MAYBE HE REALIZED that Amethyst was a better match for him?
The other girl was prettier, richer, and an overall better match for him anyway, the mean but honest side of Laia chastises her.
Did everything go too fast after all? Were Laia's naivety and eagerness to the affection and attention that Samuel offered and gave her the reason why he left without a single word?
Was everything he said a lie?
Was he dating Amethyst all along behind Laia's back?
"Laia.."
"Jake," Laia sighed deeply before continuing. Her eyes stung. She wanted to cry so badly but she didn't want to do it in front of the two boys in front of her who were already watching her with pity in their eyes. "I have to go--"
"You can stay for a while," The girl heard Sawyer say. The actor was already on his way to the kitchen. "I don't mind,"
Laia walked towards the kitchen and saw that Sawyer was pouring himself whisky in a glass. He immediately drank it and handed Laia another glass of it. "Do you drink?"
"No," And yet she didn't hesitate to take the glass and drank it in one go. Her throat stung and it made her cough repeatedly but she found herself extending her hand to ask for more. "Can I get another glass, please?"
"Laia--" Jake tried to stop her but Laia stepped closer to Sawyer who immediately hands her another glass which she drank quickly before Jake could take it from her.
"Thank you," Laia murmurs and was then handed another glass of whisky which she drank again in one go despite feeling lightheaded and queasy. "Fuck, it hurts,"
At first, it was just a single tear.
And then just like a dam, tears started to race across her cheeks as she drank more glasses. Her chest started to tighten as she felt drowsy. Her sight was blurring and she could barely hear anything comprehensible except for the headline earlier that repeated in her head.
It hurts.
Why does it hurt?
Everything hurts.
Why does it hurt?
Wasn't it suppose to hurt less since they weren't even officially together?
Wasn't it suppose to feel like fleeting pain, not the kind of pain that feels like it would last for a long time?
The girl felt someone guide her towards one of the couches. Laia thinks it was Jake but she wasn't sure.
"Laia.."
"One more glass!" Laia yells, shaking her hand around. She receives a glass which she drank immediately. "What the hell, this is water!"
"That's enough whisky for today," It was Sawyer. "I don't want you vomiting all over the couch and the floor,"
"No," Laia shook her head violently which caused a bad headache, making her whimper in pain. "I want one more glass,"
"That one more glass will end up becoming ten and later you'll be a raging alcoholic," Sawyer sat on the couch facing the girl with a half-amused and half-sympathetic expression on his face. "I am definitely not in the mood to take care of a raging alcoholic for the rest of my quiet evening,"
Laia sniffled. It was quiet at first until the girl broke down once again. Tears fell from her eyes uncontrollably and she started to have difficulty breathing. It made it hard for her to breathe but the tears wouldn't stop and she couldn't stop crying.
The girl hated feeling like this, losing control of her emotions, and being vulnerable in front of people.
Both boys didn't say anything at first but Jake soon sat beside the girl and rested her head on his shoulder a few minutes later.
The girl cannot stop her tears from flowing like a damned river. She couldn't even stop her chest from hurting and regardless of clenching her fists so hard that it started to hurt her, Laia still couldn't distract herself from the emotional pain that she was feeling.
Everything hurts.
Laia hated feeling like this.
And yet despite everything the image of Samuel's face when he confessed to her didn't leave the girl's mind.
The genuine smile on the boy's lips and how his cheeks flushed. The light from the streetlight reflected on his blue eyes once he spoke those words. The way he played with his fingers anxiously while he waited for Laia's response.
The way his lips felt once he pressed them against Laia's.
"They might've just been together coincidentally," Jake tries to reason. "Samuel doesn't know anyone in Germany and Ame was there for a short trip, they might've just met for that--"
"Are you serious right now?" Laia turned to Jake with disappointment on her face. "Do you think those pictures that are currently around in both the Internet and on every media outlet are fake? Why, because he's your best friend? Do you seriously think that he won't do something like this?"
Jake looked away. Sawyer crouched down to Laia's level, a glass of whisky still on his hand. "Don't jump to conclusions and don't scream murder at Jake," He placed his hand on Laia's thigh as a comforting gesture. "At the end of the day you do trust my brother, right?"
Laia laughs dry amidst the tears that continued to race across her cheeks. "How am I supposed to trust a person who doesn't even bother messaging or calling me," She wipes her tears with the sleeves of her hoodie. "Is it that hard to use his fucking phone and send a single fucking message?"
"I can't speak for him," Sawyer says. "But I do know that he does things for a reason and some of those reasons might be harder to convey than we think,"
"Is it that hard for him to tell me," Laia suddenly had a fit of coughing which she hid behind her hand. "Is it that hard for him to warn me before he suddenly goes all lovey-dovey with a girl much prettier and richer than I am?"
I'm being petty, Laia thinks. But I don't care.
"All my life I know that I am nothing but mediocre," Laia continues despite her continuous fits of coughing. "I am nothing compared to those who were gifted with talents, beauty, and intelligence because all my life I had to work thrice as hard as they do,"
She wiped her tears roughly, leaving the spot beneath her eyes red. "I always thought that one day I could finally breakthrough from all the insecurities that I have and yet I am once again faced with the fact that mediocre people can never compete with those who are already blessed with everything,"
"So you're admitting defeat?"
Laia turned to Sawyer who was looking at her with an almost bored-like expression which she badly wanted to punch out of his face. "More like accepting harsh facts,"
He had the audacity to shrug. "I think you're just being a coward,"
Jake glared at him. "Don't be rude, Sawyer,"
Sawyer smirks at the boy in front of him. "I thought it was baby?"
"I already told you that I have a girlfriend--"
"And when did that stop people from developing an attraction to others?"
The smirk on Sawyer's lips turned into a sly grin which widened further once Laia's eyes were on him. "Don't you think I'm right, Laia?"
"He's dating Brie," Laia deadpans. "And he's straight,"
"So is spaghetti until they're wet,"
Laia turned away as Sawyer licked his lips in a seductive manner that would've probably driven her nuts if she wasn't in a depressive state at the moment.
Jake didn't seem to be as unbothered as Laia was as she saw him gulp but did decide to turn away from Sawyer a few minutes after the actor untied his hair and let it fall on his shoulders.
"I'm not being a coward," Laia says once she couldn't stand the awkward tension between the two boys with her. "I just don't think it's worth it to fight for someone who doesn't even try to fight for me,"
Not that he was supposed to fight for her, Laia thinks. They weren't even together officially since he never courted her so why would she fight for him and vice versa?
"You don't know that," Jake once again attempts to convince her. "He likes you,"
Laia looks away. "Does he now,"
"He does!" Jake stood up from the couch and wildly spread his arms around which made Laia chuckle even if she didn't want to at his childish-like actions. "Hasn't he proved it to you multiple times already?"
Sawyer yawned from the couch. "Has he really?"
Jake sent him a withering look. "You're not helping,"
"Helping? Are we supposed to sugarcoat the situation instead of helping her deal with it quickly?"
"Sugarcoat the situation?"
Sawyer stood up from the couch and makes his way to the kitchen, only to return with a bottle of wine which he directly drank from. "Who wants wine?"
"Why are you changing the topic again?" Laia asks, already irritated at the older boy's antics.
"I'm just trying to lighten the atmosphere," Sawyer shrugs. "We don't want to talk about my younger brother all night do we?"
"Well," Jake glances at Laia. "The only reason why Laia's here is to ask about Samuel's whereabouts,"
"Ah," Sawyer frowns at the girl who was looking at him. "You're such a bore,"
Laia hated how Sawyer looked so much like Samuel and yet so different at the same time. The most recognizable feature of the two that differ them was how Samuel had blue eyes and Sawyer's was a dull shade of grey.
"Now that you have finished breaking down and getting snot all over my couch, are you leaving?"
"Sawyer," Jake narrows his eyes at Sawyer who shrugs in return.
"I'm just asking,"
"I guess," Laia stood up from the couch and dusted herself off. Not that there was probably any dust on Sawyer's couch. "I'm going home, then,"
"I'll take you home," Jake followed the girl to the door, helping her walk in a straight line as the girl was still obviously drunk from all the whisky that she drank.
"Use my car," Sawyer threw the keys to his car to Jake who catches them. "Just return it tomorrow,"
"Okay,"
Laia opens the door and stepped outside to the cold air of the hallway. She was about to walk towards the elevator but stopped in her steps to look if Jake was following her.
She definitely wasn't expecting to see Sawyer kissing Jake on the cheek before he closed the door.