32 Forced Kiss

Gemma's POV.

Before my thoughts drift too far, Jacob is already walking toward me.

He doesn't seem to be in a good mood, his face dark, "Let's go, I'll take you home."

I follow Jacob to the car. He opens the passenger door for me and I get in.

Once the door is shut, it blocks out the sounds of insects and birds on this summer night, along with the bright and dazzling bar signs.

The atmosphere in the car grows quiet.

Jacob starts the engine but pulls over to the side of the road in less than two minutes.

He suddenly slams the horn, and I almost jump in surprise.

"Are you upset because you lost the game?" I ask quietly.

Men can be like this sometimes, with a strange obsession over winning and losing.

But Jacob turns to look at me, "Just now, were you hoping I'd lose or win?"

"It's just a game, it doesn't really matter," I try to comfort him.

"But you can tell a lot from a game," Jacob says, looking at me intently, his voice a bit weak. "Just like the outcome of that match, there's too big a gap between Luke and me, so you could never accept me, right?"

"That's not the reason," I deny it.

"Then what is it?" Jacob laughs weakly, "You've never seen me as a man. To you, I'm just a boy who hasn't grown up, someone completely untrustworthy. But Luke, he's different. He's mature, strong, he makes you feel safe."

"It's not like that." I deny it firmly.

"Then why won't you be with me?!"

"You're not calm. I'll get out of the car. See you tomorrow."

Just as I reach for the door handle, Jacob grabs me and pulls me back into my seat.

He leans in, forcefully kissing me.

"Hey! Jacob, are you crazy—"

Before I can finish, his kiss silences me.

Suddenly, I'm scared and start to struggle.

Jacob pins my wrists above my head with one hand while his other hand slips inside my collar, grabbing my breast.

I'm like a piece of meat on a chopping board, completely helpless.

But that's not enough for Jacob. He lifts my knee-length skirt, forcibly raising one of my legs. His hand, rough, slides down my skin, grabbing my underwear and yanking it down.

The sudden coldness between my legs makes my eyes snap wide open, and I stare at Jacob. In this moment, I realize he's almost like a stranger to me now, someone I don't even recognize.

I think it's really over for me this time, but in the next second, the door flies open.

A gust of summer wind rushes into the car, followed by the sound of a fist landing hard next to my ear.

I hear Jacob groan in pain, and then I'm being pulled out of the car by someone.

In my shock, I try to open my eyes. Everything I hear is like the buzzing of bees, but I try hard to lift my gaze and lock eyes with Luke.

"Gemma, it's okay. I'll take you home." Luke says, pulling me into his arms, striding forward. In the sweltering summer night, I tremble as I bury my face into his chest.

We return to Luke's place.

He sets me down on the couch, turns on the air conditioning, and the room quickly cools down. Then he brings out a first aid kit, kneeling on one knee in front of me, taking my arm.

Instinctively, I try to pull away, but he says, "Your elbow is bruised. I'll put some ointment on it."

So, I stop moving.

Luke applies the ointment gently. After that, he looks up at me, "Are you hungry?"

I haven't eaten dinner, but I still shake my head.

Luke stares at me for a couple of seconds, takes a deep breath, and says, "Gemma, are you surviving on air?"

He picks up the first aid kit, stands up, and says, "Stay here, I'll go get some food."

Luke returns with curry chicken and roasted vegetables, placing the food on the table before helping me up.

I eat silently, unable to taste the food, but the calories help me regain a bit of clarity. I look at Luke and say, "Thank you."

Luke puts down his spoon, leaning back in his chair. Half-joking, half-serious, he says, "You like keeping your distance from me so much? I even paid for the food, so why don't you just pay me back?"

I pause, then reach for my phone. I look around and realize I left it on the couch.

I get up to retrieve it, but just as I stand up, I hear the sound of a chair scraping against the floor behind me.

The next moment, Luke wraps his arms around me from behind, holding me tightly.

"I was joking, Gemma," Luke says softly.

I stay quiet, feeling the warmth of his chest. Then he continues, "Gemma, you and he are just pretending to be a couple, right? You're dating him just to make me see, aren't you? Stop playing around, come back to me."

"Come back to you?" I smile. "What's wrong? Your blind date didn't go well?"

Luke's breath grazes my neck. "The one who came to the dealership? That was someone my mom introduced me to, her friend's daughter. My mom didn't know I already had someone I liked. I've already explained everything to her. She won't set me up again."

Luke rests his chin on my shoulder. "Gemma, forgive me... no, it doesn't matter if you forgive me or not. No matter what you think, whether you want to torture me or get revenge, just come back. I'm not the same as before. I know what I want now, and I won't do anything to hurt you again. I..."

We're standing too close.

The proximity makes me feel light-headed, and I struggle to keep my voice steady despite the trembling in my body.

In just one night, I feel like I've been through too much.

"I'm tired, I need to go home," I say, lowering my eyes. I repeat myself, "Thank you for taking care of me tonight."

I pull his hands off me and walk toward the door.

Only when I close the door to my own place behind me do I let out a breath of relief.

Lying on my bed, without the air conditioner on, I still feel strangely cold.

It's as if summer never arrived in New York, or maybe everyone else is moving forward, and I'm the only one left behind in last year's winter.

I calculate the cost of dinner and transfer the money to Luke via WhatsApp.

Then I take a shower, curl up in bed, and drift into sleep.

The next day when I wake up, Luke hasn't accepted the payment, and Jacob hasn't sent any texts to apologize. It's as if he's disappeared from my life entirely.

I decide not to contact Jacob anymore.

In the first week after, I curse him, hoping he gets hit by a car.

By the second week, I start to wonder if my curse actually worked.

By the third week, I'm no longer angry. Instead, I find myself a bit worried.

I go to the café where Jacob works, but his coworkers tell me he quit a while ago.

I check his social media, but it's completely empty, with no recent activity.

I remember Jacob's friend who runs a barbecue shop, so I go to see him. His friend says he hasn't seen Jacob in a long time either.

"But maybe you can try the pool hall. Jacob goes there to play sometimes. It's the weekend, so he might be there today."

I thank his friend and head to the pool hall he mentioned.

The pool hall is near the university, and there are quite a few students hanging out there on the weekend.

I walk in and see a long staircase going down, likely leading to a basement. Neon lights flash along the walls, and overhead spotlights illuminate the way.

At the bottom of the stairs, there's a narrow glass door slightly open. Inside, the space is bright and expansive, with several green pool tables lined up.

The back wall is covered with mirrors, making the room feel even larger. There's also a row of pink claw machines off to one side.

The place is busy, with a mix of guys and girls. In particular two pretty girls with brightly colored hair stand out, catching everyone's attention.

The seat by the bar is empty, so I go there. No one notices me; everyone's focused on their own activities.

I see Jacob standing in front of a claw machine, trying to grab a stuffed toy. There's already a basket by his feet, full of plushies he's won.

A girl holding a stuffed toy approaches him, flirting, "Hey, this claw machine is impossible! How do you do it? Can you teach me?"

Jacob tosses a game token in his hand, turning slightly to glance at her with a frown. "If you're not good enough, you just need more practice."

The girl looks a bit embarrassed.

Jacob, ignoring her, focuses back on the claw, carefully adjusting it.

The girl doesn't give up, forcing a smile. "Hey, how old are you? What's your zodiac sign?"

"Are you a cop? Checking IDs?"

"No," the girl's voice turns syrupy sweet, "I just wanted to ask if you have a girlfriend."

"I'm gay, and I'm the bottom," Jacob says, mimicking her flirty tone, "We're the same kind."

The girl runs off, scared away immediately.

Probably because she interrupted him, Jacob manages to grab a plush toy, but it gets stuck on the transparent edge of the exit slot. Frowning, he violently kicks the machine, and the toy drops down.

The manager, hearing the noise, approaches to warn him, but after seeing Jacob's angry expression, he swallows his words.

Jacob finishes his tokens and then moves to a pool table to start a game.

Jacob's movements are precise—his steps, positioning, bridge hand, cueing, and stroke are all textbook perfect. Another girl, who just walked into the pool hall, notices him and approaches, asking if he can teach her how to play.

Tapping his palm lightly with his cue, Jacob smirks lazily. "I'm very strict," he says.

The girl giggles, assuming he's flirting.

Nervous but excited, the girl grips her cue. Jacob stands behind her, adjusting her arms and her stance. Then he leans down slightly, correcting her bridge hand and cue stroke. "Relax your forearm, focus on the ball in front of you, and try to feel the right amount of force."

His strong arms are braced next to her, creating a picture that could easily be mistaken for intimacy. The girl blushes, her cheeks warm as she nervously takes her shot.

"You didn't eat before coming here, or is there a famine at your place? That was pathetic," Jacob remarks.

The girl straightens up, stunned. When she sees his impatient expression, her eyes well up with tears, and she quickly runs off.

"Jacob, what are we eating tonight? How about steak?" A male friend of Jacob's walks over and throws an arm over his shoulder. "Maybe some wine, too?"

"Whatever," Jacob replies.

"Dude, your temper's gotten really bad lately. It's just a breakup, no need to be this moody."

Jacob puts down the cue and pulls out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, heading towards the door.

His friend grins and gestures towards the bar with his chin. "Hey, that girl sitting at the bar is really cute. Trust me, if you flirt a bit, you'll feel better in no time."

Jacob lets out a sharp laugh but then turns to glance toward the bar.

He sees me. His Adam's apple bobs once, and the smile freezes on his face.