.

"I am so going to kill you." I whisper in Jake's ear as we sit in the car.

"Don't you think it's punishment enough that you stuck me beside her." He mutters back.

"So Clara." Michella says from beside Jake,"You are dating Jake."

She is yet giving me a look as if she thinks I was a mirage and I would disappear any moment.More like hoping I was a mirage.

Okay so she was in shock.

Good.

The thing was that I wasn't. I had to give it to Jake, he was smarter than I had pegged him to be.I mean lets face it why would Jake have picked me if it hadn't been Michella?

Who would piss her off more than her very own spineless sister who she had dominated over her entire life and the one thing she was clearly so hung over.

And it was also the fact that my life is an annoying clichè.

But the other thought apart from killing Jake was curiosity. I mean how good was Jake in bed that she was so hung over him so badly that she barely payed Alec, who was also her ex a morsel of affection.

I really need to cut down on the fantasies.

"Didn't mom and dad tell you?" I say slowly and Jake gives me a small thumbs up and I roll my eyes.

She shakes her head and then mutters,"They must have thought you were joking."

Bitch.

"So for how long?" She asks.

What was she the Spanish Inquisitor?

This time Alec says from the front of the SUV,"About Three months."

His voice is so bitter and that makes me want to choke Jake. Oh god I like him, he likes me and all that is standing in between us and my perfect disney ending is Jake and his huge blonde problem.At the same time I want to jump up and down enjoying every bit of Alec's envious stare.

But it's funny if you look at it,Alec reacted almost the exact same way as Michella did. Green with envy and maybe less shocked and then there was the fact that he wanted to kill Jake while Michella.........

Lets just say with the look she is giving me right now killing would be too nice.

I mean I can ditch him can't I? It isn't my problem that Jake screwed over Michella and got her hung over him.

"That means that -" Michella is interrupted by Jake.

"I asked her out the day I went." He says as curtly as possible.

Michella's eyes widened and Jake simply shrugged. There was an awkward and still silence in the SUV which consisted of the four of us and a driver.I mean it wasn't enough that I had to go through this trip making my sister jealous which is potentially suicidal as it's a sure shot way to get killed but did I have to get stuck in a car with the three of them, while the others were going to stay at the hotel I was going to stay with my parents and Jake and Alec were going to stay with their parents which is why we all got stuck in the same car.

"Wow so you're serious about her?" Michella asks Jake as if I am not there.

I am sitting right here you know.

He grabs my hand and says,"Yes. Although it's beyond me why you care."

Michella's lips tighten. She gives a look that clearly says that she was going to switch to bitch mode. Sorry she was always in bitch mode. This was just her ultra bitch mode.

"Well in that case." She says taking a deep breath in,"Clara you should know that Jake and I were in a relationship-"

"For one night." He mutters,"And we were both very very drunk and it was a mistake."

I seriously don't want to hear this.

Michella simply narrows her eyes and continues,"But coming to the point we are both over each other but it maybe some clear sexual tension between us and I apologize for that."

My mouth fell in shock.

Over each other?

Sexual tension?

Is it just me or does it sound so so very wrong.

I manage to nod and give a weak smile.

"Great." I say trying to get over the fact that she comes from the same gene pool as me.

Emancipation from my family, that's the only way out.

"God." Jake says rolling his eyes looking at Michella,"Don't delude yourself."

"Oh I am sorry." Michella says angrily,"I just wanted to protect my little sister from you and your playboy habits and the army of skanks you have gathered yourself over the years."

"You being their leader." I mutter softly so only Jake can hear me and he chuckles.

I mean sure Michella sounds all big sisterly and loving but I have known her long enough to know that she is anything but.

But I do feel sorry for her too.

I try to distract myself and see the beautiful city that I have seen only once before.

The tall glass buildings reflected light of it making it sparkle and a light layer of ice covered the sidewalks.Despite having a grandmother who travelled a lot and parents who were rich enough to afford just about any luxury I never travelled.

And I wanted too.

I wanted a lot if things in life that I didn't get.

"This isn't funny Jake." Michella says haughtily,"Clara being your big sister I really don't approve of this relationship."

I snorted.

"I mean Jake is incapable of being in a relationship." Michella says.

" I agree with her." Alec says from the front,"I mean for the past three months all you guys really do is fight or avoid each other."

"Wow Alec that's really rich coming from you."Jake retorts," I mean let's not forget you and your great ex girlfriend and how you treated her. You were either burning with jealousy or trying to hit on someone else's girlfriend."

Alec shuts up and I see him clenching his fist with anger. Things had actually died down between the two of them and they had reached a level of tolerance.

Despite the fact that they didn't like each other very much they had never escalated to actual physical fighting.

The occasional shoves and murderous glares and the general dislike was there but it had never come to an actual physical punch but right now it looked like if Alec had not been siting in a car he would definitely take the swing.

"Look Clara, Jake isn't a very good guy-" Michella starts but is cut off.

"I am glad how you talk about me as if I am not siting right next to you." Jake says his anger levels clearly rising.

He clutches on my hand tightly and with a shock I realize that he is still holding my hand in his.

Time to diffuse the situation.

"Don't take this the wrong way but I don't want your opinion about him." I say.

Wait did I say diffuse? I meant escalate cause clearly my mouth has a mind of it's own.

"I mean clearly if he is so bad them why are you so hung over him?" I say and see that Michella is looking at me like she was a three year old kid who had been told that Santa was not real.

Well deal with it.

I mean I was totally going to tell her that Jake was a good guy even if at times I did not believe it myself or would have probably just sat there. Well at least the old me would have. The new me....

Well not so much.

"I am not hung over him." Michella manages to choke out.

Oh god her expression. It's like a perfect kodak moment. I mean she is shocked and I don't blame her.

Come on, what would you do if the carpet you stepped on actually stood up to you and told you to stop stamping on it?

"Great." Jake said,"Glad we cleared that up."

Michella yet looks shocked but she is no Natalie. She is prettier, smarter and much more vengeful.

"Arthur." Jake says looking at the driver,"Can you please stop here? I wanted to give Clara a tour of New York as it's her first proper trip here."

"Please leave our bags in the car and I'll give you a call when we need to be picked up." Jake continues.

Arthur nods and stops the car after sometime near a sidewalk.

"It's my first proper trip too." Alec says fumbling with his seatbelt,"I am coming too."

Now if I was in a proper relationship with Jake I would be pretty amazed and pissed about what Alec was doing.

"Notify the oxford dictionary to change third wheel to Alec Evans." Jake said sarcastically," and if you don't know what that means I'll dumb it down for you, NO.Fucking.Way."

Michella rolls her eyes and Alec is completely red. Before I can react Jake reaches over me and opens the door and more or less pushes me out of the car.

I would have probably shown my undying love for the ground by falling flat on my face and kissing it for the second time today if Jake hadn't caught my hand at the right moment.

Jake slammed the door and almost immediately the silver SUV accelerated getting lost in the crowded New York streets.

I am pretty sure Alec would have come barging out if the car hadn't sped off.

"Arthur just understands me." Jake says grinning.

I am still trying to process what just happened. Michella,New York, Jake, Ale-

"So what do you want to see first?" Jake says interrupting my jumbled thoughts.

I blink twice staring at him and then I am pissed.

"What the HELL is wrong with you?" I hiss.

Jake takes a step back,"Nothing?"

"I can't believe it." I say," Michella of all people. She is my sister if you haven't noticed. And she is going to-"

"Oh come on." Jake interrupts me,"You have got to stop being scared of her. She is just a -"

"My sister Jake." I say hyperventilating of sorts,"My sis-"

"Yeah. Yeah." Jake says rolling his eyes,"That doesn't make her any less-"

" SHE IS MY SISTER." I continue exasperated," I mean -"

"Of a Bitch." Jake finishes his sentence,"She is a selfish, self centred-"

"Only a demented person would ever sleep with her." I keep on saying," I mean I don't have a word-"

" clingy girl." Jake continues," I mean there are limits and she-"

" for you." I say," I mean you- you hideous nipple how could you-"

" crosses all-" Jake suddenly stops and stares at me,"Did you just call me a hideous nipple?"

But I continue.

"Be such an idiot. Screw that. You are an asinine manboob who has serious issues."

I vent out my final words and stare at Jake kind of panting.He looks slightly scared and extremely perplexed.

Wait.

What exactly did I say?

I briefly remember the words nipple and manboob used in the sentences.

Oh god.

"What in gods name is an asinine manboob?" He says slowly.

I stare at him blankly and then he starts laughing.

"Oh god I have to use that the next time." He says laughing,"Hiddeous Nipple and Asinine manboob. I genuinely am sacred to find out what exactly goes on in your head."

He continues to laugh and I just stare stonily at him.

"Oh come on Clara." Jake says,"Lighten up."

I cross my hands and start to pout but with Jake laughing and my weird word vomit I can't help but crack a smile.

Maybe it's the city.

It's completely dark now and the city is buzzing with excitement. The Christmas feeling is everywhere and despite it being chilly I can't feel the cold.

Much.

The sidewalk itself is busy and people are brushing past us and either they are to engrossed in their conversations or they are too busy typing on their blackberry's.

A woman crashes into me and I am pushed against Jake but I don't mind.He is seems slightly more anxious than usual but at the same time happier.

"This place is beautiful." I say looking at the honking cars and busy people and the giant buildings,"I never really got to see it on our ride from the airport the last time I was here."

Jake chuckles as one more busy walker crashes into me almost throwing me to the ground but I manage to catch myself at the right time.

"You know ordinary people would find this a putting off." He says," The noise, the traffic, the rude people, the dirt-"

"Well I think we are beyond the phase of calling me an ordinary human being." I say," And when you are trapped in a small town where everyone is in everyone's business indifferent people and rude people are much better than the fake sickly sweet people. The noise is much better when there is nothing to listen to except to the occasionional party that I am not invited too."

"Well Clara." Jake says grinning,"Fortunately you are trapped with the asinine manboob who knows just about everything about New York."

"I liked hideous nipple better." I say back laughing.

"I don't know what to say to that." Jake says clutching my as to steady me as people keep on crashing into us.

"Hands off the merchandise, Henderson or all that's going to be left is-"

He lifts his hands up and I glare at him but he simply laughs.

"Oh shut up." I say and he rolls his eyes.

"I didn't say anything."

" Whoa , Jake Henderson is speechless." I say,"Did hell just freeze over?"

"Nah I would be able to tell." Jake says grinning,"After all Satan is keeping the seat warm for me."

"That I can believe." I say and showing him my tongue like a four year old.

"Okay so the first thing you need to see is definitely Times Square." He says pulling against the rush of the crowd,"And the only way we can get their fast enough is by taking the subway."

He stands his arms outstretched in front of a small dingy entrance with hordes of people coming out.

It isn't much but Jake looks like a kid who has just seen a house made of candy and I am pretty sure I look like that too.

I mean growing up in a town like mine, not to small or too big leads to only two futures:

Stay in the same town until you grow old and have like twenty grandchildren and keep on gossiping about other people. After all that never gets old.

Get the hell out and as far and as fast as possible before you end up getting stuck there.

Safe to say I was definitely part of the second lot just like my parents had been. My grandmother on the other hand didn't fit into either category.

My grandfather had been one of the people who had been stuck in the first category and then he met my grandmother.

They had the perfect story book romance with rich girl meets ordinary boy and well it's a love story and we all know how it ends.

But unfortunately my grandfather died when my dad was just passing out of college. Which is why no matter how hard my father or my grandmother tried they can't let go of that house or that town.

"Earth to Clara." Jake says and snaps me out of my trance.

"Yeah?" I say unsurely as a small grin starts to appear on his face.

"It's time to show you the best part of New York."

_____________________________

"If I die I am going to kill you." I say desperately holding on to the railing and trying not to fall.

"Oh come on it's fun." Jake says gliding past me.

"Easy for you to say." I reply,"You're not the one who is a bigger fail at this than the four year olds in oversized skates."

"Oh come on." Jake says,"Stop whining and leave the rails. If you fall I'll catch you."

"Or I could just stand here and hope that I do not make tomorrow's headlines about Death by Ice Skates."I say.

"God you are so overdramtic." He says rolling his eyes before skating easily towards me. He extends his hand and I laugh.

"You are crazy if you think I am letting go." I say.

"I was just giving you the easier option." He says.

My eyes narrow,"What is the-"

I am cut off when Jake circles his arms around my waist and picks me up. I am so shocked that I let go of the rails. I am overwhelmed with the Jake smell: honeydew with the smell of lemons.My mind briefly flickers back to a memory that was in another lake that wasn't frozen.

He glides easily and puts me down in a small secluded place in the rink. Fortunately no one would be able to notice what a big fail I am in ice skating. Unfortunately there was nothing to lean on except Jake.

You call that unfortunate? Rebeccas voice echoes in my head.

She has a point.

The minute he lets go of me I immediately fall on my butt.

"I. Hate. You." I say glaring at Jake.

He simply laughs,"You try to but lets face it you love me Clara."

"You wish Henderson." I say still glaring at him,"I mean what's not to love with your ego that's bigger than your head and your sadistic jackassy personality. Oh wait lets not forget the fact that you slept with my sister."

"Guilty as charged." He says,"But you forgot amazingly good looking, very very sweet, an amazing boyfriend-"

"Oh modest too." I say sarcastically.

"I am not the one who is sitting flat on my ass in the middle of an ice rink."He says looking down at me.

"There is no point of getting up." I say,"Because the minute I do I am going to fall again."

"I won't let you." He says simply looking at me sincierly through his green eyes.

I look at him contemplating for two seconds before taking his hands. He pulls me to my feet instantly and I fall almost just as instantly but he wraps his arms around my waist.

"Look totally trustworthy here." He says grinning and I roll my eyes.

"You do know you are invading my personal bubble here?" I say raising my eyebrows.

"Okay fine, I'll let go." He smirks and is about to retract his hands but before he can I quickly say,"No, I rather have this than falling on my butt again."

"Well atleast there is something in that head." Jake says looking at me and rolling his eyes.

"Out of everywhere in New York." I say,"You bring me to an ice skating rink."

"In central park." he says,"And besides maybe I am just looking for an excuse to wrap my arms around you to catch you."

I blush a deep shade of red and he is about to say something but its interrupted by a shrill voice saying,"Jake!"

Jake turns around shocked and promptly looses his usual grace and slips on the ice with me.

I fortunately have a nice landing on Jake and I would have probably stayed there all night if Jake hadn't literally pushed me off him and stood up leaving me pretty much on my butt in the ice rink for the second time today.

Way to go with the chivalry Jake.

There is a pretty brunette girl standing in front of Jake and she looks like she just found the gold at the end of a rainbow.

I don't like her one bit.

She hugs him smiling and Jake hugs her too but there is something very fake about it.

I still don't like her.

"Do you need help." A brown haired boy asks me extending his long fingers forward.

You know when you see this person you get this really genuinly bad vibe about them? Like I better stay away because they are probably into drugs and would be going to jail soon vibe? That's exactly what I got from the boy who stood in front of me.

He was nineteen or twenty a maximum of three years older than me but his pitch dark black eyes gave me a feeling he was much much smarter.

Not in the good way.

His hair was long and stopped just about an inch above his shoulder and his pale complexion just enhanced his creep vibes.

I extend my hand forward but before I can reach Jake grab my hand and pulls me up.

"Jake, posessive as ever I see." the boy smirks looking at me and Jake presses his mouth into a hard line.