There's silence on the other end of the line and I can feel my heart pounding wildly against my rib cage as I spin around in circles, trying to find him. My blue summer dress swirls around my legs and my hair swishes along but I can't seem to locate him, it shouldn't be this hard to find him in a nearly empty yard!
"It was just a guess angel, I could tell by the sound of your voice" I stop my stupid search and can't help the surge of disappointment that floods through me.
"Oh" I mumble and plop down on the closest lawn chair. It was stupid how I had this indescribable feeling to just see him. To look into his navy blue eyes and to run my hands through his soft, black hair. "So...how's San Fran?"
My voice sounded flat, despite my best efforts to keep it cheery and light-hearted. I sigh as I stand up, wandering to the back of the yard towards the large oak tree.
"Not too bad...though I do miss seeing you" he says and I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion. I could've sworn his voice sounded closer then....almost as if he was...
...right behind me.
The Skype calls we had clearly didn't do any justice to how handsome he had grown over the year. His semi-defined muscles were now clearly visible, his shoulders broader and his jaw had become more prominent. Jake no longer looked like a teenager, in fact it was safe to say he looked like a man. The black shorts and blue half-sleeved shirt he was wearing definitely helped support that opinion. However, there was one thing that didn't change and that was the mischief that glinted in his eyes as he looks down at me with a small smirk. Did I mention he grew a few more inches taller too?
I look into those navy blue eyes that I missed so damn much and smile. He grins back and walk closer to me so that we were now only inches apart. I have to tilt my head back slightly to look into his eyes but when I do I send him a smirk before stomping down on his foot with my sandal-clad one. Hard. His eyes widen in shock even though it didn't hurt him and my smirk only grows wider.
"What the...." he looks confused before he shoots me a cheeky grin "Love you too angel".
And with that his lips descend on mine, his arms wrapping around my waist and pulling me to him. I lose myself in the kiss, revelling in the way his hands ran through my hair and how his arms wrap around me in a protective embrace. I gasp when Jake lifts me up into the air, his lips never parting from mine. Just how much did he train at that soccer academy of his?!
When we pulled apart a few minutes later we were both out of breath.
"I'm sorry I didn't call. It's just that I wanted this to be a surprise but I knew if I talked to you before hand I'd spill the beans" he whispers and I roll my eyes, pecking his lips softly. "I only got here last night, you have no idea how hard it was for me to keep myself from barging into your room"
"You're excused this time. But just out of curiosity were you going to barge in through the balcony?" I tease and he chuckles. We walk over to one of the picnic blankets and take a seat, Jake pulling me onto his lap despite my protests.
"Is there a cooler way?" he cocks an eyebrow and the arrogance behind the gesture causes me to laugh.
"So, what have I missed while I was away training?" he asks and I sigh my mind flitting through a million things that happened since he had gone. Where to start?
"Well...there's a lot to catch up on but I think you should know about Daniel's break up first" his arms tense around me and I turn to see him with a hard look on his face.
"What happened?" I smirk at the protective look on his face knowing that despite what happened in the past between the two boys, they both still care for each other, like brothers.
"We don't know, apparently Lily just broke up with him out of the blue. Then went to live with her grandparents in Florida" I summarized it quickly and his frown only grew. Slowly he lifted me off his lap and stood up gesturing to the house where the sound of laughter could be heard.
"You don't mind do you...?" he scratches the back of his neck awkwardly and I grin.
"Go ahead" As he wanders back into the house to catch up with everyone I lay back down on to the picnic blanket watching the white, clouds drift through the sky. My mind wandered to Chase and Hailey's wedding which was next September, up in New York. A smile grew on my face just thinking about it. I was going to be one of Hailey's bridesmaids (her cousin was her Maid of Honour) and Jason was Chase's best man.
I, personally couldn't wait until the wedding and I knew that Hailey couldn't either; though I am scared on how she will react as the day comes closer. After all after being on her soccer team and seeing her turn into a raging monster during the soccer season I could only imagine how she'd be as bridezilla.
By the time I had gone through a series of possible events on how the wedding could turn out, everyone had filed out and my dad had started up the barbeque. I sat up as my friends came to join me and gave them all a grin and a quick hug.
Brandon, Sasha, Courtney, Aidan, Lucas, Danielle, Reese, Cameron and Rebecca all took seats and I frown as I notice the absence of Jake and Daniel, the other members of the band weren't able to come over. Before I could comment Courtney shakes her head subtly and I promptly shut my mouth. The conversation drifts from the up coming departure to college to our favourite bands. Chase and Hailey joined us later on with Bella in tow.
"How could you not like Paramore? They have amazing songs!" Brandon argues, his green eyes wide with shock as he stares at Cameron and the rest of us laugh as Cameron struggles to come up with a good reason.
"I just don't! Jeez what's the big deal I'm not telling you to start loving Eminem now, am I?" He scowls in Brandon's direction and Rebecca nudges him lightly causing him to smile slightly.
"Stop annoying the guy, Brandon" Sasha reprimands her boyfriend, before turning her head to me. Her blue eyes were glinting with mischief and I immediately narrow my eyes at her causing her to laugh. She grabs a strand of her shiny, blonde hair and twirls it all the while I wait for her to start speaking, completely disregarding the other conversations around me.
"So Amelia, Jake's back..." she trails off and I sigh, here we go.
"Great observation there Sasha, my boyfriend is indeed back" I smirk slightly as her face falls and she pokes her tongue at me.
"There's just something...magical about today though don't you think?!" she continues to prod and I cast her a strange look. There is nothing magical about today at all, it's just another normal summer day in Los Angeles. I wonder what's goes on in that girl's mind sometimes.
"Sasha" Courtney hisses and my wide eyes find hers, I raise an eyebrow but she avoids me gaze and changes the subject quickly. I wanted to pursue the matter further but the arrival of Jake and Daniel stops me. Jake took a seat next to me while Daniel sat next to Bella, ruffling her hair affectionately.
The sound of laughter and chatter surrounded me and I smile as I leaned against Jake, my hands entwining with his. He casts a curious look my way but squeezes my hand and kisses the top of my head before redirecting his attention to his discussion with the boys.
It wasn't until five, that we started eating. There was plenty of food to go around with the parents teaming up to provide as much food as possible There was chicken kebabs, salads, fruit salad, ice cream, steaks and more.
The sun bathed a warm light on the garden as we sat laughing at one of Reese's gate-crashing stories. It seemed that he had gate-crashed on more than he had previously let on. Brandon had just started talking about one of the strange gigs he and the band had done when Jake politely excused himself from the group, dragging me along behind him. I cast him a strange look and grew even more confused when I looked back to see all the girls staring at us with glints in their eyes.
What is up with everyone today? Their strange behaviour is starting to freak me out.
"Jake, where are we going?" I ask as he continues to drag me, this time in the direction of his back-yard.
"Where do you think genius?" he teases a light smirk on his face as he squeezes my hand lightly.
"Stop playing around Carter, it isn't funny" I growl but before I could get another word in, Jake has me strapped over his shoulders. I blink in shock, that happened so quickly I could barely get a squeal in. "What the hell Carter?! Are you out of your mind? Did you lose a couple of brain cells in San Francisco?"
"Hey!" he protests pinching my leg lightly as I continue to squirm in his hold. "I'm doing something nice here, just roll with it"
I bite down the retort that desperately wants to be released and wait for the the 'nice' thing to occur. We had reached his backyard when he finally put me down and twisted me in his arms so that my back rested against his chest and I was facing the pool.
I couldn't explain the thoughts that went through my head at that moment, I couldn't describe the rush of emotions that engulfed me when I saw the sight in front of me all that I could do was gape. Floating on top of the blue water were a dozen or so tea lights arranged in a heart shape. Their flame reflected off the pool water and even though the sky was still pale blue they seemed to glimmer like the stars.
Jake's arms disappeared from around my waist and a few seconds later he was in my line of vision, kneeling down on one knee, a small velvet case in hand. His blue eyes sparkled like the pool behind him and my brain failed to register what was happening as he knelt before me.
"Okay, before you freak out about how we're only eighteen and everything....I just want you to know that I thought about this. A lot. And I know this is right, I love you. More than anything, and we don't have to rush into this...I don't want you to feel like you have to say yes. I want to be with you, even if it isn't as your fiance but I just have to get this out there" he looked so flustered. The cool, calm and confident Jake had dissolved into a guy that was stumbling over his words and was constantly ruffling his hair as he struggled to find the right words to say.
"Amelia Johnson, I love you so damn much. I love the way you constantly challenge me and how you never bought my bull like all the other girls. I love your smile, your hugs and your kisses. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you, if you'll give me the chance" he takes in a deep breath and stares into my eyes.
"Amelia will you marry-" Before Jake could finish off his sentence I'm running towards him, my arms wind around his neck and the force sends him-and me toppling backwards onto the grass.
"Yes, yes, yes" I mumble as I burrow my head in the crook of his neck.
"Well that went better than expected" he chuckles wrapping his arms around me and shifting us so that I was now sitting on his lap. He opens the velvet box and removes a small silver band from the box. There was no gem but the silver band was engraved with a simple and beautiful design. The band was cool against my skin and the grin never left my face.
"So, how long have you been planning this for?" I ask him, as I lean against him playing with his fingers as I did so. Jake rested his chin on top of my shoulder as he answered.
"A couple of months" he murmured placing a kiss against my cheek. "But this, was completely impromptu"
"What-" he nudges me off his lap and removes his shirt, his abdominal muscles flexing as he did so. I struggled to drag my eyes away from the sight and he notices, casting me a wink before he dives into the pool in his board shorts. The splash sent waves of water over the tealights and the flames quickly died. I scan my eyes across the pool but can't seem to see Jake anywhere, a chuckle escapes me as a sense of déjà vu washes over me.
In a moment of complete spontaneousness I jump into the pool, dress and all. The hair that Courtney spent so much time doing was floating all around me in a mess of waves and I quickly resurface frantically pushing the strands out of my eyes. My dress seemed to drag me down and it was difficult to stay afloat with the material clinging to my legs.
"Well, isn't that a pretty sight" Jake chuckles as he swims over to me and I glare at him, swiping my hands across the water to splash him in the face.
"Why did I agree to marry you again?" I tease swimming over to him, pretending to be serious.
"Because, I'm hot" he puffs out his chest and I laugh, winding my arm around his neck.
"Can't argue with that" I murmur placing a kiss on his lips.
"Aw the two of you look so so cute!" My mother's voice cut through the air and we pull apart, our cheeks tainted crimson. I move my head into the crook of Jake's neck so that they can't see my blush and my parents laugh.
"Congratulations on the engagement guys" Jake's mum shouts out happily and Jake groans in embarrassment causing me to giggle.
"Mum!" Jake shouts and after a bit more teasing the parents leave and Jake and I hop out of the pool. After getting changed we both rejoin the group and were met with rounds of applause and cheers. The rest of the evening flew by and before I knew it, I was lying in bed half-asleep.
"Hey, Juliet open up the door for your Romeo" Jake's voice flits through the balcony door and I roll my eyes with a groan. Pushing myself out of bed I head to the balcony and let him in before promptly flopping back on my head.
Jake wastes no time in lying down next to me, his arms winding around my waist and pulling me back against him.
"Goodnight Mrs Carter" He whispers and a smile grows on my face and I don't bother to tell him that I'm not officially 'Mrs Carter' yet as my eyelids grow heavy and I fall asleep.
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29/5/14 Nearly finished guys! And got to be honest I'm sort of glad. I loved writing Jake and Amelia's story but it has stretched on way too long. I was thinking of writing Lily and Daniel's story as a spin off but that may or may not happen after epilogue part 3, and then I may put up some bonus chapters. Not sure yet, but thanks to everyone that has stuck with me until now. I'll probably rewrite this at some point not completely happy with this chapter, any thoughts on this guys? I lve reading your comments :D