Does Love Really Exist? {Sequel to Love Exists?}

Chapter 7

Rocco's POV

Jak: come over pls
Rocco: you okay? What's wrong?
Jak: me and Dylan broke up he was cheating on me
Rocco: I'll be over as soon as I can
Rocco: probably still a good 20mins tho

I quickly hurry out the door, pocketing me phone and jogging down the street. I don't have a car so I have to walk.
I arrive in 15 minutes, after sprinting the whole way.
The door is open and I find Jak lying on his back on the couch. His eyes are vacant and lifeless and his chest barely moves with his shallow breaths.
"Jak?" I murmur.
He doesn't seem to acknowledge my existence and I wonder if that's how I looked in high school more often than not.
"Jak?" I call again.
He sits up on his elbows and his sad blue eyes focus on me.
"Rocco?" He replies his voice low.
I walk over quickly and he instantly pulls me down onto the couch beside him, his arms wrapping tightly around my waist, tears welling up in his eyes making me immediately feel sympathetic.
"I fucking walked into the apartment and Dylan was cheating on me with some guy and I... I yelled at him and cried and he tried to apologize and I kicked him out and I just got home this morning and all of his stuff was gone. We're over and I know I don't want him back... I just... I wish we had broken up in an at least more civilized way. I just.... I loved him, Rocco. What did I do wrong? Was I just not good enough for him?" He whimpers.
"No! He obviously wasn't good enough for you. You're incredible, Jak and you deserve someone great. I promise you'll find that person someday." I protest.
"I think I already have," He whispers. He shrugs it off pretending he didn't say anything and lays down across the couch. He pulls me with him and pulls me into his arms.
"Would you mind if I sleep for a while? I don't want to be alone." He mumbles.
"No problem, Jak."
His arms wrap tightly around my waist, my back pressed up against his chest.
"I love you." He whispers and my eyes widen but just as I'm about to turn, and ask him about it, his breathing gets heavy and even and I know he's fallen asleep.
Wow.

Jak's POV

I wake up and my body instantly wants to cry again.
This is no longer me and Dylan's apartment, it's just mine. I'm going to be living alone now. That's absolutely terrifying. Dylan was the one with the job, I focused more on school so I didn't have time for a job, guess I have to start applying now.
Hopefully Mom will help pay for rent a bit more over the next few months while I figure my life out. What am I supposed to do now? I honestly thought that me and Dylan would last a long time, maybe not forever but years. I thought we would last years. But here I am, completely abandoned by him.
Rocco stirs and my arms instantly tighten around him. This feels more right than sleeping with Dylan ever did.
Rocco yawns and stirs again, rolling over and pushing his face into my shirt like a kitten would, making me awe.
"Morning." He murmurs.
"Technically no. It's... it's 3pm." I say and he sits up, stretching.
"I've got to get going, Jak. I have a job in my apartment building. I gotta go if I'm going to make it on time." He says.
"You have another job?" I ask.
"Yeah. I have 2 now. I got a second one a few days ago from my apartment manager." He shrugs.
"Oh. I don't know how many times I'll say this to you, im sorry. Im so sorry for everything. If things had worked out, you would have a nicer apartment, a single job, I wouldn't have to worry about applying for jobs... I don't know. I feel so guilty all the time. I'm sorry," I mumble.
Rocco tilts his head confused and then a smile fills up his face.
"Stop apologizing, Jak. I forgave you so long ago. It's okay. Stop worrying," He says rolling his eyes.
"Can you stay? Please." I pout.
He sighs and nods, "I suppose I don't Technically need to go. I can just do it tomorrow."
I fall silent, not sure how to respond to him. Thoughts are racing through my mind and I don't know what to say to him.
I love him. I still love him like crazy. But I don't know how he feels about me. I don't even know if he wants me back in his life. I know we should have some long conversation about where we stand and what we're going to do but I don't want to end this. I don't want to know what he's thinking. I don't want to know where we stand. I just want to kiss him.
I just want this to be new. A new start between us. Just for us to pretend we have no history and just be together without this heavy, crushing silence between us. Without this need to talk but having nothing to say.
"Jak..." He mumbles his eyes staring into mine, "Jak, listen. We need to talk about some things."
"Wait... Shh." I hold my finger up to my lips and count to three in my head before letting my hand fall in between us.
"Jak-"
I stop him again by this time, putting my finger to his lips instead. He looks confused but curious as well.
"Please stop talking. I'm trying to hold myself together here and you keep trying to ruin it by talking. I know we have to, just not right now. Right now I just want to be me and you back when we first started dating. Just shh."
His face falls into a cute little smile and his eyes look bright.
"Okay. Does that mean I can..." He trails off and carefully places his hand over mine which is in between us on the couch. I turn it palm up and lace our fingers together.
"Wanna watch a movie?" I suggest not wanting things to get awkward. He nods and grabs the remote off the coffee table.
We end up watching the little mermaid, which is on tv during a Disney movie marathon. I can't help but awe at him. He's so cute deciding to pick an old Disney movie. God, he's adorable.
He leans into me as the movie starts and I wrap my arms around his middle and resting my head on top of his. He hums quietly to the song that Ariel starts to sing and my smile widens. He's too cute for me to handle. Dylan was too stony and serious all the time. He would never just cuddle and watch animated movies with me. He was always too busy with work and school and apparently hooking up with Diego. He was only really home from around 6pm until early the next morning. He'd wake up way before I normally would, kiss my forehead and I wouldn't see him for another 12 hours. When he got home, he'd kiss my cheek, we'd eat dinner at the table, he'd say he was swamped and go up to our bedroom to do homework and I'd be alone to watch a movie or something. It annoyed me a lot but the one time I voiced my opinion to Dylan, we got into a big fight so I never brought it up again.
Rocco looks up at me with his beautiful deep brown eyes and smiles.
"This is my favourite part!" he squeals. I focus my attention on the screen and we've already made it to the part where Ariel and Eric are in the boat and he's supposed to kiss her.
This is all I've ever really wanted in my life. More than anything I wanted to be able to snuggle up close to somebody warm and watch kid movies and sing along to the old songs that somehow we'd still remember the words to. All I've ever wanted is something permanent. Something worthwhile.
Something that wouldn't just go.
And that is really just Rocco.
No matter how many times I've let him slip from my fingers, no matter how many times I've hurt him, no matter how long we've been apart, he's still here. He's still right here in my arms, where he's meant to be.
Everything about him is all I've ever wanted in my life. Even the simple things like how he smells like the laundry, caramel, and strawberry. The way he feels in my arms is like when you're in an airplane way up high and you can see all the city lights and the sun is setting over a sleeping city. Like when you've gotten home from a long day and you climb into bed with hot chocolate and Netflix. Like when you're walking through a forest and it's foreign but everything feels comforting like the woods will protect you from reality. Like when you listen to your favourite song and you dance around to the melody and you sing at the top of your lungs despite not being good at it. Like when you hug your mom after not seeing her for months. Like basking in the sunlight for the first time after a long winter. Like happiness and calmness and safety. Like a little safe bubble away from the rest of the world.
That's what Rocco feels like.
And I swear, I'll never let him slip away from me again.
He tilts his head up to me.
"You're not even watching the movie," he teases, giggling softly.
I can't help myself.
I press my lips into his.
I kiss him.
I kiss him with such passion and desire. Not for anything more, just for his lips to stay.
He kisses back suddenly, wrapping his arms around my neck and smiling into it.
I pull away, not wanting it to go farther. But I can't stop myself from pecking his lips once more.
"God, I missed you," I breathe. Tears are filling my eyes but I know they won't drop. I'm just overjoyed I got to kiss him at least one more time.
"I missed you too," He murmurs. He kisses me quickly and his hand finds mine, linking our fingers again and holding my hand tightly as though scared I'll leave.
"I still love you," I whisper.
"I love you too," he says and his eyes are bright with joy and happiness just like they were after the first month we started dating.
"What does this mean for us?" I ask nervously.
"Let's Not think about that yet. We can figure it out later," he mumbles and I nod kissing him once more just in case it'll be our last.
And everything feels okay. Everything always feels okay when I'm around Rocco.
Everything's okay.
Rocco still loves me.
And that's all that matters.

This is kind of like a remake of the first chapter where they said they loved each other except now it's like a year later, kind of thing. Also the first book, in this 'series' is almost at 10k, thanks for that🎉💕
Have a nice day❤️
-Ellie