Too Young For Promises continued (Jake x Reader)

Two hours after the wedding that joined your childhood crush and his fiancé in marriage, you were standing near the punch table at the small wedding reception that was being held to celebrate.

A slow song was playing, and you gripped a punch glass in your hand as you watched Dirk and Roxy Strider slow dance across the small wooden space on the floor that served as a place to dance.

Taking a sip of the punch in your hand, you tried to settle the emotions racing through your mind. You were upset, of course, but you sure as hell weren't going to let anyone know that. Dirk seemed so happy to be with Roxy and you didn't want to spoil his good mood just because you were a selfish, lovesick girl. You just didn't understand why Dirk couldn't be happy with you.

Sighing, you finished off the last of your punch to keep your emotions from showing. The reception was going to end soon, and the happy new couple would go home and continue celebrating through the night, while you would most likely end up in a bar, drinking away your sorrow. Even though you had only had alcohol once in your entire life, you decided that tonight would call for as much drinking as your body could handle.

You looked down to your watch and frowned when you saw it was almost ten o' clock. Why they had their wedding so late, you have no idea. But looking back up you saw people congratulating Dirk and Roxy, then leaving. Relieved, you decided to get the hell out of dodge before you cried or did something equally stupid to convey your pain and disappointment.

Walking toward the door, you stopped to say a quick "Congratulations." to the Striders, plastering a smile on your face. Unfortunately, Dirk wouldn't let you go without a friendly hug, so you had to return it just as warmly.

After saying goodbye, you made your way out the door into the cool night air, crossing the parking lot to your car.

'Maybe I should just go home and slit my own wrists. Not like anyone would care anyways.'

You frowned at the sudden, mostly uninvited thought. It would be stupid to kill yourself because of one guy, even if you had known him forever and he was your best friend and you had fallen head over heels for him and he had promised you would get married…

Suddenly, the thought wasn't so uninvited. Maybe it would be nice. You could end your pain quickly and save yourself from suffering for the rest of your life. 'Yeah,' you thought to yourself, 'I just might do that. I've got a couple of razors in the bathroom cabinet. It would be so easy to just-' "[Name]!"

Your dark thoughts were cut off by someone from behind you calling your name. Turning, you were met with the slightly worried face of the one and only Jake English, who was the only person who comforted you after Dirk proposed to Roxy.

"Yeah Jake?" You asked, inwardly cursing your luck. If Jake remembered what you had told him about your feelings towards Dirk, he would probably think you were going to do something stupid once you got home. 'Oh wait,' you reminded yourself, 'I was going to do something stupid when I got home.'

"Are you alright?" Jake asked, slightly out of breath from running across the parking lot to where you were standing. Damn it. He remembers.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" You lied, wishing Jake would just leave you alone.

"Well, I mean, what with Dirk getting married and all, I just thought I should check on you." He said, frowning at your cheery behavior.

"Thanks, but I'm really fine." You said, turning to go back to your car. You were stopped by a hand gently grabbing your shoulder.

"[Name], I know you're lying." Jake said with a disappointed sigh.

Looking back at him, you opened your mouth to tell him that he was wrong, but no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't force the lie to pass your lips. Instead, you let out a quiet sob as your bottom lip trembled.

Jake pulled you into a hug and kissed the top of your head. "Hey, it's okay. I'm sorry." He mumbled as you sniffled, trying to keep from crying.

You bit your lip as a tear slipped out of your eye and onto Jake's white dress shirt. Jake pulled away and held you at arms length, a gentle smile on his face.

"How about we go back to my place and watch a movie? Maybe we could bake a cake! Or dance!" He suggested in an attempt to brighten your mood. Surprisingly, it worked. You nodded and gave him a small smile.

You were about to ask Jake what you were going to do about the whole driving issue, when he told you that he had car pooled with a friend and had intended on taking a taxi home. You were glad that you wouldn't have to leave your car in this parking lot for the night. Pulling your keys out of your purse, you were about to climb in the driver's side when Jake stopped you and held out his hand for your keys. You hesitated, unsure if you should leave your [insert favorite car here] in the hands of someone else, but you finally gave in and placed the keys in his awaiting palm.

Jake grinned as you climbed into the passenger seat, where you had never actually sat before. "You better be a good driver." You told your raven haired friend as he climbed into the driver's seat.

"Don't worry," He laughed, "She's in good hands."

You weren't sure if you were relieved or not, but you quickly calmed down when you realized that Jake was a rather skilled driver and that your baby wouldn't be meeting an untimely end with him behind the wheel.

Relaxing back into your seat, you looked out the window at the dark sky and the bright lights of the city.

--twenty minutes later--

Jake parked the car on the gravel driveway of a small two-story house that you had been to quite a few times.

You opened the door of the car and stepped out, your black flats crunching on the tiny stones under your feet. Jake led you up the concrete walkway to the front of the house, unlocking the door and holding it open for you.

Walking inside, you hit the light switch that you knew was on the right side of the entryway.

Jake shut the door behind the two of you and pulled off his dress shoes, leaving them next to the door, an action that you repeated as you walked farther into the house with him.

"So, what first?" Jake asked, turning and grinning at you.

The two of you decided to bake a cake first, but you ended up making two. Jake had turned on the radio and you both danced to 'Staying Alive' and 'The Twist' as you mixed flour and poured batter. Some of that flour had ended up on your faces, but neither of you minded because you were having more fun than you had had since Dirk first told you he was going to propose to Roxy. All thoughts of the newlyweds escaped your mind when you were with Jake, and you liked that.

Once you had gotten both of the cakes out of the oven, Jake suggested that the two of you watch a movie. After searching through Jake's collection of movies, you picked out [insert favorite romance movie here]. After the first fifteen minutes or so of the movie, you muted it and asked Jake if he wanted to dance, to which he happily replied with a yes.

The two of you danced to a few fast paced songs, when [insert favorite slow song here] came on and you slowed down your dancing.

"Thank you for doing this for me Jake." You said, your head leaning against his shoulder.

"It's no problem. After all, it's my job to look after the woman I love." Jake replied softly.

You froze and looked up at him, your [e/c] eyes wide in shock. 'Did he just say what I think he said?' you thought to yourself.

"You, you love me?" You asked quietly, knowing fully well what he had said, but still wanting to be sure.

"Yes, [Name], I love you. I have since we first met." Jake confessed, his cheeks painted with a soft pink blush. He looked down, steeling himself for rejection.

"Jake, I think, I could at least try to love you too." You said, making Jake look up in surprise.

"Y-you could?" He asked, his green eyes sparkling with hope.

"Yeah, I could." You replied, leaning up to press your lips against Jake's, a kiss that he eagerly returned.

--seven years in the future--

After seven years of dating Jake, he has finally proposed to you.

The two of you have arranged to have the wedding as soon as possible, and you are sure that your life can't get any better than it already is.

You have the man of your dreams, and you have long since abandoned your feelings for Dirk.

You are perfectly happy, and thanks to Jake's actions all those years ago on the night of Dirk and Roxy's wedding, you are perfectly alive.



                                                                                                                                                                                        ~The End~