it's always been you (a jottie story)

Chapter 7: <3

Lottie's POV:

Ellie, Jamie, and I spent the afternoon together in the library, before we headed back to the Ivy Kitchens to make dinner, and sat in the common rooms. Anastacia and Saskia, as well as the twins, had flown home this afternoon for a couple days before the term commenced. We were returning to Maradova early tomorrow morning. We'd sat in there for a while, before we decided to head back to our dorms to finalise our bags and get some sleep.

Ellie had basically fallen asleep as soon as we got back to our dorm, but I couldn't sleep. A hundred thoughts were running through my mind. Haru, Leviathan, the King and Queen's reaction to our news... Jamie. My mind drifted to our moment in his dorm. He'd opened up to me. Finally. But something still didn't feel right. How was this going to work, if it was to be something? If we were going to be something. A partizan and a portman, I sniffed, feeling stupid. I got up from where my suitcase was laid, and walked into the bathroom to change into my pajamas. I stopped for a moment and looked at myself in the mirror. Tired. I looked tired, but I looked happy. I was brushing my teeth, a thousand thoughts flooding my mind. Jamie. I needed to sort this with Jamie if I wanted to sleep.

I tiptoed to grab my satin blush pink robes from Ellie as a birthday present, and wrapped it around my body. I shoved my feet into my slippers, also from Ellie, and snuck over to the door. I looked behind me, at Ellie tucked up in bed, snoring loudly. She won't even notice I'm gone, I thought as I opened the door, and silently shut it behind me.

I ran down the stairs of the girls wing, and turned the corner, walking up the second stairs, towards the boys wing of the Ivy dormitories. I found myself in front of Jamie's door within minutes. I looked at the grandfather clock at the end of the hallway, reading 11:53pm, silently hoping he was still awake. I raised my hand and as quietly as I could, knocked on his door.

I heard footsteps from the other side of the door, and the door slowly swung open to reveal Jamie, looking down at me, shirtless, with shock etched over his face. I blushed furiously, tearing my gaze away. His eyes widened, and I pushed past him into his room, closing the door behind me. "Lottie, why are you here? Did something happen?" He asked worriedly. I stared at him before I answered, "I- I just, I couldn't sleep because there was a thousand thoughts running through my head and-" I stopped halfway through talking, realising I sounded really stupid, standing in his room, worrying over us. Us. I stepped backwards towards the door again, "Actually, it doesn't matter," I stuttered, "It was just me getting distracted again, over something silly." I turned on my heel, reaching my hand out for the door handle, when suddenly Jamie reached out and grabbed my wrist, pulling me back towards him. We were standing so close now. "Lottie," Jamie said softly, "I know what you're worrying about. About us, right?" I felt myself relax. "Yeah... I just, I really want this to work, but with everyone else, and our situation I just-" I stopped talking, as Jamie grabbed both of my hands, intertwining our fingers. "We'll make it work. I promise. After all, what they don't know won't hurt them, right?" He smirked, looking down at me knowingly. I gasped, "Jamie... You mean keep it a secret? From everyone?" He nodded. I looked at him in pure shock. The Jamie I knew 2 years ago would NEVER suggest such a thing. He'd changed so much...

"Okay," I said, my voice barely a whisper, but it didn't matter. Jamie heard me all the same. He looked down at me as I looked up at him, and wrapped my arms around his waist, leaning into his chest. His powerful body pressed against mine, one I knew like a map. He lay his head on top of mine, "We'll be okay. I'll always keep you safe, I promise," He whispered, and I knew he meant it. He always meant it.

He let go of me after a little while. "Come on, I'll walk you back to your dorm," He said, grabbing my hand and wrapping a blanket around my shoulders. I didn't realise I was shivering until I felt the extra warmth from the blanket. We stopped in front of room 221, where I lifted his hand that was holding mine, up to my lips, and kissed the back of his hand.

"Goodnight Jamie," I smiled as I whispered, and tiptoed inside my dorm, silently closing the door behind me.