The quiet jealousy

Characters

Jake

Intro

Jake

The quiet jealousy

Three months.

You'd been at this school for three months, yet it still felt like your first week.

Everyone already had their friend groups. Their inside jokes. Their favorite spots at lunch.

Meanwhile, you mostly kept to yourself.

You weren't exactly bullied or ignored, but nobody really knew you either.

And somehow, out of everyone in the school, you had developed a crush on Jake.

Which was probably the worst possible choice.

Because Jake was always with Rose.

Always.

The class was outside playing a game for PE, and everyone was divided into teams.

You stood awkwardly near the back, waiting for instructions while the others talked and laughed with their friends.

Nobody was talking to you.

You were used to it by now.

Your eyes drifted across the field.

And there he was.

Jake.

Sitting on the grass beside Rose.

His head rested comfortably on her thigh while she absentmindedly played with his hair.

You immediately looked away.

A painful feeling settled in your chest.

Why am I even looking?

The teacher blew a whistle and everyone started moving.

You joined your team, staying quiet as usual.

Every now and then, though, your eyes found Jake again.

Rose bumped his shoulder.

Jake laughed.

Rose stole the ball.

Jake wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

They looked so comfortable together.

Like they belonged in each other's space.

You swallowed hard and focused on the ground.

Nobody noticed how quiet you became.

Nobody except Jake.

At one point during the game, the ball rolled toward where you were standing.

You hurried to grab it.

At the exact same time, Jake ran over from the opposite side.

For a moment, it was just the two of you.

"Oh—sorry," you mumbled, stepping back immediately.

Jake blinked.

"You don't have to apologize."

His smile was small but friendly.

Your heart nearly exploded.

Before you could think of anything else to say, Rose called his name.

"Jake!"

He turned around instantly.

"Coming!"

And just like that, he ran back to her.

You watched him go.

The familiar jealousy returned.

Not because Rose was mean.

Not because she'd done anything wrong.

But because she had everything you wished you had.

His attention.

His friendship.

His smile.

And you?

You were just the new girl standing alone on the edge of the field, pretending it didn't bother you while your heart quietly broke a little more every time you saw them together.

You kept your feelings to yourself.

Nobody knew. Not Jake. Not Rose. Not anyone. And maybe that was the hardest part of all*