Prove It.

rekindle {chapter eighteen}

"Nich, why won't you go? Please." Jack sighed, sitting down on the bed, next to Nichola. It had been almost a week since the incident, the two of them staying inside the entire time, locked in his room. Jack's parents had managed to tell hers, the contact between the two generations of Astherbe's growing stronger.

"Jack, I just.. I don't want to admit it to myself." She murmured, picking at the horribly done bubblegum pink nail polish-coated nails that Jack had tried to do late the night before.

Jack had brought up the challenge of Nichola needing help, maybe seeing a psychiatrist of some sort. Nichola thought differently on the matter, not feeling the need to (or not wanting to accept the fact) that she in fact probably needed someone.

"Why not? It'll help you, and you said you wanted to get better." He said, detaching the girl's hands from one another, and lacing his bony digits through hers. She looked down at their entwined hands, sighing quietly and closing her eyes briefly before looking up at the doe-eyed boy.

"But I have something I didn't have when I was in my worst state." She muttered.

"Nich still-"

"I have you. And I know you'll keep me safe even from myself. I know you'll make sure I eat every day and that my mind is cleared by the end of the day. I know you'll be with me forever, and I know that you know everything I just said." She said, playing with his thumbs, admiring how soft they were.

Jack couldn't respond, because he knew that he kept her strong, and that indeed all the things she had just blurted out were true. He knew he'd keep her sane and alive and breathing. She was his angel, she always would be.

Jack leaned against his wall, the girl slowly crawling into his lap, curling up with her head underneath his chin.

He kissed the top of her head, wrapping his arms gently around her. Nichola's hands fiddled with the silver locket, closing her eyes and adjusting her head to lean it on the front of Jack's shoulder.

"I love you." He muttered, closing his eyes, the both of them enjoying each other's presence.

"And I love you." She said softly, slowly drifting into a small slumber. "I always will."

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"Jack?" The girl asked, looking up at his tall stature as they walked down the lone street.

"Mm?" He hummed, swaying their entwined hands back and forth.

"You know the letters from you.." She muttered, adjusting her sunglasses perched upon her delicate button nose.

"Yeah? What about them?" He replied, squinting at the sun through his sunglasses.

"The point behind them.." She continued, being awkward and not knowing how to phrase her question. "I, uh, the last part you uh, always-"

"Proposed, yeah? And?" He smirked lightly, trying to restrain from grinning. He knew where she was going he was just waiting for her to go through with it.

"Did you uh, like, intend for uh like, you know, like.." She fumbled, blushing a cherry pink, making its way across her cheeks.

"Mmhm?" He smiled, his dimple intruding, causing her to blush even more.

"Like, Jack you know what the hell I'm talking about you little shit!" She cried dramatically, stomping her foot as if she were a five year old girl who wanted her candy, pouting furiously.

He laughed, his enjoyment only annoying the girl further.

"Did I intend to propose with you in hopes you'd become my forever as soon as possible?" He grinned, looking at the girl who was staring down at her feet, her delicate hand wrapped in his.

"Yeah.. Uh, that." She murmured, clearly embarrassed.

"Yep." He said, popping the 'p', turning his head as they passed a small pastry shop.

She stopped abruptly, him coming to a halt as their hands were connected at the palm.

"What?" She managed to choke out, her heart swelling at the gesture and her cheeks a heated blush.

He spun around, grabbing a flower from a flower cart behind them in the square, landing on his knee as he looked up at the brown haired girl.

"J-Jack, I.."

"Nichola Fae Astherbe, we've been together through thick and thin since we were little. We've shared so many memories together, some better than others. I need you as much as you need me, and you know that too. So will you, Nich, be my one and only forever? Will you marry me, for real?" He asked, one hand pushing his sunglasses off his eyes before quickly holding onto the unidentified flower.

"J-Jack." Was all she managed to force out, her ducts overflowing with happy tears, her heart beating a mile a minute.

"Yes." She cried, pulling the boy into her fragile arms, him still on one knee. She held onto him for dear life, fearing this was just a dream among her faint nightmares. Choked sobs enveloped her lips, her head digging into his neck.

He grinned like a rich man, holding onto her lovingly, his cheeks hurting from smiling so much when the crowds surrounding them started clapping for the young couple.

He stood up with her arms wrapped around his neck and legs around his waist as she cried and smiled, he turned around to the slightly overweight and old man selling the flowers. He went to give it back when he said 'keep it man.' winking at the young lad, smiling at the romance.

His arms wrapped around her waist, holding her up as he walked them home, neither being able to stop smiling.

"I love you so much." She mumbled into his neck, kissing lightly below his ear.

"And I love you. Forever and always, Nich." He murmured back to her, smiling hugely as the two murmured cute nothings to each other, admiring their love for each other.

This is what they were waiting for, the life they both wanted.

And that was what they got.

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a/n: this is NOT the end of the like book, but this is where story hypothetically ends. there's still more idk

i love you all a lot and i will try to update when i can ((sorry about that btw)).

please vote for this story because it doesnt take forever and i take a lot of my time to write these and it feels like you guys dont really care anymore but yeah. i still love you guys immensely. :-)

zoe xox :-)