Hostile Takeover ❖ Jake Riley | ✓ [book 1]

21~ Sure to be More Springs

"That is one good thing about this world...there are always sure to be more springs."

~ L.M Montgomery

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been three months

Three months since the vast devastation, three months since learning the death toll of three-hundred-and-sixty-four people, three months since Max had gone to jail. Three months later and Jake couldn't have been happier.

He'd forgotten how could it could feel to break routine and do something different, and needless to say, Jenna was a whole lot of different. But she'd become his best girl. He couldn't imagine having another girl in his life, Jenna was a perfect combination of smart and devious, helpful and annoying, lovable and (sometimes) killable. But she completed Jake, and Jake completed her.

Jenna's life had also changed, thanks to Jake. After everything, she'd signed a deal with the district attorney: return all stolen items and do six months of community service. It was fair enough.

She decided to go back to school. Due to experiencing the live action out in the district, she decided to study criminology, and she loved every minute of it. There were days where she'd spend more of her time at Jake's place than her own, helping Quentin with his homework, and being a stress-reliever for Jake -- in more ways than just one. Needless to say, she'd fallen in love.

Quentin loved having Jenna over more too. She knew a lot about math, and when Jake had to pull a few late nights at work, Jenna would stay with him so he wouldn't have to go to his grandparents' place. And more than anything, he was happy, because Jake was happy.

Then one day, there was a phone call. It was a Saturday afternoon, and Jenna had just come back from the library, having just completed an afternoon lecture on the psychosis of a serial killer. Jake and Quentin were in the backyard, practicing for next year's basketball season. Jenna dropped her books onto the counter as she ran for the phone.

"Hello?" she answered. 

"Jenna?"

"Vicki!" Jenna immediately smiled as she heard her friends voice, "How's it going, girl?"

"It's going good. Listen, is Jake there?" she asked. Jenna looked out into the backyard, smiling as she watched Jake do a victory run as Quentin made a perfect basket

"He's a bit busy right now, but I can take a message," she said.

"Right. There's really no easy way to say this,"

Jenna started to worry, "Why? What's going on...? What?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This is it, folks. It's all come down to this. All Quentin Frank has to do is make one more three-pointer, and the Lakers win the championship!" Jake narrated for Quentin, who couldn't keep the smile off his face.

"Jake! I'm trying to concentrate!" he told him.

"I'm just setting the atmosphere for you, bud," he replied. Quentin stood a food fifteen feet away from the basket, and he made his shot. The ball did rings around the smooth rim of the hoop, and they boys watched in anticipation. And then, it plopped in.

"And the crowd goes nuts!" Jake shouted, "Quentin Frank has scored the winning basket, and his prize will be a trip to SkyView in the summer time!"

"Seriously?!" Quentin asked with excitement.

"Depends on your grades, bud," he replied.

Jenna then came outside, clapping as she approached, "Nice shot Quentin!" she said.