Chapter 7: Tangled Hearts

Sarah 👩🏻‍🦳

Guilt gnawed at me like a corrupted line of code. The blurry Instagram video of Jake’s fight with Vance was blowing up in college group chats. He had taken hits to protect me, and instead of thanking him, Emily and I had torn into him. His cheek was bruised purple, and his shirt was torn. I could see Vance landing a few hits on his ribs. I had not even checked his injuries.

The apartment was dead silent after he stormed off. His door slammed like a compiler error. The moment weighed heavily on me. Emily’s face crumpled as he walked away. Her eyes glassed over with tears, and she bolted to our room. I followed behind her. My heart was pounding with the impact of the moment. I had helped fracture something precious between them.

Emily was sprawled on the bed, sobbing quietly. She looked so small now. Her nerdy spark had dimmed dark. “Em, what’s wrong?” I asked while keeping my voice soft. I didn’t want to startle her.

She swiped at her cheeks. Her voice trembled with each word. “I screwed up, Sarah. Jake’s hurt, and it’s my fault. I yelled at him when he was defending you. I’m the worst.”

I slid onto the bed beside her and gently tugged off her glasses. I pulled her into a tight hug. Her warmth grounded me.

“Hey, don’t say that,” I said. “This is on me. I dragged you both into my trouble with Vance. Now it’s messing with you and Jake.”

She shook her head. Her curls brushed against my shoulder. “It’s not just you,” she said. “I got so caught up with us—coding, sci-fi rants, coffee runs. I’ve been ignoring Jake all week. He’s been so quiet, and I didn’t even check in.”

Jake’s forced smiles flashed in my mind. His slumped shoulders during our pizza and ramen nights. “You’re right,” I said. “He’s been fading out. He got banged up for me, and we jumped down his throat.”

Emily’s lip trembled. “He’s my knight, Sarah,” she said. “He’s been protecting me since middle school. I made him feel like garbage.”

My chest tightened. My guilt tangling with my deeper emotions. I had noticed Jake’s protectiveness in the parking lot. He stirred a tug in my heart when he stood between me and Vance. I couldn’t name the feeling. And then there was Emily. Her glasses slipped as she rambled about code. Her shy grin in the cafeteria. She had been stealing my breath for months.

“Em, I have to confess something,” I said.

She looked up at me. Her eyes were red from tears but curious. “What?” she asked.

I couldn’t meet her gaze. My pulse was racing. “I wasn’t fully honest,” I said. “When I told Jake I like girls, he warned me to stay away from you. I tried but I couldn’t. I’ve been crushing on you since that cafeteria stare.”

She laughed, a soft, surprising sound. “I figured,” she said. “Those looks weren’t sneaky, Sarah.”

My jaw dropped. “You knew?” I asked. “Wait ... are you okay with it?”

Her cheeks flushed. She darted her eyes away. “It’s flattering,” she said. “I’m not repulsed.”

Her words sparked a warm heat in my chest. She looked so vulnerable—tear-streaked, glasses off, curls framing her flushed face. God, she’s adorable. I leaned in and kissed her cheek. I wanted to kiss away her tears.

She giggled but did not pull back. I froze, searching her eyes for acceptance.

“So, you’re interested?” I whispered.

Her fingers grazed my jaw, tentative but sure. Then she leaned in slowly. Our lips brushed—soft, testing, exploring new territory. She deepened the kiss in a shy exploration. Our giggles mixed as we tasted each other’s softness. Her hand pressed my shoulder to gently pause the moment.

“Sar, I liked that,” she said. Her voice was soft. “But we have to check on Jake. He’s hurting.”

I squeezed her hand. “Let’s fix it,” I said. “We’ll apologize and make it right.”

We headed to Jake’s room, hand in hand. My nerves were buzzing with anticipation. Guilt for hurting Jake tangled with the thrill of Emily’s kiss. A growing pull toward Jake added to the mix. His courage and steady warmth were slowly creeping into my heart. We were three chess pieces moving together. Our moves were risky but unstoppable. I was useless as just the bishop cutting through diagonals. I needed my knight and my pawn full of possibilities to win this gambit.

I knocked on Jake’s door. “Jake? It’s us,” I said. “Can we come in?”

His rough voice answered after a pause. “Yeah, sure,” he said.

We stepped inside. Jake was slouched on his bed. He was shirtless and his blonde hair was messy. A bruise purpled his cheek. Angry red welts marred his chest and ribs. He looked drained and vulnerable. My chest ached looking at him. I was responsible for this.

Emily sat beside him. She started dabbing aloe aloevera gel on his bruises. I took his other side and mirrored her actions. My fingers brushed slowly against his warm skin. He winced at the soothing sensation of the gel. His eyes were wide as he glanced between us. We had slipped into his old practice tees. They were loose but clingy, and I blushed under his stare.

Emily spoke first. Her voice was shaky. “Jake, I’m so sorry,” she said. “I was awful earlier. You were protecting Sarah, and I didn’t even ask if you were okay.”

I paused. My fingers rested on his chest. “I’m sorry too, Jake,” I said. “I pulled you into this fake-dating mess. You got hurt because of me. I didn’t thank you for facing Vance. That was wrong.”

His eyes softened, though pain lingered. “It’s fine,” he said. “I just felt like I was losing you, Em. You’ve been so wrapped up with Sarah. And yeah, the fight sucked, but I’d do it again to keep Vance away from you both.”

Emily’s face crumpled. Tears welled in her eyes. “I’m bad with words, Jake,” she said. “Just don’t shut me out again.”

He pulled her close. A warmth flickered in his eyes. “I won’t, Em,” he said. “I promise.”

They held each other, their closeness so natural it made my heart flutter and ache. I felt like an outsider, but their bond pulled me in. I teased, hiding my nerves, “You two are hopeless. All this drama and no kiss? Come on, do it.”

Emily pulled back, blushing. “Sarah!” she exclaimed.

Jake’s grin broke through, bruised but bright. “She’s right,” he said. “That kiss last week, Em—I’ve been replaying it. I’ve loved you forever.”