Chapter 10 Chapter 10 His father cleared his throat . " He's in the study if you want to catch up . " The idea made Jonathan's stomach turn . The last thing he wanted was to see his brother right now . He could already picture the smug look on his face , the patronizing way he always spoke to him , as if Jonathan were still a kid who needed guidance . " I'll see him later , " Jonathan said , his tone flat . He didn't give them time to respond as he turned and made his way out of the living room , his fists still clenched tight . He could feel the tension building , the weight of being in his brother's shadow pressing down on him like always . Once outside , he exhaled sharply , his mind racing . No matter how much he tried to escape it , the comparison , the resentment , the feeling of being second best - it always came back , especially whenever his brother reappeared in his life . Great , he thought , running a hand through his hair . Just what I needed . Jonathan forced himself to push the thoughts away , though it was easier said than done . Then suddenly , his eyes caught sight of Laura giggling just on the other side of the fence , like the other day . Laura ! he thought , and he couldn't help but peek to see her . The sight froze him in place . Laura looked ... happy . Unlike how he had left her yesterday , she seemed unburdened and - free . She was on her phone, texting and smiling , her face glowing with a lightness that tugged at his heart . For a brief moment , he felt a pang of longing , a reminder of the connection they once shared . What's going on ? he wondered , his thoughts racing . She looked as if she was talking to someone special , someone who could make her smile like that - like he once had . The laughter bubbled up from her lips , and Jonathan's chest tightened . And so , without thinking , he decided to interrupt her . " Laurie , good morning , " he called out with a smile , forcing a casual tone . He half - expected Laura to look at him with disdain or , at the very least , indifference . But her response took him completely by surprise . " Oh , hey Jonathan ! " she greeted him , her face lighting up with that same bright smile . The smile he hadn't realized he missed until now . " Hi , what's up ? " he asked , trying to keep his voice steady , though the familiar warmth in her eyes made it hard to ignore the flood of emotions building inside him . Laura stood up from her seat , brushing off her skirt as she walked toward him , still smiling . " Oooh , you stink ! " she teased , crinkling her nose in mock disgust . " You partied all night , didn't you ? " Jonathan blinked , taken aback by her playful tone . There was no bitterness , no resentment - just the Laura he used to know , lighthearted and carefree . He chuckled despite himself , scratching the back of his neck . " Yeah , maybe I did , " he admitted , feeling oddly self - conscious under her gaze . " Figured as much . " She shook her head , still teasing him . " You look like you need a gallon of coffee and maybe a shower , " she added with a wink Jonathan couldn't help but laugh , but beneath his amusement was a flicker of unease . He'd expected their next encounter to be awkward , heavy with everything that had happened between them . Yet here she was , treating him like the same old friend she'd always been . " Glad to see you're not mad at me , " he said cautiously , his tone light but probing Laura's smile faltered for a brief moment , her eyes flickering with something deeper . " Mad at you ? " she repeated , tilting her Ahead slightly " Why would I be mad at you , silly ? " she asked , reaching out to pat his head in a playful , almost dismissive 1/2 Chapter 10 +25 BONUS gesture . Jonathan hummed in satisfaction , leaning into the touch without thinking . It felt natural , comforting even . But he couldn't shake the nagging feeling creeping in . " Who are you talking to ? " he asked , his tone turning a bit more interrogative as he gestured toward her phone . Laura merely shrugged as a mischievous grin spread across her face . Instead of answering , she kept the mystery alive . " Oh , come ooon , we're friends ! We don't keep secrets from each other , " Jonathan whined playfully , narrowing his eyes as if to coax the truth out of her . She just giggled , the sound light and carefree , something he hadn't heard in a while . " I told youuu it's a secret ! " she teased . You'll know when the right time comes ! " There was something in the way she said it , a certain adorableness that tugged at his heartstrings in a way he hadn't expected . Jonathan felt a twinge in his chest but masked it with a playful sigh . " Alright , alright . I'll let it slide ... for now , " he said , feigning disappointment . Then , trying to brush off the strange tension that lingered in the air , he added , " Well then , you wanna come with me and grab a cup of coffee ? " Without looking in his direction , Laura shrugged nonchalantly . " Sure , " she replied , her tone plain , almost indifferent . 11 The drive to their usual café was filled with an awkward silence , broken only by Laura's occasional stifled giggles and laughter . Jonathan gripped the steering wheel tightly , his mind racing with thoughts about who she could be talking to . Each chuckle from her felt like a small stab of jealousy , growing sharper as the minutes passed . She was right there beside him , but it felt as though her mind was somewhere else - focused on whoever was on the other side of the phone . The pattern continued even after they arrived at the café . They ordered their usuals and sat down to drink , but Laura's attention was glued to her phone . Jonathan sipped his coffee , unable to ignore the way her fingers tapped quickly across the screen , her face lighting up with every new message . 1 " Laura , " he finally spoke , his tone light but with an edge of irritation . " Eyes off the phone . Your coffee's getting cold . " She looked up briefly , a half - smile on her lips , but the phone remained in her hand , her thumb still idly scrolling . " Who are you even talking to ? " Jonathan asked , his voice softer this time , laced with curiosity but unable to hide the tinge of jealousy . He hated that he felt this way , but seeing her so engrossed in someone else - it bothered him more than he cared to admit . Laura chuckled softly at Jonathan's reaction , her eyes sparkling with amusement as she sipped her coffee . " I'll keep his identity for now , " she teased , leaning back in her chair . " But I promise , you'll know him soon enough . " Jonathan raised an eyebrow , leaning in slightly as if trying to decipher her expression . " Why keep his identity ? " he asked , his tone slightly defensive . " It's not like it'd matter - wait ... " He paused , his eyes narrowing . " He ? You're talking to a guy ? " The disbelief in his voice was unmistakable , and he scoffed , his eyebrows twitching as if trying to make sense of the revelation . Laura bit her lip , clearly trying not to make her joy too obvious . " Yeah , " she said casually , as though it wasn't a big deal . " A guy " Jonathan's chest tightened . " I just thought ... " he began , his words trailing off . He didn't know what he thought . He didn't know why the idea of Laura talking to another guy - any guy - suddenly made him feel so unsettled . 2/2 Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!