Jake's POV
I lean against my locker as I wait for Emma to get out of her class. It's the end of the day and today Emma and I are walking home instead of taking the bus.
"Hey Jake" a feminine voice calls out to me. I look to the left and see Amy, a girl from my math class walking over to me.
"Oh hey Amy" I say before refocusing on the other side of the hall, where my girl will be coming from momentarily.
"I can't help but notice how buff you've become" Amy says seductively as she moves in front of me.
"Yeah I worked out a lot while I was in Cairnholm" I say warily.
"Well it definitely shows" she says as she begins to lean in.
"Amy stop, I have a girlfriend and she'll be here any minute" I say annoyed, gently pushing on her shoulders to get her away from me.
"Forget that stupid girl, you should be with me. Someone that can actually please you" she laughs as she begins leaning in.
"No I'm sorry but you need to stop right n-" I get cut off by Amy kissing me roughly. I stand there frozen for a few seconds before I realize what's happening, I roughly push her away from me and hear a loud sob from my left. I look to the side and see Emma in tears.
"Emma it isn't what it looks like" I try to explain horrified. She sobs loudly and turns around and runs away.
"Emma wait" I call out desperately while trying to follow her. Amy grabs my arm and I growl in frustration. I push her into the lockers and I see fear flash her eyes.
"Don't you ever fucking touch me again! Emma is my girlfriend and I love very very much. She is ten times the woman you could ever hope to be, and she isn't a slut like you" I growl out before running after my girl.
"Emma, baby please wait. Let me explain" I plead as I catch up to her.
"How could you?" she sobs out as she turns around and looks at me. I feel my heart break as I take in the pain and the tears in her eyes.
"Baby please listen to me. she kissed me,not the other way around. I would never ever do that to you" I say pleadingly as I take her hand in mine, placing it over my heart.
"I-I want to believe you, I-I just can't" she whimpers.
"Baby what can I do to fix this?" I ask her desperately.
"I-I need some time" she says brokenly. I quickly nod my head up and down understandingly.
"Of course! Take all the time you need love" I say understandingly. She whimpers and all I want to do is just hold her close and never let go.
"Can I hug you?" I ask her hopefully. Instead of giving me a verbal response she quickly moves towards me and buries her face into my chest. I wrap my arms around her and hold her close. I'll do anything to make things right.
It's been a week since the incident and I feel like I'm about to go stark raving mad. Emma has been extremely distant, which I understand considering our situation. But it's killing me because even though she still talks to me it's like her fire is gone, the light is gone from her eyes and when she speaks it with a depressed voice that I don't recognize. And instead of sleeping in my bed with her, I've exiled myself to the couch in the living room. Three days ago I came up with a plan and this morning the thing I needed arrived in the mail.
"Emma can I talk to you for a minute?" I ask her, stopping her right in the middle of the hallway, catching the attention of everyone around us.
"Now?" she says nervously.
"Yes now" I say firmly. Her eyes widen at my tone and I take a deep breath.
"Emma sweetheart I know this has been a horrible week for the both of us, and I know I promised to give you all the time you needed, but I can't stand the distance anymore. I need you to forgive me" I say pleadingly.
"Jake" she begins to say sadly.
"Emma please just give me the chance to make this right" I say pleadingly and she nods. I sigh in relief and take off my backpack. I put it on the floor in front of us and get on my knees. I unzip my bag and pull out the big jar, and a bottle of ice cold water.
"Jake what are th-" she begins to ask me confusedly as I open the jar, I take one of the peppers out and hold it up for her to see.
"These arebhut jolokias, also known as ghost peppers. They are one of the hottest peppers in the world. Barry Allen once ate one to get Linda Park to get her to agree to go on a date with him, and I am going to eat one to earn your forgiveness" I explain. Her eyes widen and she begins to try to talk me out of it.
"Jake no you don't have to-" she starts to say.
"Yes I do, I'll never forgive myself for letting that that girl kiss me. But I need your forgiveness just like I need air, and I don't want to get it without doing something to deserve it" I say, my voice breaking in the middle of the sentence.
"Special Ed don't do it" Ricky says from somewhere off to the side, but I don't take my eyes off of Emma. Before she can say anything I quickly eat the pepper up to the stem. I begin to chew and feel tears prick my eyes as a fire erupts in my mouth and throat. I ignore the burning and finish chewing the pepper, Emma looking down at me in shock. I cringe as I swallow the fire and quickly open my water bottle and take a large sip. I feel a tear slide down my cheek as I close the bottle and the jar.
"Jake?" Emma says quietly, putting her hand on my shoulder.
"I'm ok Emma" I gasp out, putting my bottle back in my bag and zipping it up. I put on my backpack and stand up, the jar in my hands.
"I forgive you" she says shocked, putting her hand on my cheek and wiping away a tear. I close my eyes and lean into her touch. I open my eyes and look down into her eyes, taking in the light that I've missed so much.
"C'mon lets go home" I say lovingly and she quickly agrees. I push the jar into Ricky's arms and wrap one of my arms around Emma's shoulders. She leans into me and I kiss her forehead.
"I love you" I say softly as we exit the school.
"I love you too, but why would you do that for me?" she asks me curiously.
"I can handle eating those dumb peppers, what I can't handle is losing you" I say quietly, looking down at her. She looks up at me with happy tears in her eyes. She opens her mouth to say something but gets cut off by a scream erupting from behind us.
"HOLY FUCK THAT BURNS!" Ricky shouts as he runs past us.
"Sounds like Ricky ate one of those peppers" I chuckle. Emma giggles and I feel my heart flutter at the sound.
"Just so you know, you're a thousand times hotter than any dumb pepper" I say lovingly. She blushes and I continue to lead her back to our home, where we belong together.