ONE WEEK EARLIER

It’s freezing outside even in my three layers of clothes and my body wrapped up in Jake’s arms. He always seems to keep me warm but with it only about 10 degrees outside I don’t think it was doing t he trick. I get up off of his lap and pick up some snow, taunting him. “Jess, I’m warning you! If you throw that snowball, you will regret it,” he says while he is laughing. I throw the snowball and it hits him in the cheek. I take off towards the backyard fast as I can. Jake would be after me in seconds and I didn’t feel like being tackled into the freezing snow at the second.

All of a sudden, I can hear a loud noise behind me and I knew he had caught up. Seconds later I’m on the ground on top of Jake laughing so hard I can feel my stomach start to ache. He brings out the sweeter, more fun side of me. “I love you,” I say while still breathing hard from the enormous amount of laughing I just did. He squeezes me tighter against his warm body and then crushes his lips against mine. I close my eyes, knowing I love him with all my heart and nothing will ever change that. He is the only boy that I’ve ever felt so passionately for. There’s no contest.

He starts to pull away but I wish he hadn’t. I could kiss him all day long. “You know I love you too, but I have a basketball game in two hours. I’m soaking wet and laying in my backyard with you, which I love, but I better be getting ready to head over to the gym.” I knew it was getting close to 6 but I hadn’t wanted to think about it. I just let time fly when I’m with him.
“Alright. Guess I can forgive you!” I joke with him and start to get up. I grab his hand while he is still on the ground. I try to pull him up but even with all my strength there is no I could lift his 180 pound body of pure muscle. No way at all. He smiles as he sees what I’m trying to do and then pretends to have me pull him up when really he did all the work. That’s why I love him. He loves me back.
I kiss him on the cheek and get into my car to go home. I have to get ready for the game tonight too. As I wave goodbye, I watch him go inside.

“I thought you did a great job tonight. It doesn’t matter if you won,” I try to convince him to no avail. Jake hates loosing and I hate his mood afterwards. I just wish sometimes he didn’t care so much.
“Thanks, hun. But I don’t think so.” I look at him with my sad face as soon as he gets the words out of his mouth. “Okay we can talk about something else! What do you want to do tonight? We have until midnight, right?” He smiles a little bit while looking over at me from the driver’s seat of his beaten up ford.
“Yep. Till midnight. What about a movie?” I ask hoping he will agree. I just don’t have very much energy right now. I feel kinda sick actually. I probably caught a cold from earlier today and I almost start to chuckle just thinking about it.
“Nah, let’s do something else! Ice skating? Bowling?” I can tell he really wants to hang out and I want to too. But I am feeling sicker by the second.
“Jake I think I am just gonna head home. I’m not feeling too good and it’s been a long day. Can you drive me home?” I ask.
“Yeah, sure. Too bad but I want you to feel better.” He pats his chest and I lay my head down on it. This is my favorite, because it always makes me feel better. It has magic healing powers we always joke. After Jake drops me off at home I go straight to bed. I am dead tired.

“Hey man. Do you want to head to the theatre? Jess is sick and looks like your gal is out of town for the weekend. Come on!” I say to Alex knowing he will be totally in. He had been dating Erica for months but he didn’t actually care for her. I knew it but could care less.
“Yah totally! Be there in 5.” He hangs up and I turn left toward the town movie theatre. I don’t know what we are planning to do there but knew we were girl less tonight. I walk into the theatre and immediately I spot a few younger girls, probably sophomores, from our school. I didn’t know them though. I knew I had some fun in store for tonight. I walk on over to the girls and introduce myself. By the looks on their faces they aren’t exactly used to having guys like me talk to them but I had no idea why. They were both definitely good looking and had nice bodies.
“Hey Jake,” I hear Alex call my name so I turn around quickly. I motion him over and I can see a grin start to spread across his face. He was totally thinking the same thing as me.
“Ladies, this is Alex, my best bud.” I introduce him. I look at the brunette and ask if she’d like to see a movie with me. Of course she says yes and so I take her into the theatre leaving Alex with the blonde. Score for both of us.
I barely watch any of the movie because I spend the entire time making out with this girl. I don’t even remember her name right now but who gives a crap right? BEST NIGHT EVER.

RING! RIIIINNNGGGG! I can hear my cell going off somewhere inside of my room, waking me up. I get out of bed suddenly feeling all the blood rush to my head. I grab my phone which I finally find underneath a pair of jeans and answer it. “Hello?”
“Jess, is that you?” I hear one of my good friends Hannah say. “Yep! It is. Who else would it be?”
“Well I don’t know. I just needed to talk to you. I thought you would want to know that while I was at a movie last night I saw Jake, “ She says this fast but I can make it out.
“Okay? Is it a crime for him to see a movie without me?”
“No but Jess….he was with a brunette making out the entire time. I saw the whole thing. Then they left together.” I can hear her take a deep breath, probably relieved she finally told me.
“Oh.” That’s all I could manage. I hung up the phone because I couldn’t even function normally enough to have a conversation right now. There is no way Jake would do something like this! I mean I was just with him last night. No possible way. Just then my hand vibrates and I look down to see it’s my phone. ‘Txt from Jake<3’. I click open and read the message “Morning Jessie! I hope you are feeling better. When you are, call me. I miss you and love you. –Jake.” How can he even say something like that after what I just heard from Hannah? He was with another girl last night and he’s acting like nothing happened! Nothing!
I tell myself to calm down because it’s possible that Hannah just mistook Jake for someone else. There are so many people in this town that it’s very possible! But Jake is one of a kind you couldn’t just mix him up with someone else. I guess it was really too good to be true with Jake.

I am laying on my bed wondering why Jessie still hasn’t responded to my text. Maybe she is still asleep but it is lunch time by now? I have this pit in my stomach that she found out about last night but there is no way. I saw no one else from school so that’s out of the question right? Now I’m really freaking out so I decide to call Jessie and see if she picks up.
“Jess?”
“Yes?”
“Can we talk?”
“No. I have to go.”
“Wait please don’t hang up.”
“Why shouldn’t I Jake? Give me one good reason.”
“I love you. Jess who told you? Because last night was a total mistake. I wasn’t myself and I’m really sorry. I never meant to hurt you”
“Really? I don’t think that makes it any better. Bye” She hangs up and all I hear is silence. I probably just lost my best friend and girlfriend all because I just wanted to blow off some steam.

I collapse onto my bed, breaking out in tears. Last night I went to bed in love and now I’m questioning it all. Was it all just a game to him? Is this the first time he cheated on me? I wanted to know so badly but I definitely wasn’t going to ask him. I fall asleep crying and decide I don’t ever want to wake up.

BEEEEP. BEEEEP. “Uggggg.” My alarm clock is going off and hit the snooze button wishing I didn’t have to get out of bed to go to school today. I would have to face Jessie and with the conversation we had earlier, that won’t be pretty.
I take a quick shower, get dressed and grab a bagel. I am out the door in 10 minutes and jump into my truck. I slide by Alex’s house and pick him up.
“Morning. Dude, you look like you got no sleep last night. Are you okay?” Alex asks with a semi-concerned look on his face. I didn’t know he actually cared about me.
“Um, well not really. Jessie found out about Saturday night at the theatre. Don’t ask me how but she definitely knows. I think were over.” I try to sound cool about it but I’m honestly freaking out inside. Alex probably won’t understand though.
“Oh, she found out? It will be fine! Do you know how many girls would kill to be dating you right now?” He smiled trying to cheer me up but it’s failing. I don’t want any other girl besides my Jessie. We pull into the school and I decide to just ignore Alex. He is a player and I don’t need to be taking his advice.

My first period class used to be my least favorite class but today I love it. I have most of the senior guys in my home room and they always are talking to me. Today I decided to take advantage of it. The entire class period, I flirted right back with them. Even though technically I still have a boyfriend, I felt free from the jerk. I was totally trying to convince myself I was better without him. It wasn’t working yet but I had to at least look like I had moved on.
“Hey Jessie. I heard you and Jake broke up.” Spencer Defoe, the very good looking captain of the football team, said to me.
I turned around, stunned that this guy just said this to me. “Yeah we did,” I lied. “Why?”
“Well, if you’re not busy tonight I was wondering if you’d like to go bowling with me and some other friends?” He blushes and can immediately tell he has liked me for a while now. The things you miss with a boyfriend.
“Yeah! I’d love to. What time will you pick me up?”
“Is seven good? I will have you home by 11.”
“Yep. See you then,” I flash him my signature smile. As I walk towards my second period class, I know that I don’t like Spencer at all. But this is a great way to show Jake what he’s missing and tell everyone else that I am totally moved on. Plus, bowling with one of the hottest guys in our school doesn’t bother me much either.

My day goes by in a blur, ignoring mostly everyone including the teachers. I feel like just running up to Jessie and declaring my love and sorrow to her. But the year is 2011 and high school seniors do not do that. They are supposed to be players and not keep a girlfriend longer than 2 weeks, let alone beg for one back. So I go the long way to most of my classes to keep my path far from Jessie’s.
It is 8th period by now and my day has been crap. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, I see Alex running up to me.
“Dude, Jessie and Spencer are going on a date tonight!!!! They are going bowling. See I told you she would move on. Now it’s you turn.” I look up at him but can’t even bear to respond. I thought Jessie would be crushed and at least take a few weeks to get over me. Guess not.

“Thanks again for everything tonight. I had a lot of fun,” I tell Spencer while getting out of his car. I am lying right to his face and I don’t even feel bad. Something must be totally wrong with me!
“Oh don’t mention it. I had fun too. See you tomorrow.” He says and I can tell he wants a kiss so I decide to make a break for it inside. I wave then walk straight to the front door. Not that I wouldn’t want to kiss Spencer but I’m still in love with Jake on the inside.

Rest of my week sucks. I don’t pay attention to anything.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... life sucks right now.

Rest of my week was miserable. I can’t stop thinking about Jake but decide that the next time I see him that I end it for good. There’s no use just pretending that things will work out.

“Wait, Jess. Slow down. We can’t end this way!” He shouts as I start to run down the empty hallway in our now empty high school. They are all at home enjoying their first few minutes of Christmas Break while I’m stuck here. While trying to end it with Jake, I missed my ride home, since my car broke down. Not the best way to start break if I do say so myself.
Suddenly listening to Jake like this I decide to just stop running for a second. I turn around slowly scared of what’s going to happen but I know he deserves a chance to explain himself.
“Thanks for stopping.”He says out of breath. “Look just listen for a minute okay?” I nod and wait for him to start his speech.
“Jessie the other night when you went home sick after the game, I went to a movie with another girl. I know you found this out and you weren’t very happy about it. You have every right to be mad but just know that I didn’t ever mean what I did. I don’t even like that girl, she was a freak. I just wanted to blow off some steam after the game but it was wrong to do. Jess I love you more then you will ever guess. This whole week I have been miserable without you. You made me happy and a better person. Without you, I am not complete. I know you can never forgive me for what I did and I’m truly sorry for that. I just wanted to let you know how I felt.”
He starts to walk away and I can tell he doesn’t plan on turning around. He truly believes that we are over and for the first time the picture of that comes to my mind. I couldn’t live through one week without him so how am I planning on living the rest of my life without him? Not gonna work.
“Jake, wait. This wasn’t all your fault.” He turns around and walks towards me. Once he is close enough, I grab in hand in mine. “I went on a date with Spencer too. I’m sorry too. I love you so much and nothing can ever change that. Nothing.” He smiles.
“I love you too Jess. I love you too.”

I lift Jessie up in my arms and spin her around. I set her down carefully then give her a kiss. “What would I ever do without you?”
“I don’t know but I know I can’t survive without you.”
“It’s the same for me. And I want you to always remember that.” I get down on one knee and pull out something of my pocket.
“Jessie, I love you so much. Will you be my best friend and so much more?” I say while holding out my class ring. She is crying now and she nods her head. I don’t think any girl has ever looked so beautiful while crying. I place the ring on her finger knowing this won’t be the last time I do this with the love of my life, Jessie.