Learning To Trust Again

Walking back into the bar Jake spotted Rebecca standing by herself and walking towards her he met her eyes. Ignoring her searching look, on reaching her, he kissed her head and hoped she wouldn’t ask too many questions he couldn’t answer.

But Rebecca hadn’t missed Jake re-entering the bar with her brother. She had noticed Jake had been missing for some time and guessed he probably needed a break from her family’s inquisition, but she had not realised Todd was gone as well. Curious as to where they had both been all this time she asked quietly ‘hey where have you been?’

Deciding on a version of the truth Jake replied ‘just outside to get some air.’

But sensing the guardedness in him, Rebecca knew there was more to it than he was letting on. She studied him for a minute and with a worried expression, asked ‘you were outside with Todd?’

Jake said ‘I met him out there, yeah.’

But seeing his eyes shift way, Rebecca was not satisfied. She could see he was uncomfortable and she continued to probe, ‘so what were you doing all that time? You’ve been gone for ages.’

‘Not much, just talking’ he said. 

Watching him Rebecca was concerned. If her brother had said something to upset Jake she’d never forgive him, but not wanting to push it in the middle of the party she decided to leave it for now and ask him again later. In a quiet voice she said ‘okay.’ 

But her concern cast a shadow over the rest of the evening for her and she could tell Jake wasn’t in the party mood anymore either. So when he suggested an hour later that they go she was more than ready to call it a night.

After saying goodbye to her family Rebecca and Jake headed back to his car. She had witnessed a tense conversation that went on between him and Todd as she was talking to her parents and was convinced now that Todd must have said something. Her anger with her little brother underlining her words, as Jake drove, she asked in a sharp tone ‘what’s going on with you and Todd?’

Frowning but keeping his eyes on the road Jake said ‘nothing.’

‘He was rude wasn’t he? What did he say?’ Rebecca asked furious with Todd for interfering in something that was none of his business.

Turning his head to look at her for a second before moving his eyes back to the road, Jake said ‘he didn’t say anything.’

Figuring Jake was just trying to cover for her brother Rebecca said with increasing irritation ‘come on Jake, you two came back to the party after being missing for over an hour and your mood had changed completely. Then you have a whispered conversation that did not look too friendly when we were leaving, so don’t tell me he didn’t say something. Don’t try to protect him.’

But surprising her, Jake’s own anger appeared to spark. He said in a harsh tone he’d never used with her before, ‘Todd did not say anything to me, okay?’