Hello lovely readers! I know it's been a while since I updated this fanfiction. I'm still not quite sure how much more I'm going to be updating this particular story, but we'll see how it goes. I wrote this kind of quickly so I apologize if it's not up to snuff. Review, favorite and follow! I love getting those emails, they keep me motivated to keep updating! Thank you so much to those who already have, it means the world.

Happy reading!

Jess

After they're all situated, Jake situates himself beside Emma who's figuring out how to use the internet more fully.

Jake swivels himself in the chair, grabbing on to the desk to stop the spinning as he wheels himself closer to Emma.

"So, what do you think love?" Jake asks, his hand gently covering hers.

"It was confusing at first, but it's extraordinary, Jake." Emma responds, turning to him with a brilliant smile. "Truly."

"Just like you," Jake whispers, bringing her hand to his lips where he presses a soft kiss.

Emma simply shakes her head and lightly kisses him before turning her attention back to the computer.

Hours later, Jake and Emma are surrounded by books as they sit on one of the soft couches in the reading lounge. The other peculiars are scattered around reading books on various genres and Miss Peregrine is reading up on history after World War 2.

"So what are we going to be studying in our classes this year?" Emma asks Jake, looking up from her book.

Jake tilts his head back and looks at the ceiling, attempting to recall the class schedule. "If I'm not mistaken, world history and English literature are going to be the major courses of study considering I've already completed all of my science and mathematics requirements and as far as everyone else knows, so have you."

"Thank bird," Emma says, holding her hands up with a smile.

"I believe we're taking a theatre course that coincides with the English literature course and the rest are mainly electives, a few art courses, one music course, a few business courses, and I'm taking one automotive course which will be the only time I won't be with you, but you'll have Olive and Enoch."

(Author's Note: I forgot to mention those two in the previous chapter so I'm putting them in now.)

Emma nods to herself. "As long as I'm with you for the rest of the time, I know it won't be too bad."

"I won't let it be," Jake says, kissing her temple before returning his attention back to the book in his lap.

Three weeks later, Jake, Emma, Olive, and Enoch arrive at the high school. Olive and Enoch make their way to their assigned lockers as they had already toured the high school a week prior. Jake's hand intertwines with Emma's as they walk down the hall.

He reluctantly drops her off at her locker before heading to his own. Emma meets him halfway, taking his hand in hers as they head to their first class: English literature.

"Mr. Portman, how delightful to have you back." Miss Blakely greets him with a warm smile. Jake nods his greeting before choosing a table. Emma sits beside him, her hand still intertwined with his.

"And you must be Miss Bloom, correct?" Miss Blakely asks, coming up to their table.

Emma looks up. "Yes, it's wonderful to meet you."

"Manners, how wonderfully unexpected." Miss Blakely says, patting Emma's shoulder. "It's so refreshing to see young people with manners like you and Mr. Portman here."

"Hey Blakely," some students greet her as they make their way to their own tables.

Miss Blakely smiles at them and greets them before making her way to the front of the class where she waits for the bell to ring before starting.

"So, how many of you have had the chance to read some of the novels on this list?" Miss Blakely asks, gesturing to the list on the syllabus.

Emma and Jake raise their hands. Living in a loop left a lot of time to read so Emma had read a majority of the titles and Jake was an avid reader who appreciated the classics. A couple others raised their hands as well.

"Excellent," Miss Blakely claps. "This is going to be an exciting semester."

Later on, Emma and Jake are in the middle of an art class. The teacher, Mrs. Jameson, had asked them each to decide on a project that would best highlight their artistic talents.

Emma, who was a gifted painter, though hadn't painted in a while was in the midst of painting the old house they'd had in Cairnholm. The teacher observed her delicate brush strokes and attention to detail and was a bit impressed. She also noted Jake's sketching. Jake was more of a drawer than a painter, but he definitely had a talent for it. She smiled to herself when she discovered that the source of inspiration behind Jake's portrait was the blonde beauty beside him.

"Alright class, we'll be working on these tomorrow as well. I've seen quite a few excellent examples thus far and I truly look forward to seeing the end products."

As Jake and Emma placed their work in the specified storage area, Emma blushed when she saw that he had sketched her, a portrait of her wearing the same dress she had been when he brought them on their first date.

"It's a lovely drawing," Emma says as they walk towards their lockers.

"Based on an even lovelier woman," Jake responds, kissing her lightly before walking to his own locker.

Just as Jake turns to walk back toward Emma, someone walks into his path, effectively halting his movements. He looks down annoyed to see Josie Bates, a petite brunette with a pixie style haircut.

"Can I help you?" Jake asks, sliding his arms through the straps of his backpack, his eyes meeting Emma's above Josie's, sending the message that he'd be a minute. She starts to walk towards them, but slowly. A smile plays at the edges of his lips at the sight of his love.

"Yeah," Josie said, moving some short strands of hair away from her eyes. "So, I saw you on the beach this summer, you've grown."

"Okay," Jake says, wanting her to get to the point already.

"And I was thinking that maybe you and I could go out sometime?"

Jake can't help but let a small chuckle escape his lips at the thought of this woman even trying to compete with Emma.

"I'm going to decline, and if you saw me on the beach this summer, you probably saw my girlfriend with me, and that leads me to wonder why you're asking."

"I didn't know if you two were still a thing." Josie answers with what was intended to be an alluring smile.

Jake rolls his eyes and looks over Josie's shoulder to look at Emma, his talisman.

"We definitely are, and let me make this one thing clear, that's not going to change."

Josie eyes him speculatively. "Are you sure?"

"I'm absolutely certain," Jake responds resolutely. He then moves around her and wraps an arm snugly around Emma's waist as he kisses her cheek, sending a clear message to all around that the two were a definite couple.