Strawberry Wine (Winner of The Write Affair) | ✔️

Bonus Chapter 1: Jake's POV

I wrote this bonus chapter of Strawberry Wine for the Wattpad Block Party many years ago. It's written from Jake's POV, and gives a little insight on how he ended up spending the summer in Lakeside, Georgia.

Since then, I've added a few more. There's no posting schedule, I just write them whenever I feel like it, and as long as readers enjoy them, I'll continue. Let me know your thoughts!

🍓

Bonus Chapter 1: Jake's POV

Sometimes, life could be one cruel son-of-a-bitch.

Working at some farm in the middle of friggin' nowhere was not exactly how I imagined spending my summer vacation, but I needed an escape and options were slim, so Lakeside, Georgia it was.

My aunt and uncle were kind enough to convince their good friends, Henry and Maggie Monroe, to take me on as a farmhand, playing up the experience I'd accumulated during high school working at a small twenty-one acre farm outside of Houston, Texas. The Monroe's owned over a thousand acres of corn and soybeans and really didn't need the extra help, but they'd hired me as a favor, most likely feeling sorry for my messed-up ass. The pay was decent but the work would be backbreaking, not that I was afraid of getting my hands dirty.

I'd just dropped the last of my bags into the bed of my pickup when I received a desperate text from my best friend, Cooper Thompson. "C'mon, man, don't go! I stocked the bathtub full of ice and beer—and yes, Mr. Clean, I scrubbed the tub out first. It's gonna be one helluva summer kickoff party! Don't leave meee!"

Beer on ice in an apartment bathtub rented by a couple of college guys? No thank you.

If my roommate knew how to throw a proper party I wouldn't have been so concerned, but sadly that was not the case with Cooper. The last party he hosted at our place we ended up having to fumigate. It was a week before the exterminators let us go back inside.

I shook my head as I called him back, ready to go over the "House Rules" one last time before hitting the road. Cooper picked up after the first ring, as if he'd known I was going to call.

"Cooper's Porno Palace. What's your pleasure?"

"Cooper, you douche-bag. What's wrong with you?" I laughed, unable to stay mad at the guy for long. "I swear to God, when I get back into town our apartment better be in one piece. Don't make me have to kill you, bro."

"Whatsa matter, Jakey-Poo. You don't trust me?"

"Hell no, I don't trust you! What kind of dumb-ass question is that?"

Cooper was silent for a moment before responding, and when he did the teasing tone was gone. "Then I guess maybe you should reconsider leaving."

Holy shit, not this again.

"We've already gone over this, dude," I answered with a sigh. "I just need some space, that's all. I'll be back before fall semester. You won't even have time to miss me."

"Running away is not going to bring that girl back."

I stilled, the weight of his words heavy on my shoulders.

Not in the mood for this conversation again, I leaned against the side of the truck and finally said, "For the last time, I'm not running away." Lie number one. "And it's not about her." Lie number two.

"The hell it isn't! Look, I know you Jake. You blame yourself. But that girl's death is not your fault. Leaving town isn't gonna change a damn thing. The same shit will be waiting here for you when you get back."