You're the One - Part 1 || Greta Van Fleet

Chapter 72: We're Nothing

"You alright?" Jake asked. I nodded, avoiding his eyes as I sat down on the bed.
"No you're not." He sighed. "What did he say?"
"A lot." I said softly, twirling the ring around my finger.
"Did he see?" I nodded.
"So that's what this is about." He said softly, sitting down next to me. I turned to lean back against the pillows, looking back up at him.

"He told me that.. he talked to you. He said he told you he was going to back off." I said, twirling my ring again, avoiding his eyes. He nodded.
"But he told me he just.. can't." I looked up to see his eyes getting angrier.
"What does he mean he just can't?" He snapped. I felt my cheeks burn.
"Please don't get mad.. we're just talking." I said softly. He held his glare for a moment and eventually sighed, plopping down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He was quiet for a moment.

"I just need to know.. does this ever end with me and you just being happy together? Where I don't have to worry about him coming between us?" He asked, turning to me. I felt my heart start to beat faster.
"I.. I hope so." I said quietly. He turned away, looking back up, running his fingers through his hair.
"Well.. it's in your hands. You need to tell him, because I really shouldn't have to spend every day looking over my shoulder for him. I shouldn't panic every time he wants to talk to you." He said, looking down at my hand. "I meant what I said when I gave that to you. But the only way it's gonna work is if.. you put up your end of it too. Have I ever given you any reason to doubt me?" He asked. My cheeks burned. I shook my head.

"I think I've been more than fair and forgiving to you when it comes to him. But.. I need you to pick me, and not just when we're alone. I need you to pick me when it comes to.. everyone. The same way I pick you, everyday." 

He sat up, moving in front of me. I stared back at him, feeling my heart race as I got lost in his eyes. He reached out, holding my face in his hand, gently pulling me closer.

"I love you, Jess. But I refuse to share you. With anyone." He said softly, staring back at me, his cheeks getting redder. I reached over, pulling him into a kiss. I felt him sigh, kissing me back before he backed away, smirking at me.

"That's not gonna shut me up." He laughed, scrunching up his face.
"I'm not shutting you up." I giggled to myself, leaning in, kissing him again.
"I mean it, Jess.." He said, a smile escaping his lips. "You can't just distract me.."
"I'm not distracting you." I sighed, pulling him back in. "You're right." 

He stared back at me, wide-eyed.
"I.. I am?" He asked, biting down on his lip.
"You are." I sighed, wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. "And.. I'm sorry. I'll.. I'll talk to him."
"Thank you." He said quietly, smiling back at me.

Josh's P.O.V

I picked my head up as I heard the back door open again.
"Hey.." I said, sitting up.
"Hey." Jess said. "Can.. Can I come up?" She asked. My heart started beating faster.
"O-oh.. y-yeah sure." I said, quickly moving out of the way. She gave me a small smile as she climbed up into my bunk, sitting down across from me. 

I thought back to the morning she came up and watched the sunrise with me; the morning I played her one of the first songs I had ever written for her.

I looked down at her hand and then quickly back up to her. Her face dropped as she nervously twirled the ring around her finger.

"I.. I need to talk to you." She said softly. My cheeks burned.
"About what?" I asked, looking back down at the ring.
"About.. this." She said, noticing my staring. "And us." I nodded, peeking back up at her.

"Jess.. are you and Jake engaged?" I asked softly, feeling my heart start to race as my chest got tight. I couldn't bring myself to look at her. I didn't even really want to know the answer, but it was killing me.

"No." She finally said, avoiding my eyes. I sighed, feeling like I could breathe again.
"Okay.." I started, looking back up at her. "Then.. what is it?" She nervously twirled the ring around her finger again, biting down on her lip.

"Jake said that.. it's a promise ring." She whispered. "He said that.. when I'm ready.. then there will be an engagement ring. But.. he said that this is him saying he wants to be with me.. forever."

My heart sunk.

"Forever." I sighed, staring back at her wide-eyed.
"He said.. being without me for a night made him realize-" I shook my head, looking away.
"This is what you wanted to tell me?" I snapped. She stared back at me, her face dropping.

"Josh, I just.. I know what we said to each other during the shoot and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said.. that to you." She said. My stomach dropped.
"So you didn't mean it." She stared back at me, her cheeks burning.
"I did mean it." She whispered. "But.. it's not fair anymore. To you or to Jake. So.. we need to forget it and find a way to be friends."
"But Jess, I can't-"
"We have to." She said sternly. I felt my face get hot as my heart started to race.

"Fine." I snapped.
"Josh, I.. I don't want to fight with you, I just-"
"Well, I don't want to be friends." I said, glaring back at her. I saw her face get angrier.
"Well then I guess we're nothing." She said, her voice getting louder.
"Fine!" I yelled. Her cheeks burned as she glared back at me.
"Fine!" She yelled back. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.

"I think you should go." I finally said, looking away. "Wouldn't want your fiancé to worry." She held her glare on me as she sighed, holding in what I'm sure was an earful. I could feel tears coming to my eyes but I quickly blinked them away. She didn't deserve them. If she didn't want me, then so be it. She wasn't going to get any part of me.
"You know what? Fine. I will. Thanks for making this easy for me." She snapped at me, hopping down from my bunk.

"No problem." I yelled back after her. "I deserve someone who actually wants me. So, I'm glad I dodged a bullet." She turned to look at me, and I could see tears in her eyes. My heart sunk as she turned away, going back into her room, slamming the door behind her.