Always with You (WIth You Trilogy) (8 page)

Friday, 12th July 2013

Once Jake had cooled off a bit, I
made tea and coffee and took them into the lounge so the two Sams could have some as well. Jake brought in a packet of biscuits and I resisted making a blood sugar comment because I didn’t want to get into an argument with him.

“So, Xander,” Jake began, addressing the big guy whilst he grabbed a handful of Jammy Dodgers. “You worked with Ian?”

Xander nodded.

“Doing what?” H
e continued.

I shot him a warning look because he knew Ian wouldn’t want him prying but he was doing so regardless.

“SAS,” Xander replied in a bored voice.

“How long ago?”

“A while,” Xander answered shortly.

“Jake, cut it out,” I whined. I didn’t need him putting Xander in an even worse mood. I was the one wh
o had to put up with him twenty-four seven.

“Alright,” Jake grinned wickedly
, turning his attention to me. “How’s Jason?”

“He’s good,” I smiled, relieved that he’d
changed topic. “He’s kinda overprotective since everything though,” I shrugged awkwardly.

“Doesn’t he trust your nanny?” Jake grinned wickedly and I found myself smirking despite myself.

I shrugged. “I think he’s just worried.”

“Does he, like, have to cook for you and shit too?” Jake continued
, going back to poking the bear.

“Jake,” I warned again with a sigh of exasperation.

He never did grasp the concept of not provoking somebody who could easily break him in half.

“What?” He feigned innocence. “If you’re gonna get your own man-maid, I want one too.”

The two Sams, who’d previously been grinning at Jake’s jokes, stopped smiling as they seemed to sense he’d gone too far. I could see that Xander wasn’t going to let him get away with it anymore and the last thing I needed was the two of them getting in a fight.

I stood up and grabbed Jake’s arm. “A word,” I said through gritted teeth, dragging him towards the hallway.

He scowled at me as soon as we left the room and made his way up the stairs, radiating anger with every step. I quickly realised that I might have made a mistake by dragging him out of the room like that. Anxiously, I followed him up to his room, made nervous by the expression of irritation on his face.

“Jake, I-” I started, unsure how I was going to defuse the situation.

“Don’t, Jelly,” Jake warned, stalking to his bed and throwing himself down onto it. He held up his hand, signalling me to stay quiet.

Jake suffered from the same short fuse that
beset Karl. I could tell he was struggling with it now and I wasn’t sure why. He usually had no issue venting at me.

“I didn’t mean to make you mad, Jake,” I apologised quietly, judging it semi-safe to sit next to him on his double bed. “I’m sorry.”

Jake sighed deeply and pulled his pillow over his face. “I’m not pissed at you, Jelly, I’m just…” He pulled the pillow away and looked over at me. “Never mind.”

“You can talk to me
, you know,” I reassured him, squeezing his hand gently.

I wanted Jake and I to have a better relationship. I knew everything that had happened had shaken him almost as much as it had me but I wanted it to bring us closer, not push us further apart.

“You’re so sweet it’s sickening sometimes, you know that?” Jake grinned, throwing the pillow at me.

“Thanks?” I raised my eyebrow at him and he chuckled.

“So what’s with Xander?” He asked, obviously unwilling to talk about whatever was really bothering him.

I shrugged. “He doesn’t talk much unless he’s telling me what to do.”

“So, it’s like being at home?” Jake grinned.

“Pretty much,” I admitted with a small sigh. “Except when you guys do it, you’re usually nice about it.”

He raised his eyebrow like he didn’t really believe me. “So, what? He just follows you around everywhere?”

“Whilst frowning or smirking,” I admitted.

“Sounds like fun,” he said sarcastically.

“Yeah,” I sighed. “But if you could avoid winding him up, that’d be great.”

“I’ll try, but I can’t promise anything. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m hilarious,” he said seriously.

I laughed and gave him a hug before following him bac
k downstairs to the lounge.

“So are we allowed to talk to your sister now, Jake?” Ginger Sam goaded.

I felt Jake stiffen next to me and decided to head him off before he could turn into a hothead again.

“Of course you are,” I smiled. “Right, Jake?” I hit him playfully on the thigh and he responded by hitting me back and almost giving me a dead leg.

“Shit, I didn’t mean that, Jelly,” he panicked, watching me rub my sore thigh.

“Relax, Jake,” I reassured him. “I don’t think it counts if I start it.”

“Doubt Ian would give a shit,” he said bitterly.

“What do you mean by that?” I frowned.

“Nothing.” He shrugged it off.

I could tell it wasn’t “nothing” but he still looked pissed and I’d already lucked out by calming him down once and I wasn’t willing to risk my luck a second time.

He did eventually calm down when the two Sams promised to buy him beer and a burger that night. They clearly knew Jake well. With his mood improved, he fetched his guitar and started fiddling with it whilst we watched MTV.

“So, Xander,” Jake grinned mischievously. “My baby sister giving you any trouble?”

I shot him an irritated glare which just made him grin more broadly.

“She’s pocket-sized.”
Xander raised an eyebrow, clearly under the impression that I couldn’t cause him any problems.

I glared at Xander but bit back a retort because it didn’t seem worth it.

“Good point,” Jake grinned, nudging me with his elbow.

I ignored him and tried to feign
massive interest in MTV and think about Jason.

“So, is Ian paying you or something?” Jake continued.

He always did have a big mouth. I felt my cheeks burning and elbowed Jake back, silently pleading with him to shut up.

“I mean, why are you doing this?” Jake pressed when Xander ignored his question.

“Owe Ian a favour,” Xander shrugged again. The same answer I’d heard before.

“What for?” Jake continued

“Jake!” I snapped. “That’s none of our business.” He knew that Ian liked to keep his work private. Ian would be annoyed if he knew Jake was trying to dig around in his life.

“She’s right,” Xander frowned, giving Jake an angry stare which was about on par with the ones the twins gave us when we pissed them off. Unfortunately for Xander, Jake was pretty much immune to glares like that
.
Water off a duck’s back.

“What? Did you two pinky swear on it or something?” Jake goaded. “Did your periods synch up and shit?”

“Jake, that’s enough,” I said anxiously.

To my surprise, Xander actually laughed.

“You’re a lot like your brother,” Xander chuckled, quickly pulling his face back into its former expressionless form. “He saved my life.”

“Really?” Jake and I both asked, our
interest peaking.

Xander nodded. “Took a bullet for me.”

“Woah,” Jake’s eyes widened, both impressed and horrified.

“Ian’s scar,” I whispered, more to myself than anyone else. I hated that scar on his chest. It was a reminder that Ian wasn’t the invincible superhero I’d thought he was as a child.

Xander nodded again, his expression still impassive. “Least I can do to keep you safe whilst he’s gone.”

There was an awed silence in the room
as the idea that Ian had almost sacrificed his life for a friend sank in.

“Thanks,” I said eventually, because what else could I say?

“Surprised Ian didn’t tell you,” Xander shrugged.

“He doesn’t talk about work much,” Jake explained.

“And I didn’t find out about you until ten minutes before you arrived,” I added.

Another nod, he may even have showed a little contemplation before becoming impassive again.

“Guess that explains why you were kind of a bitch,” Xander shrugged.

“Watch your fucking mouth,” Jake scowled, standing up in front of Xander before I had a chance to think.

I was completely caught off guard by his insult. I knew he didn’t like me very much but I hadn’t expected him to be so direct about it.

“Or what?” Xander smirked, still relaxed in his seat and barely glancing up at Jake.

“I don’t give a shit who you are to Ian, you don’t get to talk to Jelly like that,” Jake fumed.

I had to bite back a smile
because Jake and his friends had called me much worse over the years and now, all of a sudden, he was jumping to my defence.

“You barely know her. If you did, you wouldn’t be calling her that. I’m not going to warn you again.”

“Not going to fight you, kid,” Xander smirked. “Be no point.”

“What
the fuck do you mean by that?” Jake took a step closer.

Xander shrugged nonchalantly, looking Jake up and down.

“Jake, it’s okay. Sit down, please,” I pleaded.

“I’m not gonna sit here and listen to him talk to you like that,” Jake said, his shoulders still tensed and
his hands still balled into tight fists at his sides.

“Jake, he was probably right,” I said guiltily. “I haven’t exactly been nice to Xander.”

I knew Jake didn’t care about the fact that Xander outweighed him by a good forty pounds and was probably much better trained in martial arts than he was. Jake had probably taken more beatings than any of us because he never stepped down from a fight. He didn’t care if he lost as long as he got a few good blows in. In his mind, that made it worth it.

“What?” Jake’s eyes focussed on me instead.

“Jason and I had just fallen out the first time we met and I was a little…”

“Bit of a bitch?” Xander offered.

“I was going to say rude,” I mumbled. “But yeah, whatever.” I pulled my knees up to my chest and looked determinedly at the TV once more.

“That’s not like you, Jelly,” Jake frowned, giving up on his dispute with Xander and plopping down onto the sofa
to put his arm around my shoulder.

I shrugged and kept my gaze on the television.

“Talk to me,” Jake demanded.

I frowned and didn’t meet his
eyes. Jake and I had never had that sort of relationship. I’d never been able to confide in him like a friend. I knew I’d asked him to do the very same in his room earlier and I felt guilty that I’d asked him to do something when I didn’t feel comfortable doing the same.

Jake and I were only two years apart. We’d had alm
ost the exact same upbringing and put up with the same crap from our big brothers. We had different ways of handling it but we’d still lived similar lives. Everyone saw Jake and I as the youngest and we were treated as such, even though we’d both moved out.

“What do you want to know?” I mumbled awkwardly.

“Why you weren’t yourself with Xander.”

“Jake,” I whined. I didn’t want to go into this with an audience.

Jake reacted by being Jake and pinching my arm.

“Ow!” I protested, rubbing the sore spot.

“Out with it,” he grinned.

I sighed and resolved myself to answer the question, but I pinched him back first because I was going to take a leaf from
his book and stop letting them all push me around now I knew none of them would really hurt me anymore.

Jake looked surprised but didn’t move to reciprocate, squeezing my shoulder gently to urge me to continue.

“I’d just fallen out with Jason before Xander arrived and Ian and Jason decided not to tell me about it until last minute,” I sighed. “I was pissed off that they did it behind my back and even more pissed off that Jason stormed out. I wasn’t very good company.”

“Why didn’t they tell you?” Jake frowned.

“Guess they didn’t think they needed to,” I shrugged, a twinge of irritation resurfacing as I remembered it.

“Sounds
about right,” Jake nodded.

I shrugged. “I was just upset at the time.”

Jake gave me a hug and I relaxed and let him hold me, glad for the comfort. I knew he understood how annoying it could be when our brothers decided for us. He’d wanted to become a footballer, not go to university, but Ian had said flat out “no chance”. It had caused months of arguing but Ian got his way as usual.

In all honesty, I thought Ian had been right; J
ake was really good at football but the chances of making a career out of it were so low. Ian just wanted what was best for Jake, for all of us, but he sometimes went about it the wrong way.