Savage Love - Karl Jacobs

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕱𝖔𝖚𝖗

(A/N: Bet.)

I headed inside the house I shared with Karl and his other roommates Bailey, Maitland, and Ethan.

Karl wasn't back yet, and I'd had to ask Chandler for a ride home. When I got inside, I noticed Ethan was the only one inside.

"Hey, Y/N." He greeted me, but I didn't say anything. I kicked off my shoes hard, and they slammed into the wall. Sparky, the black cat that was sleeping nearby, startled awake with a meow of surprise.

Ethan looked at me, and I glanced back at him. He must've seen my eyes, which were red and raw from crying, because he came over immediately with a concerned expression.
"What's wrong?" He asked me gently.

At that moment, emotion cascaded over me, and I found myself spilling out everything to Ethan.

"Karl's convinced I cheated on him! I swear I didn't! The picture he showed me isn't me! I don't even know who told him! Now he wants to break up!"

I was crying for the fourth time that day. Ethan placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"Calm down a second," he said as he lead me to the couch and sat me down on it.

"Did you tell him it wasn't you?" He asked.

"Of course I did," I replied with a shaky voice. "But he wouldn't believe me! He told me all cheaters would say that!"

Ethan seemed to think for a moment before replying.
"Maybe he was just angry in the heat of the moment. I'm sure he'd have a bad reaction. Maybe you can try talking to him again when he comes home?"

I shrugged. "He won't care," I said. "He told me he never wanted to see me again."
Ethan frowned. "At least try," he said slowly. "If I back you up, maybe he'll believe it more."

I shrugged again, but agreed. And so we waited for Karl to come home. Around 5PM, Bailey returned, and a half hour later, so did Maitland.

Finally, much later than usual, at around 9PM, the door unlocked and opened, and Karl walked in. He closed the door, not even sparing me a glance as he headed upstairs. I glanced at Ethan, who nodded, and he followed me as I went upstairs after Karl.

I called his name before he made it to our room. He stopped and turned.

"What?" He demanded.

"Karl, we need to talk," I said. "I promise you, I did not cheat on you."

Karl nodded slowly. "Right," he said, drawn out like. "You're still trying to deny it despite the obvious proof I have."

I was starting to feel despaired.
"I'm telling you, that wasn't me!"

But Karl just shook his head. "Looks like you to me. Don't bother trying to hide it Y/N."

I was about to say something more when he waved a hand to cut me off.

"And don't bother coming in my room. You're not sleeping here anymore. And you're not staying in my house."

With that, he disappeared into his room, and reappeared a moment later holding the bag where I kept my stuff. He threw it on the floor and then went back in his room, slamming the door shut with force.

I turned to Ethan, feeling tears rolling down my face.
"I'm sorry, Y/N. I'll try talking to him."

But I shook my head as I grabbed my bag. "Don't bother," I said roughly. "I'm leaving."

I pushed past Ethan, down the stairs and out of the house, slamming the front door. It had started to drizzle, but I didn't care. I walked in the rain, away from Karl's house, and down to the end of the block under a street light that lit up the surrounding street and side walk. There, I called Chandler, and cried to him about the situation.

He agreed to let me crash at his place, since I had no where to go and he was, after all, my best friend. He picked me up at the curb, and drove off.

As we drove, Chandler cast a glance in my direction.
"I believe you," he said softly. I looked up at him with my red, painful eyes. "What?" I asked.

"I believe you," he repeated. "I know you didn't cheat on Karl. I'm gonna help you get to the bottom of this. I promise."

I blinked my thanks, suddenly too emotional to respond.

I stared out the window, until I got a text on my phone. I looked down, to see it was a text from Shane.

Still so sure about that Karl guy?

I felt a pang. I knew Shane had doubts about Karl, but I always thought he was just being creepy. Now I wondered if I was right to think that. I didn't know Shane well yet. Maybe he was really good at reading people, and that's why he was doubting Karl.

After all... Why would Karl be so quick to believe whoever had told him that I cheated? Him and I trusted each other fully, or at least I thought we did. Was Karl more insecure about us than he let on? Did he not believe in me or trust me as much as he said he did? Did he really think that I would stoop to the level of cheating?

All of these thoughts raced through my mind as Chandler drove us down the street to his house.

At that moment, I wondered if maybe this misunderstanding was a good thing. I believed in the saying, If we don't have trust, we don't have anything, and Karl certaintly didn't seem to have much trust in me if he wouldn't believe when I told him I didn't cheat.

I decided then that I wouldn't try to convince him anymore. If he was that insecure, I'd let him miss out. I decided to just ignore him and avoid him as much as possible after that, except when it was necessary that we talk during work.

And then I finally texted back to Shane.

Not anymore, Shane. Not anymore.

A/N: Here you go, double update. Lol.

Anticipate chapter five!

Remember to smile, because smiles are the brightest light! \ (^-^) /