Chapter 21: Complicated (Hope's POV)

We were all just standing in the living area, Blake and I beside each other and Jonah in front of us. "What's going on?" he asked in confusion. 

"We... kind of need to talk to you," I cleared my throat. 

"We? Like both of you?" I nodded silently. "What's up?" he questioned. 

"We kind of uh, lied to you," Blake said. 

"Lied to me?" He raised his eyebrows questioningly. 

"Yeah, we um... we do know each other. Like really well. From two years ago when she was still here," Blake said. 

"Oh," he laughed, "That's fine, why not just tell me though?" he asked. 

He thinks that's it. 

"Because-" 

Blake cut me off, "Because I liked her. Like... really liked her." 

"Oh," Jonah said, nodding slowly. "Wh- what happened?" 

"I left to New York. Actually, uh... my mom passed away two years ago." He nodded understandingly. "And I couldn't really take it. So I left. Without telling anyone." 

"And we were really close," Blake added. 

"Like... best friends or... more?" he questioned. 

"At the time, just best friends. But we liked each other. We just never told the other person," I mumbled. 

"After she left, we never spoke to each other. Until she came back and then you introduced her to me as your girlfriend," Blake said. 

"Oh. So, the first time you saw her since then was when I brought her here?" 

"Kind of, yeah," Blake nodded. 

"Sorry, man. I wouldn't have if I knew." 

"No, it's okay, it's perfectly okay," Blake shrugged. "That wasn't a problem." 

"But there's a problem now," I cleared my throat. 

"Okay?" he asked slowly in confusion. 

"I kind of um, still..." Blake stuttered. "I kind of still like her." Jonah didn't react, just looked between Blake and me. 

"And I kind of like him too," I mumbled. 

"So, you don't like me?" he asked. 

"No, I do," I said quickly, "I just... Not in that way," I sighed. 

"In what way, exactly?" He lifted a brow at me sharply. 

"In that 'you give me butterflies' way," I groaned. "How do I explain it?" 

"That explained it pretty well," he scoffed. "You don't feel the chemistry. Does that sound right?" 

I nodded regretfully, "Yeah." 

"And you feel it with him?" 

"Yes." 

"Okay," he nodded, taking a slow breath. "Have you two done anything?" 

"No," we said in sync. 

"Have you two... kissed?" 

"We-" 

"I kissed her," Blake said quickly. I stared at him, surprised that he admitted it so openly. 

"When?" 

"Yesterday." 

"Yesterday?" Jonah asked in shock. 

"Here." 

"At my house?" 

I closed my eyes, cringing. "Yeah, under the uh, mistletoe. When the power went out and you left to go fix it," Blake explained. 

"Why would you do that before telling me about this? Did you kiss him back?" Jonah turned to me. 

"No, she didn't," Blake lied. 

"That's not true," I mumbled. 

"I did. I kissed him back." 

"But she regretted it." Why is he trying to paint me out to be less wrong than him? Until last night he was saying it takes two to tango. What happened to that? 

"So did he." I glared at Blake. "More than I did." 

"Why'd you regret it, Blake?" Jonah asked him. 

"Cause you're my best friend, Jonah. And I shouldn't have done it behind your back, especially while she is still with you. I should have told you first, I shouldn't have made it so complicated. For you and her." 

"Well, you did. Make it complicated," Jonah said, glaring at him. 

I really wanted to take the heat off of Blake right now. "It's not just his fault though, Jonah. He's the one that convinced me to come tell you. I wasn't going to act on my feelings for him and that wouldn't have been right," I explained. 

"Have you two kissed more than once?" he questioned. 

I shook my head, "Just once." 

"Do you wish it was more than once?" 

Blake and I looked at each other. "Not behind your back, no," he answered. 

"Do you still want to kiss each other?" 

We looked at each other again. "Yeah," we shrugged in sync. 

"Do you want to be with her?" Jonah asked him. 

"Maybe not right now, but eventually, yeah," he nodded. 

"Do you want to be with him?" 

"Someday," I nodded. 

He sighed, looking at both of us before running a frustrated hand through his hair. "It's over. Isn't it, Hope?" 

"I'm sorry," I whispered. 

"Don't be," he shook his head. 

"You like him, you like her... I don't fit in between. Nor do I want to," he shrugged. "Go ahead." 

"What?" I stared at him in disbelief. 

"Go ahead. Be with him, be with her, kiss her, whatever. We weren't that serious anyway, right?" He's hurt, I can tell. But I appreciate that he's trying to do the mature thing and he's putting our feelings before his own. I wish I was more like him. 

"Are you serious?" Blake asked. 

"Yeah. You're happier with her, she seems happier with you. Who am I to come in between?" Blake and I glanced at each other before looking back at him. "Just... keep a lid on the PDA, no need to rub salt in the wound," he rolled his eyes. I still can't really believe it. "Can I just get a minute with her?" 

"Yeah, of course," Blake said, going into the kitchen hesitantly. 

I turned to Jonah, waiting for him to maybe get mad at me. "Will you at least just tell me if he ever fucks it up? I'll still be here," he shrugged. 

I sighed, "Of course I'll tell you, Jonah. Thank you." 

"Don't mention it," he shook his head. "So, you've liked each other for how long? Like... ten years or something?" 

"Give or take," I nodded. 

"Jesus Christ, you two must belong together then," he shrugged. 

"I'm really sorry, Jonah. You treated me really well, seriously. Thank you so much. I hope you find an amazing girl, it just isn't me, I'm sorry." 

"Don't apologize for how you feel, Hope. You're all his," he smiled at me. I rolled my eyes but couldn't help but smile. "Good luck," he said. 

"Thank you," I chuckled, pulling him into a hug. 

"Can I punch him?" he asked. "Just once." I pulled away, looking at him. "He deserves it." He gave me a pointed look. 

"So do I." 

"Yeah, but I don't want to punch you," he rolled his eyes. "I'll punch him twice as hard to make up for it. Fair enough?" he chuckled. 

I shrugged, "Okay." 

He chuckled, grabbing my hand and pulling me into the kitchen where Blake was waiting. He was leaning against the counter and pushed himself off when we entered. He looked at both of us kind of confused and curious. 

"Should I really?" Jonah asked me. 

"Should he really what?" Blake asked. 

"Go ahead," I shrugged. 

"Okay," Jonah nodded, turning to Blake. 

"What are you-" 

Ouch. That looked like it hurt. I clamped my hand over my mouth, biting back a laugh and a gasp, both. Jonah shook his hand, which was seemingly hurting too. 

"Really?" Blake deadpanned, swiping the corner of his mouth with his thumb. His mouth was now bleeding. 

"I didn't think you'd do it that hard," I said to Jonah. 

"Me neither. Shit, sorry Blake." Blake scoffed, shaking his head but he didn't seem to mind. "Now, both of you can leave. At least let me pretend to be angry," Jonah said, going up to his room. 

"You let him do that?" He stared at me in disbelief. 

"You deserved it," I shrugged. "So do I." 

"Yet your lip isn't bleeding, how convenient," he scoffed. 

"I'll fix it at my house," I replied. He smirked at me. "Not like that," I rolled my eyes. "With a first aid kit. And don't worry, I'll make it as painful as possible." I smiled sarcastically. We left Jonah's place after that and headed back to mine because he's still running from Kimberley. "Why are you even avoiding her?" I glanced at him as he focused on the road. 

"Because she's asking questions about us." 

"We're an 'us?'" I questioned. 

"Sure enough," he smirked. 

"Haha," I said monotonously. 

He chuckled, parking the car in my driveway, both of us climbing out and going inside. "Where's the first aid kit?" he asked. 

"Under the kitchen the sink. Come on," I said. He followed me there, waiting while I grabbed the kit and washed my hands before grabbing everything. Just an alcohol pad really, not much you can put on someone's lip. "Sit on the stool," I said while grabbing an alcohol pad. 

"No, you sit. On the counter," he sighed. He grabbed my waist and hoisted me up before standing between my legs, resting his hands on my knees. 

I stared at him before throwing his hands off onto the counter. "It's distracting." 

"Okay," he smirked, keeping his hands planted on the counter. I tilted his chin up, lightly pressing the cotton pad onto his lip. He closed his eyes tightly, resisting a wince. I blew on it, hoping it would burn a little less even though I promised to make it hurt. 

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Chapter 21

aren't ya'll happy they finally told Jonah???

let me know what you wanna see next, let's see if I can put it in and make it happen

next chapter: freak