Two Thousand Miles Away

Chapter 25

Ella

My eyes opened to the bright light flowing through my window. I rolled over to check the time. I failed to suppress a groan as I glanced at the clock. 11:36 AM.

When I turned, I felt a slight pull around my stomach. I rolled over again to find that Jacob was asleep next to me. His arm was wrapped around my stomach. "Jacob," I whispered as I poked his arm.

He groaned and rolled closer to me. "Jacob," I said again, this time a little louder.

"No." Then he threw the covers over his head and cuddled his head on my shoulder.

"Come on, Jake. It's time to get up."

Suddenly a phone on my nightstand started ringing very loudly. I winced as the sound banged against my head. "Answer that," Jacob groaned.

I sat up, ignoring the complaints from Jacob that I was making him move, and picked up his phone. I didn't look at the name so I was surprised when I heard a girl's voice on the other end of the line. "Jake, you there?" the girl asked.

I rubbed my eye with the back of my hand in an attempt to feel less tired. "No sorry," I mumbled. "This is Jacob's girlfriend Ella." I purposefully stress the girlfriend part to make sure this girl wouldn't get any ideas.

"Ella!" the girl squealed. I had to move my head away from the phone because she was so loud. I don't think she understood the whole hangover thing. "I've heard so much about you. I'm Jake's sister, Maddie."

I froze at the sound of that name. Maddie, I'd heard that before. I shook my thoughts away. I'd investigate that later. Now I had to talk to Jacob's sister. "Maddie!" I chimed. Jacob never talked about his sister. I knew nothing about her.

"You know nothing about me, do you?" Maddie said, reading my mind. She sounded annoyed.

"I'm sorry. Jacob just never told me much about you."

I heard nothing but a long silence. "I'm 15 and a sophomore in high school. I started playing basketball this year and work on my dad's ranch."

"You're dad owns a ranch?"

Suddenly Jacob was wide awake and grabbing the phone away from me. "Hey Mads."

I flung my head around and glared at my boyfriend. "I was talking to her." Jacob put his finger to his mouth, telling me to be quiet. Then he climbed out of the bed and walked to the bathroom. I would have been more upset if I wasn't enjoying watching him walk around in his blue boxers.

I shrugged it off and grabbed my own phone. I went back to my messages from penpal Jacob. After scrolling through dozens of messages I found what I was looking for. His sister was named Maddie. And he lived on a horse ranch. "Hey Jacob?" I yelled as I suddenly felt like I couldn't breath.

Jacob walked back into the room. He was still talking to his sister but he now had a toothbrush in his mouth. "Do you have any other siblings?"

Jacob nodded and held up two fingers. "Are they twins?" He nodded. Then Jacob walked back into the bathroom. A second later he came back without the toothbrush or phone.

Jacob lived on a ranch in Colorado with twin siblings and a sister named Maddie. There couldn't be this many coincidences. I looked up at my boyfriend. The guy who treated me so well. The guy who I think I might love. Could he really be my asshole ex-best friend. "Are you my penpal?"

Jacob froze. My heart sank. Then he shook his head. "What?"
I stood up from the bed and crossed my arms across my chest. "Are you the Jacob I messaged all last year?"

Jacob rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "What's your deal with this guy?" he exclaimed. "You won't shut up about him! I'm here! I'm the one you wake up next to. I'm the one who walks you to class. And I treat you pretty damn well so what's the deal with this guy? Are you in love with him or something?"

I moved from crossing my arms around my chest in anger to just wanting to hold myself together. Maybe this all was just a coincidence and I was being a jerk.

"No," I whispered as I shook my head at myself. "Jacob was my best friend in high school. Then he ditched me. I just wanna know why. Trust me I only have feelings for you." I started to rub my eyes as I felt tears form.
Jacob sighed and walked over to me. He folded his arms around me. "Baby, don't cry." He rested his chin on my head. I leaned my head on his chest. "It's fine. I get it. I was just mad."

I nodded but I also knew that he was right. I had to drop this whole penpal thing once and for all.