Westley and his friends migrated to his room, where they all sat watching Jake and Tobey play Call of Duty: Black Ops III on his PS4. Tobey was winning, and poor Jake didn’t stand a chance.

“And I’m bored,” Bryck announced, clicking off his phone to look over at the game.

Westley shrugged as he spoke. “You know, that sounds like your problem, so you deal with it.” His face was stoic as Bryck glared his way. Westley kept up his serious demeanor, rolling his eyes before returning to watch Jake fall behind in the game.

“Eat dirt, Pearson!” Tobey exclaimed, using Jake's surname.

“Shut it, Ford!” Jake said, nudging Tobey’s arm that was just above his own.

“Sore loser,” Tobey taunted.

“Sore winner.” Jake retaliated, “jerk.”

Tobey shook his head, and then ‘boom!’ Jake gets killed.

“Yes!” Tobey cheered, flying up out of his seat and doing a little victory dance. “Whoo! In your face Pearson! Yes, I crushed you!”

Jake got pissed at Tobey's stupid dance, so he got up and pushed Tobey out of his way, causing him to lose balance and land straight on his face on the carpeted floor. Everyone burst out laughing, but Westley being extra, fell from his perch on the window seal, making the laughter grow louder until

Tobey picked himself up from the floor and crowded Jake, then punched him square in the nose. Jake yelped, stumbling back until he fell over, while he held his hands to his face, blood dripping onto his shirt.

Their laughter abruptly ceased, and they all took in the scene that played out in front of them. “Shit,” Westley said.

》》》》》

Mrs. Matthews sucked her tongue at the conflict she had gotten wrapped up in. “See, now this is what happens when you boys act like hulked-up idiots! It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.” She scolded, cleaning the blood from Jake’s injured nose. “Can you breathe properly, Jake?”

“Yeah, kind of.” Jake shared as he winced when she removed the rolled-up cotton from his nostrils.

Mrs. Matthews sighed, shaking her head. “You boys need to learn not to use violence to solve problems. And you Tobey, why would you hit Jake? And in the face, no less! You, of all people, shouldn't even be getting into fights! You're a wrestler. That alone is already a red flag!” She set the bloody washcloth down in the bowl of warm water and moved onto the cotton swabs. “You should all know better.” Jaslin did her best to clean up the blood still in his nose without irritating his injury too much.

Jake moaned softly, “Ow, ow, ouch.”

It was an uncomfortable feeling, but Jaslin needed to make sure his airways were clear. “Sorry, honey. It’s just that I want to make sure that your nasal airways are clear and that the blood doesn’t clot in your nostrils to the point where it's difficult to sleep. It's almost over, okay. Please bear with me, honey.” Jaslin took her time to ensure all the blood was gone, then pulled back.  “You’re all cleaned up," She put a sizeable nasal bandage on the bridge of his nose, "I should call your mom and tell her about this.”

Jake caught Mrs. Matthews' wrist. “No, thank you. She's traveling for work. I don't want her to worry, please, auntie.” Jake muttered softly.

Jaslin puffed her cheek, pursing at him, but those sad puppy dog eyes melted her. "Okay, but you're staying over so I can make sure you're okay, got it." He smiled, and she carefully touched his cheek. "The swelling should go down soon. Just keep the ice pack on it a little longer, okay."

"Okay, auntie," Jake said.

A nervous Tobey spoke up from the end of the island. “I—is he gonna be okay?

Jaslin shot him a stern glare. His concern seemed genuine in his tone as he bowed in shame. She groaned and rolled her eyes. “Yes, Tobey, he’s going to be fine. But you, I’m disappointed in you.” She said, pointing a finger his way.  “A slight push does not warrant a punch to the face, young man,” she sighed again, needing to stay calm, “trust me, if you were still a kid, I’d put you over my knee and spank you. But since I can’t, I’ll just leave you be. But with a warning, hit Jake again, and I’ll hit you back for him.”

Tobey winced and nodded like a bobblehead toy. “I'm sorry, auntie. I—I didn’t mean it, I promise I didn't,” he said, stepping backward.

“That’s what you say now, but I’ll be dammed if you hurt him again." She turned to the young teen, "Off you go, Jake, I need to finish making dinner.” She held him by his chin, then kissed his cheek, bending to meet his ear. “Next time, kick him in the shin.” He gave her a smug smile and a nod, then jumped off the stool to rejoin his friends.

》》》》》

Westley stood by the bathroom door with a clean shirt for Jake to change. He set it on the toilet cover and stood back, biting his lip as he watched the darkening bruise on his best friend's nose.

“So, what do you wanna say now?" Jake asked.

Westley scratched the back of his neck. “Jakey, it's my fault. I was the one who provoked him. I shouldn't have started laughing.” He scoffed, rolling his eyes at his dumb choice. "I'm really sorry."

Jake shrugged. “The punch came when I chose to shove, Tobey. So need to apologize, West.”

Westley chuckled bitterly, “Yeah, I know… I thought you wouldn’t remember.”

Jake clicked his tongue. “Dude, I got punched in the nose, not knocked upside the head with a battering ram.” Westley started laughing, and Jake joined in even though it hurt a little when his nose wrinkled. After the laughter died down, Jake stood up from the stool near the mirror and sighed. He walked towards the counter and examined his nose in the mirror, then sighed.

“Hey, you know we all love you, right Jakey,” Westley said before giving him a huge grin. Jake smiled back, cringing at the sting of pain coming from his aching nose.

“Yeah, I know. I love you guys, too—just don’t tell the others that I said that. I might lose my rep.” Jake muttered.

Westley couldn't help but chuckle. He rested his hand on Jake’s shoulder. “Dude, look at your face," he said as their eyes met in the mirror, "your rep is already lost.” They laughed again, and Westley patted Jake's shoulder. "Take your time. Call if you need anything." He walked left the restroom, leaving Jake to sort himself out.

》》》》》

Jake turned back to the mirror after Westley left and stared at his bruised nose that slowly turned a dark purplish-blue. “Fuck.” he groaned, gripping the counter for support. Jake turned his head from the left then the right to scrutinize the growing bruise on the bridge of his nose. It looked nasty. He clenched his jaw and swore underneath his breath. “Fuck him!” he cried, sighing at his injury. It was pitiful. “I’m such a loser,” he told himself as he sat back on the toilet lid, making sure to remove the clean shirt that Westley had left for him.

“Talking to yourself, Jake?” he jumped at the interruption and cried out as he fell off the toilet and landed on the floor, hitting his arm against the tub. He looked up to see Chevy standing at the door. “Ah shit, Chev! What the hell?” She tilted her head to the side, her unruly golden curls following her movements.

“Well, I heard talking, so I came to investigate. So, who fucked up your nose, Jakey.” She asked, walking in so she could cup his face in her hands.

Jake rolled his eyes. “Yeah, thanks for noticing.” She opened her mouth, then closed it back and huffed out a breath.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that." Chevy admitted, "here, let me help you up.”

It almost slipped his mind that he was still sitting on the cold bathroom floor, adding insult to injury. He took the hand Chevy offered and let her help him up onto his feet. “Thank you.” She smiled, and it reached her emerald eyes.

“Don’t mention it. It’s the least I can do.” Chevy was trying not to stare at his nose, but it was pretty awful. “Umm, you should really put something on that. It's not so bad, though.”

Jake sighed. “Your mom already did. It’s gonna take some time to heal. The swelling hasn’t gone down yet, but I got an ice pack for it.”

“Trust me, I know.” She looked at him with something like pity in her eyes. “Well, I was on my way out, so….”

Jake hadn’t taken in her attire. Her curvy figure fitted comfortably in black leather tights and a red lace crop top, and her face was neutral, except for the pink gloss on her lips and mascara, “well, bye, Jakey. Take care, alright.”

“You look beautiful.” Jake blurted out. She paused on her way out; her cheeks reddened, and she smiled softly.

“Thank you.” Chevy turned away and left.

“Bye Chev,” Jake called out weakly, cheeks hot.

Chevy paused out in the hallway, then turned back and pressed a kiss to Jake's cheek. Her action surprised him as his fingertips touched the spot where her lips touched. “Get better soon, okay.”

This time she left, and he was left standing there, trapped alone with his thoughts. “Oh...” he had felt like shit, like a dead weight, but then Chevy gave him a pity kiss so that it couldn’t be all that bad. He was tired and fed up with being the weakest link of his friends. He needed to start being something more than just the one they protected. “God, even Tobey’s stronger than me. He even got on the wrestling team." Jake rolled his eyes and opened the door to leave. His thoughts were having too much fun with his shitty state of mind, and he was not in the mood to deal with it now, so he started towards Westley’s room.

》》》》》

Jaslin exhaled, rolling her neck. She was so tired. She had just finished making dinner before Chevy left to get ready for some party. She needed a shower. The timer rang, and Jaslin hurried out of her seat to pull out the second serving of baked chicken, baked Macaroni, and lasagna from the oven, which she made a lot of since Westley had his friends over. She carefully laid them down on top of the stove and turned it off as she processed to rid her hands of the oven mitts. She shut the oven door just as she heard the front door open. She rose a brow. Chevy had already left. Did she forget something? Jaslin walked towards the noise, footfall becoming apparent to her ears as the door shut and something heavy dropped to the floor with a thud. She dropped the mitts onto the counter and poked her head out from the kitchen. A tall figure was standing in the foyer, his dark blond hair braided back and his blue-gray eyes sharp even if he appeared to be tired.

“Hey baby, I’m home,” Charles said.

Her husband sweet accent met her ears, and tears welled up in her eyes. Jaslin rushed out of the kitchen as he shrugged off his gray jacket, and she didn’t hesitate as she ran to him and jumped into his arms. Charles caught her and embraced his wife in a warm hug that made her heart flutter and race at the same time. She wrapped her legs around his narrow hips, squeezing him tight before pulling back to look at him. He grew a light beard, making her chuckle softly as she ran her fingers down his face. “Hey, scruffy man.” She whispered. It had been three weeks since she’s seen him, and it felt like an eternity, but he was finally home. “Oh, Charlie,” she sniffled, tears running down her cheeks without her permission. “I’ve missed you so much.” She wept, her voice breaking as she sobbed.

“I missed you too, Jassy.” He replied, happy to be home again. Her tears fell and dropped on his cheek. "Aww, don't cry, my love, I'm home." Kissed her damp cheeks, making her blush.

"I'm just pleased that you're home, Charlie. It's been a bit lonely without you." She told him as she gazed into his electric eyes. He looked sleepy. Under his eyes even harbored dark bags, which could explain why his face looked as if he'd aged a few years.  "Oh baby, you're exhausted, and I jumped on you," she chuckled, "I'm so sorry."

Charles skin his head. "No, no. I'm excellent. I've missed you in my arms, sweetheart. Don't be sorry at all. I've been quite lonely myself." A smile tugged at the edges of her lips until she was grinning brightly at him. He mimicked his wife's silly grin and planted a soft kiss on her lips. It wasn't rushed but tender and sweet.

"I love you so much," she muttered against the soft caress of his lips pressed against her own. Jaslin was over the moon, happy that Charles was home.

Charles hummed, inhaling deeply. "You cooked?" He asked, again portraying his smile to her.

Jaslin giggled, smirking now. "I did. You hungry?" He looked at her, eyes wide.

"Are you really asking me that question, woman? After a seven-hour flight? I'm famished. Feed me." He growled playfully, nipping at her cheek. Jaslin squealed as she pushed at his shoulders, his arms holding her up as he kept trying to bite her.

"Haha, Ch—Charlie s—stop." She covered his mouth with her hands, "what, they didn't feed you while you were on that business trip?" He scoffed at her question.

Charles shook off her hand. "Yeah, they did, but it wasn't your food. It was okay, but I missed my baby's cooking." He said, lowering his hands to Jaslin's lower back and pulling her up into another kiss.

Jaslin hummed against his lips and ran her fingers through his hair, moaning as he squeezed her butt. She parted from the kiss, panting softly as she touched her forehead to his.

"Damn, you missed me that much, huh?" She chucked, "you came just in time. Dinner's cooling off, I'd offer a complimentary massage, but I have several hungry mouths to feed." She said, making him whine.

"Darn, guess I'll have to wait until everyone goes to sleep." Charles cooed. His wife rolled her eyes just as he slipped his hand into the back of her shorts his. Jaslin chuckled and yanked his hand away, smacking him lightly on the chest.

"So handsy, mister." Jaslin gave him a devious look. "Aren't you going to freshen up, or do you want me to call the kids so that they can see their daddy?"

His eyes widen. "Oh, surprisingly, I've missed the children, but I require a hot shower. So, call them when you're ready, okay. Where are they, by the way?" He asked, looking around the empty living room.

"They're in the playroom or somewhere around the house." She told him as he finally let her down and bent to pick up his bags, but she stopped him. "Go on upstairs. I can take it."

"Nope." He kissed her forehead. "You can relax. You look just tired, if not more. Don't think I forgot that you had work today. I'll take my bags upstairs. You just take a moment. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go take a shower."

Jaslin spied a glance at his plump ass as he walked up the stairs, then smiled to herself. What a sexy man she had, lucky her. She took a cushion from the couch into her hands and squeezed it to her chest, then sat down on the comfy gray cloud of a sectional.

》》》》》

Everyone except Westley looked up as Jake entered the room. Westley was busy typing up a research paper on Jonathan Swift for an online summer course that he was taking. He didn't notice Jake coming back in and had his earbuds in. He hated extra lessons, but if it meant that he'd be opted out of specific college courses, then he'd gladly do the work. His mom had suggested taking the classes, telling him that it'll help him when he was ready to go to college. Personally, Westley didn't need the assist since he was already a straight-A student, but he indulged her since she was always so supportive of him. Besides, he was almost done.

"Hey Jake, how's the nose?" Shane asked, looking up from his book to scrutinize Jake's face as he stood next to him.

Jake sighed in return. "It's ok. The pain is numbing away slowly." He said with the ice pack on his face.

"And how do you feel?" Shane asked.

"I feel good, thanks for asking." Jake gave Shane a slight smile and went to sit down on the window sill—avoiding Tobey's outstretched hand. Tobey sighed hard as everyone else ignored that minor exchange.

"Jake, I'm so, so sorry. Please talk to me." Tobey pleaded on his knees. Jake ignored him entirely and picked up his book from the dresser, and began reading. Tobey rose from the black couch and moved towards Jake until he stood before him.

Jake swiftly ignored him and turned the page, continuing to read like he didn't even see Tobey there.

"Jake please—at least look at me. Come on, Jakey." Tobey begged. He didn't like everyone being mad at him, especially not Jake. He hard the cold shoulder he got from Jake instead of making up.

Bryck rolled his eyes at the exchange. See, that's the thing about Jake, they all teased him playfully and such, so him some much so that he is very good at the silent treatment—or at ignoring them. Tobey reached a hand out to try to touch Jake's shoulder, but Jake just shifted away.

"I think you should leave him alone, Tobey. He'll speak to you when he's ready to accept your apology." Jonathan suggested.

Tobey pouted, "and how long do you think that's gonna take? Huh?" Tobey asked,  getting annoyed.

Jonathan shrugged. "Eh, I'd have to say until his nose heals. Which isn't until... well, I'd say in five days or so." He said as he tried to observe Jake's nose from his sitting position on the edge of Westley's bed.

"That's not fair!" Tobey groaned.

"That's not fair!" Jake snapped, shutting the book. "How the fuck isn't it fair, huh, Tobey? You punched me in the fucking nose just because I pushed you, and you got embarrassed! You didn't even have a scratch on you! But look! Look!" He yelled, grabbing Tobey by the arm and forcing him to look at his face and not his shoes. "Look what you fucking did to me! You damn idiot! I'm so not okay, you motherfucker! My nose is turning into colors of the freaking rainbow here! And you think it's not fair that I'm ignoring you! Well, fuck you, man. Fuck you!" Jake shouted, releasing Tobey's arm with a rough shove. He jumped off to the floor and grabbed his jacket from behind the door, where he hung it earlier, and briskly walked toward the room door. He yanked it open—for a second, Jake thought he would tear it from its hinges, but he doesn't, and then he storms out, pissed off. Face red and eyes ablaze with anger.

Westley turned around in his chair, shaking his head. "Well, that didn't go as planned, right, Tobes?" Westley said.

"Fuck you, Westley!" Tobey seethed.

Westley arched a brow at him. "Why are you mad with me when you were the one that messed up his nose? I mean, as much as we tease him. None of us ever did that to him. You better beg for forgiveness, or you're going to be short five friends, Tobey." Westley turned back to his computer, saving his work.

"Fuck..." Tobey groaned, letting himself fall onto the couch.

"Idiot," Bryck mumbled.

"What did you say, huh, Bryston?" Tobey shot back.

Bryck rose from where he'd been lying on the bed. "What the fuck did you say, Ford?" It wasn't a question as much as it was a threat. Bryck jumped off the bed and gave Tobey a once-over like he was about to pounce.

Tobey nervously stood up from his seat and looked at Bryck like he was unafraid, which he wasn't.

Westley watched the scene unfolding, knowing that no matter what, Bryck was a better fighter than Tobey could ever be.

"Okay, you know what," Westley snapped, "stop this fucking bullshit. Okay, I'm sick and tired of it. Tobey, sit your silly ass back down! You already pissed off one of our friends and caused him bodily harm, and now you're trying to commit suicide by challenging Bryck! I hope you weren't actually thinking of fighting him because you are no match for him. So, quit it. Okay. And Bryck, really?! Are you really gonna beat up Tobey for his stupid mouth?" Bryck doesn't answer. "Okay, I thought so. Now, I'm going to go look for Jake." Westley left the room to go after their sad friend.

Bryck set his jaw and sighed, flopping back to the bed as he ran fingers into his hair.

Tobey sat back down after his scolding, putting in his earbuds as he opened a game on his Switch.

》》》》》

Charles was heading upstairs with his bags, and he heard someone yelling, then saw Jake rushing out of his son's room, door slamming behind him before he shot down the hallway. The poor teen was crying and unaware, so pent up with anger that he didn't even see Charles. Jake ran into him,  at full speed, stumbling back, as he missed his footing. Charles reached out and grabbed hold of his shoulders to steady him. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Oh, shit—I mean, I'm sorry, Mr. Matthews. I didn't see you there." Jake apologized, keeping his head down and his hair over his eyes so that the older man couldn’t see his face.

Charles refused just to ignore Jake's upset mood. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Jake shook his head. "Nothing, I'm fine, just a little tired. I was just gonna go home." He explained.

Charles scoffed. "Well, it sounded to me as if someone made you mad."

"Nah, it was nothing." Jake lied.

Charles sighed. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, Jacob."

Jake jolted at his firm tone, then sighed in defeat and lifted his head to reveal the nasty bruise which had swollen on the bridge of his nose.

"Oh God, who gave you that?" Charles asked, catching Jake's chin to examine the damage.

"N—no one," Jake lied, moving to shrug off his hand from his chin.

Charles didn't believe him one bit. "Don't lie to me, Jake. Who did this?" Jake opened his mouth to speak, "the truth." He pressed. Jake met his eyes, and he arched a brow in wait.

Jake gave up and told Mr. Matthews, "Tobey punched me."

"And why would he punch you?" Charles asked as his eyes widened in shock.

Jake sighed. "We were playing a video game, Tobey won, and I died, so I pushed him, and he fell on his face. But Tobey didn't even get hurt, then when the others started to laugh, he got up and punched me in the nose. Auntie Jazz took care of it for me... as much as she could, and then Tobey and I got into another argument because he said it wasn't fair that  I wouldn't just forgive him. I mean, how the hell could I just forgive him when he did this to my face?" He asked, tears burning his eyes.

Charles swore under his breath. The poor boy looked as if he was about to cry. "Jake, are you okay?" he asked.

Jakes shook his head. "No, I'm tired, pissed off, and I'm in pain... I'm angry." He admitted, sagging his shoulders in defeat.

"Do you need a hug?" Charles asked. Jake nodded as he sniffled, grunting from the ache. Charles tugged him closer, being careful to mind his face. "I'm so sorry that you got hurt." He pulled back slightly as Jake wiped his eyes. "You know, you and Tobey have been best friends since you all were little. I disagree with using violence as a means to solve issues or take out anger, but I don't want you to storm off and stay mad at him. That won't help anything. Yes, what Tobey did was cruel and uncalled for because he hurt you, but you shouldn't allow him to make you so angry. You should firmly let him know that when you feel better, you'll talk to him. I don't think he meant to do that." Charles said, gesturing towards his nose, "and I know, you know, that he didn't intend to do that either. So, don't let this become the thing that tears apart a friendship. Communicate how you feel and let him know that he is in no place to demand your forgiveness, especially for hitting you over a silly game, alright?"

Jake nodded. That was some sound advice. Even if he still hurt, and he wanted Tobey to hurt, he didn't want to lose a friend, maybe punch him back, but Mr. Matthews was right. He just needed time to sort out how he felt. "Thank you. I'll consider that."

"Lovely, I hope it all works out for the better. Now, I need to take a shower." Charles picked up his bags, then paused, "and Jake, if you still want to be mad, be mad. If you choose to talk about the problem and resolve this conflict, then do that. But don't let the anger fester inside. It isn't healthy, nor is it helpful. And please use an ice pack for the swelling." He gave Jake a nod of his head and carried on his way.

》》》》》

Mr. Matthews gave Jake a lot to think about, but he was still mad at Tobey, and on the other hand, Tobey was still one of his best friends. Yeah, he could be an asshole at times, yeah, he punched him when he didn't have to, but Jake would be the bigger person. Jake leaned against the walls and just slid down until he was sitting on the floor, then he carefully dropped his head into his hands.

Upon exiting his room door Westley was ready to chase down Jake and get him to come back, but then he spotted Jake sitting with his back to the wall with his legs pulled up to his chest and his face buried in his trembling hands. Wake walled up to him. "Hey there, lonesome. You okay?" He asked, sitting next to Jake.

"No. I'm useless and pitiful." He stated—the hint of tears threatening in his eyes.

"Hey, don't talk that way about yourself. You might not be the best fighter like Bryck or me, but you are the smartest, kind and coolest person that I know, and that's means something, right? Why do you always put yourself down, huh? Jake, I'm not going to sit here and give you a motivational speech about loving yourself or whatever no. Instead, I'm gonna be here for you as your best friend to tell you to get up off your butt and get back in there. Tobey can freaking wait for as long as you'd like for you to accept his apology because he was wrong for hurting you. And I don't wanna see you beating yourself up over this." Westley said, smiling at him. Jake bottom lip trembled.

"But look at my face." Jake cried.

Westley nodded. "I'm looking, and all I see is a handsome young man that I'd snatch up in a minute." Jake chuckled as he rubbed his eye.  "Please come back, Jakey."

Jake pouted, "I don't know?"

Westley rolled his eyes playfully. "You best come back before I kiss ya." Jake's cheeks turned pink as he whipped around to look at him. "You heard me."

"Ha. As if." Jake said, putting a hand up Westley's chest. His friend might be a charmer, and everyone might be falling over him, but he knew his much of a flirt Westley was. "So, you think I should just forgive Tobey and forget that this whole thing ever happened?"

"Hell no, he punched you in the face, but Tobey's a hothead. He did that on impulse because he was embarrassed. But the basis in your court, and it's your choice on whether to forgive him or make him sweat a little. Now come on, do what's right for you." Westley stood up and offered him a hand. "Get up, Jakey. I miss you when you're not around."

Jake took his hand, and Westley hoisted him up, making him giggle.

"See, that wasn't so hard, now was it?" Westley smiled. He cupped Jake's face carefully and kissed his forehead, then the tip of his nose, then gave him a small peck on the lips.

Jake's cheeks flared as he lost for words. "You coming back, or should I get my keys to drive you home?" Jake shook his head. "I'll come back, but only because you kissed me," Jake said. They laughed at that, and he let Westley throw an arm over his shoulders as they walked back to his room in hopes of ending this predicament.