(JJ's POV)
It had been a week since I was home from Los Angeles, and I was making my final preparations to move back down tonight. I talked with Halle the second I got home, and she could not have been more supportive. Yes, she was sad, and yes she was going to miss me, but she was excited for me and knew it was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up.
Jake on the other hand, was still not talking to me. I called him every day and he wouldn't pick up. I sent him dozens of text messages that he left unanswered. I was starting to panic and wondered if this had ruined our relationship for good.
I finished packing the last bag and decided I should call Tom now to see if he knew anything about Jake. Tom had gone back to school the Monday that I had returned home from LA, so he had been with Jake all week.
(Tom's POV)
I had just gotten off of the phone with Jay, and it was killing me hearing her heart breaking as she begged me to get him to talk to her. Here she was, practically my little sister, and then he was also my best friend, and it killed me to see them not being able to figure things out.
I walked back into our dorm room and he was laying on his bed reading a text book with his headphones in. I walked up to him and took the book away.
"Hey! What the heck Tom?"
"Dude, I've had enough. You have to call her. She's going insane."
"I'm not calling her!"
"Then at least answer her text messages. You're literally killing her. I've never seen her this hurt."
"Fine." He took his phone and started texting her. It was all I could do not to sit and watch over his shoulder. I really hope all of this could just figure itself out.
(JJ's POV)
I grabbed my last shirt that I wanted to bring with me, and then brought the bags all downstairs for my mom to put in the car. My phone was on the counter and buzzed. It was Jake.
Hey
I couldn't contain my excitement. He had FINALLY responded to my texts.
I hurried to text him back. Hey Jake! I miss you!
I know, I'm sorry for leaving
It's okay. I dropped a pretty big bomb on you. I'm sorry too.
I'm still mad, but I figured ignoring you wasn't helping anything.
What can I do to fix it?
Right now I don't know. I have some studying that I have to do. I'll talk to you tomorrow
Okay babe. Talk to you tomorrow. I love you!
He didn't respond after that. I put the last of my bags in the back of my mom's Tahoe. Gen decided to stay home this time, so I met her at the front door to give her a hug goodbye.
"I'm going to miss you Gen." I said hugging her trying not to cry.
"Me too sweetheart. Nice thing is that I love LA, so your mom and I will bring the girls every so often to come see you. And if we miss you so much, we'll just send Harold for you."
"Thanks Gen."
"I'm so proud of you Jay." She said kissing my forehead.
"Thanks. I love you." I said walking out the door. Arrow and Odette ran out the door and hugged me at the same time.
"We're going to miss you JJ!" Odette said hugging me so tight.
"Please text me every day!" Arrow practically begged.
"I'll text you both every single day, all day!" I said squeezing them back.
"Come on Jay, we better get going." My mom yelled from the front seat of the car.
I hurried to get in. It was really hard to drive away from the house, but I knew this was what I was supposed to do.
It took us five hours to fly, and unpack everything at the University. Tay, Em, and Cas were really good to help me unload everything. My mom decided she'd stay with us the night before heading back to Texas tomorrow morning.
The girls helped me get my room all set up in our apartment, and that surprisingly only took an hour. By then it was ten o'clock and most of them were ready for bed. I sat down on the couch with my mom and she grabbed my phone from off of the counter.
"Hey Jay, Carter texted you twenty minutes ago." She handed me my phone.
Hey JJ, I heard you're all settled in! Want to go celebrate? I know this amazing ice cream place? What do you say?
I turned to my mom, "You okay if I go?"
"Absolutely! I love that boy. He was so sweet to your father and I. It's good for you to make some good friends too."
"What if Jake found out? Do you think he'd be mad?"
"Sis, I think it's important for you to have friends. And if Jake is mad then let him be mad."
"Okay, I just won't tell him. I'm just hanging with a friend. Nothing more right?"
"Exactly." She reassured to me. "Just go have fun. I'll probably be asleep when you get back though."
I texted Carter back saying that I could go, and he said he'd pick me up in ten minutes. I hurried to fix my pony tail, and reapplied some makeup. Once I realized that I was trying too hard to doll myself up, and that it was just two friends hanging out, I put the makeup brushes down and just sat on the couch waiting for him to arrive to our apartment.
He was earlier then he said he would be, but I was okay with it. When he picked me up he was wearing a nice button up shirt with jeans and some converse. He was dressed so nice that I felt a little guilty to be wearing yoga pants, Nike's, and had my hair in a pony tail.
"Thanks for coming with me. I really wanted to get out tonight."
"No problem. Where is this ice cream place?"
"It's called Carmela's. This is everyone's favorite on campus. I knew that it would have to be the first place you visit when you first arrived." He said smiling.
We took a taxi to the ice cream shop, and talked about my flight in, how the next week was going to go, and he asked if I had any questions.
Once we arrived to Carmela's and had ordered our ice cream, we started walking the streets while eating our ice cream.
"So, a pretty girl like you has got to have a boyfriend." He tried to ask.
"I do actually. His name is Jake, but he is really mad at me right now."
"Why is that? If you don't mind me asking?"
"I didn't tell him that I applied for the internship, and he thinks this is going to effect my decision to attend TX A&M next year."
"Wait, so you don't plan on staying with us?"
"Right now, I don't think so. Jake and I have had this plan together for over a year now. We have our whole future planned out, and I've already messed that up enough."
"So even if you wanted to stay, you wouldn't because of him?"
"No. I don't think so."
"I'm sorry, but that's just wrong. Why would you give up something so good for you because of a guy?"
"Um, I think you need to meet him before you make assumptions like that."
He looked extremely embarrassed. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to cross the line."
"It's okay. Things really aren't going well with Jake and I, so I really appreciate you tonight. I didn't want to be alone."
"Thank you for joining me." He smiled and looked at his watch. "It's almost midnight now, shall we head back?"
"Oh my gosh it is?! Yeah that might be a good idea."
We headed back to my apartment and he walked me to my door. "Thank you again for the ice cream." I said opening the door.
"It was my pleasure. I really look forward to getting to know you more this year JJ."
"Me as well."
"Well, I better let you go."
"Uh-huh." I said walking through the door. "Thanks again."
"Anytime."
"Well, good night." I said shutting the door.
I walked into the apartment and everyone was asleep. I turned the last lights off and put my pajamas on. I brushed my teeth just before climbing into bed. I laid there looking at the ceiling. What if things between Jake and I never get fixed. Stop thinking that was Jay. It will all work out.
The next day Carter helped me to all of my classes. My mom had left early that morning and I was really starting to see what it was going to be like here in LA all by myself. I called everyone back home every morning and night. I also hung out with Carter every day too.
He showed me all of his favorite places to eat out, and one of the nights he took me to his favorite restaurant while he started telling me about all of the memories he had there with his family.
I woke up this morning, it was my first weekend living in LA, and I saw a text from Carter.
Hey, want to hit up the LA County Fair with me tonight?
I started freaking out. We had hung out together every night for the last five nights. What if he was getting the wrong idea. On the other hand, Jake was hardly messaging me at all.It had been three days without a word from him. I really loved having Carter there for me and he really cared. It was hard not having Jake right now, and so having Carter in the picture was really a blessing.
I told Carter that I would love to go with him, and he picked me up thirty minutes later.
We spent the evening riding rides, eating corn dogs and cotton candy, playing games, and we decided to finish the evening with a ride on the Farris wheel. I started getting worried because the sun was setting, and the mood was starting to feel romantic between the two of us.
He held my hand to help me onto the seat, but didn't let go after we had sat down. We started to climb up the wheel and he started to say, "It's so beautiful here at night, don't you think?"
"It really is."
"JJ, I have to talk to you about something."
"Really? What's that?" I knew what he was going to say, and I knew that I needed to keep the conversation as casual as I could.
"I really like you. And I can't keep pretending that I just want to be friends. I know you're really young, and I'm four years older then you, but I've never felt so comfortable with another person in my life." I didn't know what to say or think. "Please say something JJ."
"I... I have a boyfriend Carter."
"Yeah, a boyfriend who is dodging you because you ruined his plans."
"That's not fair, I didn't even talk to him about it. He didn't even get a say."
"All I'm saying is, you deserve someone that will support you in everything; allow you to do whatever your heart desires and love you through it all."
"And you think you could be that?" I asked defensively.
"I know I could." I he answered quickly. "Look, I'm not trying to replace Jake. All I'm saying is, I really like you JJ. And it's been hard to hear every night this week how he has been treating you, and I know that I would never treat you like that."
"I know. He isn't always like this. I think it will all work itself out soon."
"JJ, is he even answering any of your calls or texts?"
"No." I said wiping a tear.
He held my cheek in his hand and wiped the tear from my face. "JJ, I hate seeing you like this." Carter had gone quiet, and was staring directly at me. I was completely unable to look away when our eyes met.Seconds later his lips were locked with mine. He held me with both of his hands on my cheeks. His mouth was so warm, and his lips were even softer then I could have imagined. I felt a warmth flood over me, head to toe. And I found myself kissing him back.
Suddenly he quickly pushed away from me. "JJ, I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was doing. That was wrong of me."
"No Carter, it's really okay." I didn't want to sound rude, but I also didn't want him to know that I liked it. I loved it! Why did I love it? I don't even know how to react to that?!
"No it's not. You're with Jake, and I shouldn't have--" I stopped him right there and kissed him again. I didn't know what I was doing! I was with Jake? What is wrong with me? That wasn't stopping me though.
I again felt that rush of warmth and helplessness. Nothing was stopping me. He groaned softly as he wrapped his arm around me pulling me closer into him, and I gripped his shirt pulling him closer to me.
His lips slowly left mine and he just smiled. We didn't say anything else for the rest of the ride. In fact we didn't say anything until we had gotten in the taxi to take us back to the University. He held my hand the entire way home and as he walked me to my apartment as well.
We stood outside my door and I held my key in my hand, and my back against the door. I waited to see if he'd give me a goodbye kiss.
"Thank you for tonight JJ. I had an amazing time." He smiled and rested his hand next to me on the door.
"Thank you for taking me. It was definitely unforgettable." I said as he leaned in to kiss me, pulling my body against his.
Suddenly I heard someone walk into the hallway. I saw him, with a bouquet of flowers in his hand, and I watched as they suddenly and slowly fell to the floor.
"Jake..."