The allure of the bad boy

Laila's heart was beating a mile a minute and so was Noah's. Although the cause for their speeding heart was the same, the reason why was very different... Suddenly Jake was there and there was no more ways to escape. He stood in front of Laila and said a soft "Hi.." and flashed her his all too familiar dazzling smile. As if Noah wasn't even there, the two of them entered into a world of their own as their eyes spoke the words their mouths hadn't been able to say.

Laila couldn't believe that they would run into Jake like this. She certainly didn't think that he would still have such an effect on her heart. She was feeling a rush of excitement and nervousness. After practically not seeing him for almost a full week, she seemed to have forgotten how handsome Jake was. The last two times she had seen him, he had been in a beaten down state. Now he was standing before her in all his glory and her heart was going out of control. It was running rampant and would no longer listen to the reasoning that had been in her mind. It was the allure of the bad boy. A charm many have fallen for and a fire many have been burned by. She thought she had learned her lesson but apparently her heart hadn't suffered enough of a heartbreak to really be done for good with him. Otherwise, how could her body respond so strongly to his presence?

Noah wasn't blind and could tell how much Laila was being affected by Jake's appearance and the matter that he thought was a done deal, was becoming more uncertain with each second of Jake's presence here. He was desperately trying to think of what to do, of what to say, but his words were failing him. While his mind was hard at work, his body could do no more than look at what was happening between Laila and Jake.

Words were said, apologies were given and Jake could see Laila's eyes soften up. He had worked hard to rebuild their contact during the week and he felt it must have been fate for him to run into her like this. He had been having a restless feeling during the past two days. Like if he didn't make his move, he would lose her for good. He was about to head to her house, when he saw her come out of the restaurant where they had dined during their first date. He saw that as a sign of the universe, that they were meant to be together and his body started moving on its own.

When he thought that Laila was beginning to become more open to his advances, he slowly went in to grab her hand. When Laila didn't reject his touch, that is when he decided to make his final move and break that little bit of resolve that Laila had left. "I know this is sudden and I don't expect you to say yes. And I know that we have plenty of things to talk about and much trust left to rebuild but I hope that you can give me a chance to be the man you wanted me to be before. The man you saw in me and the man I know I can be. If you still have any hope left for us, if I still have a place in your heart, I hope you can come with me so I can show you that I deserve another chance at being your boyfriend."

Laila felt her heart skip a beat when she heard these words and it was also these words that caused Noah to finally step up and try to stop whatever was going on between Laila and Jake. Before Laila was able to answer Jake's question, Noah grabbed Laila's free hand in order to prevent her from walking away. This made Laila finally turn towards him, for the first time since Jake had arrived and allowed Noah to do what he had waited so long to do. With a hurt look in his eyes, in a final and first desperate attempt he said, "Please don't go. I..I love you. Can't you choose me?"

Hearing these words, another beat of Laila's heart was skipped and Jake was filled with shock and surprise. Laila had always told him not to worry about Noah but it seemed that was not the right evaluation of her childhood friend. In Laila's case, Noah's words simply confirmed what she had assumed for a while. There was always a soft voice in the back of her mind telling her that Noah had feelings for her but she never gave it any thought until last week. Now she definitely knew that Noah had indeed tried to kiss her the other day and this was a date. But how could she choose between her childhood friend and her first love? One had hurt her, the other was someone she was afraid to lose.

Laila looked back and forth between the two men who were holding onto her and asking her to pick them. Staying with Noah would mean losing her one opportunity to see if she could make things work with Jake. But going with Jake would mean leaving Noah behind on their date and with all his feelings. He did not deserve that. But what was better...hurt him once and ensure that will always be in her life? Or risk it all with the chance of not only losing the chance of a relationship with Noah but losing him altogether from her life. Laila didn't want what happened with Jake to happen to her and Noah. For their love filled relationship to turn into one of hate, sadness and distrust.

So, acting on her fear of losing Noah if she entered a romantic relationship with him and thinking that maintaining their friendship was the safest way of keeping him in her life, Laila makes the decision that would cause her to lose Noah without ever being able to experience being his girlfriend. She takes Jake's hand, while trying to loosen Noah's grip on her other hand. While saying a soft, "I'm sorry..." she leaves with Jake and Noah is left behind with a broken heart and a lost look.