Just the Way You Are

Eve woke up the following morning with a horrible headache, it was almost as if someone were banging her head against a brick wall. She slowly sat upright in her bed, tossing her covers to the foot of it, and yawning silently. She instantly regretted it when she smelled the awful stench of throw up in her mouth. Eve grimaced, making a disgusted face after closing her mouth.

She couldn't believe that smell was still there after she had brushed her teeth at least three times last night. She had forced herself to regurgitate at least four times, a large amount compared to the usual one.

Eve dismissed the matter, traveling towards her closet and grabbing some clothes before walking out of her room and into the bathroom. She stripped out of her pajamas and stepped into the steamy shower.

Jesse heard the running water through the paper thin walls, and groaned aloud, shooting upwards with a scowl. He hadn't gotten a good night's sleep at all. His bed was far too lumpy and firm for his likings.

He hated this. He hated the bed. He hated this so-called "home" that looked more like a homeless shelter. And he hated the fact that he was having to go through so much trouble for fame. Jesse then remembered about Eve's mom, Darla, and he began to curse her and her "poor, pitiful shack".

He was hoping that Darla would get healthy again soon, or at least kick the bucket quickly so they could get back to Beverly Hills where they belonged.

You'll be out of here soon, Jesse. He repeated to himself, in hopes that it would be true. Just have to make sure that everything goes perfectly.

"That jackass has to get the picture." Jesse murmured, remembering about Jacob. "He better stay out of it. He'll screw it all up."

Jesse figured that after their relationship was in the clear, he'd stay with her a little while longer, dump her, and go for a more famous girlfriend. It was what all the great celebrities did. It was how things worked.

Jesse got ready after Eve stepped out of the shower and Eve went downstairs to make breakfast for them both. She made a few eggs, buttered toast, and bacon, setting it down on the table in a few minutes. She walked upstairs and towards the bathroom, knocking on the door.

"Jesse?"

"Hold on, Eve, I'm busy."

She grumbled and rolled her eyes, walking away and into her room to be alone for a while. "He spends more time getting ready than I do." She mumbled.

She sat down on her bed and pulled her legs up to her chest, waiting for Jesse to finish up so they could both head downstairs to eat breakfast. After a minute she let herself fall backwards into the bed and stared at the ceiling. Eve looked over at her nightstand at her cell phone, her eyes lingered upon it for a few seconds before her hand eagerly snatched it up from the table and dialed the number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Jake," Eve smiled upon hearing his deep voice.

"Hey Eve, what's up?"

"Nothing much, you?"

"I just got up," He said through a yawn.

"Oh, that's nice. I've been up for a while, I guess."

"Well sorry that I can't be an early bird, like you." He replied, she could imagine his tongue sticking out at her.

She laughed at the image and shook her head, not believing she had thought of it. "I'm waiting for Jesse to get out of the bathroom."

"Oh..." It got quiet and she knew that he was irritated that she had brought him into the conversation. "Speaking of him, why are you with him?"

"Well... I don't know..." Her voice trailed off.

"How'd you guys meet?"

Eve took a deep breath, getting comfortable on her bed and thinking back. "I met him about two years ago. I was doing a photo shoot for a magazine... and he was helping out on set. I was just starting out as a model, no one really knew my name, but I was getting small jobs here and there so it was all good.

"I guess it was accidental. I was going to my changing room to get dressed and we bumped into each other. He was carrying a few boxes filled with lenses for the camera, and he dropped them all. I helped him pick 'em up and we started talking. When I was called to the set, he stood to the side watching me pose. He'd send small gestures to make me laugh, which got him in trouble a few times, and then I'd laugh even more." Eve chuckled to herself, but stopped when she heard Jake give a low growl. "Anyways, um... we started talking and going out as friends. We started dating after six months of meeting. He wanted to get together earlier, but I wanted to take things slowly."

"How'd he ask you?"

"He took me to the movies in the morning, then we went to the local park, played on the playground, and he took me to a concert that night. It was a band we both liked, Nickelback, and after we went out to eat at a 24 hour diner. He took me home and asked me at the door ad I said 'yes'."

"Did you like it? The way he asked you, I mean?"

"Well, it was nice, but I think I would have liked a more romantic setting instead."

"Why'd you say 'yes'?"

"He was a nice guy, and we'd known each other for a while." Eve shrugged. "It seemed like the right thing to do."

"Did you even like him?"

"Yea, I liked him. If I didn't I wouldn't have gotten with him in the first place." She answered.

"Did you love him...?"

Eve remained quiet, but answered nonetheless. "No... no, I didn't love him."

"Do you love him right now...?"

"I can't say..." She whispered. Eve wanted to change the subject, she didn't feel comfortable with all this questioning about Jesse. Jacob wasn't helping her want to try and work things out with Jesse. "So, do you think you can take me to the hospital, Jake?" She inquired. "I mean, if you're busy or you don't want to it's totally fine, I'm just asking."

Jacob smiled and chuckled, thinking that it was cute when Eve went rambling on like that. "Sure, sure, I'll take you. When do you want me to come over?"

Eve bit her lip and then smiled. "Why don't you come over right now? I mean, I just made breakfast for Jesse and I. I can make some more really fast."

"Alright, I'm on my way." Jake replied with a goofy grin that he was happy she couldn't see.

"Just walk on in when you get here."

"Will do, Eve, see ya."

Eve hung up the phone and put it into her pocket before dashing out of her room and down the stairs, bounding into the kitchen. She got out more toast, bacon and eggs, making as much as she thought necessary knowing that Jake could have a big appetite. As she was placing the freshly made breakfast onto the table, the front door opened and Jacob was standing in the door frame.

"Jake," Eve smiled, walking over and giving him a welcoming hug. "Morning." She mumbled into his chest.

"Morning, Eve, smells good in here." He responded, looking down at her with a smile.

"Thanks." She guided him to the table and she handed him a glass of OJ before sitting down herself and beginning to eat with him.

"So how was your night?" Eve asked.

"Long and boring."

"You look like you didn't sleep at all." She gave him a worried glance as she took a sip of her drink.

The truth was that Jacob hadn't slept. He had gotten used to having Eve around him all the time, that it was wrong for her to not be there with him. Knowing that she wasn't in the same house as he was last night threw him off, and he couldn't think of sleeping. He needed to know that she was safe, and he knew that she wasn't safe with Jesse, or at least not as safe as she was with him.

"Eh, there was a lot of activity in the woods that I could hear, lots of wolves howling." He shrugged, taking a sip of his OJ.

"There are wolves here?"

He paused, looking around the room for a few seconds before nodding. "Yea, a few." He shrugged. "I haven't seen them, but sometimes you can hear them at night."

"That sounds really cool, I've always wondered what wolves looked like. I've never seen one in person." Eve commented. "Maybe I should go sightseeing one night." She chuckled.

"Don't, it's really easy to get lost and it's dangerous. Especially at night."

"Hey, hey, I can be tough when I want to."

"Sure, you can." Jacob sarcastically agreed.

"Take that back," Eve's eyes glared at him playfully and she was biting down on her tongue to make sure she didn't smile like an idiot.

"Make me." Jacob taunted.

"Fine..." She grinned. "No more food."

Her hands went to the plates where the food was assembled and began to pull them towards her and away from Jacob's grasp.

He smirked and reached for her chair's leg, pulling her closer to him and the food as well in the process. "I win." He snickered.

"You suck."

"Ooh, that really hurt."

"It's only going to get worse."

"Not if I can help it." Jacob smirked and pulled Eve into his lap, tousling her hair, squishing her lightly in his arms, and sending her into a fit of laughter.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

Eve and Jacob turned to see Jesse standing in the middle of the door frame with an infuriated expression, and eyes as black as coal. Eve immediately got off of Jacob's lap and walked over to him.

"Jesse, it was nothing. Jake and I were just playing around."

"Screwing around is more like it." He growled.

"Hey! Don't you ever talk to Eve like that again, got it?" Jacob yelled, standing up and walking over towards them.

"You stay out of it. This doesn't concern you."

"You wanna feel how hard I can punch, Pretty Boy?" Jacob snarled.

"'Pretty Boy'?!" Jesse hollered. "Well, I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less than name calling from a stupid, uneducated, person such as yourself."

"Shut up, just shut up!" Eve yelled. "Stop fighting, it's stupid and useless!!"

"Let me be the mature one." Jesse said, walking past Eve and Jacob to the table.

"Jesse..." Eve gave him a stern look, telling him not to push his luck. Eve looked over at Jacob who was trembling angrily. She felt partly responsible and touched his arm. "You okay...?"

"I'll wait outside." Jacob growled, walking out of the house, causing Jesse to smirk.

"About time he left." He murmured.

"Jesse...?"

"Yes, babe?"

"Shut the fuck up from now on and stay away from me for the rest of the day." Eve said, grabbing a few of her things quickly and walking out the door.

Jesse glared at the two of them from the kitchen window as he watched the both of them talk for a little while, Eve calming Jacob down and soon getting a laugh out of him. They finally got into the Yukon, Jacob driving while Eve rode shotgun, and drive away down the road. Jesse's hands were balled into fists, and his fingernails were digging into his skin.

His eyes looked across the front yard and noticed Jacob's old, red Volkswagen Rabbit parked on the side of the road. He chuckled before grabbing a sharp knife from the drawer and walking outside the house.

Hey... payback's a bitch...