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December 24, 20 years old
Aspen was in college, sitting in class near the window, listening to her English professor talking about their revised essays and what the next prompt would be. She looked out the window and saw someone zoom past. She shook her head, thinking that she was just seeing things because Jake was too early. She also forgot that no one else could see him and slightly panicked. She turned back to her professor and continued to pay attention once again. After a few minutes she heard a tap on the window. She turned her head slightly and saw Jake floating in front of the window, smiling at her. He waved and she gave him a look that said: "what are you doing here?"
The class was over and he realized everyone was packing their things and leaving so he pointed behind her. She turned and realized, getting up and putting her notebook in her bag. One of her friends in her class came up to her and said, "Hey, Aspen! When's your next class? I have an Anthropology class right now but we should definitely get lunch," He smiled at her. "Hi, Finn. My next class is in two hours but that's the last one for today, maybe we can?" Finn nodded, "Great, see you later."
Aspen walked out of the building and outside towards her car. Jake came around the building and started walking next to her. "Who was that?" He asked, feeling protective over her. "Just a classmate," she replied nonchalantly, not seeing any reason for it to be a big deal. Jake swallowed hard, trying to keep in his emotions, "It seems like he likes you." "What? No," Aspen shook her head in denial. Not many students were walking around the area where she was so thankfully no one thought she was a lunatic for talking to thin air. "Why are you here so early anyway?" She asked in confusion. "I just wanted to see you for more than five minutes."
"I missed you, you know?" She said as she unlocked her car. She opened the door and got inside. Jake was stood in front of her car window. "Aren't you getting in?" She asked. "Oh! Yes, right!", he hurriedly went around the car, opening the door. "So, how come you're not flying?" She asked, while backing out of the parking spot. "I can, but I chose to be a little more human."
"Human? You mean you're an alien or something?" She raised an eyebrow as she began driving. "No, not an alien, just immortal." He protested.
"I see. I know an immortal magical boy then huh?" She laughed. "I guess you do." He said, looking out the window, blushing.
They reached her house and she walked out, unlocking the door and stepping in. Jake looked around, taking everything in. "I knew you moved for college and I couldn't wait to see what you'd do with the apartment." Aspen walked into the kitchen and said, "Well, this is it.", raising her hands up and shrugging. He looked down the hall, decorations and photos hung on the walls. He looked around in bewilderment, taking everything in. He saw her Christmas tree in the living and sat on the couch, admiring it and every aspect of the room. Aspen walked in with two hot chocolates and sat down next to him. They talked about their year, what they did, and how their lives were in their worlds.
It had been two hours and Aspen's next class was soon. "I have a class soon, I'll be back in two hours. Just stay here." She said, grabbing her coat and keys. "I'll be here!" He said as the door closed.
He was left alone with two hours to kill. He started looking around her apartment. Looking through her cupboards to see what kind of snacks she had, at the decorations she had up, and the different photos she had scattered around her house. After he had seen everything, he was laying upside down on the coach, with his feet resting on the top and his head looking at the TV upside down. He had an hour to spare and wasn't sure what to do. He decided he'd do something nice for her and make cookies. He knew she loved macadamia nut cookies so he got out the needed ingredients, any he didn't have he materialized with magic. He wanted to actually make them instead of simply creating them with magic so he began to put cups of flour, eggs, and all other needed ingredients in bowls. By the end of it, the kitchen and himself were messes. He had flour in his hair and all over the kitchen counter, but at least the cookies came out alright. He started cleaning up and heard a key being turned in the door. Aspen had came back home and he was about to shout her name but he heard a male voice.
It was that Finn guy that wanted to have lunch with her before. She was laughing and said, "Hold on, Finn, I need to go put my things away." She walked passed the kitchen then stopped. She walked backwards and saw Jake, standing there still with flour in his hair, stunned. She walked closer, "What did you do? You look like a cake imploded on you!", she whisper shouted. "I was baking", he shrugged, "Cookie?" he offered. She couldn't help but smile seeing he had made her favorite. "Thank you, Jake. Finn's here though. I went to lunch with him but he insisted on coming back here."
He held back a frown, putting on a fake smile, "It's fine, not a big deal at all." She nodded and walked back towards the living room.
He kept hearing Finn and Aspen laughing and it only made him feel worse. He was sat on one of the bar stools in her kitchen, with his head in his hand, looking grumpy as ever. She periodically came in to check up on him but every time she came in, he said he was okay. Jake had started dozing off until he heard more commotion that usual.
"Thanks for coming, Finn." Aspen said as she walked Finn out of her apartment. "Thanks for having me, but you know, I have to ask. Why do you still believe in that Jake Frost guy? It's not like he's real." He laughed. Aspen gave a fake laugh, feeling tense. "I believe in him because he's always been there for me."
Jake had decided to walk outside and listen to this conversation, trying to keep his temper under control.
"Oh, come on Aspen! Why do you act so childish sometimes? Jake Frost isn't real, grow up." Finn said with a hostile tone. Jake's eyebrows immediately furrowed and his blood boiled. No one talked to Aspen like that. He got a snowball and threw it at the back of his head.
Finn turned around but no one was there. "I'm leaving. Even your neighborhood is weird."
Aspen had started to tear up and Jake was next to her with his arm around her. As Finn walked under a tree, Jake made a pile of snow from a branch fall on his head. Finn screamed in annoyance, kicking around like a child having a tantrum. "Screw you, Aspen Emerson!"
"No, screw you, Finn Halter!" She said, sticking up her middle finger as he got into his car.
She walked back inside her house with Jake. "That was terrible." She said, curling up on the couch. Jake came back with the plate of cookies and draped a blanket over her and himself. "I knew that guy was bad news." He said, shaking his head.
"You're the only guy I can count on, Jake." Aspen said, resting her head on his chest.
