\\You kidnapped me to protect me?// - Private

Charisma sighed and sat down at the table, rubbing her face. "Yeah... he is..." she said, already knowing the day was going to be long.

Dustin sighed. "Why? He that jealous? I don't know what for. I'm not even doing anything. He doesn't seem the type to be nice, like I would be." he said, shrugging.

"Dustin..." She sighed, looking at him. "Stop it." she said then got up, grabbing her car keys. "Help yourself to what's in the fridge. There's not much, I hardly eat here, but, there's a little bit." she mumbled, leaving.

Dustin wanted to add something to her sentence but he remained silent. "Geez....Jake's totally ruining my chances at being friends with Charisma, obviously she would rather stay on his side and not hear mine. Agh." he mumbled as he stood and went to the guest room with the newspaper, deciding to read more of the local offerings around town.

Charisma went to class, working more on her solo. She worked out all her frustration into her dancing so that by the time she went to work were kids were sometimes frustrating deciding what type of ice cream they wanted.

Jake too worked pretty hard, especially with the equipment on the cars. It let his anger come out in a good positive way before he ended up strangling the guy. By the time he got home, only Dustin and him were there. "Home.." he mumbled aloud to let the ex know of his presence. Dustin had been at the computer, looking up jobs as well as online. The sooner he found one, the better. "Hey.." he mumbled to him as Jake walked past. The tension was thick.

A little while later, Charisma called Jake's cell phone. Her car had broken down and she was stranded. she was scared too. She didn't want her car to be hit.

"Heh, should've let me drive you around. Eh, I'll be coming." Jake said, hanging up and walking to the door in a hurry. "What happened?" "None of your business. Her car broke down." That was all that was shared as soon as he left the apartment. "What a douche...goddamn." Dustin muttered, shaking his head.

Charisma was on the phone with her dad. "Daddy... Would you be able to come with your truck and tow my car to a mechanic?" she asked.

Craig raised a brow, but sighed. "I told you that your car was going to break down sooner or later. It's an old model no matter what you say." he said, chuckling. "But uh, yeah. I'll come by now." he said, telling her to stay in the car so she would be safe and hung up as well. Jake rushed over as fast as he could without being caught by police, then seeing Charisma. Parking behind her on the road, he got out, popping open her hood to look at the damage. "Oh damn..."

She stood next to Jake and looked at the mechanics under her hood. She knew nothing. "Is it okay?" she asked. "Or am I going to have to buy a new car?"

Jake chuckled. "Not a new car, but you definitely have to get this engine fixed. It's a little rusty and the water in it dried out pretty quick it seems. Might have to check the pipes too. But I can do that for free so long as you get the car into the garage I work at." he said, then looking up as Craig pulled up in his truck with a chain to pull the car with. "Oh, hello sir." he said, smiling at Charisma's father who came up to them. "You alright, Charisma? And uh, hey to you too, Jake." he smiled.

Charisma nodded, going to her dad and hugging him. "Yeah. Jake got here. I'm safe she smiled.

Craig smiled as Jake, then hugging Charisma back. "Ok, I'll take the car then. Go on home and I'll call ya later." he said, kissing his daughter's head and hooking up the car to his truck by a chain and hook. Driving off, Jake smiled. "Alright then, let's go home." he said, opening the door for her and getting inside, driving back.

"You wern't mean to Dustin, were you?" she asked, turning in her seat to look at him.

"No, but I can't say that I was nice on the way back out to get you." Jake whistled, coughing.

"Which mean's you're being mean." she sighed. "Jake... He's a friend. Yeah, an ex... but he's a friend."

Jake scoffed. "You're barely treating him as a friend. Don't deny it." he said, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"I'm trying to..." she said softly. "If you keep acting like this I don't want you to stay with me tonight."

Jake grunted. "Baby, I just....I get the vibe that he wants you back." he said, pouting a bit as he drove.

"He told me he did... I told him though that I loved you and there was no chance of him getting me back. Stop being so mean." She said, still rather ticked.

Jake sighed, nodding. "Ok, fine. But uh...is that shower together still up for grabs?" he asked, grinning as he drove a bit faster and was close to home.

"No..." She mumbled, bringing her knees to her chest, hugging them.

"Aw....Come on, I'm sorry." Jake whined, holding her hand as they stopped at the light to turn right to her apartment.

She moved her hand out of his. "Tell that to Dustin." she said.