FUCK! Dumb Leah… Jake cursed internally as every head turned to him.
He cleared his throat, rising to his feet with a strained look of authority.
"Okay ladies, I'm just gonna—"
"Oi! What you dragging my bredren into this for, huh?!" Jimmy's voice rang out as he stormed toward the table, cutting Jake off mid-sentence.
"He didn't do shit! He ain't even say shit! The dumbasses over there throwing shade need to grow the hell up!" Jimmy barked, pointing wildly at Jocelyn and Emily.
Jake, with a smirk of relief on his face, thought, Jimmy... Thank goodness.
The tension paused—for a second—caught between anger and confusion.
"Oh... the hippie grew wings," Jocelyn fired back. "Dumbass? Who the hell are you telling to grow up?" she barked, grabbing a cup off the table and stepping toward Jimmy.
Jocelyn's grip tightened around her cup—then she threw it.
"JOCELYN, NO!!" Becca screamed.
Gasps erupted from the crowd.
But before a single drop could touch Jimmy, Jake stepped in front of him.
The drink splashed across his chest and shoulders, soaking him.
Jocelyn froze—shocked. That wasn't what she meant to happen.
Before she could pull away, Jake grabbed her wrist.
His grip was firm. His voice low and dangerous.
"Don't you EVER try to attack Jimmy."
His eyes locked onto hers—cold, sharp, unblinking.
The entire gym stood in silence.
Consumed by fear, Jocelyn winced. "You're hurting me…"
"APOLOGIZE TO HIM!" Jake barked, not loosening his grip.
"Jake—stop! You're seriously hurting my wrist!"
"Let her go, man," Jimmy said, stepping in. "She's not worth it."
"Yeah, let the lady go!" the crowd shouted.
Jake stood there for a beat, his chest heaving—anger still burning.
Then finally, he released her.
Jocelyn staggered back, rubbing her wrist, stunned.
Jake finally snapped back to his senses, his chest still rising and falling with each breath.
"You alright, man?" Jimmy asked, noticing the sudden shift in personality—like the real Jake had just returned from somewhere… somewhere dark.
Jake didn't answer.
"It's getting late. I gotta go," he muttered, storming out of the gym without another glance.
"Wait up!" Jimmy called, jogging after him.
Back at the table, Jocelyn rubbed her wrist. "Fuck, he nearly broke my wrist…"
"Oh, stop the whining," Leah said, rolling her eyes and sipping from her cup.
The music resumed, the crowd slowly easing back into party mode—though whispers still filled the room.
Becca leaned in toward the group, her voice low but unsure.
"…Was it just me, or were Jake's eyes… glowing?"
"I know, right?" Jocelyn added quickly.
"Shut up and get yourselves something to drink," Leah said, waving her hand dismissively. "Glowing eyes, my ass—y'all are delulu."
"Well… it could've just been the lighting," Becca offered, though her voice lacked confidence.
"Yeah…" Jocelyn nodded slowly, though her voice lacked confidence.
But in her mind, one thought echoed louder than the music around her:
I KNOW WHAT I SAW.