Simple As This - A Jake Bugg Fanfiction

Chapter Four - Nightmares

A/N: Over 100 reads? Woah! I love you guys, I really wasn't expecting all the views and votes! Seriously, every read means a lot to me. Thank you. Thank you, so, so much. <3

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Waking up, I reluctantly take the jacket off and fold it neatly. I place it carefully on my bed and walk through the hallway, decide to take a shower when I reach the bathroom.

Once I'm out of the shower, I smile to myself at memories of days previous. I dress in fresh pyjamas, and decide that I'm not going out today, as I go to the kitchen. The golden orange sun is rising above the pink clouds scattered along the horizon as I open the curtains, admiring the view.

My phone vibrates, and I eagerly unlock it to find a text:

'Morning beautiful💜' I read, and I don't have to look at the name displayed at the top of the screen to know who it is. Jake. I smile, typing a reply.

'Good morning🙈💜'

I decide, after flicking through what seems like hundreds of channels, to watch The Jeremy Kyle Show as I settle on the sofa with my bowl of cornflakes. I'd always loved daytime TV, and watching people argue from the comfort of my own sofa was great.

Just as the show gets good, my phone vibrates again, so I leave it a minute to reply even if I've read it already. 'Is it weird if I miss you?🙊💜'

I look back at my phone a few moments later and reply:

'I was just thinking the same thing😉💜'

That's a lie. I've been missing Jake all morning, not to mention the familiar smell of his jacket welcoming me as I awoke made me long for him even more. I can't wait to see him again, I think to myself, as I realise that there are just three days in the way of our next cuddle, the next time he'll call me beautiful, the next time he'll smile against my skin, and-

My phone rings.

"Three more days, Katie. Three more!" I hear the cheeky smile in Jake's voice.

"Three days too long." I laugh, missing him.

"I know," he sighs. "What're you doing today anyway?"

"I'm snuggled up with cornflakes and TV, I'm sorted really." I smile.

"God, I'd kill to be with you right now." Jake groans.

"What are you doing today?" I ask, curious to hear The Adventures Of Jake Bugg.

"Not much. I'm recording some songs, but that's about it." He explains, disappointing me a little as I expected something more exciting.

"Sounds like fun." I laugh.

"Yep, and-" a loud shout of Jake's name comes from, what sounds like, behind him, and he groans once again. "I've gotta go. Mr Manager is grumpy.

"It's fine." I smile. "I love you."

"I love you more, bye." Jake smirks, not giving me time to argue as he ends the call.

Three days doesn't seem long compared to four, but it's still a long time to wait. I sigh, missing him like mad. I turn the TV off and start to tidy the house, trying to get my mind off of Jake.

My two best friends, Hannah and Alice, had gone to university, like Finn, so I was completely alone. Trying to pursue a career in music, I made the decision not to go to university, much to the dismay of my strict parents. My brother had gone to university and was now in a well-paying job. I always felt a slight pressure to be like him, to follow in his footsteps. Everyone had thought that we'd be the same, but, instead, I was here and he was there. I'm not really doing much, although I'm determined to start singing in pubs and clubs in the next few months to start my career.

Music is my only escape. How you can get so attached to a song or an artist, even though the hot singer doesn't know you exist, amazes me. To have my own fans one day would be amazing, but seems so impossible when I'm stuck living with my parents.

-- Later That Night --

I thrash around the bed, restless. Someone, or something is chasing me. Fierce amber eyes stalking me, watching my every move. I try to run, to sprint and escape with all my might, but I fall. My head hits the ground hard, making me dizzy and light-headed. The beast descends on me, a shrill shriek deafening me and it's bloody fangs inches from my face. The feral animal opens it's strong jaws and raises it's head to shriek once again.

I gasp for air, throwing the covers off me. I feel sick. It's just a dream, I tell my sweat-covered self, only a dream. Wiping my forehead with the back of my hand, I get out of bed. Suddenly, I feel like crying. I don't think twice as my shaky hands dial Jake's number. Just as I begin to doubt that he even wants to talk to me anymore, I go to hang up in defeat and he answers.

"Hey." He sounds exactly like the day we'd both woken up on the sofa, and butterflies invade my stomach as I think of that moment.

"Um, hey." I sound so needy, I think to myself. This was probably the last thing Jake wanted.

"Is something wrong?" Jake panics, quite obviously realising the time.

"Are you free to talk?" My hands still shaking, I pull over a blanket and drape it over my shivering self.

"Of course, Katie. What's wrong?"

I half-smile, half-want-to-cry at Jake's reaction. No one would've spoken to me, let alone answer the phone.

"I..er..had a nightmare. I know it sounds stupid. But it was bad, Jake."

"Katie," Jake whispers. "It's just a dream. Whatever happened wasn't real. You're safe now, and I love you."

I start to cry, not just at the nightmare. At Finn, at Jake leaving at my friends being away, as well as my parents, to top it all off.

Jake comforts me down the phone, but it's not like the real thing.

"I-I miss you." I say without realising.

"I miss you so, so much." He speaks sadly. "Not long now."