Infinite - Jake T. Austin Love Story

4: Soup

I don't post regularly and I apologize. I'm getting a laptop pretty soon, but for now I'm going back and forth with my computer and iPhone. I'm at 105 views. Thanks so much! It may not be a lot but it really means a lot to me that people are reading! So let the story commence! This is chapter 4!

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• chapter 4: soup



It's dead silent in the elevator. I could feel the elevator going up slowly. My heart's racing like I've ran for 10 minutes nonstop. I speak.

"Uhm.. Jake.. Uh.. Why, uhm... Why did you close.. Press the button.. Well, uhm.. Do that.. To t-the elevator door?" I say, stuttering on every word.

"I need more time to talk to you," he says gazing at me.

I'm awestruck. "What?" That's the only word that could escape out of my mouth.

He has a slight smirk on his face. He opened his mouth about to speak until the elevator abruptly stopped in the middle of floors 15 and 16.

My eyes grew wide open. I remain silent, but in my mind I began to panic.

"Marian, you'll be fine. Don't panic. You're with me. Nothing bad will happen here," Jake says.

"Nothing bad? We're losing oxygen, Oh my gosh, what if WE stop breathing? What if no one comes here to find us? What if -" he cuts me off, and says, "Lara, I'm here. You're not alone," he says with a relaxed and calm tone. I'm shaking.

I can't think right now. I look at Jake and he does something I did not see coming. He pulls me in and holds on to me tight. He wraps both of his arms around my waist, his warmth radiating on to my body. I'm frozen.

"Don't worry, Marian. I'm here with you. You got nothing to worry about."

I put my head on his chest, his heart beating at a similar fast pace as mine, but it isn't noticeable in his voice.

He takes one of his arms wrapped on me towards the elevator button. He calls the operator.

"Hey, man... Yea. I'm stuck in the elevator right now with one other person. Could you get us out?" He says.

It took a while before the operator answered. "We'll be there in fifteen minutes. Do not panic." Then, it's silent again. Jake wraps his arms around me again.

"Jake, I'm fine. You can let go now," I say sheepishly.

"I'm not taking any chances. Until that door opens, I'm holding on to you."

My cheeks flushed. I saw a smile on his face. Silence reigns in our presence.

Jake breaks the silence.

"So Lara, I know this isn't the best time, but do you want to go out to lunch again? You know, so I can make up for the Sonic one." He didn't let go of me. He just talks into my ear.

"I'm not sure. I don't want to be seen in public when I have a bruised cheek, it'll make me look like I'm a bad influence," I say.

"It won't matter. I mean, you're pretty." His voice is so genuine and sweet. I couldn't hear any doubt in what he said.

"I - I'm not sure. It's because I -"

The elevator suddenly makes a clanking noise, then it started to go down. I didn't complete my thought and Jake continues to stare at me.

I look away and locked my eyes at the elevator numbers.

5...

4...

3...

2...

1.

The doors slowly open and people are formed into a semicircle. Jake hasn't removed his hands off of me.

"Jake, uhm... Could you, like.. I can't move..." I say, I honestly didn't want him to let go, but I didn't want people to assume anything.

"Oh, right," he lets go immediately and let's me walk out of the elevator first. I cover my left cheek and look down at the ground, walking away from the crowd of people. I don't turn around. I walk straight to my aunt's trailer she's working in.

I don't know what happened to Jake after I left.

*two hours later*

"Marian, let's go now, I'm done with work," Auntie says standing by the trailer door.

I guess I fell asleep. Right when I entered the trailer earlier, she asked me about the bruise, and I said it was a regular punch to the face. I told her I fought back, when in reality, I didn't. At least she bought it.

I stand up and walk with her to her car. It's raining, and I didn't have a jacket to cover myself. We go inside her car, and leave the studios. Today's been a long day.


*one hour later*


I'm inside my room on my laptop. I took a shower and ate dinner before everyone else. I didn't want to have to explain myself and my face.

My phone begins to ring and vibrate. I check the caller ID. It's Aubrey.

"Hey, Aubrey! What's up?" I say.

"Have you been online?" She says in a very eager and anxious manner.

"No? Why? Is there something wrong?" I question not knowing what's going on.

"I'll send you a link via Twitter DM."

I go on Twitter on my laptop, and she sends the link. It's one of those tabloid sites. I click it.

JAKE T. AUSTIN HOLDING AN UNKNOWN GIRL INSIDE AN ELEVATOR. WHO CAN THIS BE?

JAKE T. AUSTIN TRAPS GIRL IN ELEVATOR.

JAKE T. AUSTIN AND UNKNOWN FEMALE. IS HE IN A RELATIONSHIP?

"Oh. My. Holy. SHIT." I say slowly to Aubrey.

She screams, "So it is you! What happened? When? Why? How?" She seemed overly excited for my answers.

"Hold on, Aubrey, I'm getting another call. I'll call you back," I say hearing a beeping sound referring to another call.

I accept the call without looking at the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Hey, Marian. Look, I'm really sorry about all of this."

I look at my phone before I spoke again. My hand gripped tighter to my phone. "Uhhhh, it's fine. No problem," I say nonchalantly.

"I know that they don't know I hugged you personally, but I want you to be careful. They might start to look for you. Paparazzi and the press. Just - I don't want to drag you in," his voice sounds worried.

"It's fine, Jake. Nothing's gonna happen. I mean, I don't attract attention, so I'll be fine," I stare at my computer wall, "hey, I gotta go now, my friend is on hold."

"Well, okay. I'll talk to you again, okay?" He says before I could hang up.

"Uhm... Sure." I felt a smile creeping up my cheeks.

"Well, good night, Lara. I hope you sleep well. Sweet dreams," I bet he's tired. His voice seemed dreary.

"Buenas noches, Jake. Dulces sueños. I hope I said that right," I smile as I say that.

"Yea you did. Good job. Buenas noches, Señorita Marian. Que sueñes con los angelitos," he says. I hang up going back to me and Aubrey's conversation. I hear a text notification while Aubrey is talking.

The text read: Well, goodnight again, Lara:-) - Jake

I start to giggle to myself. "Lara, why you laughing?" Aubrey questioned from the other line.

"Oh... Uhm sorry. I'm just happy," I say.

"Why so happy?" I could feel that Aubrey's smirking on the other side of the line.

"He texted me good night."

"AHHHHHH! Jake texted you?! Oh my gosh! This is so cute! Tell me what happened earlier! Like now!" She seems impatient now.

"Okay, okay!"


*The following day*


"Lara, you've been in bed this whole day," my uncle told me as he ripped off the blankets.

"It's cold," my voice cracks and my throat is sore.

"You don't sound well," he put back the covers on me, "you need to sleep. I'll get some medicine at the store. Just stay in bed."

I'm left alone in my aunt's house. Everyone's at work. Aubrey. Aunt Lea. Everyone.

My phone begins to vibrate.

"Who is it," I groaned.

"Good afternoon to you, too," Aunt Lea says from the other side.

"Sorry, auntie. I feel horrible right now," taking back my rude way of answering the phone.

"Do you want anything from the store? I'm going to buy some groceries after work," she answers sympathetically.

"No, it's fine. I'll eat anything you make, auntie. I'm going to sleep again," I say.

"Oh, she's not here right now. She's at home... Yes, she's sick," I hear her say to someone from the other line. Is someone asking about me? Who, the only people that know me at the studio are my aunt and Jake..and maybe some of her makeup artist friends.

My aunt speaks to the phone again, "Ohh, okay sweetie. I'll make you soup later. Go sleep now."

"Bye Auntie, but before I hang up who are you talk -" she hangs up.

Well, that's not the first time someone hung up on me, but who could that person she was talking to be. What if it's Jake.. What if it's not. Why would he be asking about me? Why would anyone be asking about me?


*************

I stare at the clock: 6:34pm. I slept through the whole day. People should be here now. I get up and go downstairs. My eyes are still droopy, so everything seemed blurry.

The house sounds empty. I don't hear anyone in the kitchen or living room.

"Hello? Auntie Lea? Uncle? Anyone?" I search for an answer.

No one. At all.

I go to the first floor. It's empty. Silence filled the floor. I go into the kitchen and see three plastic bags. Auntie should be here then.

"Aunt Lea, you here?" I look through the bags. Vegetables, chips, and other ingredient.

I walk out the kitchen - no lights are on.

I work my way towards the living room, and my legs start to feel heavy. My head begins to feel dizzy. Two more steps and I was on the couch.

I fell on my knees.

Everything began to blur and I see an outline of a person. Two other people were running towards me.

"Lara! Lara! What's going on?"

"Marian Lara!"

"Get her on the couch, right now!"

It felt like they were talking so quietly, all jumbled into a compilation of words from a distance. I couldn't say anything anymore.

I felt someone pick me up.

Then.

I black out.

******

I open my eyes. Aubrey is on my bedside.

"Lara! You're awake, do you want anything? Water? Juice, anything at all?" she says.

"Wait, what happened?" I'm so confused.

"Me and auntie were getting the groceries inside her car, and we see you on your knees. The question is what happened to you."

I rise from my bed, "I'm not sure, but I'm sure I saw three blurred people last night. If you and auntie were the two people who ran to me... Who was the other one?" I question.

Before Aubrey answers, a knock came from the door.

Aubrey smirks, "Come in!"

The person's head pops in the door way. I couldn't believe my eyes.

How.

Why.

At my door....

Jake.

Am I hallucinating?

"Hey, good morning sleepyhead. How you feelin'?" He says before coming inside my room.

I'm awestruck. I can't speak. I smile faintly and see him by the door.

Aubrey speaks, "She just woke up."

Aubrey stands up and lets him approach my bedside. He's holding a bowl with steam escaping. "Well, I just helped Ms. Lea make some soup; she told me to leave it here, but since you're awake,"

he grabs the spoon, "I'll just feed you."

"N-n-no, I'm good. I can hold the bowl and spoon," I feel so awkward. Jake is in my room. How is this happening.

"Nah, the bowl is hot, you might burn yourself," he responds.

I look at the bowl of soup in his left hand - it didn't seem hot. I start to trail up his arm, he's wearing a maroon Abercrombie & Fitch hoodie. I see his hair is a mess, it seems like he didn't get any sleep. Did he stay here? Where'd he sleep? Why is he here?

He breaks off my thoughts.

"Uhm, so yea. Here," he gets a spoonful of soup and says, "okay, open up."

"I'm not going to be fed, that's so awkward," I start to laugh and I know for sure my face is red.

"Come on, one bite! Here," he put the spoon near my mouth. He staring at me while I look at the spoonful.

"Just eat it," he smiles.

I hesitated. "No, I'm not a child, I can feed myself," I start to smile.

"Oh come on, you're my patient at the moment. Now open up!" The spoon is an inch away from my mouth.

"No, you don't need to do this, what if I'm not hungry yet," I say, completely lying.

My stomach growls.

"I think your stomach wants to eat, now open up!" He says waiting for me to take the spoonful.

He's persistent. I open my mouth and ate the spoon full of soup.

"There we go, now that's some progress," Jake says as he gets another spoon full of soup.

I cover my mouth with my hands, "this is so embarrassing."

I see Aubrey on the couch laughing. Her iPhone's at a position that she's taking photos of me and Jake. Of course. I start to smile, and Jake turns his head and sees Aubrey.

"What?" He smiles.

"Oh, nothing. Uhm, Austin just sent me a photo," Aubrey says. I could tell it's a lie though.

"Sure," I say sarcastically.

Jake turns back his attention to me. "Well, I'm not going anywhere until you finish all of this soup," he puts the spoon right next to my mouth.

"It's -," I look at my clock, "9 in the morning, don't you have to go to the studio?"

"I told them I'm coming in late. It was weird not seeing you at the studio, so I helped Ms. Lea buy groceries and came with her," he explains, answering my questions from earlier.

My face starts to heat up. "Oh, okay," I say.

He puts the spoon on the bowl, and lays his hand on my forehead. "Well, you don't have a fever."

"I know, I just felt a little out of it last night," I answer him, "I think I just got sick since I didn't have a jacket yesterday."

"I see, do you feel any better?" He asks.

"Never better!" I say.

"Well, do you wanna go with me to the studio?"

"Uhm.... Just you?" I ask. It seems kind of awkward just to go to the studio with just him.

"Oh.. Uhm- of-of course not," he starts to stutter and stares at the soup, "we'll go with uhm.. Ms. Lea, the three of us. I'll just drop you guys home after!"

I look at him and take the lukewarm soup.

"So you up for it?" He asks.

"It's my aunt's decision. Go to my aunt and ask if you can drive all of us to the studio," I respond.

He smiles and takes the soup back from my hands.

"Not until you finish your soup, Marian Lara," he smirks and takes another spoonful of soup.



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Well, this is chapter 4! Hope you like it! I'm really bad at writing when it comes to grammar... Please excuse my mistakes. The next chapter will definitely be better.. I hope. (:

There might be some twists and turns in the following chapters, an I'm very bad with updates. I'm really busy with school, so I'll make chapters from time to time. Thanks for continuing to read!