55 Jealousy

"We will go and look for Jake in the cafeteria"

She didn't wait for Veronica to reply and hurried towards the cafeteria and headed straight to the kitchen. As she pushed through the door, she heard laughter, a girl's laughter to be specific.

Curious she poked her head in and saw Rebecca giggling at a joke Jake had made. He was covered in flour and looked very cute when he laughed aloud. Zara cleared her throat loudly and pushed the crates lying by the side of the wall, a bit harder than necessary.

The noise made Jake look at the door. He smiled at Zara when she entered and Rebecca's smile left her face like a deflated balloon. Zara waved at both of them though her eyes only looked at Jake.

She walked in and said cheerily, "You missed some important classes today Jake. What made you so occupied here?"

She pointedly ignored Rebecca and Jake stifled a grin. He liked it when she acted a little jealous. Jake coughed in an effort to suppress his foolish grin and replied, "Nothing Z, I would have dozed off in the class as I stayed up late yesterday with Grandpa, telling him bedtime stories. I arrived just fifteen minutes earlier."

Rebecca too decided to give a cold shoulder to Zara and casually put her hand on Jake's arm, "By the way, the sandwiches were great. Also, please keep in mind whatever I told you earlier."

Jake nodded his head, "Okay, but it is my decision"

Rebecca just shrugged and sauntered towards the kitchen door and walked out. Zara had her hands on her hips and scowled, "What was she doing here?" 

The oven dinged at the exact moment and Jake raised a hand, "Let me get that first."

He made a big show of grabbing the gloves and taking out the pies that he set on the kitchen counter. Zara tapped her foot restlessly and Jake turned his back to her to ensure that she couldn't see him smile.

When he continued with his show, she walked up to him and repeated with an irritated scowl, "I asked you something."

Jake liked this bossy attitude of hers, "Umm..yeah. What did you ask again?"

Zara punched him in the shoulder, "Don't act smart okay"

Jake chuckled as he arranged the pies on the glass-lined shelves for students to order. "Nothing actually. She just wanted to order sandwiches and I had my hands in dough so I asked her to come over and take the sandwich herself." 

Zara narrowed her eyes, "That's it?"

Jake paused for a minute washing his hands and replied, "Yep. But, why are you so curious?"

Zara blinked and realised how it must look to him, the way she charged up like a mad bull demanding what some other girl was doing near him. As if she was jealous, as if she was his girlfriend. 

Zara suddenly got interested in the floor patterns and didn't dare look in his eyes. Jake smiled and handed her a plate, "Here, try this." 

He handed her a plate of the freshly baked apple pie and the aroma wafted through the air. She gobbled the hot pie and then scrambled to gulp down a bottle of water.

Jake patted her back as she coughed, "You look cute when you are jealous."

That line made her cough some more. A lazy smile played on his lips as he fetched her a glass of water, "Are you okay?"

She reached for the glass and took the water, "Yes"

She smoothed her hair and tried to sound casual. "It is none of my business but I think you should stay away from Rebecca."

Jake pulled a chair near her and sat down, "Um-hmm. Care to provide a reason, Z?"