Tangled Love

CHAPTER 135

Emily's POV -

"Hey! I've missed you," I say happily, pulling her into a hug. Ivory rang me a few hours earlier asking if she could stay with me for a few days and Pops agreed to it.

"As long as you two don't be throwing wild parties here then it's fine by me Elly," he said before wondering off down his garden to the little allotment he spends most of his time in.

"Are you sure I'm okay to stay with you? I have a few other places I can go if it's any bother," Ivory says, looking at me gratefully. I shake my head —

"No way, you're practically family," I smile, feeling relieved to have some sort of distraction away from Jake.

"Why have you been kicked out?" I ask, taking her bags off her and setting them down beside the couch. She scrunches her face up, popping herself down on the couch before letting out a breath —

"Tobias kicked me out for a few days. . . Something that he and Jake had to do apparently."

At the mention of Tobias, I remember how he'd kissed me and my hands flew to my lips, tracing my bottom one.

"Are Jake and Tobias okay with each other?"

"Yeah they seem a lot closer, do you want some pizza? My treat." Ivory grins at me and I nod at her silently, causing her to fist pump the air before leaving the room to make the call.

So it seems Tobias hadn't told Jake about the kiss.

I sit down on the couch and immediately feel bad for him, he should know. If I've learned anything over these past few months, it's that secrets always find a way to be discovered and they would often tear relationships apart once bought to light.

Ivory bounces back into the room, taking a seat next to me.

"I ordered the pizza, should be here soon."

"With extra cheese?"

"Extra, extra cheese," she chuckles and I hold my palm out for a high five. Ivory slaps me back, a wide grin spreading across her face.

"How have you been?" She asks suddenly, her tone turning serious. I sigh, knowing the topic of Jake would resurface soon.

"I'm kind of an emotional mess right now. . . I miss him so much." I say truthfully and Ivory pouts, giving me a sympathetic look.

"He misses you too, you guys should talk," she encouraged me and I shake my head, talking isn't what we need right now. We need to have some distance between us, time to sort things out for good.

"I think we've talked enough," I say, giving her a tight smile. She nods at me understandingly before her eyes light up, practically sparkling.

"Emily, I met a boy and I really like him." Ivory blurts out, slapping her hand over her mouth. I gasp, squealing in excitement for her.

"You never told me! Details please?" I respond eagerly and she grins, settling further into the couch. She crosses over her legs and I do the same so we're facing each other.

"His name is Ben and he's really nice," she starts off and I can tell by her face she's already in love with him. Her eyes shine brightly and her entire expression beams as she speaks about him.

"He's insanely sweet and he calls me his Ivory-Bear." She sighs, looking off somewhere into the distance like a love sick puppy. I wave my hand in front of her face, holding back a laugh.

"Hello, Earth to Ivory-Bear."

Ivory glares at me for teasing her.

"Sorry, my bad. Where did you meet him?" I ask her, genuinely feeling happiness for her. She deserves the best in the world and it seems with Ben, she's happy.

"I met him at a party. He goes to a different college but he's a friend of a friend of Tobias'. I haven't told the boys yet, they get super over protective."

"Oh come on, they can't be that bad," I respond . She gives me a questioning look before replying —

"The last time I had a boyfriend was a year ago. When they found out I lost my virginity to him, they kidnapped him from his house in the middle of the night and left him stranded in the next town over... They stripped him naked and left him without a phone. He broke up with me the next day and I was so mad but the boys acted like they had done nothing wrong. Apparently, he had it coming the whole time, sleeping with me was the last straw."

I sit there shocked, my mouth hanging wide open.

"No way!" I gasp out, choking back a laugh.

"Yes way," she responds, raising her eyebrow.

"So now I'm keeping Ben a secret, I can't lose him because of those two idiots!" She says frustratingly. I totally understand where she's coming from.

"I slept with Jake," I blurt out, slapping a hand over my mouth. My eyes widen a little as I take in Ivory's shocked expression.

"No way! Oh my god!" She yells, jumping up and down on the couch. I nod silently, still unable to move the hand from my mouth.

"Why didn't you tell me? Ew gross, that's my cousin!" She yells and I chuckle nervously, biting my bottom lip.

"It only happened once," I reveal, a blush creeping up my neck and onto my face.

"Wait! Was it your first time?"

I nod silently, my cheeks practically on fire right now. I've thought about that night over and over again, never wanting to forget a single second of it. He felt amazing, he felt right. Jake was so sweet with me, careful and considerate. I remember the pain on his face, the love in his eyes. Tears pricked my own as I thought about him, every inch of his beautiful features.

"I hate that you two are fighting right now, you're perfect for each other," Ivory says softly, pulling me into her arms as she notices the glossy sheen in my eyes.

"Things need to change Ivory," I murmur, holding on to her tightly. It feels like I'm slipping into a deep hole, unable to escape. I clutch onto Ivory like my life depends on it because I fear if I let go, I'll fall deeper into the hole.

"Jake will make it right, give him some time Emily."

I hold onto her words, repeating them over and over again in my head.

"I hope so," I whisper, blinking back tears.