Changing Relationships-

Early-Mid October

The last few weeks had seen some changes for the squad. Terry had met a woman named Sharon that went to this college with them and they started going out. Charles had also started a relationship although it didn't last very long. He met a lady named Eleanor and they had begun dating but it was soon obvious to everyone but Charles that she was only using him for help getting better grades and so he would buy her things. Charles refused to believe them, and had even stopped hanging out with everyone because she had convinced him that they were jealous and just trying to tear them apart. Finally Jake and Amy concocted a plan to show Charles how horrible she was. They were able to record her telling her friends why she was actually with Charles and get a video of her with another guy. They knew it would break his heart but they had to do it and Charles had a mix of sadness and anger when he listened to and watched the clips. He went to end it with her, with the squad following close behind. She denied it of course and then turned her rage to the others when Jake started playing the clips but was shut down quickly when Rosa threatened her and scared her off. They all spent the next few days helping and hanging with Charles until he felt better, which thankfully didn't take too long. And during that time as well as since then, Jake and Sophia have still been going strong.

By late October things were back to being regular and somewhat boring for the most part. However, most of the group, especially Gina and Rosa, began to notice Amy acting a bit weird and less happy. One afternoon Gina had them both come over to her room. "So Amy what's the deal? You haven't been acting like your fun nerdy self recently," Gina asks with Rosa nodding in agreement.

"What do you mean? I've been completely normal! Nothing weird here," Amy says unconvincingly.

"Amy we are your friends. You can tell us and I promise we won't say anything to anyone. But stop trying to lie cuz we know something is wrong. Is it about Jake?" Following Gina's question Amy's face got really red and Gina and Rosa shared knowing glances. "Alright fine! I really like Jake and seeing him with Sophia and knowing he doesn't feel the same about me is making me jealous and just sad!" Amy exclaimed.

"I thought you were gonna finally tell him your feelings after ending it with Teddy?" Rosa asks.

"I wanted to but he seems so happy with Sophia and I don't want to ruin it for them and mess up our friendship!"

"Omg you guys are the worst. It is so unbearably obvious that you both like each other between the flirting and joking you both do constantly! Stop being a chicken!" Gina says.

"I'm sorry but it's too risky for me! I wouldn't be able to handle it if we weren't friends anymore because of it! Our friendship is more important to me than the small possibility of a relationship!" Amy says with tears in her eyes.

"Ugh fine," Rosa starts as she gets some alcohol from Gina's fridge (because of course Gina has a bunch),"I'm tired of talking about feelings. Time to down some drinks." They drink for a bit and talk and laugh about random stuff for the rest of the day, until Rosa and Amy head back to their room, and drunken Gina gives a not so subtle look and wink at Rosa as she leaves.

The next few weeks Amy is better at hiding what's bugging her and she also feels a bit better. She's at the top of all of her classes, most importantly being Holt's two since he was basically her mentor at this point (to her at least) plus his classes were what related to her major and future career. Everything is going well for her and she was feeling less and less jealous about Jake and Sophia. In early November the squad spent another day hanging out and playing laser tag and things like that again. It makes her so happy doing stuff with everyone because they are all basically a family at this point and care about each other dearly. Without them her break up with Teddy would've been so much worse and she would have nowhere to go and talk about her feelings for Jake.

However, things took a hugely unexpected turn in mid December, a few days before their winter break started. Jake and Amy were chatting on the way back to their rooms and they were planning on having a study session in her room later that afternoon for Holt's mid-term in criminology the next day. As they walked through the hall Amy saw Sophia waiting outside Jake's room. Not surprising but the kind of annoyed and somewhat angry look on her face was strange, and Jake stopped talking so he must've thought so too. "Well I'll see you later for studying Jake," Amy said, giving a quick wave to Sophia that she didn't return before hurriny into her room. As much as she hated invading their privacy, they had stayed out in the hall so Amy could clearly hear their voices and she couldn't help herself from listening to their conversation.

"Jake I think we need to break up," Sophia says, surprising both Jake and Amy. she had thought they were so happy together. But she'd be lying if she said she didn't feel a split second of joy at the words, before she shoved that feeling away and let it be replaced by horrible guilt for even thinking that. She quieted her thoughts so she could hear the rest of it. "Wha-What? Why?" Jake said, the heartbreak and sadness so terribly clear in his voice.

"Before you say anything, it isn't because of our different career paths or anything to do with my friends not liking you. But I just realize that you will never be fully committed to this relationship. To me. And to be honest I don't think I can see myself spending my life with you Jake."

"Okay but why then? What are you talking about? I love you Sophia. I thought we were happy together. I was serious about this." Hearing Jake say he loved her was a shock to Amy because he almost never got emotional ever. She knew that was because of his dad and the other times he had been hurt bad. And she knew he was scared of getting emotional and telling someone how he felt because he was afraid they'd leave him like the others. Her heart hurt so much knowing that he just went out of his comfort zone and told her how he felt, but even with that she was sure Sophia wasn't going to change her mind. It made her want to just fling open the door, grab him, hold him, and do whatever she could to make him feel better.

"Jake I like you a lot. But I never expected this to be long term and I'm sorry but I don't think I love you back. And I know there's someone you have feelings for anyways so even if I did feel the same about you I'd always feel like I wasn't one hundred percent your focus!"

"Who are you talking about?! This seems like an excuse just so you can leave and not feel guilty! You would have my full attention and heart!"

"Jake just stop! It's so obvious you like Amy! I've seen how you look at her and all the time you spend with her. Not just when it's you two and the others. You spend a lot of time with her when it's just the two of you!" Amy's heart caught in her throat at Sophia's words.

"Amy? She's just my friend! Why is us being so close a problem?! What the hell Sophia!" Amy felt her heart sink at his words although she still was starting to believe that maybe Jake liked her back, even just a little.

"Maybe at some point you will be able to grow up and admit to yourself that you like her Jake! Cuz it's upsettingly obvious to just about everyone else at this point! I'm sorry Jake but we are over!" Amy hears Sophia walking away and Jake going into his room. Slowly she makes her way to her bed and lays there crying for what Jake had to go through and how it made her feel, and soon she's pretty sure she can make out faint sobs coming from the room next door as well.