Always There || Greta Van Fleet

Chapter 86: Happiness

A Few Days Later

As the beginning of their tour got closer and closer, practices ran longer and longer, leaving me alone most days now, but not without the occasional drop-ins from Jake in-between breaks, snapping me out of my dazey Summer day dreams with the sounds of light patters of rocks against my window.

"You're so dramatic." I laughed, peeking my head out to see him standing down below, waving up at me.
"What are you up to today?" He asked, spinning his guitar around behind him. I shrugged.
"Nothing really, but Mom said she can come home tomorrow, so.."
"So, I get one last night with you?" I bit down on my lip, trying to contain my eager grin.
"Maybe."
"I can bring dinner." He offered, flashing me a toothy grin. I sighed, playfully rolling my eyes.
"Okay."

He blew me a kiss before running back towards their garage, peeking back at me one last time before shutting the door behind him. None of this felt real, finally getting to live everything I had dreamed about when I was little.

I made sure to enjoy it for as long as I could.

It was nice that my mom was finally coming home, but I would miss the nights of Jake coming over, us just laying together in my bed, tightly wrapped in his arms until we both fell asleep. I had gotten the best sleep of my life this summer, and I was nervous about how it was going to feel when my bed was empty again.

I would never ask, but part of me felt like my mom wouldn't exactly mind him staying over. But I hated the idea of her being just down the hall, just in case, one night something were to.. finally happen.

Jake hadn't brought it up, but I couldn't help but wonder with every night we were together if he was just waiting for something to happen. I'm sure he was with girls for much shorter time before anything happened between them. But I just.. wasn't ready for that. Not yet. With how quick everything happened with Josh, I just wanted to enjoy the parts of the relationship before all of that.

Also the fact that I had only ever been with Josh, so the idea of being with someone else, Jake especially. I just hoped he wasn't expecting anything to happen before he left. Not like he wouldn't have plenty of other options every night..

I quickly shook the thought.
He had given me no reason to think that he'd ever do that. We were taking our time, and that was okay.
I hoped.

I eventually dozed off, but was abruptly woken up by the sound of my phone, the ringer blaring next to my ear. I quickly picked it up, my eyes still focusing.
"Hello?" I heard quiet laughter.
"Did I wake you up, Jaime?" Josh asked. I sighed, sitting up, looking around to see that the sun was just starting to set, leaving my room in a golden glow.
"You did, actually." I giggled to myself. "How was practice?"
"Good." He said simply. "I think we're almost decent." I hoped he knew he was so much more than decent, in every way possible.

"So.." He said eagerly. "Do you want to come swimming with me? And maybe help me film a little more? I was thinking of heading down to the river." I thought back, realizing that Jake really hadn't made any concrete plans until later tonight. I wondered where he was that Josh was able to call me like this.
"Yeah, I can go for a little while."
"Perfect. I'll be over in a minute."

I quickly climbed out of bed, changing into my bathing suit, pulling a t-shirt over my head and sliding on the closest pair of shorts I could find. Before heading down, I grabbed my phone, quickly texting Jake.

Jaime: Hey, Josh asked me to help him film some more and we're going swimming down by the river. Let me know what you're up to. <3

As I opened the front door, he was already standing there, flashing me a toothy grin as he leaned up against the doorframe. His wore a crisp white t-shirt, a little tighter than usual, showing off the muscles in his arms. I quickly looked away, feeling my cheeks burn as I shut the door behind me, hopping down the steps. I could hear him giggling as he followed.

"So, what are your ideas today?" I asked, peeking up at him as he lead us through the yard and down the dirt path into the woods. He shrugged, that same gentle smile pressed against his lips.
"Same as last time." He said. "The less staged the better. And of course, if you'd like to be in it.."
"I don't really think I had a say last time." I smirked.
"Well, you're a natural. And.. I have to include you in something about home. You are home, Jaime." He said softly, avoiding my eyes. I felt my heart jump as I looked up at him.

There were moments like these, when he said things like that, that would make me wonder if.. even just for a second.. I had made a mistake. But I didn't let myself linger there for too long.

"So, have you thought anymore about what you want to do when we leave?" He asked, picking up his pace a little to walk in front of me, holding branches away and carefully helping me over ditches and stumps. My skin felt hot against his touch, so doting and gentle.

"Yeah.." I said softly, peeking up at him. He looked back at me eagerly, his smile growing.
"Oh, good, what were you thinking?" He asked, now helping me down to the water. I grabbed onto his arm as he held me close.

"Well, I.. I've been thinking.. how.. I really like helping you with this. And, well.. I've always loved movies too.." I said reluctantly. He walked to the edge of the shore, sitting down, patting the spot next to him as he looked back up at me with an excited grin. I couldn't help but smile, sitting down close, looking out at the water.

"You want to go for film too?" He asked, his eyes now lighting up. I shook my head, giggling to myself.
"Oh, no." I sighed. "I.. I don't have the eye like you do, but.. I know the things I'd like to see, the things that.. make me feel things and.. maybe they could make other people feel things too, so I was thinking.. maybe screenwriting." I peeked up at him, feeling nervous enough as it was. I had never mentioned this to anyone before. It was just an idea, but the more I thought about it, the more excited I began to feel about it. Like this really was something I could do one day.

"I think that's an amazing idea, Jaime." He said, holding his stare on me. I felt my heart start to beat faster, now unable to contain my grin. The feeling of someone like him, someone as good as him thinking it was a good idea, well, it meant more than he'd ever know.
"R-really?" He nodded, reaching over, gently touching my cheek.
"Whatever you want to do, Jaime, I just want you to be happy. No matter what that means. But.. you've always been a romantic. And I think this could be great for you. We could work together, and.. who knows."
"We always have been a good team."

"What did Jake say when you told him?" He asked. My stomach dropped.
"Well, I.. I haven't told him yet. I.. I haven't told.. anyone. Except you." His face dropped, his lips eventually curling back into a gentle smile.
"Oh.." He finally said. "Well.. thank you for trusting me with this."
"I just.. I don't know what he's gonna think. After all, he wants me to.. come with you guys." He nodded. I could start to feel him getting uncomfortable, despite trying his hardest to act like he was okay with having this conversation. I knew that no matter what happened, him and I talking about this was never going to be normal, but.. I felt so comfortable with him, like I could tell him anything. He was just.. so easy to be around, in every way. So it was hard practically having to keep this part of my life a secret from him, especially considering growing up, I thought this part of my life was going to be with him.

"Jaime, you know how much I'd love to have you with us." He said. "But.. please don't make any decisions based on other people. You deserve to do what makes you happy, for you." I turned away, looking back out at the water.
"Is that what you're doing?" I asked. He was quiet for a minute.
"That's different." He muttered.
"How?"
"Because.. he's my brother and.. he needs me."
"It sounds like.. you make a lot of decisions based on other people too." He shrugged.
"So I know from experience."

We sat in silence for a little while, the sound of the rushing water echoing in my ears, filling the deafening quiet between us. Finally I turned to face him, feeling my heart beat faster as his eyes met mine.

"Josh, what would make you happy?" I asked. He held his stare on me for a moment, his eyes eventually moving down to my lips. I could feel the heat radiating throughout my body as my heart started to pound, and just like that I was brought right back to that night in the gazebo. How excited I was just to finally be alone with him, and now here we were.

How did we get here?
After all these years?

Finally he sighed, moving in closer.
"You."