Story: To the Stars Pairing: Jacob Henley/Lauren Seville
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The first thing Jacob saw when he opened his eyes was the sunlight seeping through pink flower curtains that clearly didn't belong to him. He shifted in his bed and knew that something was not right. The pillow was too fluffy, the mattress too soft and the blanket was so short that his feet were poking out beneath it. The room smelt different too, like jasmines and something else he knew at heart but was still too drunk with sleep to recognize.
He definitely was not in his room.
Jacob shifted again as he closed his eyes once more, hoping to get a couple of minutes more sleep feeling oddly relaxed even though he knew he wasn't in the comfort of his apartment in Springfield.
He curled to his side and waited. Then he curled to another side and waited. He was going to fall asleep soon, he knew as he moved to lie on his back.
"Stop moving." A sleepy voice, groaned beside him and he cracked one eye open to look her. Lauren was rubbing her eyes, her eyebrows drawn together in irritation.
Ah, I'm in Westbrooke, Jacob thought as he settled. He took a plane last night to surprise his girlfriend, Lauren whom he hadn't seen in over a month due to him going to a university a thousand miles away from her. Mara, his best friend, said that girls appreciated gestures like this. He didn't understand why exactly. But it didn't matter because Lauren broke down in joyful tears when she saw him. Clearly, she appreciated his gesture very much.
He wanted her to be happy and if that means he has to spend a couple hundred bucks for a plane ticket every other week then we would be happy to do so.
"Sorry for waking you. Try to go back to sleep." He said as he turned to face her. She was facing him, already wide awake.
"I can't. You're here."
Jacob laughed at that. "Yes, I am."
Lauren moved closer and draped her arms over him, letting her head rest on his shoulder. "I wish all mornings are like this." She mused as she traced circles on the back of his hand. "I hate being away from you."
Jacob intertwined his fingers with hers and bought her knuckles to his lips to give it a light kiss. "I hate being away from you too." He did. He really did. He didn't know it was possible for him to miss someone the way that he missed her while he was in Springfield. She was always in his thoughts. He didn't tell her that of course but he felt it.
Lauren, on the other hand, was always telling him how much she wishes he was there with her. She was always crying, always sad and it was hard for him to see her that way. Sometimes even deliberately ignoring her phone calls just to spare himself from seeing her so torn up. He regretted that now and was willing to do whatever it takes to make it up to her.
"One day..." Jacob said. "When we're always together, you'll get sick of seeing my face and you'll wish to never see me again."
"That is never going to happen!" Lauren laughed as she playfully hit his chest.
Why does it matter? Jacob thought. All that matters is he was finally holding her in his arms after so long. Taking a deep breath, he tried to imprint everything about that morning in his memory; the way her hair smells, the softness of her skin and the warmth of her breath.
How his heart feels so full with happiness and content.
He does this so he has something to recall when it came time for him to leave again.
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