My eyes shot over to the door, where I saw Jake sluggishly walk in, coffee in hand, sunglasses still down over his eyes. I knew how he got when he was hungover, and that was the last person Jess should see in the state that she was in.

As she picked up her head to look over, I felt her whole body tense up. I held on to her tighter, but she pushed me away, turning towards him. My heart dropped.

"Hey.." Jake finally said. "Can.. we talk?"

"Yeah." She said, going over. I reached out, gently grabbing her arm.

"Jess.. do you think that's a g-"

"Yes." She snapped at me, shooting me a look. I felt my cheeks burn. I pulled away, nodding.

"Okay." I sighed.

She held her stare on me for a moment, and then turned away, making her way over to him. He reached his arm out and wrapped it around her, pulling her close, leading her down the hallway. I felt my cheeks burn and my heart start to race.

"Hey.." I heard as the front door opened again. Danny walked in, two coffees in hand. "Where is everyone?" He asked, looking around. He handed me one of the coffees, and made his way over to the stage. I quietly followed him up, grabbing my bass again. He shot me a look as he sat down behind his drums.

"You alright?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Yeah.." I sighed, taking a sip.

"Sure doesn't seem like it." He said plainly. "What happened? I saw Jake finally left the bus. Did he come and find Jess?" My cheeks burned as I avoided his eyes.

"Yep." I nodded. He smirked, shaking his head.

"What is it, Sam?" He asked. I could hear the smile in his voice.

"It's nothing." I said quietly.

"Why do you even try to lie to me?" He laughed. "I obviously know something is up, so you might as well just tell me."

"Because I already know what you're gonna say." I groaned. He nodded, holding in his smile.

"You're jealous." He smirked.

"I am not jealous." I snapped. He looked over at me wide-eyed.

"That sure sounds like jealousy if I've ever heard it." He laughed.

"I have nothing to be jealous about." I said softly, pretending to tune my bass. I could feel his eyes on me.

"Look.. you can pretend all you want in front of everyone else but.. I know you. So, when you're finally ready to talk about it.. just let me know." He said, looking away.

The longer we sat together in silence, the more it ate at me.

"It doesn't matter how I feel." I finally blurted out. He turned back to me, smiling. My cheeks burned. I kept my eyes down.

"Well, of course it matters how you feel, Sam." He said plainly.

"It doesn't.. because she loves Jake. She'll always pick Jake. So even if I did feel.. anything, which I'm not saying that I do.." I said, peeking over at him. He smirked, nodding.

"Mhm.."

"It wouldn't matter.. so there's no point in saying anything and ruining what we have."

"If that's what you feel is best.." He said, his voice trailing off.

Of course I didn't think it was best, it's just the way it was. She loves Jake, and no one was ever going to change that, so there was no point in jeopardizing our friendship over it. I would just have to deal with it, if it meant being able to at least keep her as a friend.

We were friends, and that's all that we would ever be. And I just had to be.. okay with it.

"They keep hurting each other. I just.. I don't think she should be with him." I said softly. Danny looked back over at me, smirking.

"Because you think she should be with you?" He asked. My cheeks burned as I shot him a look.

"I didn't say that." I mumbled. He nodded, giggling to himself. "Besides.. she'd never see me like that anyway, so.. it doesn't even matter. Can we just practice now?" I asked, trying to change the subject. He laughed, rolling his eyes.

"Sure, Sam."

My heart dropped.

I felt Sam's grip on me get tighter, but I gently pushed him away, turning to face Jake who was still frozen in the doorway.

"Hey.." He said quietly. "Can.. we talk?"

"Yeah." I said, going over. I felt Sam reach out, gently grabbing my arm.

"Jess, do you think that's a g-"

"Yes." I snapped, shooting him a look. His face dropped as he pulled away, nodding.

"Okay.." He sighed.

I held my stare on Sam for a moment, feeling my heart beat faster. Maybe he was right. I did miss Jake but.. maybe this was what needed to happen. I was always guilty of going back to what I was familiar with. Maybe I needed a fresh start. Maybe.. with him? I quickly shook the thought. It had begun to feel like recently he had started to.. treat me differently, but him and I were friends. He was just.. doing what friends do, right? And there was no need to complicate a good thing when what I really needed right now.. was a friend.

I turned away, making my way over to Jake. It felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. Sometimes I hated how nervous he made me. He flashed me a subtle smile, reaching his arm out and wrapping it around me, pulling me close, leading me down the hallway.

I reached up, gently intertwining my fingers in his, leaning my head on his shoulder. The silence was excruciating. Then I felt him move his hand, feeling my fingers.

"You're.. not wearing your ring." He said softly. My heart dropped.

"W-what do you mean?" I asked. Did he not remember that I gave it back to him? What else didn't he remember from that night?

"It's fine." He sighed. "I don't blame you."

"Jake, I-" He shook his head.

"What's going on with you and Sam?" He asked bluntly. I felt my cheeks burn.

"N-nothing.. why?"

"He's gotten.. very protective of you. He hasn't gotten like that in a long time." He said quietly.

"Well, he was there for me when-" I stopped, biting down on my lip. I felt him nod again.

"That's nice of him." He said quietly. I sighed, stopping and turning to face him.

"Is this what you want to talk about?" I said, feeling my heart race. He sighed, pushing his sunglasses to the top of his head, staring back at me with his tired, bloodshot eyes.

"No, I don't want to fight with you." He said softly. "I miss you."

My heart started racing. I crossed my arms, leaning back against the wall, staring back at him. He held his stare on me, biting down on his lip, but finally reached out, pulling me back in.

"I miss you too." I said softly. He stared back at me, giving me a subtle smile as he reached up, gently holding my face in his hand.

"I'm sorry.. for everything, but.. I'm sure you can understand.. why I'd be upset." I nodded.

"Yeah, but.. I can't keep going through this with you every time you get upset. You even said we need to be able to talk about things but.. you just shut me out. I can't be scared you're gonna break up with me every time there's a problem."

"I.. really didn't think there was much to talk about. I saw everything I needed to see." He said, pulling his hand away. My stomach dropped.

"But that wasn't what happened, Jake. They edited it. That's.. that's not what I said."

"So you didn't tell him you loved him?" He asked, his cheeks burning red. I bit down on my lip.

"I did.. I just-"

"Then what else is there to talk about?" He snapped. I could feel my face getting hot, tears coming to my eyes.

"I told him I loved him but.. it's not the same.. it's not how I love you. I care about him but.. Jake, I know what's happened but.. I just want to be with you. I just want us to be together. Why is it so hard-"

"It's hard because you're in love with my brother."

"Jake, I'm in love with you!" I yelled, wiping my eyes. "I.. I said I was sorry. I know I hurt you and I'm sorry, but I just want us to move past it. And I thought we were, until the video came out and ruined everything. I'll do whatever you need me to do but.. how can we do this if you can't trust me?"

"I don't know. Maybe we can't then.. not right now." He said. My heart sunk.

"Jake.." I managed, feeling more tears fill my eyes. He reached out, gently wiping my face, staring back at me.

"I just think.. I need time." He said softly, holding my face in his hand again.

"Jake, I can't keep doing this." I sighed. "Either.. you want me or you don't."

"You and I both know it's not that simple. You needed time-"

"And you didn't give it to me." I snapped. His cheeks burned as he held his stare.

"I know.." He sighed, his face dropping. "And I'm sorry. But.. I just want you to know for sure."

"Jake, I do know-"

"No, you don't. Cause I've always been in the picture. I want you.. to really know."

"W-what are you saying?" He bit down on his lip, hesitating.

"I hate myself for it but.. I need you to be sure that there's nothing there. What if I'm holding you back from who you should really be with? I couldn't live with that. So.. I'm telling you to be with him."

"Jake, you're who I want-"

"I just.. I need you to be sure, Jess. And if letting you go is the only way, then.. fine. I'll back off. Cause I know if we're really meant to be.. you'll come back."