I hope everyone is healthy and doing well. Please stay safe and practice social distancing. I'm praying for everyone! Let's stay positive! Love your neighbor! We can get through this! This one is short, but I wanted to give you guys an update. The rest is unedited and coming soon…

Chapter 15

"So you're ignoring me?" I cut the line and ran behind the counter, blocking Seth's path.

He impatiently tries to side walk past me but I move back and forth in both directions. He thinks he can just ignore me. No way. This is what he wanted right? A scene at his bakery.

"This is what happens when you don't answer my phone calls. I pay a visit in person." He psyches me out and gets past my left side. "Hey I know you hear me! Don't walk away from me!" I start following him around the cafe tables and bar stools.

"Bella, I'm in the middle of a lunch rush." He speeds up his pace, weaving around customers and tables. I try to keep up, following behind him.

"I don't give a shit. When I call my best friend he better answer. What the hell is going on?" He won't even look me in the face. He won't even acknowledge me.

"Isabella" his warning tone is not lost on me, but I refuse to be scared off that easily. I'm not a fucking child.

"Don't 'Isabella' me." My eyes tighten and my body tenses. " I will embarrass you in front of this whole goddamn bakery. Don't make me do it. You know I will." He's acting like I'm such a pest. Like I'm bothering him, like I'm not important. Like when I called him that night Mike showed up, and he didn't pick up his phone when I needed him. My threat is not empty. I needed him and he never bothered to return my calls. He's abandoning me just like the rest of them. They all leave sooner or later.

He promised he wouldn't do that to me. He promised he wouldn't leave. He's just like the rest of them. And suddenly I can't control myself. I let everything boil over. "Fuck you, Seth! You're such a fucking LIAR!" And I just start hitting his back with my purse over and over again. I will not be thrown away again. I will not be ignored.

He turns to face me and gets so close I can feel his breath waft over my cheeks, our heaving chests meet. I can see and feel the tension coming from him in scary, dangerous waves. My best friend finally looks at me. He bores his dark eyes into mine, and for a second I'm not sure what he'll do. It's like medusa has turned me to stone. I am frozen where I stand.

Noticing how quiet it is, I look around the cafe and everyone is staring at us.

He swiftly grabs me by my forearm and forcefully pulls me into the kitchen. I put my head down and silently work to catch up to his strides.

My nerves get the best of me, and I start to protest. "You want me to sit back here with this hot ass oven?!" He man handles me all the way to the last prep table and plops me down on the counter.

"Shut up. Sit your ass down, and wait for me to come back. Do you understand me?" His tight lipped commands are heard loud and clear. Shocked at his caveman behavior, I give a curt nod.

I stupidly do as I'm told, and after about thirty minutes, he stalks back into the kitchen.

"For once you have to come to me. For once in your life you couldn't control me. You keep me wrapped so tight around your finger, Bells." He hesitates for a moment, pulling in a deep breath. "When you say jump, I say how high. And for once I wanted you to chase me, because you know what, I'm tired of being in the friend zone. I showed you all my cards."

"Seth this isn't some game! I called you countless times in a row because I really needed you. I really needed you there!" My words come out strangled as my throat tightens up. I hope my eyes don't betray me. I hope they don't let any tears fall. Am I losing my best friend?

"Yeah you always say that, and then you skip over me, and run to the next guy. Can't you see? Absence makes the heart grow fonder. You need me as much as I need you." He still doesn't get it. He still can't see that I'm serious, that something happened. He's still a kid. He thinks he has accomplished something. He's standing here with a smirk, chest puffed out, like he achieved his goal.

"Seth, I called you because I was in trouble! Mike almost killed me. I called you and you didn't care. You didn't even call me back. " I throw a dishrag that's within arm's reach at his annoying face.

"Wait, what? Mike? Why was Mike at your house?" Finally the stupid grin falls from his face.

"He showed up drunk and started yelling and tearing the shudders off of my windows. I wouldn't let him in and he started going crazy."

"I'm sorry." He whispers to me with the most embarrassed looking eyes.

"You're sorry? That's all you can say to me is sorry?" My voice screeches in disbelief.

"What do you want me to say Bella?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it. Jacob took care of it for me. I thank god a real man showed up at my door last night, and not some little boy who just wants to get in my pants. Screw you. I don't need you. I just thought I'd come by and give you a heads up. Jake and I are dating." The minute it came out, I knew I shouldn't have said it. It was a low blow. It was mean. It was spiteful.

"No Bella. You don't get to show up at my shop, cause a scene, start a fight, and just tell me you're dating Jacob."

"I just did." I always take the easy way out.

"I'm in love with you and you just decided to take the coward way out. Admit it! You just want attention. You don't want my heart. Acknowledge the fact that I'm in love with you and you just spit on me every time I show you that we're more than friends."

"You're delusional Seth. When have I ever pushed the boundaries? That's always been your M.O. Have I ever opened my legs and given myself to you? No, but you're always ready to take what's left of our friendship away. You're such a fucking kid, Seth. You don't even know what love is. You're so ready to throw our connection away over five minutes of pleasure."

" No you threw us away over five minutes of pleasure when you fucked a guy that doesn't even know your middle name. Did you think I wouldn't be able to tell? Did you think I wouldn't be able to see it all over your face, by the way you walk? I didn't ruin anything. You're doing a fine job all on your own. You know what, don't come back here until you stop lying to yourself."

"What makes you think I'm coming back?" It's like he sees through me.

"You always come crawling back. I'm the only one who can put you back together after you let scum tear you apart."

And that's it. Just like that. He leaves me standing there, alone. I grab my purse and walk out. I don't look back when I walk past him.

I guess it was bound to happen. Can you really have a guy best friend? Letting Jacob know that it's over between me and Seth will be a relief. Who am I kidding? I'm still sitting in the parking lot. I haven't even started the car yet. But Seth hasn't come out here to chase after me either.

Maybe I can move on, and start a new chapter, be a good person with Jake and Kenny. Maybe I'll get that happy ending. Maybe I don't need Seth.

Or maybe I made a mistake. Maybe I just ended the best thing that has ever happened to me. Did I just ruin a relationship with someone who knows me, all for someone who wants to get to know me.

I decide to rip the band aid off and tell Jake.

12:00pm: I told Seth about us.

(Jake) 12:03pm: Are you ok? How did it go?

12:03pm: Not good. I don't want to talk about it. I feel like I lost my best friend.

(Jake) 12:04: Come over

12:04: Now?

(Jake) 12:04: Yeah.

12:07: Idk. I'd probably just bring your mood down.

(Jake) 12:07: Come over please? Kenny's at my sister's today for a birthday party.

12:09: Maybe I'll come by for a little while…

(Jake) 12:09: I'll make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches… and popcorn… and Kenny's fruit snacks…

12:10: Ok I'll come but leave Kenny's fruit snacks out of this. He looks forward to those in class!

(Jake) 12:10: It's a date

12:11: Lol I'm on my way

Okay… you guys said you wanted Seth out of the way! Some Jacob action is coming soon… Who are you guys more upset with at this point? Seth or Bella?

I hope these little updates can pull you out of the real world for a couple of minutes.

Let's keep calm, and stay safe guys! Let's hunker down. We can fight this!