The public eye || Jake Gyllenhaal

1. Sand on my dress

*At the Oscars"

Two slow and gentle taps on my shoulder, I turn around in my down to the floor dress. My eyes meeting his.

"One of the best performances I have ever seen, I keep standing up and cheering after everyone had already sat down." He said so causally, like we knew each other.

My voice gets caught in my throat and I speak so quietly but quickly fixing it by swallowing hard.
"Thank you, I did my best"

I really had done my best, standing in front of well respected and rich actors singing a simple song, if I didn't do my best I would never ever forgive myself.

He notices my slight reserved look in my eyes "I just wanted to say that you did great and that you should be proud of yourself"

"Thank you...again and it's a bummer that you didn't win."
I say trying to keep the conversation up even though I felt like I just wanted to go home and lay in my bed doing absolute nothing.

I chuckled a bit
"Well they deserved it more"

I shrug
"I didn't watch either movie but you're my favorite actor after all so I kinda wanted you to win."

Jake full on laughs
"Your favorite actor?" He pause before continuing before adding in a more flirty tone "You might be my favorite musician, you know"

I shake my head
"I really doubt it, I'm not even my own favorite artist." I said truthfully but I made it sound more like a joke so I wouldn't sound "pick me" like.

He looks at me like he's studying me, figuring me out in a way that interests him.
"I was thinking about skipping the after party, are you going to it?"

I knew what he wanted me to say, he wanted a no I'm not going, do you want to spend alone time just me and you. Instead of sounding completely desperate I simply shake my head.

"Good, I know a place, magical and a slight private."
The words coming out of his lips so effortlessly.

"Just a slight?"

He didn't leave any breathing room for me before he responded.
"No paparazzi at least"

I nod "sounds like a walking dream" I chuckle slightly.

We get out of the venue at different times so it won't seem like we're leaving together. Neither of us wants to wake up to a bunch of articles written by people with no life that just wants 5 seconds of  fame/attention.

Getting into the same car in the backseat, my arm accidentally touching his. I move mine so it won't be an uncomfortable ride but he moves his leg closer to mine, letting his thigh down to his shoes touch me. I look over at him, studying his face and why he did that but he just keeps his gaze forward, not looking my way.

The whole ride consists of small talk and stupid jokes, all that weird, boring, interesting and nonsense that you learn about someone while getting to know them.

The car finally comes to a stop after about 30 whole minutes. Jake unbuckles his belt, letting his leg move away from mine.

"You should probably take off your heels for this"
He said looking directly into my eyes.

His gaze somehow makes it impossible for me to talk so I just nod, doing as he said and takes off my heels under my long dress.

We get out of the car and as I get to his side of the car, he turns his back to me and bends his knees.

"I know it's gonna sound stupid but trust me and jump onto my back" holding out his hands and arms right next to his back.

I chuckle, feeling a hint of regret of just agreeing on going with a stranger to a place I haven't been to before. But after all, he was Jake Gyllenhaal so I did an awkward little jump onto his back.

His hands go to holding my leg tightly and I wrap my arms around him.

"You're really something else you know that?"
I say as he starts to walk, doing some jumps sometimes, which I didn't know if he did them to be annoying, funny or because he wanted in some way impress me.

He laughs, "what? I'm completely normal"

I roll my eyes playfully, as he continued to walk through the very small forest like place before reaching a beach. But he doesn't drop me down on the beach but goes all the way over to the water.

"No, no Jake!!"
I laugh trying to get off but his grip is strong. He laughs himself. He reaches the water and tries to drop me down in the water but this time it's mine grip that strong. My legs being wrapped around his waist and my arms tightly wrapped around him.

He goes further out in the water when he realize that I won't let go. And at the end we're both fully in the water. I let go to him and swim to get out of the water but he pulls me back to him and I splash him in the face before trying to swim off again, laughing. But he's quick and he grabs my foot pulling me back. Pulling me into his chest with my back pressed against him as hold me there with one hand while the other splashes me in the face.

After a while of acting like kids in the water we get out and sits down completely drenched on the beach, sand sticking onto our clothes. My dress smelling like the ocean. My makeup looking messy, like I have been sleeping in full glam for 4 days in a row without removing it.

He reaches out to move a strand of wet hair out of your face, his fingers gently tracing along your skin. His eyes slowly gazing down your face all the way down to your lips. He parts his own lips like he's ready for a kiss.

I get nervous and manage to ruin the whole tension between us by saying, "my dress is really heavy and I don't want to catch a cold but sitting completely wet in the California cold weather."
It wasn't cold, I'm in California for damn sake I have been in colder places. But I just freaked out.

He laughs slightly
"Yeah it's freezing out here"

He said it in such a sarcastic jokingly manner that I actually laughed, bringing my hand up to my face embarrassed that I said that.

"We probably should head back anyways"
He said now a bit more seriously but keeping that causal and chill tone.

Like normally I just nod, he gets up and then helps me out. Carrying me back to the car just like he did before. The driver still in the front as we get into the backseat. This time the car is almost silent the whole way back to my apartment where he drops me off. He gets out of the car with me and gives me a hug before saying a quick goodbye as he watches me walk into my apartment complex.