Page 22 of Bluebird

Mum ushered Jake into the house.

“Hi, June. Is Nat home?” he asked, running his hand nervously through his dark hair.

My mum had no idea what had happened between us. She knew we were fighting, but I’m pretty sure she believed the whole situation was my fault. He could do no wrong in her eyes.

Mum glanced up at me with a disappointed frown. “Natalie, come down and say hi to Jake.”

Jake offered me an awkward wave, as I warily descended. I had never seen him look so unsure of himself. Jake always radiated confidence.

“Hi, Jake,” I greeted coolly.

He glanced uncomfortably from Mum to Luke, and motioned outside. “Could we…um…could we go for a walk?”

I clenched my jaw, pushed past his offered hand and continued out the front door.

Jake fell into step behind me as I marched up our driveway.

I growled impatiently and spun around. “What are you doing here, Jake?”

“You haven’t been taking my calls. How are we supposed to work through this, if you won’t talk to me?”

My bottom lip trembled. “You cheated on me. I need time to process that.”

“I’m so sorry, Natalie. I don’t know what else I can say. This can’t be the end of us, please don’t let it be the end of us.”

I breathed in deeply. “I don’t know how we’re supposed to make this work.”

Jake shook his head vigorously. “But that’s what I need to talk to you about. We can make this work…because I’m coming home.”

“What?”

“I’m moving back to Fairleigh,” he added enthusiastically. “I can find work out this way. It’s not worth losing you.”

I was overwhelmed with confusion and disappointment. “But, we had a plan…” He was supposed to be my ticket out of Fairleigh.

“I know, but it wasn’t working out for us. I miss you too much.”

Guilt consumed me. “So, you’re giving up your apprenticeship…for me?”

His green eyes pierced mine. “For us.”

I was speechless. I wanted to yell at him, but I couldn’t. He was fighting for me. “I…I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll give me another chance,” he begged and took my hands into his. His eyes glistened with hope and regret.

I diverted my gaze to the house across the road and frowned. “I need to think about it.”

His grip on my hands tightened, stealing back my attention. “Can I take that as a maybe?”

I smirked at his persistence. He appeared pleased by my response and offered me a boyish grin. My heart skipped a beat. It was so much easier to be mad when I didn’t have to actually look at him. He was gorgeous, and I was wavering. We had so much history and it didn’t feel right to give up on us so quickly.

Even after three years, I still couldn't believe he had chosen me. All the girls at school lusted after him, and he could have any one of them, yet he set his sights on me. Although we attended the same primary and secondary school, he didn’t notice me until year nine. Coincidently, it was the same year I grew boobs and lost my braces. We had been together since.

I drew my hands from his and crossed them over my chest. “We’ll see,” I sighed, still feeling sceptical.

Jake nodded and retreated to his car. He didn’t push any further, and left me to contemplate his words. I continued to gaze down the road, long after his old panel van was out of sight.

I returned to the house a moment later to find Luke gone and my mum waiting in anticipation, eager to find out what happened. I evaded her questions as I helped clean the kitchen, deciding to keep my situation private. I knew very well which direction she would steer me in.