Always There || Greta Van Fleet

Chapter 104: A Long Shot

"Jake.." I sighed, gently running my fingers down his cheek. He reached over, grabbing me by the waist, pulling me in closer.
"Yeah?"
"Are you.. excited to leave? You just.. I mean, I know.. we talked about what it means for us but.. for you. Are you excited?" He hesitated for a moment before eventually nodding.

"I am excited, I just.." He stopped, his fingers slowly gliding under my shirt. "I'm gonna miss you so much and.. that overpowers excited."
"I don't want to ruin this for you." He shook his head, giggling to himself.
"You could never ruin anything, I just wish.. you could be there with me. I want you to see me like that, after all those years in the garage, I just want you to be proud of me.. like.. all those years weren't a waste."

"You have no idea how proud I am of you. I wish I could be there too, but.. I'll always be with you." I said, reaching over for his matching bracelet.

I loved that he never took it off.
Neither did I.

"You know.. guys always think.. going on tour, and.. different girls every night, that that's the dream but.. I am so happy I have you going into all of this."
"You'll always have me, Jake." He pulled me into a passionate kiss, his hands slowly moving down to my neck, pulling me up against him. I kissed him back harder, slowly climbing back over him, gently running my fingers up his arms and intertwining our fingers. He stared up at me with dazed eyes, a lovestruck grin on his lips.

"I love you so much." I sighed, gently brushing the hair out of his face.
"Jaime, I've never felt like this about anyone before." I bit down on my lip, feeling my heart beat faster.
"Me either." His smile grew as he reached up for me, gently caressing my face.
"Everyone says that.. love is scary but.. I've.. I've never felt.. safer.. than I do with you." Tears started filling my eyes, my chest getting tight. My heart had never felt so full.
"Me too." I whispered, lying back down next to him, nuzzling my face into his neck. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight.

"And.. because of that.." I started. "I.. I want to talk to you about something." He backed away, staring back over at me.
"What is it?"
"I've.. I've just been thinking, well.. about what.. I want to do. And.. I think.. I want to get into screenwriting." He stayed quiet, holding his stare on me.

"The other day, helping Josh with his film making, I just.. it felt like something I could really get into, and.. well, maybe not the actual filming part but.. the storytelling aspect of it. I just.. I think that's something that.. maybe I could be good at. And maybe.. him and I could work together, so I would have someone, but.. I don't know. I just think that.. well, you'll have this and.. while you're gone.. I could have that." He nodded, his silence now excruciating until his lips eventually curled into a smile.

"I think that's a great idea." He sighed, pulling me in, kissing my forehead. I wrapped my arms around him, lying my head on his chest.
"You do?"
"Yeah, you could write about us." He giggled. "I always thought we were like a fairytale." I couldn't help but laugh, playfully hitting him.

But.. he wasn't wrong.
We were my favorite love story.

"I will support whatever you want to do, Jaime. And.. you'd have him too, and.. t-that.. that could be nice.. right?" He said reluctantly. I nodded.
"Y-yeah." But.. I could tell he still had some doubts. "But.. it'll be a lot of money, so.. I figured.. maybe I could look into.. a winter semester, and.. maybe he could too because by then.. the tour will be over, and.. well, it would be nice to know someone. That's.. that's only if I got in."

He was quiet again, holding his vacant stare on me. I could feel my heart beating faster, just wanting him to say something.

"So then, after the tour.. the two of you would leave?" He asked, his voice now quieter then before. Sadder. I shrugged, avoiding his eyes.
"If we got in. And.. I don't see why he wouldn't. He's.. amazing. But.. I don't know, it kind of feels like a long shot for me, but.. it's.. it's still worth a shot, right?" He nodded, gently caressing my face again.

"I don't think it's a long shot. I think.. you can do anything you want. Anything you would write would be.. beautiful. But.. especially if it's about us. And.. if you need help, in.. whatever way.. I want to help you. How much would it-"
"No, Jake." I laughed, pulling him into a long kiss. "I don't want your money." He smirked back at me, shaking his head.
"You're impossible. Why can't you ever just let me help you?"
"Because.. you're not paying for me to go to college."
"Well, I never had to pay for myself so.. it should go to someone." I sighed, pulling him into another long kiss. He shook his head, his lips curling into a smile.

"You're not gonna distract me." He laughed. "No matter how much it works." I pulled him back in, kissing him harder, running my hands up his shirt. I felt him sigh, his heart beating faster.
"Can we just.. talk about this later?" I whispered, gently kissing up his neck. His grip on me got tighter, his hands moving down to my hips, slowly moving to the button on my jeans, carefully opening it.

"Fine." He sighed. "But.. only if you can be quiet."