Juliana Woodland and Nate Jacobs have been best friends for as long as they can remember.
They are now in their junior year and East Highland High School and things are starting to get complicated.
*Had this story up on my old account and it got del...
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It was Monday morning and Juliana and Nate were at her house getting ready for school. She had just gotten out of the shower and was brushing her teeth when something caught her eye in the foggy mirror.
There were three bruises starting to from where Nate had grabbed her during their fight: one on each wrist and one on her upper arm. They weren't super dark but they were definitely noticeable.
She could hear Nate out in her bedroom, probably getting dressed, so she quickly dug her concealer out of her makeup bag to cover up the marks, not wanting him to see them.
She didn't hear him come in the bathroom door behind her, wearing a black Adidas T-shirt and boxers. "Baby, have you seen my truck keys?"
She jumped slightly and dropped the concealer on the floor, but she knew he had already seen her applying it to her wrist. He picked it up off the floor and laid it on the counter, looking confused for a moment before understanding washed over his face.
"Fuck, Angel, is that from me?" He asked quietly, even though he knew it was.
He reached out to touch the bruise on one of her wrists and she flinched, turning away to keep putting makeup on it. "It's okay, it doesn't hurt or anything." She lied.
Nate wrapped his big arms around her from behind, burying his face in her hair.
"I'm so fucking sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I just didn't want you to leave me. I thought you were going to go out with Alex and I was so scared of losing you, I can't believe I did that to you." His voice cracked and she couldn't see his face but he sounded extremely upset.
She turned around to hug him, her face in his chest. "It's okay, I know you weren't trying to hurt me. But I would never want to go out with him or anyone else. It's always been you for me."
"I love you more than anything, and I swear to fucking god I will never do anything like that again." He held her tightly in his arms for a couple of minutes in silence before he leaned down and kissed her, running his hands over her body.
"I love you too," she mumbled against his lips, getting lost in his touch like she always did.
Once at school, Nate walked Juliana to her first class, both of them still enjoying the fact that they didn't have to hide their relationship since Juliana's drunk announcement at the Halloween party.
They kissed probably a bit too long considering they were my in the middle of the school hallway, before she finally had to pull away when the bell rang.
She walked in the classroom and found a desk beside Maddy and Cassie, who had been watching her and Nate outside the door.
"Stop flaunting your healthy, non-abusive, wonderful relationship. It's actually triggering." Maddy said as Juliana sat down.
"I thought things were going good with Travis?" Juliana asked, referring to the guy she had met at the Halloween party. She was quick to brush off the comment about her and Nate's relationship.
"They were until I went through his phone and saw he's texting other girls."
"You should've done it sooner. I've never not gone through someone's phone." Cassie giggled.
"Wow, what a dick." Juliana rolled her eyes.
Maddy shrugged. "Fuck him, I'm over it. You missed a fun night last weekend, you seriously need to come out with us next time."
"It was fun except when BB threw up right at the bar and got kicked out," Cassie added, shaking her head.
"Oh my god, why am I not surprised? Leave it to her." Juliana laughed. "I'll have to go out with you soon."
"Bitch you better, I know you're all domesticated and shit but you still need to have fun with your girls!" Maddy teased her, but Juliana knew she was partly serious, too.
"I know, I know. Next time you're going out I'll come, I promise."
"We'll hold you to that." Maddy smirked.
"How are you wearing a sweater today? I would literally pass out, it's so hot out and the AC never works in here." Cassie commented, her eyes running over Juliana's outfit.
She put on a cream coloured hoody and black flared leggings despite how warm it was outside; she wanted to be covered up in case the concealer she meticulously applied wore off.
"I think I might be getting a cold or something, I'm actually freezing today."
Their teacher started to speak and Juliana turned to face the front of the class like she was really interested in what they were saying and not just wanting to end their conversation about what she was wearing.
During the last class before lunch, Juliana was trying to focus while the teacher played a boring video when her phone lit up on her desk.
I have to meet with the team at lunch, see you after that? Love you Nate texted her.
Okay love you too 💕
She spent lunch with Maddy, Cassie and Lexie, only half listening to them talking about their weekend and complaining about all the school work they had coming up. She nodded along, only talking when necessary as she picked at her salad.
After the last period of the day, Nate met her outside her class and kissed her like they hadn't seen each other in a month.
"What was that for?" She questioned with a smile, looking up at him.
"Just because I love you and missed you."
They went back to her house, where they were planning on bunkering down for the night to study for their bio test the next day. Juliana was getting her laptop set up on her desk and trying to find her most recent notes in her binder.
Even though she was wearing a sweater and her bruises were covered, Nate couldn't stop looking at where he knew they were under her clothes. He knew he had hurt her, and the realization made him feel like the worst person in the world.
"Juliana?"
She looked up from the papers she was going through. "Yeah?"
He took a step forward, reaching out to take her hand. "I know I've hurt you," he began, his voice quivering slightly. "But I want to prove to you that I'm never going to do that again, and that I'm going to work on myself to be better for you. I want to give you something that shows you how much you mean to me."
Her eyes widened as he took a small velvet box from his pocket. The sight of it made her breath catch in her throat.
He opened it to reveal a delicate silver ring with a small, pale pink gleaming diamond. It was simple yet beautiful; he knew her taste so well. She absolutely loved it.
"Don't worry, it's not an engagement ring, that will be next. It's a promise ring. Will you accept this as a promise that from now on, I will always strive to be the best version of myself for you, and that I'll always be here for you? You're my forever."
Juliana stared at the ring, her eyes flicking from the sparkling gem to Nate's hopeful face. Her eyes searched his, looking for any hint of insincerity.
"Yes," she whispered. "Of course I will. I know you Nate, and I know what you did the other day wasn't you."
He took the ring out and showed her the back of it, where there were tiny letters engraved: N & J. She put her right hand out for him and he slipped it on her ring finger.
Nate felt a wave of relief wash over him as he pulled her into a tight embrace. He knew this wasn't the end of their problems, but it was a start. A chance to prove himself to her, and to show her that he would do whatever it took to keep their love that he had waited so long for.
