Riverton High School

~30~

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."

-Mahatm Gandhi

"Emily." Brooke sung spinning her blindfolded.

"Chill." Emily laughed holding her hands out.

"Why the hell am I  blindfolded Brooke." She sighed.

"Because love, I haven't done much for you in a while and I think this will top all gifts." 

She said, they stood in a bakery after closing that Brooke had rented out just for her. "You're going to love me forever for this.."  As she slowly loosened the black blindfold.

Standing in front of her was a tall Slim Boy with Brown clean cut hair he had a white wife beater on with the red button down thrown over it. Black jeans and black boots and nervous smile plastered on his face and raised eyebrows Emily stood stiffly with her mouth half-open she shook her head in disbelief,  like he was a hologram.

"Jake?" she stepped closer to him.

He laughed nervously, biting his lip. "Yeah it's me.."

She remembered he always bit his lip when he was nervous. He licked his pink lips subtly. "I -" She froze  standing stiffly. He approached her and a full hug. She hugs him back tightly releasing she turned sharply to Brooke. "How?" She asked.

"Don't ask me how I did it - I'll give you two a minute."  She nodded  leaving the shop. They sat in Emily's usual Booth by the window on one side.  She took a deep breath.

"It feels like forever since we've last seen each other." She said.
Emily nodded with a tear in her eye remembering how happy she was with him in the past.
"For sure how are you? What is New?"
Jake stared  intently.

Emily was so blown away she blinked rapidly and then realized he said something. "Huh oh nothing much I thought you moved away?"

"No I still live right around the corner." He nodded.

Emily was lost and his Crystal Clear Eyes her toes started to go numb then her vision started to blur with tears her nose got red, and she covered her face with her hand, falling silent.

"Emily.." He said sweetly and touched her hand his touch sent volts through her that felt like electricity through her spine she almost shivered she looked up slowly and whispered. "I missed you." She wiped her eyes hating the feeling of pure  vonerability which she hadn't felt in months.

Jake's present broke her down to the finest elements he always had that effect on her. She clenched, bracing herself for a total opposite response.  "Emily... I miss you too." He rubbed her hand soothingly.

"I miss us.." She said quietly as tears trickled down her cheek.

"I miss it just as much.." Jake cupped her hand, and she felt her body convert to gelatin.

"But you remember why we aren't together don't you?"

Emily's heart sunk.
Emily turned red she started feeling dizzy it was all pretty much her fault why they weren't together she never listen to him, and went against his wishes to party and smoke she ignored  his question and said.

"Did you find someone else?"

"No I haven't dated anyone." Jake squeezed her hand tighter this made Emily happy, but at the same time made her feel awful, considering she had messed around with a few guys in the past 6 months.

"Jake I want to be with you again.." She rubbed his hand.

"How do I know I can trust you to stay out of trouble I've been over this with you.."

You could tell Jake was in thought really trying to consider her feelings, but yet his own. Emily felt like a child trying to convince her mother to let her get the candy in the grocery store line with a particularly unyielding but convincible adult.

"Jake I know I messed up but please give me one more chance.."
Emily cried gripping his wrist she hated graveling but with him all sense of Pride went out the window.

"Jake we've been apart but I've never stopped loving you and I'll do anything for the man I love I'm sorry."

Emily's voice cracked into a full-on cry. She recalled how Faithfully devoted to her he was even through emotions from her father's early death. He stayed through all the tears, distressed Days, emotional screaming he could handle every emotion possible making her calm by pressing his lips onto her forehead and like a switch she turned off falling into a calm. The thing he couldn't handle was her destructive party life and drug which he wanted no part of but patiently dealt with for almost a year.

"Please.." Emily sniffled hyperventilating, he came around to sit next to her in the booth.
Jake turned pushed her hair behind her ears kissing her cheeks, her neck and shoulders softly, holding her close.

"I'll give you one more chance." He breathed into her ear kissing It Softly. She whimpered and cried with emotion wrapping her arms around him tightly nuzzling his neck, he kissed her forehead several times.