18. Aurora: Could There Be Anything Stranger?

Chapter eighteen

Aurora – Could There Be Anything Stranger?

There are situations that never make sense, no matter how you try to reason them from different points of views. A perfect example of such a situation is how Elena Wexler back in high school bought a pair of pajamas for two hundred dollars and wore them to school the next day as a fashion trend. Or how some people don’t understand that dipping cookies in milk is the best way to eat them. Or how mom, out of the blue, packed her bags and decided she was done with dad and me, without so much as a reason or an excuse.

No, whatever the situation might be, they just never make sense to you.

And now, Alex is here in Birchwood with Sophia, who happens to be Jake’s ex-girlfriend, who is now engaged to Alex, my ex-boyfriend. I am Jake’s supposed girlfriend whom his family has come to meet in Birchwood, and Sophia happens to be Bella’s best friend. Here I am, a supposed girlfriend with an ex-boyfriend now engaged, and an obvious bitter ex-girlfriend who seems to not have moved on or is just a malicious witch who eats other people’s happiness for breakfast .

It’s a never-ending loop. Like being lost in a maze. I can toss the situation around in my mind however I want, but I still feel lost. It’s like my head’s underwater, and someone is calling out my name.

And in another weird twist of fate, my head is currently resting on Jake’s shoulder while he rubs soothing circles on my shoulders. I’m in an alternate dimension where normal stuff doesn’t make sense, and random weird events spring up on you, strapping your mind into a really fast merry-go-round ride.

Not only do I have Alex’s return to deal with, I am unintentionally a part of a lie to Jake’s family, which I still don’t know how to straighten out. And don’t want to be a part of it.

I have to begin somewhere, at least , I think to myself. I sit up straight, leaning away from Jake’s body warmth and really soothing thumb massage. I admit I almost immediately miss the feeling of warmth and comfort, but we have to talk about the dire situation we have splattered at our feet.

Sighing, I adjust my position, so I can sit sideways, fully facing Jake. I tuck my hair behind both ears, exposing my face, which I had intentionally curtained with my hair moments earlier. The eye collision that I had with Jake had some funny effects that I’d rather not think about, and I definitely don’t want him seeing my face flushed.

But now, comfort time is over. It is time to get serious. The plan is to tell Jake I can’t be a part of his lie to his family, and he should man up and tell them the truth. I have no desire to be a part of his lies, and I really do not want myself involved with Sophia or, especially, Alex. Being involved with Jake means being involved with Sophia, like it or not, and the choice will be taken out of my hands. Not to mention that being involved with Jake and Sophia will lead to Alex’s unwanted presence.

I really don’t need all this chaos in my life right now. I love the peace and quiet that was my life before I met Jake. Things have not been the same for me since the night we were introduced. All I want now is to go back to my life, pre-Jake.

I feel a dull sting on my palm, and I realize I’ve been wringing my hands over my inner debate, a nervous habit I developed as a kid. Sucking in my lower lip, I look up to see Jake already looking at me with guarded eyes as if he can tell exactly what has been running through my mind.

“To be totally honest with you, Jake, it’d be best if we tell your mom and sister the truth about the situation being a misunderstanding. I don’t want to be part of this, and I definitely don’t want myself involved with Sophia,” I rush out. And as an afterthought I add, “and Alex.”

Jake sighs and rests his head on his forearms while pulling at his hair.

“It’s not that simple for me, honestly. I can’t just march in there and yell ‘Surprise! April Fool’s Day!’ But I can’t force you to be something you don’t want to be a part of. I’m sorry for dragging you into this, Aurora.”

Something about his tone saddens me, making me feel bad about wanting to run away from the whole thing, leaving him to deal with it all. He looks so helpless, resting his head on his forearms and dragging in a breath as if trying to draw strength from the very act.

“How about we continue our conversation from where we stopped? Regardless of the situation, as long as Alex is in the picture, I’m involved too.” It’s a never-ending connection.

“And where was that?”

“Your mom said she came here with Bella specifically to see me. Wanna explain that? Also, are all these things related to your absurd request back in your office the other day?”

Jake stares at his fingers, twirling the ring he always wears on his right middle finger. He’s probably collecting his thoughts, so I make no move to rush him.

“Bells is getting married. Sophia, as her best friend, is automatically her Maid of Honor. And as her brother, I am the best man. Bella, bless her soul, felt it was a perfect opportunity to get us back together.

“She suggested we both be each other’s date. And in my haste to get out of it, I told them I have a girlfriend, and no girl wants to see her boyfriend in the arms of another during the wedding rehearsals and the wedding,” he continues, after a small pause. “And then mom suggested they meet my girlfriend during their visit to Birchwood today.”

“And that is why you popped such a ridiculous question during my interview?” That whole situation is finally clicking in my mind. He looks ashamed and rubs the back of his neck, a hint of pink on his cheeks.

“I’m sorry about that. I wasn’t really thinking. I panicked and . . . I can’t believe I asked such a question out of the blue!” he finishes, with a groan, while covering his face and letting out an embarrassed laugh. I snort at that and shake my head with a slight smile.

It kinda feels…nice, talking with Jake and laughing about the event that tempted me to slap his face to the end of the world.

“And that is why they mistook you for my girlfriend. But the fact that you are meeting with them today is a total coincidence. I had planned to take them to a different diner and tell them the truth about the situation. It’ll break Bells’ heart, but I would have explained to her why I couldn’t be Sophia’s date to her wedding.” As if reading my mind about the question I am ready to voice, he raises a palm to stop me from interrupting.

“We drove past your pastry shop this morning, and both mom and Bells fell absolutely in love with the coffee shop and the pastry shop. They decided they’d love to have their breakfast here, and I couldn’t deny them without sounding weird or being awkward. And then you came in and misunderstood the situation. You totally got jealous, and you got mistaken as my girlfriend,” he narrates, with a wink at the end of his statement, and laughs at the incredulous expression on my face.

Then he continues. “So, the situation of the mistaken identity is totally your fault,” he says, while grinning widely.

I punch him feebly on his shoulder while claiming my innocence. “I did not get jealous at all! That is absolutely ridiculous! I was only angry because I thought you were engaged to Bella and you wanted to get out of it, and that was why you asked me to be your fake girlfriend!”

“Hmm . . . okay, whatever helps you sleep at night,” he says, laughing, while wiggling his brows.

I find myself laughing and thoroughly enjoying the nice and casual atmosphere. The truce is seemingly longer than I expected it to be.

“Did you know Alex? And were you aware of his engagement to Sophia?” I ask, after a moment, the reality of the situation dawning on me, settling in my stomach like a heavy stone. I gulp down the invisible rock in my throat and wait for his response.

“Honestly, no. I never knew Alex, and I didn’t know he was engaged to Sophia, either. And I definitely did not know Sophia would tag along with my family today. And certainly not with a fiancé.” He goes silent after that, a small frown settling on his face. I lick my lips and ask the next question.

“And why, Jake, do you not want to be her date to Bells’ wedding so badly that you’d spin up a fake girlfriend just to escape that?” I ask, wearily. Initially, all I planned to do was clear the air with his mom and sister, stay away from all the drama, and drive Alex away from me as fast and as forcefully as I could. I was never going to be a part of this complicated situation.

As crazy as it sounds now, I’m hoping I can be of help. Seeing him frown and being roped into a complex situation because he didn’t want to disappoint his family stirs something in me. And if I am going to be of help, I should at least know how intense the situation is.

“I really think that is none of your business, Aurora,” he says, with a steely edge in his voice that slashes through me. I recoil from his reply and suck in a sharp breath.

THIS is what I get for momentarily thinking we could be a team. That we can face the situation together as a team, that I can help him with the situation he has gotten himself into with his family and the mess I have been accidentally dragged into, even if it means being a fake girlfriend. Jake runs a hand down his face in distress.

“Look, Aurora, that isn’t quite what I meant, I didn’t mean it that way, I . . .”

I hold out a hand to stop him from completing whatever cliché line he is about to come up with.

“You’re right. It is none of my business. None of this is, in fact, my concern! Everything about the situation concerns me not! But now, the whole situation practically revolves around me! Your mom thinks I’m your girlfriend—supposedly in love with you—your sister loves me already, and your ex-girlfriend has daggers glinting in her eyes every time she stares at me.

“But you’re right, it is none of my business. I hope you get the situation fixed soon. I want my life back!”

I stand up and angrily snatch my bag from the office chair.

Jake stands up too and moves to stop me, but I shoot him a look, and he steps to the side

As I reach to open the door, he grabs my hand and jerks me back to him, but I refuse to fully face him. The embarrassment and the anger of his harsh response are still burning through me.

“I didn’t mean it that way, I was only . . .”

Three loud knocks reverberate on my office door. I wiggle out of Jake’s grasp and open the door. I hear Jake sigh at the presence looming at the entrance like some sort of gargoyle. Jake steps forward, placing himself behind me, and leans a supportive hand on my shoulder. I blink once, twice, and then a third time, like some sort of cartoon, just to be sure the image at the entrance isn’t a mirage.

“What are you doing here?” Jake asks, with undisguised contempt. Sophia stares at us with narrowed eyes.

“I need to talk to you, Jacob,” she says, in a sickly-sweet voice and the razor smile of a constipated crocodile.

Her eyes zero in on Jake’s hand on my shoulder and she glares at it, and to my shock, Jake removes his hand as if my shoulder is fire ant infested. My stomach drops, and I don’t even know why the act affects me so, it’s not like there’s anything special going on between us. Sophia locks her gaze with mine, and she smirks at me triumphantly, giving me a sweet smile.

I push past her, not sparing Jake a last glance before I leave my office, not caring that it’s my personal space they both have no right to in my absence. I hear him calling out my name, but I make no move to stop.

The sound of the beginning of an argument is the last thing I hear, as I escape from the small passage leading from my office.