The Third Wheel's Encumbrance

10 - bridges are falling.

Jake was depressed, heartbroken, and felt like drowning in the mass of negative sentiments that had fallen upon him ever since yesterday. To him, things had been going well. To him, things were okay for the time being, and to him, they were only having a little block in the road.

But obviously, he had misread the severity of reality.

It was over.

It was over.

It was over.

Yet poor Jake still could not get over it.

Why?

Where had he messed up?

"You didn't mess up, Jake."

Why did she do something like that?

"Because she didn't want to lead you on with false hopes."

Did he do something wrong?

"No, you didn't. If anything, you helped her realize that you weren't right for her."

What could he do to get her back?

"Jake, maybe it's better if you just leave her alone for a while. You too, try not to think too much about it. Just, cool off. Ask her later. Okay?"

"Okay." He murmured, dazed. Though he had not really said the questions he had out loud, Anna, being the expert about this sort of stuff, knew what he had been wondering from the changing expressions on his face and in his eyes.

He was a tortured soul, but he pitied himself to lengths that needn't be taken.

That was often the kind of thing boys did anyway. That and rebounding dramatically, often without thinking and regretting their actions soon after.

But Jake was rather different. Instead of trying to make Jenny jealous or anything of the sort, he resorted to being slightly diva-ish and playing video games to wallow in his sorrow.

Anna sardonically thought, cry me a river.

She couldn't help it; the boy's sorrows would be ones that would divide her sentiments into two halves. One side sympathized with him and was empathetic towards his downtrodden spirit. And the other which was totally calm and reserved about it, which did not quite sympathize but more or less encouraged him to suck it up and move on. (This was because of their past relationship; Anna had a large past with him, but their scruples ended when he started going out with Jenny.)

But Jake... Jake would get through this. She knew he would, he wasn't a wuss. Sure, he was sentimental and could be overly sensitive about things, and Jake was always morally correct (hated lying, did not cheat on tests, etc) but he was strong deep, deep, deep, deep inside.

Anna sighed, and directed her attention towards the front of the class, away from the inwardly weeping boy who ironically and unfortunately sat beside her in Integrated Tech.

She patted him lightly on the back, reassuringly, before handing him a piece of paper (she knew he would be too dazed to get one himself) and picking up his pencil from the ground. As if in a trance, he started to copy the note from the board, eyes still in a far off place that definitely wasn't present time or place.

"What's wrong with him?" Trent stage whispered to Anna.

"He's just feeling a little down." She replied, still copying the note.

"Why, did Jenny dump him?" Trent made an attempt at a funny joke, at the cost of the rest of Jake's dignity.

Jake's head fell to the desk and made a muffled grunt, as if weeping in a manly way.

Though Anna had no idea why that would happen anyway.

"Good job, loser. I just finished giving him a pep talk too." Anna sighed, shaking her head and pulling at Jake's hair, trying to get him to at least continue working and not get in trouble.

"Oops. My bad."

"Yeah, definitely your bad."

Trent grinned at her and recommenced writing, launching the class back into its comfortable buzzing silence.

Reesa walked up to Anna, situating herself in between Trent and Anna's desks.

"Hey Anna." She said, in a cheerful but not too cheerful tone. She sounded slightly nervous.

"Hey Reesa, what's up?" Anna said, still writing as she looked up at her.

"Nothing, I just came to chat with you guys." Reesa stepped a bit back so Trent could still see Anna, and Anna smiled up at her.

"Ahh, we're all really just trying to finish copying this down. Are you done?"

"Yeah, I was finished some time ago."

"As expected, Ree." Anna commented, smiling good naturedly, although trying to analyze Reesa's face quickly. There was something just slightly suspicious.

Reesa seemed to notice this as well, and she directed her attention a bit towards Jake. Jake, who was still moaning and whining to himself and under his breath about his problems, and had no idea whatsoever of what was happening outside of his head.

Reesa's sudden interest in Jake made Anna think something else, but probably because she only thought of the good in people.

Nevermind that for now though.

Princess in the Kingdom: LOL, I had to use it, it was just too much to resist. Although I'm hoping that this villain will finally get the story moving and will be sort of unexpected. At least, more unexpected then most. -large grin-

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-chewyy.