The next afternoon, Emma and Jake were hanging out at Jake’s apartment, with Aaron lounging nearby. The atmosphere was tense, and Jake decided it was time to address an issue that had been weighing on him.

“Emma, we need to talk,” Jake began, his voice serious. “Why did you lie to me about Jenna’s age? I know I should probably end things, but I’ve fallen for her.”

Emma’s face turned red with frustration. “I was trying to protect Jenna, okay? She’s young and still figuring things out. I didn’t want to ruin what she had with you.”

Aaron, who had been listening, suddenly spoke up. “That’s exactly why you should have been honest with him. Your lies just made everything more complicated.”

Emma’s eyes shot daggers at Aaron. “And what’s your problem, Aaron? This isn’t your business. I did what I thought was best.”

Aaron leaned forward, his voice sharp. “It is my business when you’re messing with my brother’s life. Lying only makes things worse. You need to stop playing games and be straightforward.”

Emma’s frustration boiled over. “You don’t get it! I was trying to protect Jenna’s feelings. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.”

Aaron’s expression was one of disbelief. “Protect her feelings? You’ve created a mess, and now everyone’s caught in it. You need to face the fact that honesty would have been the better approach.”

Emma’s voice rose, her anger palpable. “I was trying to do what I thought was right! I didn’t want Jenna to be judged or treated differently because of her age.”

Jake watched the argument unfold, feeling the strain between Emma and Aaron. “Emma, I understand you had good intentions, but the deception is what’s causing the problems now.”

Aaron added, his tone firm. “You need to own up to your mistakes, Emma. If you really care about Jenna, you should’ve been honest from the start. Lies only hurt everyone involved.”

Emma’s face was flushed with a mix of anger and shame. “I’m sorry for lying. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I just wanted to protect Jenna.”

Jake’s voice softened but was still firm. “We all need to address this honestly and move forward. Jenna deserves the truth, and we need to handle this with respect.”

Emma nodded, her voice shaky. “I’ll talk to Jenna and try to make things right. I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused.”

As the argument settled, the tension in the room was palpable. The path forward was uncertain, but the importance of honesty and confronting mistakes was clear. Emma was left to grapple with the consequences of her actions, while Jake and Aaron struggled to navigate the fallout.