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Months after they graduate, Cassie and Jake are preparing for university. Cas has decided to go to a well-known more expensive school, while Jake settled for a smaller community college.
Cassie had come over to help him finalize his paperwork since he was feeling overwhelmed. He takes a deep breath as she goes over everything with him, and he signs his name.
"Sorry...I know this seems fairly simple but y'know...it's a bit stressful and my dyslexia has been acting up because I'm stressed and it-it just...it's a lot", he sighs.
Cas bites her lip and puts the papers down, going over and hugging him close. "I'm sorry you're so worried", she says softly, cuddling him. Jake wraps his arms around her tightly, nuzzling her neck softly.
"I don't know why I'm so high-strung right now. I guess it's a lot of change for me. My life hasn't exactly been stable as you know, so when things take a dramatic change, it freaks me out."
"I know, and I'm sorry. One thing that won't change though is us spending time together and hanging out. Right?"
"Right. Hopefully...", he mutters as she pulls away from the hug.
Looking at him, she cups his cheek. "Jake...I promise. Nothing will be more important to me than our friendship, all right? I'm not exactly the making friends type anyway", she chuckles.
He smiles softly and leans into her touch, placing his hand over hers as he looks into her eyes. "Nothing is more important to me either, Cas. You know that."
Cassie blushes slightly, looking into his eyes longer than she should before turning away again and taking a deep yet quiet breath. "I do."
"So what do you say? Can I treat you to dinner for helping me? Burgers?"
She turns back to him and grins happily. "Sounds good, I'm starved actually."
"Me too", he smirks. "C'mon."
.
.
They get to the restaurant and Jake smiles, ordering for them as Cassie finds a table. Once he gets their food, he takes the tray over to her at the table and sets it down.
"Yesss, it smells amazing." Grabbing a cheeseburger, she rips the foil off and sets it on her paper plate with fries before taking a big bite.
"So good", he mumbles, his mouth a bit full but his eyes sparkling and looking at her as if she is the best thing he has ever seen.
Cassie giggles softly between bites and raises an eyebrow. "What?"
"Nothing, nothing", he chuckles softly.
"Jake, I know that look. You want to say something, so spill it."
Jake sighs and rolls his eyes. "Fine, you...you look really nice today. That's all."
"Oh", she smiles. "Thanks."
"You're welcome."
They eat silently for the next ten minutes until all the food is devoured. They get up and order some milkshakes to go. As they walk to Jake's car, he silently wishes that he could wrap an arm around her. As if she could read his thoughts, she bites her lip shyly and wraps an arm around his back.
Jake blushes and wraps his around her shoulder as they walk. Cas looks up at him and smiles. "You're still uneasy around me sometimes. I know that...it...happened, but y'know, we both agreed it was water under the bridge, right? I don't like that you're nervous around me."
"I'm not nervous."
"No?"
"No", he says frustratingly. "Cas, I'm not nervous, I'm frustrated! Although that kiss meant nothing to you, although it was a mistake you regret and wish you could take back, it wasn't for me", he blurts out, immediately turning red and letting go of her. Unfortunately, he can't seem to stop all of his bottled thoughts from continuing from tumbling out of his mouth.
"And you being all sweet and cuddly and pretending like being that way doesn't affect me, doesn't hurt me, it sucks! I don’t want to pretend and to be all cozy when you just want our friendship. I know it's not much different from before, but after that kiss, it is. It is different."
He takes a deep breath and swallows hard, picking up the pace as he walks to his car, not waiting for her reaction. Cassie rushes after him and grabs his arm gently.
"Jake, wait!"
"What, Cas."
She looks up at him guiltily and swallows as well. "I-...I'm sorry. I know I haven't been fair to you", she whispers. "I don't know why I've been that way, and I'm sorry if I made you feel worse."
They get in the car and drive as it turns stormy again, beginning to rain. Jake hasn't said a word for fifteen minutes and Cassie stays quiet as well, watching the droplets of rain trickle down the passenger seat window.
Five more minutes go by, and Jake pulls into the parking spot for his flat, staring at the steering wheel, clearly debating something in his head before deciding on saying what he wants to say. He looks over at Cassie and forces himself to challenge her.
"You do know why."
Cassie looks over at him, looking confused. "Hm?"
"You're the smartest damn person I know, Cas. Which makes it very annoying when you play dumb, especially to yourself."
"I really don't know what you're referring to, Jake. Just say what you have to say, get it out in the open."
"You said you didn't know why you've been acting the way you have, but you do. You /do/ know why and I want to hear you admit it."
Cassie swallows and huffs, getting out of the car. Jake follows her and carefully grabs her shoulders, spinning her around as the rain pours down on them again.
"Why are you always so frustrating!?"
"I'm not, I said I was sorry!"
"Sorry for what, Cassie!? Say it!"
"I can't!"
"Why!?"
"Because I don't like being vulnerable!"
"Yes, keep going, get it out!"
"I can't say it because it'll ruin everything, and ruin us, and I don't want to lose the one person that I've grown to lean on for everything! Because the last time I was open with my feelings, I was a kid, and my family died, and I promised myself I wouldn't lose anyone else, and if things go bad, I'll lose you, I already am losing you!", she yells into the roar of the rain as thunderclaps overhead.
"You are not losing me! Not now, not ever! I promise you! Let everything off your chest, Cas!"
"Why don’t you! You haven't been very forthcoming either!", she huffs, pushing her drenched locks from her eyes.
"Fine, I will!"
"Fine, go ahead then!"
"Fine! I love you!", he screams and breathes hard, tearing up slightly. "I love you, Cassie! I've loved you since we met, and now I love you as more than a friend, and I want a chance to prove that I can be good for you! I want a chance! I know you said you didn't need anyone, didn't want anyone, but I know you don't want to be alone! I know you!"
Cassie's eyes well up with tears and she turns to stomp into his flat, but he catches her wrist and spins her around again.
"I won't let you walk away from your feelings anymore. You /promised/ me, you'd be honest! You promised me!"
"Okay, I love you!", she screams in frustration. She stumbles back and covers her mouth, horrified that her feelings had left her lips.
Jake tears up, rain pouring down his blonde hair onto his face, mixing with his falling tears. He finally unfreezes from her words and rushes to her, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the front hall of his flat, shutting the door as water from their bodies pool onto the floor.
He looks at her lovingly, his eyes deep and emotional. Cassie stares back at him and her breath quickens, her body reacting to his gaze in ways she never thought possible for herself.
"Cas...", he murmurs softly, his voice an active lower than usual. Cassie doesn't need to hear anything else. She doesn't even want to say anything else. She only wants one thing. Him.
Moving forward faster than he can react, Cassie throws her arms around his neck and pulls him down to her lips, kissing him passionately. Jake gasps and wraps his arms tightly around her, leaning into the kiss and returning it deeply.
Cas makes a small leap and wraps her legs around his waist so there is a more comfortable angle due to their height difference. He groans softly and allows his tongue to mingle with hers and she moans in response. A shudder moves through his body as it hits his ears, and he holds her close before kissing her more desperately and pressing her against the wall in the heat of the moment. Cassie gasps and moves her hands up into his hair, stroking the nape of his neck and snogging him just as needily.
Once they pull away from air, they pant hard against one another's lips. Jake still has her against the wall gently as he brings his hand up and strokes her cheek carefully. "Cas", he breathes out, looking over her features, softness in his eyes.
"Jake", she murmurs, her heart hammering in her chest, feeling overloaded with her feelings for him. "I-..."
"Don't you dare say you're sorry", he mumbles lightly, trailing kisses over her jaw.
Her head lolls back slowly against the wall, humming in pleasure at the course of his lips, making their way from her jaw down her neck. "I...oh God...I'm not sorry", she says softly through breaths. "I love you", she whispers.
Jake smiles on her skin before pulling away and looking into her eyes, his blue ones looking into her brown ones. "I love you too, Cas. I really, really, love you", he admits over again, placing his forehead on hers. "I always will, even if you decide you don't want me...", he trails off.
Cassie cups his face in her hands softly, blushing and stroking her thumbs over his cheekbones. "I was scared", she swallows and chews on her lip.
"Of me?" He looks a bit sad and lightly kisses her cheek, walking her over to the kitchen and carefully setting her down on her feet, blushing.
"Of you? No...no, of course not of you, Jake. I was scared of...loving deeply. I love the family that I have now, but I-I saw my family die. You know that. My mom, my dad, my baby sister Chloe...I survived, and they didn't, and it was heartbreaking. So heartbreaking that I vowed to myself that I'd never feel as deeply or as fully again about anyone. And it's not fair to my family now, and it wasn't fair to you. I've gone through the motions since I was a little kid a-and...", her eyes well with tears. "I don't know how not to live that way anymore, despite knowing that it can hurt the people around me that I do truly love by not exactly showing it or proving it. I was scared because I know how incredible your heart is, and I know that I can't compete with what you deserve in a partner. I can be elusive and secretive, and I have so many walls and I'm not the type of girl you deserve, Jake. You deserve the best because you are the best", she chokes up. "You've always been the best."
Jake sniffles as he takes her hands and gently pulls her close, hugging her and swaying, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder. "Cassie...your past will always be your past. And my past will always be mine. But we have right here and now, and we have the future if you want that. I know that I want to work together to be together. I know how you are, but I also know what we could be if you choose to heal with me. You're the best to me, Cas. You're the only girl I've ever wanted, and ever will." He nuzzles her nose gently. "I'll never break your heart", he murmurs. "You have my word. I promise. And I've never broken a promise to you, right?"
Cas sniffles and chuckles lightly through a sob. "Right...you never have", she says, looking up at him. "I don’t know how to do...this, though."
"Neither do I. But that's the good thing about me and you, hm? We didn't know what it was like to have friends before we met each other, and we got pretty damn good at being friends. Who says we can't do the same with being...more?"
She finally smiles softly and nods slowly. "I can't promise you that I'll be good at it, or even that it will be easy. But I want to try. With you. For you. I care about you deeply, Jake."
"You care? Just care?", he raises an eyebrow, teasing her. "C'mon, you can say it. The world won't come crashing down, I promise."
Cas rolls her eyes and bites her lip, placing a hand over his heart. "I love you."
He grins and turns red, kissing her forehead. "I love you too."
They gaze at each other for a while before he shakes himself out of it, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards his room.
"Jake!", Cassie gasps and pulls her hand away.
Jake looks confused for a moment and then bursts out laughing. "Oh geez. Cas you don't have to look terrified! I'm just getting us towels", he snorts.
"Oh...right", she blushes deeply, following him again.
"I thought this went without saying, but we'll go slow. "Well, slower than how we just started", he laughs.
She chuckles and nods, slipping her hand into his again and squeezing it. "Going slow sounds nice, this is pretty overwhelming for me as it is. Emotions are draining,"
"I understand", he replies, squeezing her hand back. He lets go once they reach his room, and he peels his shirt off, grabbing two towels out of the linen closet across the hall. He tosses his shirt into the laundry and wraps a fluffy towel around her shoulders, noticing her shivering.
"Need my spare clothes again?"
She barely hears his question as she stares at him. Of course, she has seen him shirtless before, but this time is different. He has been trying to buff up to get rid of his scrawny high school status and damn, it's been working. She can already see the makings of a deep six-pack and some well-defined pecs on him.
He smirks and blushes, waving his hand in front of her. "Earth to Cassie."
"Huh?? Oh", she blushes, looking up at him. "Um, yeah sure, thanks."
Unable to help himself from teasing her more, he leans down and grabs the sweats from his drawer, smiling at her. "Like what you see then?"
"Wh-what?", she stutters.
Jake chuckles and walks back over to her, placing the clothes in her arms. "Don't worry, it's flattering. Plus, making you stumble over your words must be like, a level-up achievement."
Cassie crinkles her nose and smacks his chest playfully. "Oh my God stoppp."
"You just wanted a feel", he smirks, teasing her more.
"Jakeee!", she groans, sticking her tongue out at him.
"Casss", he imitates her. "Next time, just ask if you want", he winks, beginning to relax more around her now that everything is out in the open about their mutual feelings.
"Alright fine, well...may I feel. Y'know, if you're gonna be mine now?"
Jake raises an eyebrow and grins, nodding as Cassie walks up to him, placing the clothes on his dresser as she very shyly traces her fingertips over his chest. They both blush deeply and Jake watches her.
"Does this um...feel okay?"
"Yeah, it feels nice", he says softly.
"Good", she bites her lip.
"Hey, Cas?"
"Yeah, Jake?"
He gently tips her chin to look up at him and leans down, pecking her lips tenderly. Cas kisses back lightly.
"You don’t have to be embarrassed. I know we both are...but it's a bit silly if you think about it. It's me and you."
Cassie smiles and looks at him. "You're a pretty smart guy, regardless of what you think. You have a valid point."
He grins and pokes her nose. "Thanks."
"It's just a bit weird to be...feeling you up", she snorts.
Laughing, he gently holds her hands over his chest. "I told you that I wouldn't break your heart, and I meant it. Because this heart is yours. Which means I'm yours. Which means you can feel my chest whenever you want", he smiles boyishly.
"Oi, you're too cute, you know that?"
"Ooh, cute is an improvement."
"What if I said handsome?"
"I'd probably pass out from the most beautiful girl in the world telling me she thinks I'm attractive."
"You are attractive, Jake. You've always been attractive. Please, look at you!"
He blushes deeply and smiles, flattered. "Okay okay, but right now I'm worried about you. You're still soaked and shivering. Even your hands are cold. Go and dry off and get changed. In fact, you should shower and warm up", he tells her, grabbing the towel around her shoulders and tucking it closer around her, handing her the clothing again. "I'm going to change, and then I'll make some hot cocoa for us, how about that?"
Grinning, she nods and smiles. "That sounds amazing. I'll just...go and do that then."
"See you in a bit."
.
.
After Jake changes out of his own wet clothes, he makes hot chocolate for them and adds some mini marshmallows the way Cassie loves. He can't help but smile like an idiot, his day completely turning his attitude around, knowing he's hers and she's his. He finally got the girl. /The/ girl. The only girl he has ever wanted. His best friend in the world. Despite going to different universities, he knows they'll make it through because they have always been dedicated to their relationship, even as friends. Whatever the future holds, it will be so much brighter knowing that they will be together.