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

Chapter 154: Life With You

"What are you doing here?" I said, backing away. Travis pushed his way past me, inviting himself in. My eyes quickly shot over to my bedroom door, hoping Jake would hear and come back out.

"Come on, Jess." He sighed, flashing me a smile. My stomach dropped. "You know you always invite me over when you're back in town."
"That's not true." I snapped. He rolled his eyes, leaning back against the doorway.
"I figured you'd be with your little boyfriend." He said, crossing his arms, smirking back at me.
"Oh, don't worry, she is." I heard from behind me. My cheeks burned as Jake made his way out of my room, half dressed, putting his shirt on.

Travis glared over at him, trying his hardest to maintain his same smug grin.
"Oh, great." He said sarcastically. Jake nodded, staring back as he ran his fingers through his damp hair. I could see Travis' jaw clenching.
"So, what are you doing here?" Jake asked. Travis shrugged, pushing himself up off the wall, moving closer to me. I backed away, my cheeks burning. Travis held his glare on Jake as he tossed a small bag filled with white powder onto the coffee table. My heart dropped.

"I'm just dropping off her usual." He said, now looking over at me with a cunning smile. My heart started beating faster, my hands starting to sweat. I couldn't bring myself to look at Jake. This was something I never wanted him to know about. I had quit that, all of it. I hadn't touched it since. I wasn't that person anymore, and I didn't want him knowing about her. I just wanted to start over with him, without the old me ever being brought back into it.

When I finally forced myself to look over at him, he was holding his glare on Travis, biting down on his lip. I could only imagine what he was thinking. I started to feel tears come to my eyes, quickly blinking them away. If this ruined everything, I don't know what I would do. I couldn't handle losing him again. Especially not over something like this, over something that happened long before him. This wasn't fair. Travis had already ruined my life before, in more ways than I could count, so of course now that I was finally happy without him, he would do whatever he could to try and weasel his way back in.

"Jake, I-"
"She doesn't do that anymore." He said calmly, grabbing the bag and tossing it back to Travis, avoiding my eyes. "I think you should go." Travis laughed, shaking his head.
"You have no idea what you're getting into, man. I know her. You clearly have a lot going on, so why the hell would you want to waste your time on someone like her, and risk ruining it? She's only going to drag you down."

Jake stayed quiet, holding his glare on Travis.
"Come on." He coaxed, placing the bag in my hand. "You and I both know that you quitting is bullshit, just like every other time. You know how it goes, we do a few lines, we hook up and then I stay the night. And every single time, you beg me to come back." I felt like I was going to be sick.
"He's lying." I said, turning to Jake, feeling more tears come to my eyes. I could barely remember my last time before quitting, and I wanted to keep it that way. Travis turned to me, smirking back as he reached out, tightly grabbing my arm.
"Let's go." He demanded.
"Ow, Travis stop!" I cried, trying to pull away, more tears coming to my eyes.

And then Jake snapped.
In the blink of an eye, Travis was on the ground, Jake's arms swinging, his fists flying faster than Travis could cover his face. I was frozen in place, unsure of what to do, but let Jake get a few swings in before trying to pull him off.

"Don't you ever fucking touch her again!" He shouted. I tried my best to hold him back as Travis sat up, wiping the blood from his lip.
"Or what?" He argued, going back over to Jake. It was getting harder and harder to hold him back the closer Travis got; I hadn't realized just how strong Jake was.
"I guess you'll have to find out." He taunted. "But last I checked, a coked out lead singer who's band can't get out of their hometown is pretty cliche. Best not ruin your chances before you even get one, though.. it doesn't really seem like many people give a shit about you anyway."

I could see it was taking everything in Travis not to kill Jake right then and there, but I think deep down, he knew that he was right. He glared back at him, his face burning with rage.
"That's what I thought." Jake said softly. "You should go. And don't you ever come near her again, or I swear.."

Travis backed away, holding his glare on Jake, his eyes then shooting down to me. Jake shook his head, motioning towards the door. Before leaving, Travis reached out for my hand, but Jake quickly yanked me back towards him before he could grab me again.
"Alright, just call me when you need more, Jess." Travis smirked, wiping his lip again. "You know my number." And then he made his way out, slamming the door behind him.

Jake sighed, still trying to catch his breath.
"Are you okay?" He said softly, now looking down at me, gently touching my cheek. My heart started beating faster as I stared back at him wide-eyed.
"Y-yeah.." I managed, biting down on my lip. I felt my whole body get hot as he gave me a gentle smile. I had never seen him like that before.

I just knew that I've never wanted him more than I did right now.

"Jess, I'm sorry. I.. I'm so sorry you ever had to deal with him, and whatever you've been through, you don't have to talk about that with me if you don't wa-" I cut him off, pulling him into a passionate kiss. I felt his body tense up, hesitating before reaching out, holding my face in his hands, kissing me back harder. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him up against me as his hands traveled down to my waist, gripping me tighter. I felt his lips curl into a smile as he backed away, leaning his forehead against mine.

"W-what was that for?" He exhaled, gently running his fingers down my cheek.
"No one's ever done anything like that for me before." I said softly, my eyes moving back down to his lips. His smile grew, his cheeks burning.
"You're my girl, and I promise you, no one.. especially not him, is ever going to touch you, ever again. Whatever happened in the past.. I.. I hope one day you'll talk about that with me but.. I need you to know that I will do anything for you." My heart started beating faster as I held my stare on him, mesmerized, a smile escaping my lips.
"You know, I really love when you get protective of me. It's.. kinda sexy." I giggled. He bit down on his lip, his eyes lighting up and his smile growing into a flustered grin.
"Well, I am pretty tough." He laughed. "You don't wanna mess with me."
"I love you." I sighed, pulling him into another long kiss.
"I love you, Jess."

"And.. what he said, it.. it's not true, him and I, we never-"
"Hey, it's okay. We don't have to talk about that." He said, shaking his head. "Whatever happened before me, that's your business."
"Jake, I.. I've only ever been with you." I said quietly. He stared back at me wide-eyed, his lips curling into a gentle smile.

"Oh.." He sighed, gently touching my cheek. "Okay." I bit down on my lip, my face feeling like it was on fire. He stared back at me with dazed eyes, finally pulling me back into a passionate kiss. My hands moved down to his waist, pushing him back towards my room. He backed away, flashing me a smile as he reached his hand out, opening the door, and guiding me back in.
"And I only ever want to be with you." I said between kisses, pulling him back in. He picked me up, bringing me over to my bed where he lied me down, gently kissing my forehead.

"Um.. wait here.." He sighed, flashing me a smile, going over to his bag.
"Jake, I.. I just want to start my life with you." I said, sitting up. He came back over, sitting down across from me, staring back with lovestruck eyes and a soft smile.
"So do I." He said, reaching out for my hand. My heart started beating faster.
"And I don't want to think about him anymore. Ever."
"And we don't have to." He said simply. "Jess, I want-"

"Wait, I.. I just.." I sighed, moving closer, running my fingers through his hair. "Jake, I feel like.. when I met you, I became this.. better version of me, and I love her. And I never want to go back to who I was before you. I just.. I want to forget about everything here. When.. when we leave here, I.. I don't want to come back. I don't want to think about this place.. ever again. I just want start over new with you. I can't wait for our life together, and.. I don't want any of this life to be a part of it. I'm ready to move on from all this.. with you."

He bit down on his lip, nodding as he held his stare on me.
"W-what did you want to say?" I asked, moving closer, gently sliding my hand up his leg.
"Oh, I.. um..I just.." He stuttered, his cheeks burning bright red as he then leaned back, subtly shoving something into his bag.

"Nothing." He said, his smile growing. "I.. I can't wait for life with you too."