On the night of the dinner with his parents, I sat in front of Jake and Aaron's parents. The atmosphere was intimidating. I felt like a bug under a microscope. Every gaze in the room was aimed at me. The oppressive atmosphere made my heart thump faster as sweat rolled down my back.
"You must be Jake's girlfriend-he's never brought a girl over before," Tracy, Jake's mother, gave me a curious look. I wondered what was so surprising about it, but decided against asking.
Aaron snickered, "That's because Jake is such a Prince Charming that he never thought to find himself a real girlfriend. And by charming, I meant a fucking asshole."
"Watch your language at the dinner table, son," their father, Michael, commented. Little did they know I had already tried to date Aaron before then; what an embarrassing thought.
Jake snickered. "Oh, right! If I remember correctly, you were practically a saint, right?"
I rolled my eyes and shifted uneasily in my seat. What is this? Aaron vs. Jake in a battle of wits, with Mom and Dad as judges? What a great way to spend an evening. Hopefully, this dinner doesn't turn into some kind of brotherly dual. I want to have a peaceful night.
As Aaron's face grew redder with anger, he declared, "I'll admit when I'm wrong. But you're still a child who takes things that don't belong to him."
"You don't get to tell me what's mine and what isn't," Jake said. His voice shook.
What the hell is going on? How did the conversation turn into this?
I could tell their parents were confused as well. Tracy looked at them with concern. "Everything okay with you two?" she asked.
"Everything is fine," Aaron muttered. I could tell he was struggling to keep himself composed.
"Well, that's great then. Why don't you tell me about yourself, Jane?" Michael said. He already forgot about the confrontation at the table.
"Oh um...I go to school with Jake," I said nervously. I can still feel the hostility between Aaron and Jake. I felt bad for unintentionally causing it.
"Oh, terrific. I figured Jake would pick someone with more style or glam. It's crazy that he chose such an...average girl," Tracy drawled skeptically.
Ouch. An average girl? Was that an insult? This isn't going as well as I thought it would.
"Mom!" Jake glared at Tracy, his expression a mixture of anger and disbelief. His mom's words must've offended him too. Aaron, still sitting on the couch, huffed and crossed his arms, mirroring his brother's disapproval. Tracy seemed unfazed by the outburst, her tone nonchalant and unapologetic.
"What? I'm just saying. Jane is cute and all, but she is no beauty queen. Am I wrong?" She shrugged.
Man, she is blunt. No wonder Jake and Aaron acts like a jerk. Apples didn't fall far from the tree.
Michael sighed, casting a weary glance toward his wife before looking at me. His eyes were kind and understanding, the creases of his forehead betraying a deep sadness.
"Tracy. That's not very nice," he said softly. "Jane is a beautiful young lady," he said, a small smile forming on his lips as he spoke.
I felt my cheeks flush in embarrassment, but a spark of warmth erupted in my chest at the same time. Michael's words filled me with a strange sense of comfort and reassurance, and for a moment, I could almost forget the uncomfortable exchange that had just taken place.
"We don't have to listen to this. Let's go, Janey," Jake grabbed my hand and got up.
"Sit down, Jake," Michael ordered.
"Jake, it's okay. I'm not offended or anything. Let's just eat," I let out a nervous chuckle and sat down, pulling him down with me.
"This dinner would've been much more pleasant if your bitch wife kept her mouth shut, Dad," Aaron said grimly.
"How dare you talk about me like that? Michael! Say something!" Tracy squealed.
"No need, I'm leaving," Aaron got up and stormed off.
What the hell is wrong with this family? I thought.
"I'm gonna go check on him," I said and got up. I felt somewhat responsible for things going south.
I found Aaron sitting outside on the porch.
"Hey, are you okay?" I asked.
"What do you care?" he said. His eyes were dark.
"I know you are still mad at Jake and me, but you didn't have to snap at us. Especially at your mom!" I said. Although I did agree she was being a bitch.
"She is not my mom," Aaron said and looked away.
"Huh? She isn't?" I was curious.
"Nope. My mom died a long time ago. She is Jake's mom. We are half brothers," he said.
"Oh," I didn't know what to say.
"We've always been close, but Jake always got everything he wanted because Tracy spoiled him. I guess to make up for the fact that she was never there for him. I was the one who cared for him, yet he still stole something I cared about. He stole you!" Aaron said angrily. His voice was filled with sadness.
I felt my heart twitch. I never realized how much I hurt him by choosing his brother over him. But I couldn't ignore my own heart.
"Aaron, I'm sorry," I whispered, not sure what else to say.
There was a long silence between us before Aaron finally spoke.
"It's okay," he said slowly. "I just wish you had chosen me."
My eyes filled with tears as I looked at Aaron, feeling the weight of my mistake like a boulder on my chest. At that moment, I knew I had to make things right.
I stepped closer to Aaron and reached up to give him a hug. He hugged me back tightly, and I could feel the tension melt away.
"I'm sorry," I said again, my voice shaking with emotion.
Aaron pulled away and looked into my eyes. "It's okay," he said softly. "I forgive you."
This would've been such a nice moment if Aaron had left it at that.
But, he looked at me for a moment, and before I could stop him, he pressed his lips on mine and started to kiss me. I put my hands on his chest and was about to push him. Then I heard footsteps.
"Jane?"
My heart stopped as I heard Jake's voice behind me.