Jess’ POV
After failing to secure lodging with Jen I’d been forced to call my parents. I really didn’t want to freak them out and worry them, and I wasn’t really in the mood to move back home, but my only other option was to spend all of my money on staying in a hotel until I could find my own place. While this seemed appealing, without a job I wouldn’t last that long.
The day after I arrived back home, I was laid out on a sun lounger in my parent’s garden, sipping on lemonade and listening to my iPod. It was one of those rare English days where I thought I could maybe get a bit of extra color, and I’d been outside for hours just dozing and mulling the events of the last few weeks over in my mind. They had truly been insane.
I was snapped out of my thoughts by a dark shadow looming over me. My eyes shot open, hoping that the clouds weren’t rolling in, but already the sun was back. Looking to my side I noticed a figure sitting on the lounger opposite mine. Slowly I sat up, staring in their eyes.
“You dropped this,” he said, holding out an envelope to me. “On the train platform in Peterborough,” he added, “Three years ago now.”
“Oh…” I said, looking down at the envelope that was being thrust into my hands.
“Open it,” he added.
Gingerly I took the envelope from him and stared down at it. The memories of that day filling my mind. I’d scrambled all over the train car, trying to find the envelope, only to be sorely disappointed when it was nowhere to be seen. I cried my eyes out when I’d gotten home.
“Ast…” I started, scared.
“Open it,” he said again, turning it over in my hands so that the crease was showing.
I looked up into his eyes to be met with a pleading look. I just stared at him for a moment before looking down at the envelope. Slowly I slid my finger through the flap, pulling out the card.
It was a simple card, white with a silvery grey border. Like something someone would use for a wedding invitation. I glanced up at Aston again before opening it; just a few words in his messy scrawl was the only thing I saw:
... I LOVE YOU ...
I stared at the three words, my vision growing blurry as the tears started to fill my eyes. Deep down, I knew that the card would say something like this. I had craved these words for so long, and here they were. Finally. As the first tear fell from my face and onto the card I felt his warm hands take it off of me and set it to the side on the lounger, intertwining his fingers with my own.
"When you went to LA… It killed me a little bit each day, knowing that you weren’t with me anymore. I know we went off to follow our dreams, but I hated that it had to end between us. I’m not sure how it would have worked, but I hated it nonetheless..." he started before trailing off and mumbling to himself. I couldn't understand him until I heard him utter, “I didn’t mean it."
My head shot up, a world of hurt in my eyes. I was so confused. He didn’t mean he loved me? This card was just rubbish? Why was he giving it to me?
"I don't understand..." His head looked up to mine, "What didn't you mean?" I asked, my voice wavering.
“I mean… When I said to Marvin that it was just a silly summer romance and that it meant nothing. I didn’t mean it,” he said quickly. “That summer meant everything to me.” I just stared down at our hands, tears falling down my face, as he continued, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell Marvin the truth. I didn’t know that you’d get so upset, and think I was using you. I was just scared, putting up a defense mechanism or something. The boys are always ribbing me about not finding a girlfriend, it just gets to me because to be honest I just missed you so much, I couldn’t imagine being with someone else. I actually can't look at other girls because I just compare them to you. All I want is you... Honestly Jess, I didn’t know you were listening in that morning. I don't know why I didn't just set Marv straight...” he kept rambling on and on.
“Is this a lie to?” I managed to blurt out, nodding towards the card.
“No…” he said, “God no. I would literally wake up giddy every morning, knowing that the gorgeous girl next to me was all mine. I wanted to tell you so bad, but I was so scared, especially with how our futures were moving apart at the time.”
“What about now?”
I chanced a look at his face at this point. At first he looked terrified, but as our eyes met his face softened, “I’m still in love with you, even now. What we have is real, and I'm not letting you get away this time.”
I stared at him for a minute, my mind spinning and tears streaking down my face. Slowly I stood up, pulling my hands away from his, looking down at him. His emotions changed again, I could see the hurt splashed across his face. But, instead of walking away, I sat down on the lounger next to him. Nervously his hand went around my back, but as I leant into him he relaxed and wrapped his arm fully around my back.
“I love you too, always have,” I whispered, looking up at him through my tears. Without warning his lips crashed against mine, his free hand gently grasping my cheek. I responded to the kiss, before pulling away after a few moments. “I’m sorry I ran away like that,” I said. “That I didn’t give you a chance to explain yourself. I was scared too…”
“Let’s agree to move on,” said Aston holding out his pinkie finger. “Start over?”
“Ok,” I smiled, wrapping my pinkie around his.
“Good, now let me take you out to dinner,” he said before pressing his lips against mine again. “As a date,” he added with a slight mumble against my lips before going in for another kiss.
