Nephophile

YOU'RE WELCOME

Jane sat with an empty red solo cup. The content of it long finished. "Need another?" Harold held out a bottle of rum. Jane shook her head. "I'm good." She said and threw her cup into the trash bin. He held up his hands in mock surrender and took a swig of the rum. His face scrunched as he swallowed the liquor down.

Jake was nowhere in sight. Jane felt a little lost. She knew no one and felt out of place. Her poker face kept some people at bay. Harold watched her. He smirked when he saw that she was looking around frantically for Jake but hid it behind her poker face. "Feeling a bit lost there?"

Jane side eyed him and pushed herself up from the chair. She walked out of the cabin and into the growing crowd outside. Someone grabbed hold of her wrist and yanked her. She face-planted into a hard chest. A hand snaked around her waist. Jane looked up and saw an unfamiliar face. The stench of alcohol stung her nose. "Hey there, beautiful." He said with a smile.

Jane grabbed his wrist and turned it outward. Her block heel came down, hard on his foot. "Touch me again, I dare you." She said cooly and walked away as if nothing had happened. The guy behind her screamed in pain.

Harold caught up to her with ease. He walked beside her. "So I guess a congratulations is in order. " He swallowed the liquor down and looked at her expectantly. Jane sighed and looked at him. "For what exactly?" She knew what he was talking about but chose to play dumb.

"Your wedding. We have already received our invitations." He said.

"What wedding? There's no wedding, geez!"

"But we have invitations..." Jane cuts him off. "There will be no wedding! Stop pestering me about it." Annoyed, she gave longer strides, hoping she'd be rid of Harold.

"So, no wedding?" He asked.

"No, no wedding, Harold. I barely know Jake, so no wedding!"

"Ey! Harold!" Someone called to him. He groaned in frustration and hesitantly walked away from Jane. A sigh of relief escaped Jane's lips. Jane's neck almost strained when she looked back at Harold when he yelled after her. "I'll be with you in a second!"

Her eyes rolled, and her posture slumped a bit. Never had she met such a persistent man. Harold disappeared into the cabin. She walked towards the lake, out on the wooden pier over the lake. Her heels clicked on the wood as she strides towards the end of the pier.

Her eyes took in the breathtaking view. The water glistened as the sun shone on the surface of the water. The green of spring mesmerized her. "If it isn't Jane, the dweeb. Miss goody two shoes, who think she's better than everyone. I see you got Jake, too, to run after you like a lost puppy. Poor Jake."

Jane turned around to be met with two women in bikinis. One blonde and a ginger. She immediately recognized the ginger. "Heather." Jane glared at the ginger.

"Is this 'THEE JANE' you were talking about?" The blonde asked her friend. "In the flesh." Jane said and rolled her eyes.

"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. Jake's standards have dropped tremendously." The blonde said to which Heather chuckled.

"Guess it's up to us to stop Jake from making such a big..." Heather pointed at Jane. "mistake. He'll realize his mistake soon enough."

The blonde nudged Heather's arm. "With our help, of course." She said and smirked. "Of course." Heather agreed.

Jane shook her head at the two air-heads in front of her. "Go ahead. I'm pretty sure Jake wouldn't want two community tarts with nothing between their ears." She said nonchalantly and tried to leave.

"Olivia, did she just?..." Heather asked, taken aback. Oliva hummed. "Mhm-hhm. She did." The blonde said and glowered. "Who are you calling a community tart?!" Heather spat.

Jane rolled her eyes at how there really was nothing between her ears. Jane lifted her hand and pointed at them. "You're the only people here." She said.

Heather stomped towards her and tried to push her in the water. Jane moved out the way and watched as Heather fell into the water. However, she did not keep an eye on Olivia.

Jake and Harold ran towards them but were too late.

Jane felt the shock of cold water when she hit the water.

The water splashed when Heather reached the surface. Jake jumped in after Jane and swam downwards. He saw her struggle to get loose. Her foot got stuck to an old rope that was around the support pole of the wooden pier for fastening boats.

Her body went limp.

He cut through the water to reach her. Hurriedly, he tried to get the rope off her foot. Time was ticking against him cause he could feel his lungs giving in. Jake grabbed her foot and carefully maneuvered the rope until she was free. His arm snaked around her waist. He ascended with her, to the surface.

His mouth opened and took in the oxygen his lungs, desperately needed. Jane's head rested on his shoulder. Her eyes shut. Harold took hold of Jane and lifted her out of the water. Jake pulled himself up and crawled towards Jane, who lay lifeless.

Jake acted quickly and pressed his lips on hers. He blew down her mouth. His hands pressed down on her chest. He repeated the action a few times until Jane coughed up water. Out of breath and shocked, he fell back on his tootsie. His fingers raked through his wet hair. Jane stared up at him. Their gaze met. She looked into his dark orbs with a sensation she thought she'd never feel again. He had awakened that dead emotion within her. "You're welcome." Jake said, smug. Jane grinned from ear to ear and chuckled. "Thank you." She said and pushed herself up. Jake was quick to assist her.

The other gawkers just stood there. "Are you okay?" Jake asked, concerned. With a pained expression on her face, she shook her head no. "My ankle hurts, and I'm very tired..." Her words got cut short. She found herself in Jake's arms. "Harold, I trust you to take care of whatever just happened here. I'm taking Jane to the hospital."

Harold nodded and watched as he walked off with Jane. Her head rested on his chest. Tiredness enveloped her. With droopy eyes, she looked up at him.

"Thanks again." She said with a soft smile before sleep enveloped her.

Jake smiled warmly at her sleeping form in his arms. "It takes a near death experience to get a thanks out of you." He smiled and carried her to his car.

**I've not been updating as frequently as I should. I apologize. I was busy with a really important project. Got the first half done, though. So let me know in the comments what your thoughts are.