Coming Up For Air | ✓

17 | sweater weather

"Anything you needed to get your mind off?" She asks, eyes flitting over the row of photographs lining the dresser—prom, graduation, football. She recognizes some of the people in the frames, having met them during her stay. "A friend of mine once told me running is apparently the perfect remedy—if you do want to get your mind off things."

"I don't really have anything I wish to forget."

Aiming for nonchalance, Stella attempts to keep her tone airy but she's betrayed by the faint flicker of hope having sprung through her chest—nestling itself into the flutter against her ribcage. "No?"

There's a faint twitch to Jake's cheek as she turns to look at him. "No,"

He absentmindedly reaches up to touch the dip of his throat, the spot where his neck meets the collarbones. "About that..."

"Yeah?"

"Yesterday."

Stella brushes some imaginary dust from her white cut-offs, echoing, "Yesterday."

Jake regards her, lips parting only to close again. A beat of silence passes between them before he asks, "Was that a one time thing or–"

Heart beating a little harder in her chest, Stella speaks through her exhale. "I wouldn't mind if it wasn't."

"That's good to know."

"That's good to know?" Stella laughs, the tension having consumed her chest slowly fading—replaced by something lighter. "That's what you're going to leave me with?"

"I meant," Jake clears his throat, cheeks lifting as a hint of amusement dances over his smile. "It's good to know we're on the same page."

Stella's lips break into a wider beam. "That... is good to know."

"Glad we worked that out."

"Likewise," Stella lets her arms fall back to her sides, weighing back on her heels as she motions for the door. "I should probably–"

"Pancakes. Right."

He moves aside, throwing the duffel bag aside in search for something else as Stella steers her steps toward the door. Reaching out for the handle, a surprised breath leaves her lips as tugged back and spun around into Jake's embrace.

His eyes flicker over her face, palm briefly cupping her cheek as he tilts her head back and kisses her. Warm underneath his touch, Stella's palms come to rest on his chest, unhurried as she kisses him back.

He gazes down at her with gentle dark eyes as they pull away, fingers lingering on her jaw. "Was that okay?"

Heart stampeding, lips slightly parted, Stella's cheeks lift in a smile. "More than okay."

Jake briefly bites down on his lip, his own smile widening as he brushes his thumb over her flaming skin before letting his touch fall away. "See you out there."

━ ♡♡♡ ━

"Are we supposed to be here?"

Jake spins around, walking backwards as his lips tug up. "Not really,"

He throws out his empty paper coffee cup as they pass a trash bin and Stella follows suit: tossing out her nearly empty plastic cup, no longer containing anything but melted ice, before falling into step with him as they wind around the tall building to their left. "But no tour of Acebridge would be complete without..."

He sweeps his arm over their surroundings as they end up stood atop a slight hill, overlooking a grand sports' field—with its football field at its center, a stark green color stretching far and wide. "This."