You guys reached the goal so fast, and I didn't even have the next chapter started! xD But the goal is higher this time, in case that happens again. 200 comments and 300 votes! And don't forget to read the first chapter of my new, upcoming story. Link is in the external! :)



-Chapter Forty Nine-



I woke up with a low, morning groan then rubbed the sleep away from my eyes. Then I realized something; my boyfriend wasn't next to me. "Jake?" I called out. Then a little louder the second time, when he didn't reply, "Jake?"



"Morning, sunshine," he said, walking out of my bathroom. He had a towel slung over his left shoulder, a toothbrush was in his hand, he was only wearing shorts with a pair of red boxers just barely peeking out at the top, and his hair was dripping.



"Hey." I gave him a closed mouth smile. "What time is it?"



"Almost ten."



I mumbled an okay before putting my head back down on the pillow that had somehow replaced Jake's chest. "Why did you leave? You were so comfortable."



"Because I had to wash your drool off of my body," he stated simply.



My head shot up, eyes slightly wide. That's so embarrassing! My hand instantly went up to my mouth, ready to wipe any other drool that I might have still had. "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry about that. You know-"



"Just kidding. You didn't drool."



I let out an audible sigh of relief, and then muttered, "Jerk," after he had gone back into the bathroom. Jake, you cruel boy.



I really needed to freshen up. I hope I didn't have bad morning breath. "Are you almost done in there, Jake?"



He came out with a shirt on this time. "Yeah, I'm done." I nodded, pushing the covers off of me, and picked out a pair of leggings and a denim button up shirt from my drawer.



Before I could get to the bathroom door, Jake told me to wait. "Hmm?" I asked, turning around to him.



He surprised me by pulling me against him, so that my body was pressed up against his, then leaning down to kiss me. "Just wanted my good morning kiss." I felt the corners of my lips twitch up.



"Good morning, Jake." I gave him another kiss before turning on my heel to the bathroom.



Once I was in the bathroom, I turned the shower water on to hot. I stripped off my clothes and stepped in to the hot spray. As I softly hummed a tune, I began washing up. I was in the midst of shaving my leg when there was a sudden knock on the bathroom door. Startled, I jumped (almost slipping in the process) and managed to make a small incision on the skin of my left leg. I cursed under my breath.



"Yes?"



"I left my phone in there. Can I come in and get it real quick?" Jake asked. I could hardly hear him, due to the impact of the water droplets slashing against the shower floor.



Then I registered what he had said in my brain. A blush crept onto my face. "Yeah, sure. Just no peaking," I added jokingly.



I heard him laugh as he opened the unlocked door. My cheeks heated even more as I remember that there was no shower curtain; there was just a glass door. The glass was hardly transparent, though. Plus there was steam covering them. I heard his footsteps as he walked pass the shower. I wonder if he noticed the curtain. I hope to god he didn't.



"Thanks," he said and walked out of the door, it quietly clicked shut behind him.



Once I finished showering, I brushed my teeth, and got dressed then went back out to my room. Jake was still there. He was watching TV, and I noticed that he made my bed for me. "Are you hungry?" I asked him.



"Starving. Want to go grab a bite to eat?" he suggests, turning the TV off.



"Sure." After slipping on a pair of black ankle socks, I put on my favorite pair of boots.



When we got upstairs to the main level of the house, I went into the kitchen to leave my usual note on the countertop, saying that I was going out. I saw that my Dad was in the room, sitting at the table, reading the morning paper.



"Morning," I said, walking over to him. I gave him a hug.



He gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Morning, sweet pea. Jake." Dad glanced at him then back to me. "Did you sleep well?"



"Yes, we-" I corrected myself. "I did."



"Did you sleep well, too, Jake?"



"Yes, sir." Jake looked at me, a soft blush was spread across his cheeks. Aw, he's so adorable.



"And where exactly did you sleep?" My dad kept his face towards the paper, but his eyes shot up towards Jake, peering over his reading glasses.



"Sir, I... I uh-"



"He slept on the couch, Dad. Where else would he sleep?"



I sensed that he knew I was lying. He dropped it. "He better have. Are you two about to go out somewhere?"



"Yeah, we were going to go out for breakfast, if that's okay with you."



"It's fine, honey. Go on out. I'll see you later."



I gave him a thank you smile before intertwining my hand with Jake's and leading him to the door. "I swear to god, your dad hates me," he said once the front door closed shut behind us.



I chuckled. "No he doesn't hate you. He hates the fact that I'm growing up," I told Jake, walking towards the rental car.



"Well, you can't stop that process, now can you?" he asked, exhaling a laugh.



"Not really." I slid into the passenger seat and tossed him the keys. "Here you go."



* * *



"Why can't I have a boyfriend like Jake?" Danielle sighed and plopped down onto her bed. I was sat Indian style next to her. She frowned at her hands that were clasped together and sat in her lap.



"Because there's no other boy like him." I smiled. I had just told her about our whole night together-beginning with the first text to whatever he mumbled last night before placing a gentle kiss on my head.



"You two are so perfect. I ship you so hard, it's not even funny."



I laughed. "Only you would."



"No, Lily and London are in on this too."



That made me laugh again. My friends are crazy, but that's why I love them to pieces. I pressed a finger to my mouth. "I can't decide whether or not whatever Jake said last night is important or not."



"And you don't know what he said at all?"



"Not a clue. I was too tired to care, or even listen for that matter." I made a mental note to ask him about it later or whenever we see each other again.



"What if it was important?" Danielle shook her head at me. "You need to pay attention more often, missy."



"It was nearly midnight! I was exhausted."



"Your point is invalid." She smiled at me. "What if he said he loves you or something?"



I felt the blood drain form my face. That though never occurred to me, actually. It shocked me too. What if he did say that?



I brushed it off, though. Now I really wanted to know what he said. "D-don't over complicate it, Dan. He probably just said sweet dreams or goodnight or something like that."



"Oh, that's bull. You know you want him to have said it."



"I don't know what you're talking about, Danielle." I turned away, my cheeks were obviously reddened. "And why would I want him to have said it? That doesn't make any sense."



"Because I know you too well. And I know you're in love with him."



Am I? Yes, I've never felt this way about anyone. Not even Christian. Jake and I have something more than just a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, if that makes any sense. We have a special kind of bond. My eyebrows furrowed slightly as I thought about the possibility. No, no. Yes, I love Jake, but I don't think I'm in love with him.



"Stop lying to yourself," Danielle told me. "You just said that you weren't in love with him, didn't you? You know that's a lie. Admit it, Alex. You're in love with him."



I shook my head no. I wasn't. I couldn't have been. You don't even know if you are or not, Alex. You don't know what being in love feels like.



"Alex, close your eyes and listen carefully to what I'm saying. Repeat after me." I nod my head and close my eyes. "I, Alexandria Annabelle Turner," she started.



"I, Alexandria Annabelle Turner," I repeat.



"Think my bestfriend, Danielle, is so hot."



I scowl at her. "What does this have to do with-"



"Shh," she silenced me with her pointer finger. "I said repeat me."



I rolled me eyes at her before closing them again. "Think my bestfriend, Danielle, is so hot."



I just knew Danielle was smiling to herself. "And I can't help but to deny."



"And I can't help but to deny," I said.



"To face the fact that."



"To face the fact that."



"I'm in love with Jake Carter."



I repeated the words without thinking about it. But it was the truth, so I didn't dare take it back.



"I'm in love with Jake Carter."



Saying it out loud was so different than keeping it in my head, in a box of denial. Yes, I've thought about it before, but I didn't allow myself to think that I was after Christian. I thought I loved him, too, but I was obviously wrong. Maybe I'm right this time.



Hopefully I'm right this time.



***



I rolled over onto my back, my mind was buzzing with thoughts. Danielle drilled this one thought into my mind. Maybe Jake's in love with me, too.



Just the thought sent a massive load of butterflies to erupt in my stomach. I had secretly been thinking about it the whole time since she tricked me into admitting it to her. She was right.



I wasn't able to get to sleep. I could hardly keep my eyes closed for five seconds. I flipped my pillow over onto the cooler side. I couldn't get over the fact that I was in love with Jake, either.



I love Jake. I love Jake. I love Jake. Yes, Jake Austin Carter. I'm in love with him. That sentence will never get old. The more I say it, the more it sounds correct. I'm in love with him.



I pulled out my phone and called him, without thinking about it. I wanted him here. He might be able to help me fall asleep. Maybe he was awake. It was only one in the morning. Only one in the morning, oh my gosh. Why am I up so late thinking about a boy. Hashtag boy problems.



He answered on the second ring. "Alex? What are you doing awake?"



I sighed and rolled onto my side. "I can't get to sleep."



"Oh," was all he said.



"Did I wake you? Sorry."



"No, you didn't. I could hardly get to sleep either." I let out a sigh of relief, glad I didn't wake him up. "Want me to come over?"



"Could you?"



"Yeah, I'll be there in ten," he said to me. "See you soon."



"Okay. I-" I stopped myself before I could say, I love you. I'm glad I didn't let that slip. What if he didn't feel the same? "I'll see you soon." I pressed end and climbed out of bed. I skipped dinner tonight, and I was starving.



Silently, I sneaked up to the kitchen and began rummaging through the fridge. This house is almost scary when it's completely quiet. I just needed a quick meal of some sort. I poured a bowl of cereal. As I ate it at the island countertop, I played Temple Run on my phone (of course I'm playing another stupid iPhone game).



I was able to finish my bowl of Lucky Charms before Jake got here. I was rinsing out my bowl in the sink when two hands were placed on my hips. I let out a small scream and dropped the bowl into the sink, resulting in a loud clatter noise. I whipped my head around to see that it was only Jake.



"Did I scare you?" An amused smirk played on his lips.



I tried to be mad at him but couldn't help the small smile that made its way to my lips. He just had that effect on me. "Not at all."



"I guess that scream was just because you're excited to see me then?"



"Shut up." I laughed. His hands were still on my hips. I felt him pull me closer to him just the slightest bit. My arms instinctively wrapped around his neck.



"Are you tired?" he questioned.



"No."



"Then let's go somewhere," he told me.



"Where? It's one in the morning, Jake,"



"There's no law saying that we can't go out at one in the morning," he reasoned in a low voice, touching his forehead to mine, his lips just a few centimeters away from my own. "Let's go."



Only he would want to do this. Reluctantly, I said yes. How could I say no to him? "Where do you want to go?"



"Anywhere the car will take us." He leaned down and placed a sweet kiss on my lips. I could kiss him all day... It seems different, kissing him with these "new discovered" feelings. If they were they new or if they had been here before, I didn't know.



Then he intertwined our hands together and tugged me towards the door. "Come on."



Author's Note: Yes, this chapter was just a piece of llama crap, I know. I needed to update. I don't even know what this chapter was supposed to be about, omfg. BUT, now you know how Alex feels, right? ;) Hopefully you didn't think this chapter was all that bad. It was more of a filler. I didn't even know what I was writing most of the time. I had to re-write this chapter literally four times.

Anyway, first person to comment gets a dedication. And the goal for this chapter is 250 comments and 300 votes. Sorry if you reach it, and I don't update right away like this time. I'm on vacation (Hawaii, baby!) , and might not have much time to write. But, bye! X ♥

~Storylover11~