ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀᴄᴏʟᴏʀꜱ | ✓

ᴀQᴜᴀ

Jared | Jess

It was too much. The silence was unbearable. He had gotten so used to her voice. Her words, her nagging and stupid nicknames. Even when he stopped talking to her, he listened to Alana's voicemail. Each and every one of them. It was selfish of him. To want to listen to her, yet not talk to her. He couldn't understand why he was pushing her away for something her father did. 

"What are you thinking about?" His cousin, Jess,  Aunt Karen's daughter, sauntered up to him. 

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Jared scowled, his elbows pressed on the counter as he supported his chin with the palm of his hands. 

Jess pushed herself on the counter, settling comfortably. "Because you are always lost in some other world. And you're an idiot. So I'm hoping you're thinking of apologizing."

Jared grabbed her hand and pulled her off the counter. 

"Ow, why'd you do that?" Jess grumbled. 

"Because we have something called customers," He said. "And you're gonna lose your job if you drive them away."

"We both know I won't ever get fired. Neither will you," She chuckled. 

"Doesn't mean you can slack off. Go focus on doing some work."

"Says the guy who's always on his phone or talking to that girl."

Jared glanced up at her, his scowl widening. "Alana. Not that girl. What's it to you, Jess? Did Aunt Karen put you up to talk to me about Adams?"

"Maybe." Jess's dark hair curtained her face, her light brown eyes glinted in the light.  "You should stop being an ass to her and to me. I'm your cousin, don't give me your attitude, dumbass. Call her already. You like her. And it's been a month."

"A month and three weeks," Jared mumbled, distracted. 

"See?" She snapped her fingers in front of his face. "You keep a track of how many days it's been. Might as well call her before you lose her forever. I don't get what's stopping you. She apologized from her dad's side though she had nothing to do with it. She called you for a month even though she didn't have to when you should be the one apologizing. Jared, you're my brother and I love you, but you're the world's biggest idiot,"

"Gee, thanks." He said, eyes flickering towards his phone then added quietly. "But you're right." 

"What was it? I didn't hear you." Jess surprised a smile, mocking her him. 

"Oh, shut up. I know you heard it. I'm not repeating it." Jared snorted, but a small smile played on his lips.

"Okay, loverboy, I'll leave you to it."

"I'm not—I don't—"

"Blah blah blah," Jess yelled as she walked away. 

Jared rolled his eyes and grabbed his phone, scrolling the contacts and stopping at the one contact number. Alana's.