Perspective, Chapter 3

It had been three days since Jake and I had talked about him teaching me piano. I had been counting down the days until our lesson, eager to learn and improve my skills. Jake was my only friend in this new town and I couldn't wait to spend more time with him.

I woke up early on Saturday, the day of our lesson. I took a long bath, enjoying the warmth and relaxation it provided. I then cooked myself a simple breakfast, trying to keep my nerves at bay. As I was about to leave for Jake's house, I decided to take a short walk to the park between our neighborhoods.

As I strolled through the park, I saw Paisley, a girl from my school who had been hostile towards me for the past few days. I didn't know why she avoids me, so I decided to ignore her and continue on my way. But as I was about to leave the park, I glanced back and saw Paisley and Lucas, the shy boy from the music club, meeting up. I couldn't help but wonder what they were talking about.

Finally, I arrived at Jake's house and knocked on the door. A woman answered and introduced herself as Lyra Green, Jake's mother. As I followed Lyra into Jake's house, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous. I had never been in Jake's house before and I didn't know what to expect. Lyra led me to Jake's room and knocked on the door. "Jake, your student is here," she called out.

There was a moment of silence before the door opened and Jake appeared, looking disheveled and bleary-eyed. He checked the time on his phone and I could see the embarrassment on his face when he saw me standing there. I couldn't help but blush, seeing Jake in his loosely worn pajamas. It was the first time I had seen him look vulnerable and it was kind of cute.

"Oh, Mackenzie, I'm sorry, I overslept," Jake said, rubbing his eyes. "Can you give me a moment to get dressed?"

"Sure, no problem," I replied, trying to hide my embarrassment.

Lyra and I waited outside Jake's room as he got dressed. She turned to me and grinned. "So, Mackenzie, what kind of books do you like to read?" she asked.

"I like to read romance books," I replied, feeling a little shy.

Lyra nodded, "Jake likes those too, but he won't admit it." She added with a playful grin, "Personally, I prefer adventurous books."

As Jake opened the door and greeted us, his hair was still messy but he looked presentable. "Come in," he said, gesturing for me to enter.

"Thanks, Lyra," I said as she was about to leave.

"No problem, kids. I have to go to buy groceries, have fun with your lesson," Lyra said with a smile and a wink before leaving.

As I walked into Jake's living room, my eyes were immediately drawn to the piano in the corner. It was a beautiful, classic instrument that had clearly been well-cared for. I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as I approached it.

"Wow, this piano is amazing," I said, my voice filled with wonder.

Jake smiled, "Yeah, it's been used for a long time. I'm glad you like it."

As Jake prepared the piano for our lesson, I couldn't help but feel awestruck by its beauty. The piano was clean and classic, but as I saw my reflection in the piano, I noticed Jake's messy hair. Without thinking, I reached out and fixed his hair, but as I did, I couldn't help but feel a flutter in my stomach. This was something I had done almost daily since we became friends, but it felt different now that we were alone. I couldn't shake off the feeling of embarrassment as I saw Jake's smile in response.

I knew I had to focus on my learning and not let my thoughts wander, so I sat down at the piano chair and began to learn the basics. Jake sat beside me, guiding me through the lessons and it felt comfortable to have his hand over mine as I played a simple tune. I enjoyed the moment, but I didn't want to read too much into it. I could see that Jake was also captivated by the beauty of the piano.

I focused on learning the basics and playing a simple tune with Jake's guidance. But as our hands moved together over the keys, I couldn't help but feel a little bit self-conscious. I couldn't shake off the feeling that Jake was noticing me too.

As the lesson progressed, I found my attention shifting towards Jake more frequently. The way he smiled at me, everytime I hit a right note, made my heart flutter. I couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that the way he looked at me was different.

We took a break and Jake prepared some snacks for us. As I munched on my snack, I couldn't help but ask Jake to play a song for me. He sat down at the piano and started playing, the melody enveloped me and I felt a sense of comfort and familiarity. The music was like a balm to my soul, and for a moment, it felt like nothing else in the world existed except for the two of us and the piano.

As I gathered my things and prepared to leave Jake's house after our piano lesson, I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. I had learned so much in such a short amount of time and I couldn't wait to practice more and continue to improve.

As Jake and I finished up and put away the sheet music and piano bench, we started talking about the upcoming exam on Thursday and Friday next week. Jake said "I'm relying on you" and I couldn't help but feel a little bit of pressure but also excitement to be able to help him out.

As I turned to leave, Jake called out to me and said, "Hey, so I was thinking, since we have a break tomorrow, do you want to grab lunch or something and hang out? It's not a big deal if you don't want to, just thought I'd ask."

I was surprised by the invitation, but also a little bit nervous. I wasn't sure if he was just asking as a friend, or if there was something more to it. I turned to him and said, "Sure, that sounds great. I'd like that."

Jake smiled and looked relieved, "Great. How about I call you tonight and discuss our plans?"

"That sounds perfect," I replied, trying to hide the butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

As I walked out the door, I couldn't help but hesitate for a moment. I heard Jake's mother, Lyra, teasing him about asking me out on a date. My heart began to race as I wondered if maybe, just maybe, Jake had asked me out. But then I heard him dismiss the idea, saying that we were just friends hanging out.

I quickly made my way down the sidewalk, feeling embarrassed and a little confused by the thoughts that had been running through my head. I knew that Jake and I were just friends, and I didn't want to read too much into things. But the thought of him asking me out on a date still lingered in my mind.

I reached home after leaving Jake's house and I couldn't help but feel a little flustered. I had just overheard his mother teasing him about asking me out on a date and I couldn't shake off the feeling of embarrassment. I tried to push the thoughts out of my mind and focused on making dinner for myself.

As I stood at the stove, the aroma of my cooking wafting through the air, my mind wandered to the book that Jake had gifted me. The familiar scent of the pages, carried memories of his room, and I couldn't help but question my own sanity. Once my meal was ready, I made my way to my personal sanctuary, pretending to delve into my studies but in reality, I was lost in the pages of the romantic novel.

As the phone rang, my heart skipped a beat. I couldn't help but feel a wave of anticipation wash over me. It was Jake calling, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that something had shifted between us. I answered the phone, trying to steady my breath.

"Hey, Mackenzie," Jake's voice came through the line, a hint of excitement in his tone. "I was just wondering where you want to hang out tomorrow. I mean, for our... hangout."

I hesitated for a moment, my mind racing with thoughts. "How about we just hang out at my house? We can talk and catch up."

"That sounds perfect," Jake replied, his voice sounding more at ease. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

As I hung up the phone with Jake, my mind couldn't help but raced with thoughts about our upcoming "hangout." I couldn't shake off the feeling that maybe, just maybe, he was starting to have feelings for me too.

As I woke up early on Sunday, my mind was racing with thoughts of Jake and our hangout later that day. I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was different between us, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

I took my time getting ready, taking a long bath to clear my head and then cooking myself a simple breakfast. I also prepared some snacks for Jake, wanting to make sure he was comfortable when he came over. As I finished up, I headed out to the park to meet Jake and guide him to my house.

As I walked through the park, I saw Jake sitting on a bench, deep in thought. I couldn't help but feel a flutter of nervousness in my stomach as I approached him. "Hey Jake, ready to come over to my house?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Yeah, I just need to follow you there. I'm not quite sure where it is," Jake replied, standing up and joining me as we walked.

As Jake and I walked to my house, I couldn't help but feel a mix of nerves and excitement. This was the first time I was bringing a boy to my room, and the first time I had ever revealed my secret stash of romance novels to anyone.

When we arrived at my house, I led Jake to my room and gestured to my mini library filled with academic studies. "I have a surprise for you," I said with a grin, pulling out a hidden compartment filled with a collection of young romance novels.

Jake's eyes lit up in surprise. "I had no idea," he said, picking up one of the books and flipping through the pages. "I knew you liked romance, but I had no idea it was this extensive."

I couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed as I watched him look through my collection. "I know it's kind of silly," I said, "but these books have always been my escape. I've never been able to tell anyone about them before."

Jake looked up at me with a warm smile. "I think it's great," he said. "Everyone needs something to escape to, and these books are clearly special to you. I'm honored that you trust me enough to show me."

With that, we settled in to read our chosen books and enjoy the snacks I had prepared. As we sat side by side, I couldn't help but feel like something had shifted between us. I couldn't shake the feeling that Jake might be feeling the same way about me, but I didn't know for sure.

As Jake and I sat in my room, surrounded by books stacked on the floor, Jake picked up a book that stood out from the rest. "What's this?" he asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice. I felt my heart race as I realized that I had forgotten to hide the book. "It's just something I wrote," I mumbled, trying to play it off as no big deal.

As Jake and I sat in my room, surrounded by my mini library of academic studies and hidden stash of young romance books, Jake picked up a book that stood out from the rest. "What's this?" he asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice. I felt my heart race as I realized that I had forgotten to hide the book. "It's just something I wrote," I mumbled, trying to play it off as no big deal.

But Jake was persistent. "Can I read it?" he asked, his eyes bright with excitement. I hesitated for a moment, but ultimately nodded. He began to read the lines I had written, inspired by the books I had read.

As we read, Jake suggested that we act out the scene like the characters in the book. I agreed, feeling my heart flutter with anticipation. As we practiced, one of the lines I had written stood out: "Do you have a girlfriend? Someone you cherish?"

But Jake didn't stick to the script. Instead, he broke out of character and looked into my eyes. "I have no girlfriend," he said. "No one I cherish... as much as you."

My heart skipped a beat as I felt my face turn red. I didn't know how to respond, and the room fell into an awkward silence. Jake looked at me with puppy dog eyes, as if he was expecting more from me.

In an effort to calm myself down, I told him that I didn't see that line in the script. "I improvised," he said with a grin. "I thought it would fit the character more."

As he spoke, I couldn't help but feel a flutter in my chest. The perfect guy from the story I had written had started to resemble Jake more and more in my mind. I couldn't deny it any longer, my feelings for him were growing stronger. "I agree," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

As we continued to read, I couldn't help but imagine Jake as the character I had written about in my book. The fictional man I had created felt so real in that moment, sitting right in front of me. My gaze kept drifting to Jake's hair, and before I knew it, my hand reached out to fix it gently this time. My fingers ran through his hair slowly, savoring the feeling of the soft strands between my fingers. Jake didn't say anything, he simply smiled and continued reading.

The room was filled with a comfortable silence, one that felt like it spoke more than words ever could. I couldn't help but feel content in that moment, surrounded by books and the company of someone I had come to care about deeply. The silence was only interrupted by the sound of pages turning and the occasional chuckle from one of us as we read. It was a beautiful moment, one that I knew I would never forget.

As I walked out of Mackenzie's house, I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment. The day had been perfect, filled with laughter and great conversation. As we said goodbye, there was a moment of silence between us, as if we had come to some sort of unspoken agreement. We were both happy and content in each other's company, and that was all that mattered.

I was walking through the park on my way home, I was approached by Lucas. He introduced me to a girl named Paisley, who had just joined the music club. She was a shy, silent girl, only greeting me with a small bow and a few words. Lucas told me that they were childhood friends. I noticed that Paisley seemed to have a crush on Lucas, but he didn't seem to notice. Unlike Lucas, I could see the signs clear as day. Jake smiled politely and continued on his way, still lost in thoughts of the day he spent with Mackenzie.

As I walked through the door of my house, my mind was still buzzing with the events of the day. I couldn't shake off the new emotion that I had felt while spending time with Mackenzie. I couldn't help but smile as I thought about her, the way she had looked at me with those big brown eyes, and the way she had fixed my hair, so gently and lovingly.

I made my way to my room and sat down at my desk, feeling the urge to put my thoughts and feelings down on paper. I reached under my bed and pulled out a small notebook and pen, one that I had kept hidden from everyone else. I opened it up and began to write, pouring my heart out onto the pages.

I wrote about the way Mackenzie had looked at me, the way she had smiled when I played the piano, and the way she had fixed my hair. I wrote about the way I had felt when she had agreed with me about the character in her book resembling me, and the way my heart had skipped a beat when she had touched my hair. I wrote about the way I had felt when I had left her house, happy and content, yet at the same time, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was missing.

I closed the diary and hid it back under my bed, feeling a sense of satisfaction at having been able to put my thoughts and feelings down on paper. I knew that this diary was going to be my secret, my own personal escape from the world, a place where I could be honest with myself and explore my feelings for Mackenzie.