand on top of the hand Jake has on my knee. He tore his gaze away from his father and looks at me, his eyes soften considerably.

"So, what did your father do, that made you call my son for help" Michael asked quite harshly.

Jake's face hardened and he turned his head away from me to glare at John.

I gulped and looked down at my lap.

"Sexual assault" I whispered.

I heard Cole gasp and Jake's jaw clenched, his grip on my knee tightening but not enough to hurt me.

I looked at John once again, but this time his eyes a little bit of emotion, guilt and pity.

Ugh. I hate pity.

"Jake brought me here and everything was fine for a while, until I got a call saying if I didn't go to this address they would kill my best friend, they also told me not to tell Jake"

I looked around the table once again making eye contact with Jake. His jaw is still clenched and as soon as I looked at him he looked away.

I retold what happened in that shed and how Jake saved me, again. When I finished John stood up and began to walk out. Before he left he turned around to look me in the eye.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that, you are welcomed here for as long as you like" and with that he left.

I pushed my untouched plate of lasagna in front of me and rested my head on the table wrapping my arms around my head.

Jake laid his large hand on the small of my back "I'll help you clean up"

I brushed away the few tears that ran down my cheeks and gave him a faint smile "thanks"

I looked around the table examining Cole's expression. He seemed shocked? He was staring at the wall behind me and his eyes held anger in them.

"Cole" I questioned. He shook his head and looked at me "You good?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna go take a shower" He left the room as well leaving Me and Jake alone.

"Wow, you really know how to clear a room don't ya princess" Jake joked.

"Shut up" I giggled slapping his arm playfully.

~♡~