PoV: RORY

By the end of the week, I can barely remember what scared me so bad about becoming Jake's friend. The more I hang out with him, the easier it becomes. As promised, Jake provided an array of food from craft services for us to eat on Tuesday (all of which was ten times as good as what the cafeteria makes). Then he showed me how to play a video game he likes, and I ended up being pretty good at it. We spent the next few days doing just that; eating stolen food and destroying each other back and forth in a self-proclaimed gaming tournament, and laughing about things and talking about school. Like real friends do.

And I didn't think once about anyone seeing us. It had become so normal for me to go over to Jake's trailer at lunch that I stopped worrying whether or not anyone noticed me go. So when Annabelle came up to me at my locker after school on Friday, with an expectant look on her face and asked "where have you really been at lunch this week?" I about panicked.

"I was in the library, like I told you," I fibbed quickly.

"No, you obviously weren't, because Jana Morling and I have history together after lunch and she said she saw you go over to the trailer lot. The last THREE DAYS in a row. Come on, Rory, you've never lied to me before, so don't start now. Why are you going over to the trailer lot?"

I bite my lip, look around me for any susceptible ears, then lean in and whisper, "Jake and I have been hanging out in his trailer during lunch."

Annabelle's jaw drops open so wide an entire pigeon could fly in there. "No way!" She screams, which obviously turns heads. I shush her, but her obnoxious grin is probably covering her ears. "Rory! That's huge! How are you even getting back there?"

"He got me a pass," I mumble. But of course, she doesn't hear it, so I have to push her head into my locker and whisper it louder. Her shriek reverberates off the locker's walls and I shush her again.

"Annabelle! No one can know about this—that's why I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to feel bad, but I also didn't want you to spread it around."

"Are you kidding? Rory! You've now officially spent more time with him than any of us! If I was you I'd be shouting it from the rooftops!"

"I can't risk anyone finding out. Especially not the press. My mom would go into cardiac arrest if she saw me with Jake on the news. I don't want the attention, so I'm doing anything I can to deflect it." I grab her hands in mine. "Annabelle, can you promise me you won't tell? Please?"

She looks painfully disappointed, but agrees anyway. "Fine. I won't tell. But can I come with you next week?"

I wince. "Jake's sorta already breaking the rules letting me back there, so…"

She grins again. "Ohhhh, I get it. He's breaking the rules for you. What a great friend. I don't know if I'd to that for you."

I roll my eyes. "Keep dreaming, Annabelle, but that's all we are. Great friends."

"Mm, okay." Decisively and without warning, Annabelle grabs me by the wrist and pulls me into the nearest empty room, which ends up being a spare computer lab. Once the door is safely shut behind us, she fixes me with a stare that makes Amanda's look mild. "When is it going to get through that head of yours that Jake possibly likes you as more than a friend?"

The last thing I want is to have this argument with her, but I'm very literally trapped. I sigh defeatedly. "If he does, it'll be up to him whether he wants to tell me or not. But I don't think that's the case yet. We've only known each other for a week."

"More than that if you could all the run-ins you guys had during filming."

"Those were circumstantial!"

"Not all of them!"

The second after she says it, I know with sinking certainty she's right. There are no such things as coincidences.

"Let's say he does like you," Annabelle continues, "for argument's sake. Do you think you could ever like him back?"

I blink at her. I don't want to say yes…but I also don't want to say no. "I've gotten to know Jake better than I ever thought over the last week, and he's wonderful. But in the end it's not about him. I don't think I'm ready to like anyone like that."

Annabelle seems to consider this, really consider it, and when she meets my eyes again, all I see in hers is...pity. Annabelle shrugs. "All right. Have it your way. But since I promised you my silence, I want you to promise me something."

There's been a whole lot of promising going on lately. "What?"

"Promise me you won't lie to yourself. If your answer ever changes. Don't convince yourself it will never happen, because from where I'm standing, it's a lot more possible than you think."

Jake gave me his screen name for IMing, which I told him would be easier than texting me, but I think we both have a silent preference for calling each other. Voices over digital words any day.

I wasn't going to call him tonight. I figured he would want some space since we hung out all week. He's great, but I don't want him to feel smothered.

So I'm rightfully surprised when my computer screen lights up with an IM from astros912, which is Jake's screen name. I put down the book I'm reading and open the message.

astros912: busy?

Rory S: no. what's on your mind?

astros912: i'm just bored, I guess. no new scripts to study, and you're the only person I can talk to this late

Rory S: I don't know whether to feel flattered or sorry for you

Rory S: are you sure you don't want to make any more friends? There are a lot of people out there more interesting than I am, trust me

astros912: i would, but I don't seem to…trust, I guess, other people the way I trust you. It's hard to leave your comfort zone sometimes, you know?

My heart skips a beat. Did Jake just…call me his comfort zone? I don't know what kind of territory we're in now, but it's definitely uncharted. I take a deep breath and count to ten before typing a response.

Rory S: I'm not annoyed with you, or anything, I'm just…shocked. For lack of a better word.

Rory S: you could have befriended anyone in our school. And most of them have a lot more to offer. So…why would you choose me?

Instead of seeing a message in my inbox a few minutes later, my phone vibrates with an incoming call. Skeptical, I answer. "Hello?"

"Look, I want to tell you this with my voice. I want you to understand." Jake takes a deep breath on the other end. "We've only known each other for a week, give or take those times we bumped into each other on set, but still. That's more time than I've ever spent with the same person in my whole life—who, y'know, isn't my mom. And I'm having fun, Rory! I've never felt so comfortable in my own skin than when I'm with you."

"Me too," I whisper, stunned.

Jake continues. "People expect so much of me all the time, and I have this image to deliver, but I don't need to do any of that with you. I guess...I don't know how many people like you are out there, and I wouldn't even know where to start looking. Does that make sense?"

"Yes," I reply softly. But I don't think he hears me because he keeps going.

"What if I put it this way: all day I'm holding my breath, trying to be perfect for everyone; the cameras, my parents, my agent—all of Hollywood, really. But when you walk into my trailer, I let that breath go. I feel at peace, and before you no one's ever made me feel like that. Safe. Really, truly safe. And I would so much rather be the fun, relaxed Jake than the rigid, anxious Jake that my career demands. Rory, I like myself better when I'm around you."

I know I've heard that somewhere before. Annabelle.

"So that's why I choose you. You make me feel safe. You bring out the best in me that I normally have to hide. What friend could be better?"

That's when I feel something off. For the first time since this week began, the word "friend" sparks a different feeling than it did before. Almost like…disappointment?

Jake laughs nervously. "Well I guess it's my turn to give too much information, huh? Rory?"

But all I can say is, "t-thanks for calling to tell me. See you Monday."

His words are a fire in my brain all night long, as are Annabelle's. Promise me you won't lie to yourself. If your answer ever changes. Don't convince yourself it will never happen…

From the beginning, I've been terrified that she's right. But now? I really, really hope she's not wrong.

A/N: I based Jake's screen name entirely off of my own headcanon. I imagine his family is from Texas (so he's a generational Astros fan), and his birthday is September 12.