Alive >> Jake Fitzgerald << Scream

Forty-One.

-Four months later-

After my dad died, I had to get away. I couldn't stay in my house any longer, not with all of the ghosts from my past still there.

Everywhere I went traces of my father were left behind, the lingering smell of his cologne, family photographs, his police badge tucked away in a open drawer. He was everywhere, and despite Piper being dead and Kieran being there to take care of me, the eminency of death still lingered.

So that was how I found myself staying at Jake Fitzgerald's house, in his bedroom, lay in his bed with him beside me. My bare body concealed by his white bed sheets and his soft skin of his arm wrapped around my shoulders. It was the most perfect Sunday night, there was no more worry about who was going to die, there was no more pain, or suffering, there was just Jake and I.

My hastily packed suitcase, still left unpacked, lay at the foot of his bed, and our clothes were left strung around the room, neither one of us bothered to give them a second look.

"Thank you for letting me stay here" I breathed, pressing my cheek against his chest, I could almost feel his heartbeat, "I just couldn't be at home. Even if Kieran was there."

"Hey, it's no problem." He kissed my forehead, "My parents are in Mexico right now, and besides! You're my girl and The Jake's girl should always feel protected."

"You're an idiot." I leaned up and pressed my forehead agaisnt his.

"And plus, even if you are constantly bugging me and getting on my nerves there is one upside to you being here..."

"Yeah, and what's that?"

"The sex," he paused, a smirk met his lips, "is great."

"Shut up!" I laughed, hitting him in the chest, he only smiled at me.

It was a genuine smile, it made me want to stay in that moment with him forever, but I knew I couldn't, because there was always something else waiting around the corner.

"Let me take you somewhere."

*

*

*

*

*

*

After twenty minutes of driving we pulled up at the dirt road beside the lake and almost immediately Jake climbed out of the car, he ran around to my side and tore the door open.

"What are we doing here?"

"We..." he spoke as he lifted me into his arms, "Are going skinny dipping."

"We are not going skinny dipping!" I hit him in the chest, Jake only laughed to himself.

"Come on it'll be fun!" He stopped as we reached the end of the dirt road.

He dropped me on my feet, and I watched as his eyes scanned the small beach before he pulled his shirt over his head and threw it on the ground.

"Race you to the water." He winked before bolting half way across the sand.

"Jake! Wait up!" I groaned before running after him.

By the time I'd reached him, Jake was completely naked and suddenly, he threw himself into the water, splashing me from head to toe.

"Looks like you're gonna have to take your clothes off anyway." He laughed before ducking his head under the water.

I let out another annoyed yell before turning my back on him, I quickly removed my clothes and jumped into the lake, making sure to splash him in the process.

"You know anyone can see us right now, don't you?"

"Who cares? I'm loving the view." He wrapped his arms around my waist, "And I'm guessing they will too."

"I sure don't." I let out a laugh and Jake playfully glared at me, and suddenly a tidal wave of water came up over my head and I was knocked back by the force.

"Jake!" I splashed him back and wiped the water out of my eyes

The once silent lake was filled with the yells of both Jake and I as we splashed each other with water. I ducked my head beneath the surface and swam down, swiftly, I knocked his legs out from underneath him so he fell down beneath the water and I rose to the surface, laughing at the sight of Jake gargling water.

He abruptly stood up, his hands gripped my waist and he spun me around in the water, making both of us dizzy, but I didn't care because over the last couple of months I hadn't had the privilege of being happy unless I was around him; he made everything so much better.

"Jake put me down!"

He shook his head, traces of a smile lingered on his lips as he brought the spinning to a stop.

"I am so in love with you." He spoke, catching me off guard.

Never in a million years would I have thought Jake would say those words, let alone to me, but as his lips parted and the words fell from his mouth, I couldn't have imagined them said in a more perfect way.

"You're in love with me?"

"Yes I am, and it feels fucking amazing."

"Well, that's good."

"It is?" He rose his eyebrows

"It is. Because you have no idea-" I wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing him closer to me, so my face hovered only centimetres away from his own, "how long I've been waiting for you to say that."

He was the one to finally close the distance between us and he pecked my lips in a way which he never had before and he lingered for a few seconds, the water from his hair dripping down onto my face as we held each other. Like we never had before.

I'd never seen Jake look so scared in his life, but then again I'd never felt so scared in my life and I became terrified as those same words left my mouth;

"I love you Lydia."

"I know." I breathed, "And you know, that I love you."

Everything was great for once. Jake was happy, I was happy, our friends were happy. We felt as if we'd never have to worry again, but we were wrong.

Because little did we know, ghost face was watching us from the side of the lake.

And everything that had happened before then, well, that was just the beginning.