Chapter 35: Chapter 35:

My blood turns cold as I look at him. His jaw clenches when he sees me especially sitting by Alec.

"This is him! He's Jake" His dad introduces.

"Jake?" Alec blurts surprised.

"I can't believe it"

"You are my step brother?" He adds with his eyebrows furrowed.

I'm still speechless from the shock I just received. I turned him down tonight and later he finds out I came with Alec instead of him. My heart pounds against my ribcage. I suddenly regret for coming.

"Looks like it" Jake replies with a small smile.

"You two know each other?" His dad asks.

"Yes dad! He attends my school" Alec pipes up.

"Oh that's great! I really want you two to get along"

Alec smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes.

"Let's sit down and have a proper family dinner"his dad says and he makes his way to the dining table.

He sits at the opposite direction away from Alec and I

" Jake! I'm so happy you came for this special dinner! It means a lot to me"Alec's mom speaks up.

"Its my pleasure ma'am" Jake replies

"Don't call me ma'am, I prefer mom" she  says sweetly

"Okay mom" Jake replies and a huge smile appears on her wrinkled face.

"So Jake, since you know Alec already, lemme introduce the rest on this table" Alec's mom says.

Jake nods.

"This is Thomas, your brother" she says and points to him

"Hello" Thomas says with a huge beam and Jake waves him

"And this is Lucas, the youngest"

"Hey there!" Lucas says with a grin

Jake smiles

"And this is Alec's girlfriend, Nikki" she says and I nearly collapse. Jake's smile falters at this.

"Ummm....I know him already"I say

" oh"she says and sits. I try to avoid eye contact with Jake but I could feel his gaze on me. I feel like I'm going to melt any time soon with his hard gaze on me. I just wished the ground could open and swallow me whole.

"Alec! When did you get a girlfriend?" Jake's dad asks

Alec chuckles slightly.

"Anyway, Nice to meet you Nikki! You're very pretty" Jake's dad says and I smile gratefully

"Yeah she is! She and Alec will be so cute together" Alec's mom gushes and I see Jake shift slightly in his seat.

I wanted to tell her we were over but I considered what Alec told me. I'll explain things to Jake later. The servants serve us with Wild Alaskan Salmon, sushi, Salisbury Steaks and Meat loaf. We all begin to eat. The food was tasty.

"So Jake, where were you all this time?" Thomas asks as he fills his mouth.

"I was in England" Jake replies.

"England? Wow!" Thomas says fascinated.

"Can you take me there someday?"

"Sure Thomas"

"What about me? I really want to go there" Lucas says with a pout

"I would love to take you there too Lucas"

Lucas shrieks.

"So Jake, do you have a girlfriend yet?" Alec's mom spits.

Jake smiles.

"No I don't" he replies simply. My breath hitches in my throat.

"Oh you  don't?" Alec's mom asks surprised.

Jake shakes his head.

"Don't worry about that honey! I have someone in mind for him" His father says and I see Jake's eyes widen. No! He can't have someone else! Where did that come from? Am I jealous?

"Who father?" Jake asks

"Madison" he replies and Alec spits his drink back into the glass.

Madison? Who is Madison? Okay am confused right now.

"Oh no father! Not my former boss' daughter" Jake blurts.

"Son! Madison is a good girl! You'll love her" his father insists.

"But dad! Madison might have a boyfriend already" Alec says

"No she doesn't! Jake is perfect for her" His dad convinces

Alec's jaw clenches.

"I would like to meet this Madison" Alec's mom states.

Alec is quiet and so as his two brothers who have confused expressions on.

Jake sighs.

"My friend will be honoured to know that Madison's boyfriend is you" his father states and this time around I choke on my Salisbury steaks. I excuse myself to the washroom taking a whole glass of water until I'm okay.

I come out of the washroom to see Jake. I give him a small smile but he doesn't return it. His eyes blazing with anger.

"You are Alec's girlfriend?" He spits in my face with his hands clenched by his sides

I exhale heavily

"What she actually meant was, I'm a girl and am his friend so girlfriend in that sense" I say hoping he will buy it but he chuckles slightly instead.

"You are very amusing Nikki! But am not stupid! Am not buying that especially when you stood me up and then I meet you here with ALEC!!!" Jake roars raucously and I shudder.

"I'm sorry I stood you up! He invited me first" I explain.

Jake chuckles again.

"Of course! You have to please him! He's your boyfriend" he spits

"Why are you making a big deal out of this Jake? Its not like we were together or something?" I retaliate.

"Because I....." He trails off swallowing his words back.

"You?" I urge him to continue.

"So you and Alec are really together?" He asks sadness evident in his voice.

I sigh not replying to what he asked and he nods

"I can see that! I guess I was too late! I knew this was going to happen" he says

"What do you mean?" I ask

"Nothing really! I was just thinking aloud! And I want us to keep our distance from now on" Jake says hurt.

"Jake listen! Its not what you think! Its complicated" I explain

"Oh yes! When it comes to him, its always complicated"

"No! Not that!" I retaliate

"Enough with the lies! Keep them to yourself! Kate was right about you! You dumped me like a foul rag"

"What?!" I blurt.

"Goodbye Nikki" he spits and leaves to the dining hall. My heart pumps blood faster. Jake hates me now! Aaron too doesn't want to talk to me. All I have is Alec. I sigh.

°~•~•°

"What's wrong? You haven't spoken since we entered the car" Alec points out and I exhale heavily. My head aches from thinking too much. I guess what I have to do now is forget about Aaron and Jake. But it hurts me that Jake doesn't want us to see each other again and the Madison girl seems threatening. I'm happy I made it out of that terrible dinner alive and am currently in Alec's car.

"I'm tired Alec" I respond

"I told you ,you should have  stayed over for the night" Alec says.

I give him a small smile. We finally arrive in front of my house. I say goodbye to him and trudge into the house.

I get to my bedroom and fall on my bed. Then I was gone.

💜💜💜

"Okay can you tell me what the fuck is happening to you sister? You look like a walking corpse" Trina spits at me. Its a Sunday morning and am in tattered shorts and a pale orange blouse. My hair is tangled. I haven't fixed it and my face looks like death.

I smile weakly at Trina and just read my textbook. She snatches the book from me.

"Hey! Can you hear me! Hey!" She yells at me.

"What Trina? Can't you leave me alone so that I can study?" I drawl annoyed

Trina sighs looking at me quizzically.

"You are not like this Nicole! Tell me! What happened? You are in a mess right now" she insists.

"Nothing happened to me okay? Now go" I reply raucously and Trina shudders.

"If you don't tell me, you'll go insane! Remember a problem shared is half solved!" Trina barks.

"I don't have a problem!" I bark

"You have! Now start spilling and stop being adamant" She retaliates.

I groan.

"Okay fine you nosy creature!" I spit and she chuckles.

"Its true! I have a problem and I don't think it can be solved"

"What's it about?"

I tell her everything that has happened for the past few weeks and she feels pity for me.

"Oh Nikki! Am so sorry" she says when I'm done narrating everything

"So Jake doesn't want to be friends with you anymore?" Trina says sadly.

I nod and sniff

"Aaron too doesn't want to talk to me but Alec is still friendly" I reply

Trina furrows her eyebrows in confusion.

"I think I know your so called 'problem' " she says making air quotes.

"What is it?" I ask.

"You're too sad to notice it but I think all three of them like you!" Trina yells with glee and I frown.

"What? No! Of course not!" I say not understanding what I'm actually saying

"Take a deep breath sis and think about it" Trina says and I take a deep breath.

"Alec likes you! That's why he told his mom you're his girlfriend! He could have introduced you as someone else? And you yourself admitted that he said he loves you.

Also, Aaron isn't talking to you because he is hurt right now. He thinks you and Alec are in a serious relationship and he's heartbroken because he couldn't win you over and he cannot face you!

And finally, Jake is mad at you because he also likes you but he's the possessive kind and wants you to be with him only! So when you stood him up and he found out you chose Alec instead of him, he got angry and when he heard you were Alec's girlfriend, he got mad" Trina concludes and everything makes perfect sense. How did she put the puzzle pieces together? My sister is a real genius.

I look at her astonished and she gives me a proud smile.

"How did you do that?" I ask.

She shrugs.

"I'm an expert in solving people's troubles"

"So what do you think I should do now? Knowing all three like me" I ask.

Trina giggles.

"Be in charge! I advice you to stay away from the three of them and live your life. You'll see they'll come back to you"

"But Alec isn't mad" I state and Trina rolls her eyes.

"Alec isn't mad because he thinks he's won you! Make him feel uncomfortable! Just get them jealous. Just play! You'll enjoy it!" Trina states and it makes perfect sense. Just be in charge and play. I like that....

"Thanks sis! I love it" I say with a beam and she giggles.

"You're now back to life! Good" Trina says.

She sits beside me in my bed and we look through the latest styles in fashion on the internet.

Do you think Nikki can be in charge and play? There's more coming up and its going to be exciting so stick and stay. I'm sorry if this chapter is short but it gets better guys!

Don't forget to vote and comment.

Thanks for reading 💜

See ya!