in a parallel universe || jake ff

first

23 may 2020.

it's our first anniversary. i'm already in my fourth and last year of university, with aera in her second. time really flies. each day our love for one another deepens and i'm always grateful for her presence.
while i had to sacrifice some dates with aera, i was glad i could see her on campus.

i still remember how she surprised me last week at the student council room while i was organising the area. it was already past 11 and i was one of the few left in school. i was literally about to collapse, especially since i haven't been able to sleep well
lately. mainly because of school, but partly due to the recurring dreams. i sighed heavily as i pulled my hair in frustration.

just then, i heard a knock on the door, only to be greeted with my lover. my expression relaxed and i let out a chuckle as i saw her run towards me with a sandwich in her hand.

"hey... you shouldn't be out so late. i don't want you getting hurt alright?" i said as i ruffled her hair.

"don't mess up my hair u fool! i made it nice just for you" aera hissed before giving me light slap on the shoulder.

"anyway, eat this" she said and  handed me the sandwich which i gladly accepted.

anyway, since i haven't been able to spend much time with aera, i really wanted to make our anniversary special.

just like last year, i decided to surprise her and bring her to the beach. i put on a casual but dashing outfit - a plain top with a checkered dress shirt, as well as baggy jeans.

i showed up at her doorstep early in the morning and rang her doorbell. honestly, i could just enter since i already knew her password but i wanted to keep things special today.

as soon as she opened the door, i saw her in her pyjamas with her messy bed hair.

"good morning, my girl! happy first anniversary!" i said with a wide smile and handed her the small bouquet of flowers, causing her to giggle.

"thank you, my boyfriend. i love you" she smiled shyly and gave me a peck on the cheek before we headed into the house.

"what are we doing today?" aera said.
"secret! now go get ready!" i said as she stayed cuddled to me like a koala on the sofa.
"let's just stay like this for 5 minutes. it's been so long since we could spend time like this..." she mumbled as she snuggled into my chest. i chuckled and played with her hair.

after some time, aera came out of her room and i was absolutely in awe. she was dressed in a plain white dress that suited her perfectly, her hair in a simple braid that complemented her beautiful features.

"how do i look?" she asked.
i was literally speechless. i threw her a thumbs up, my jaw dropped. how did i manage to date her...

we finally made our way out of the house. i covered her eyes once again and we took the bus. it was as if we had gone back in time. aera was still the sleepy girl she was, but this time, she naturally placed her head on my shoulder before falling into a deep sleep.

once again, i shook her gently to wake her up and held onto her backpack as we made our way out of the bus.

"it's the sea!" aera shouted as she ran towards the sea, her dress swaying in the wind with her arms spread. she was still the same, always so energetic.

i made  my way towards her and laughed at how she took off her shoes to play in the water.

"come, jake! it's so cooling here" she shouted as her legs were dipped into the salty waters.

i took off my shoes and got into the water before splashing at her, causing her to fight back. as the sun set, we walked hand in hand along the beach, admiring the beautiful sky and the sounds of the waves. there is just something about being with aera that i can never get sick of.

"jake, i love you." aera whispered into my ear before resting her head on my shoulder.

"i love you too, aera" i replied as i held onto her hand tightly, a smile emerging on my face.