she's mine.

45

Jakes POV

"Those eyes would be big on a cow," I laughed as I watched Rai stare down our ATV as if the wider her eyes got the safer she could make it. It was small and red with a few dents on the front from far too many roll overs. Riding ATVs has always been our thing- our mother yelling at us to wear helmets, Lea on the back of dads, and Eli showing me how to pop wheelies. It our thing, and now it's shared with our new family. I looked around to all of our friends on their own ATV's, each one was family now, even D and Rai.

Jokes on you Rai, this thing ain't getting any safer!

I felt the amusement bubbling up in me as she glanced up at me to give me a small nervous smile. She was in Eli's sweatshirt with the hood over her head blocking the rain. The dark jacket went down to her mid thigh over her black jeans. She looked tough. She was tough.

Not in the way most people would think though. I mean I'd bet my money on her in a fight of course, but she wasn't just tough like that. She was sweet. I saw the way she took care of everyone, Eli and Lea and even her brother. She had a big heart, and to have a big heart like that these days- you had to be tough. She was also devoted to those she loved like me. I understood why she friend zoned my brother. Ha- been waiting my whole life for that one.

I saw Eli come up behind her to shake her from the daze she was in. He pulled a pair of gloves from his pocket and put them on her. I hadn't seen Eli like this since we were young. Even before the accident I hadn't ever seen him truly care about a girl.

I turned away, not wanting to intrude. I saw Levi putting a helmet on D and her laughing. She had the same look on her face as Rai the first time we'd taken her out too, but now look at her. I glanced at Kameron as he peeled out and off into the rain, something seemed to set him off.

"Can we go already?" Lea asked from beside me. With all the new faces around here, we didn't have enough ATVs anymore, so she was waiting on me. She hated waiting. Honestly, I did too.

"Hurry up and hop on," I yelled. My sister had her grumpy face on as she strutted over to hop on the back. She had her helmet and at least three jackets on. "You know if you had another layer on I think you'd look more like a marshmallow than my sister," I laughed at her as she tried to maneuver in her outfit.

"Oh shut up. I don't know why you going insist on always riding in the rain, I prefer the heat and everybody knows that." She had to yell from behind me.

"Yeah, yeah, we all know. Just hurry up and hold on," I said as I threw the ATV into first gear. I let off the clutch as slowly as I could, but my excitement got the best of me as we peeled out. It wasn't a ride if you didn't peel out of the driveway.

I took off to the top of the driveway with no mercy which cause Lea to scream and finally actually hold on to something before she fell off. I laughed to myself at her thinking she could go without holding on.

I flipped a U turn at the top to look back to the house. Everyone in town had land, you weren't in a small town if you didn't have your fair share of land to ride your ridiculously reckless vehicles with your five friends.

We caught sight of Eli and Rai still talking at the bottom. Gag me. They were so gross. I caught Eli lean down and say something before Rai turned away shaking her head. I'm going to have to interrupt them before Eli makes a fool of himself. Don't worry bro, I'll save you.

"Eli needs saving," I called to Lea. "We have to go back."

"Jake! Leave them alone!"

"I can't let him get rejected like that again! He'll lose all manhood.. again!" Girls don't get it. When you get rejected.. multiple times.. by the same girl.. it does something to you. He will be whipped. He will be a puppy dog following her around trying to get her, OR he will become more of a jerk than before. Let's hope for all of our sakes, it's the former, but either way- I can't let my brother go down alone.