We Can Only Pretend for So Long

“Kylie, wake up, we’re here.” I opened my eyes slowly, allowing them to adjust to the light. “What were you dreaming?” He asked, trailing his fingers through my hair as I lay against him.
“About dad.” My voice emotionless as I spoke. “When I came home and he wasn’t there.”
Jacob wrapped his arms around me in a soothing manner, but I wasn’t in the mood for his fake sympathy, so I pushed him away.
I grabbed my bag and followed the older, less mature version of Jacob inside.
“You hungry Ky?”
“No I’m good thanks.” I kicked off my shoes and set my bag down before going to Jacob’s room.
I could hear their murmurs as I closed the door.
Bed.
My tired feet moved me forward until I sat there, pulling up the covers.
Flipping, I lay on my stomach.
A wonderful aroma filled my senses as I closed my eyes.
Jacob smells really good.
I snuggled further into the queen size bed.
“Really Kyle? You’re gonna go to sleep again?”
“Mm.” My response.
“Come on, get up. We need to talk.”
“I don’t wanna.”
“If you don’t get up I’ll tell Ryan we had sex.”
I groaned before sitting up and glaring daggers at him. “Happy?”
“Not really. I would love to see your brother’s face when I told him his sweet little angel wasn’t as pure as he had hoped.”
“Suck it jerkwad.”
“Shouldn’t I say that to you?” He asked sitting down next to me.
“Nasty.” I glanced at him. “Why do you have a notebook?”
“To take notes of course.”
“You’re seriously going to take notes?”
“No you loser, it’s my song book.”
“Song book?”
“You know a book with songs in it.”
“Quit acting like I’m stupid, you know what I meant. I didn’t know you wrote songs.”
“Well, I do.”
“Can I read one?”
“No.”
“But-”
“I’ll play you one.”
“Really?” I didn't try to hide the astonishment in my voice.
“Yeah, come on.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the bed.
“Where are we going?”
“My music room.”
I followed close behind as he dragged me through the hallways.
He began walking down the stairs, to a room I’ve never seen before.
Let’s just say I was amazed.
The room we now stood in was big, all white walls with random drawings, a fake tree in a corner, why that was there, I have no idea, a few guitars, a bass, a set of drums, and a beautiful piano.
I sat down at the piano and ran my fingers gently over the keys.
“Good choice.” He said, sitting rather close.
Opening the book I tried to peek at some lyrics but couldn’t, until he finally stopped on a page.
“Don’t read, just close your eyes and listen.” I did as he said and closed my eyes.
His fingers stroked the keys expertly and a beautiful melody soared as he began to sing, his voice so heavenly.
‘Lyrics by my good friend Tania’
‘Age is just a number,
For how long we have knew.
To live out our lives,
Just us two.

To reach for the sky,
And touch the stars.
With us two,
Nothing is ever too far.
You could be my moon,
If only I could be
Your rising sun.
Where we could take the
Earth and have so much fun.

For without you my
Nights are dull.
I need you from sunrise
Till the sun should fall.

I just need you to be my
Everything
For anything, to something.

For to a what could have been,
To a could be.
To a can be.
To what can come to be.’
Once again, if only for a moment I felt all that hate melt away into a puddle on the floor.
Why do I hate him again?
It can’t be his looks, or his voice, or his musical genius, so, what is it?
“So, what’d you think?”
I opened my eyes and gasped, surprised at how close his face was to mine. I could feel his warm breath wash over my lips. “It was, amazing.” I whispered.
A thought occurred to me as I replayed the song in my head. “Who did you write the song about?”
He looked away quickly, snatching up his notebook and standing. “Just, this girl.”
“Jacob, are you blushing?” I smiled, standing as well just to taunt him.
“No.”
“You are too.” I said, blocking his way, still smiling.
My hands grabbed his forearms lightly.
Why does he have so much muscle?
“So what if I am, you blush all the time.” My cheeks began to heat. “See.”
“Yeah, but you’re a guy, and I’ve never seen you blush before. You must really like this girl.”
“Mm.” Okay, so he’s not gonna tell me any time soon.
I let go of his arms and walk over to a guitar, throwing the strap over my shoulders.
My fingers moved from fret to fret as I began to play Skyway Avenue.
“That note was off.”
“Huh?” I looked up at Jacob as he moved closer.
My left eyebrow arched as he stepped behind me.
Of course that all cleared up when his arms slithered around me and placed my hand on the correct fret. “Now try.”
“Can’t you show me on a different guitar? This is weird.”
“But you never said you didn’t like it.” He whispered seductively in my ear.
Chills ran down my spine. “Get away Pelter.” I spat, with the sternest voice I could muster.
He chuckled before pulling away and grabbing another guitar. “Like this.” His fingers ran over the cords, hitting every note perfectly.
“Damn you Jacob.”
“Oh don’t be mad Kylie, It seems I’m just better than you.” He said with a smirk.
“Oh go suck one.”
“That would be your job.”
“Do you want me to hit you over the head with your own guitar?”
“I’d like to see you even try to lift the guitar first.”
“Are you doubting my strength?”
“Not at all, sweetie.” I cringed at the name.
“Don’t call me that.”
“Aw, why not?” He snickered.
“Because it’s utterly embarrassing.” I said putting the guitar back on it’s stand.
“Embarrassing? What could be more embarrassing than someone going out with you?”
“Whatever.”
“Why do I damage my reputation so by playing this prank? Maybe it’s not worth it?” He said following me out of the basement.
“It’s not.”
“You’re right.”
“Well I’m glad we’ve come to an agreement, I’ll see you at school on Monday Pelter.” I said with a wave before walking to the door.
“Ah ah ah, not so fast sweetheart. Just because I said it wasn’t worth it, doesn’t mean I’m not gonna go through with it.”
“That doesn’t make any sense you know that right?” I turned towards him with a solemn look.
“Yeah, but it got you to stop.” He said with a smirk. “So, are you hungry?”
“No.”
“Okay, well what do you want?”
“I said I’m not hungry.”
“Actually, you said no, which in your language, when we’re talking about food, means yes. You’re just too shy to say yes.”
“Why the hell do you know so much about me?” I complained as he dragged me to the kitchen.
“If I know more about you, it’s easier to embarrass you.”
“So you learned all of this stuff about me to embarrass me?”
“Pretty much, haven’t really had to use it yet.”
“Oh gee, thanks.” I said sarcastically. “Speaking of embarrassment..”
“No.”
“No what?”
“I’m not telling you who the girl is.”
“Oh come on, you already know who I like, why can’t you tell me who you like?”
“It’s not the manly thing to do.”
“Since when are you Mr. Macho?”
“Since always babe.”
“Oh, is that why you’re wearing a flowery apron?”
For that apron being covered in a god awful floral print and fit perfectly for a woman, he sure made it look good, and I must say, manly.
“Would you rather wear it? I know it’s more your style.”
“Psh, yeah right.” I grabbed a carrot from his cutting board and nibbled on it. “So, you gonna tell me yet?”
“Nope.”
“Can you give me a clue?”
“Nope.”
“One little thing?”
“Nope.”
“Please?”
“Nope.”
“Well, why do you like her then?”
He stopped chopping the carrots for a minute, but his eyes never left the cutting board. “Do I really need to have a reason?”
“W-well, no, but, um, do you?”
“I have many.”
“And what would they be?”
His eyes glanced to mine for a moment and I was caught off guard, the look in his eyes was so intense I nearly fell off of the stool. “Because she’s beautiful.”
And then the intensity was gone, even before he brought his eyes back down to the carrots. “That’s extremely shallow of you Jacob.”
“Because she’s smart, she’s got a great personality, a wonderful voice, great taste in music for the most part, and has most of the same values that I do. Is that good enough for you?”
“I suppose.”
“So, why do you like Nick?”
“Um, well, I guess it’s cuz I’ve known him for so long, since second grade.”
“You’ve known me since first grade.” He said with a scrunched up face, like what I was saying wasn’t good enough.
“Yeah, but I hate you. And you’re a jerk, he’s nice.”
“Is that it? Do you even know anything about him since he left?”
I lowered my head. “Not really, but I will.” I said with determination.
“I think you should get to know him before you start falling for him.”
“And why do you say that?”
“Just, trust me.”
“Why are you talking like you know him?”
“Because I do Kyle. We kept in contact when he left.”
“That’s highly unbelievable.”
“And why’s that?”
“I thought you two hated each other.”
“Your point being? We hate each other, yet here we are, conversing like civilized human beings.”
So he had a point, big deal. “Then what’s so bad about him?”
“You know what? I’ll let you find out on your own if you don’t believe me.”
“Fine, I will then.”
“Fine.”
“Hey lovebirds.” Jay sang, stepping into the room. “I thought you weren’t hungry.” He accused.
“Well, I wasn’t-”
“Yes she was, she just didn’t want to say anything.” Jacob said, cutting me off.
“I think I can speak for myself thank you very much.”
“Whoa, I thought you two were a couple, why so much fighting already?”
“Old habits die hard I suppose.” Jacob muttered.
“What are you even making?”
Jacob looked over the ingredients he was currently chopping up. “Um, salads?”
He didn’t even know what he was making? Great.
“Why don’t you just make a stew?” Jay said in what he thought was a helpful manner.
I scrunched my nose in disgust. “Ky doesn’t like stew.”
“How can you not like stew? Is there something wrong with you?” I opened my mouth to speak. “You know what, don’t answer. I already know the answer to that, yes. You have to have something wrong with you in order to go out with my brother.”
“Very funny Jay.” Jacob said, throwing a piece of carrot at his head. Again I couldn’t stop myself from giggling.
It seems he’s good at that lately, making me giggle. Of course that will make it more believable.
“Is there something you want instead?”
“A salad’s fine thanks.” Which is true, I wasn’t that hungry anyways.
“See, I know her better.”
“Well I suppose you do.” Jay retorted as he walked back to his room.
“Why does he keep saying stuff like that?”
“Why does he say half the stuff he does?”
“I don’t know.”
“No one does.”
A sneeze echoed through the room. “Bless you.” Jacob and I said in unison.
Our eyes connected in confusion before we heard the footsteps.
“Hi dad.” Jacob greeted tersely.
“Oh, good afternoon Mr. Pelter.”
I swiveled around in the stool to smile at him.
“Who’s this beautiful young lady?”
He doesn’t remember me? It’s only been two years.
“It’s Kyle dad.”
“Kyle, my how you’ve grown.” He smiled brightly at me, taking me in.
I felt slightly uncomfortable by his gaze.
“Kyle, come here.” I stood from the stool and walked to Jacob. “Stand here, like this.” He placed his hands on my shoulders and stationed me so the mid of my back hit the island and I was facing away from his father. “Hold this bowl.”
“Okay.”
He then slowly began to put the lettuce and what not into the glassware. “Don’t you have some work to do?”
“Ah, yes. I suppose you’re right, son.” My back tensed slightly as he spoke the last word through his teeth.
No more words were spoken after he left.
We ate our salads in complete silence.
Funny how one simple occurrence can do that.
“Let’s go to my room.” Jacob finally spoke as we finished our ‘snack’.
I nodded my head and followed close behind, waiting until he closed the door to speak. “Why were you acting so weird out there?”
“I don’t like my father.”
“I know that, but why’d you make me turn away, I mean, never mind. You were just acting weirder than normal, or jerkier, your pick.”
“I had my reasons.”
“Oh? And what would that be?”
“Forget it.”
“Tell me.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Tell me!”
“He was ogling your chest Kyle. No doubt mentally undressing you.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Why is it so ridiculous?”
“Because, it’s only been two years, I haven’t changed at all. You never used to think he was doing that.”
“No, actually Kyle you’re a lot different. Looks wise.”
“How so?”
“You used to be more, I don’t know, stick like, and now you’re more, hour glass figure-y. And you have breasts!” I crossed my arms over my chest subconsciously.
Man he’s just straight forward.
“Are you saying I used to be flat chested?”
“Yes.”
“Jerk, I-no, you’re not changing the subject, I still don’t think your father did that.”
“He did.”
“But-”
“I think I know my father better than you.”
I huffed and fell onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
That feeling of being watched soared through my stomach.
My eyes glanced up at Jacob momentarily.
“Your father can’t ogle my chest, and neither can you.”
“I was not looking at your chest, I was reading your shirt.”
“My shirt’s blank.”
“There’s a secret message on it that only I can read.”
“Yeah? What’s it say?” I glared at him.
“That I should really stop ogling your chest.”
“I think you should take the notes advice.”
So he did, and now, instead of looking at my chest, he’s laying next to me, looking into my eyes. “What now?”
“I’m just trying to remember your eyes.”
“Why?” I arched my left eyebrow.
“Because when people find out that we’re together they’re gonna ask stupid questions like, what color are her eyes?”
I covered my eyes with my hands and smiled, and for some reason, I had a feeling he was too. “What color are they?”
“Green.” I opened my mouth to correct him but he cut me off. “With a mixture of sky blue, an orange ring around the pupil, and random specks of black.”
My smile faded and I brought my hands back to my sides. “You’re good.”
“Now, let’s get the rest of this down.”
The rest of the night we spent every waking moment memorizing the other’s likes and dislikes and everything else.