Chapter 8: Me and You
I'm in a great mood today. The sun is shining, it's warm and I'm gonna have myself a good lunch in about 15 minutes! I just figured out a trip I'm taking to see four days of concerts! Awesome! I'm so excited!
Anyway, back to what you care about, a Jake and Miley moment...but will it be interrupted?
"Hey, Miley." Jake said quietly as if not wanting to interrupt her peaceful moment.
"What are you doing out here, Jake?" She asked fingering a shell with her toe, and trying to ignore the nerves bubbling in her stomach.
"Just decided to take a walk," he sighed, "and there is nothing more relaxing than the waves." He stood next to her in the water and watched the waves break a couple feet from shore.
"It's beautiful out here." Miley said gazing out and watching the sun dance off the waves.
"It sure is, especially when nobody is out here. It just you, the ocean, the salty air, and the sand." He dug his toes into the sand.
"It's so peaceful." The setting sun casted arrays of reds and oranges against Miley's cheeks.
"Do you come out here a lot by yourself?" He asked curiously.
"I guess I do. A lot of times I sit on my deck with my guitar. You wouldn't believe how inspiring the ocean is." Miley was lost in thought.
"So you play the guitar?" Jake lifted an eyebrow at her.
"Yeah...sometimes...it's my dad's. He used to perform." She replied, mentally begging him to stop asking questions about music.
"That's cool. Are you any good?" He asked.
"I'm ok." She shrugged.
"I've never been good at anything musical. I think the only thing I'm decent at is basketball, and I have my acting moments. I'm also a wicked ping-pong player." He smiled, revealing his pearly white teeth.
"Wow, Jake Ryan, a ping-pong player. That's something I would have never guessed." She giggled quickly as her eyes met his.
"Yeah, well, there is a lot you don't know about me." He said quietly, bringing his gaze back to the blue-green water.
"I didn't really have the chance." Miley replied snidely. "You are the one who left, not me." She folded her arm across her chest and scowled.
They stood in silence for a few seconds, both lost in the beauty of the scenery, and their own emotions.
"Listen Miley, I don't know what's going on between us but I hate fighting and arguing with you. The only time we haven't argued was when we were actually giving each other a chance." He spat out quickly and nervously as he clenched his fists, waiting for her response.
She sucked in a deep breath. "I know Jake and I'm really sorry for acting like a total jerk. It just hurt when you never contacted me. I thought for sure I was just another girl." She sighed as he stood closer to her and grazed her hand gently.
"Miley, I'm so sorry I never got a hold of you I just thought you know, you hated me. I got scared. The one thing that I have realized is that some guy is definitely going to get lucky with you. I missed my chance because I was acting stupid. But you are surely not just some girl. And if you were my girl I would do so many things different." He swallowed hard.
"Jake, I have been going crazy these past couple weeks because I haven't talked to you. I thought I was over you but the truth is... that I'm not." She turned to face him, her cheeks burning a crimson color.
"You aren't?" He asked, his eyebrows smashed inwardly.
"No, I'm not." She replied quietly, looking away from his baby blues.
"Aren't you dating, Josh?" He wondered.
"We aren't dating. He asked me to hang out once that's all." Miley shrugged.
"Then why'd you say you were?" He asked confused.
"Well, I mean I didn't want to look like this girl just waiting around for you." She stated.
"There goes us with the whole jealousy thing again." He laughed. "But, do you like him?" A serious looked played across his face.
"He's nice, and I thought it would help me get over you, so I might as well give it a try since you've found somebody." Miley replied sadly, facing the setting sun.
"I guess." Jake hung his head in defeat. "Carly's a nice girl." He shrugged.
"Yeah, nice." She felt lump her throat.
Why wouldn't he just tell her he liked her too?
A tear fell from Miley's cheek and splashed in the water. She wiped it quickly but let a sniffle escape.
"Are you crying, Miley?" He grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.
"No." She sniffled.
"You are. What's wrong?" He wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
"It's just that…I like you Jake. I really like you and I don't want to be doing this if you are over me." She wiped her eyes.
"Do you think I'm over you?" He asked, gazing into her eyes.
She shrugged. "You haven't spoken to me in months, and you have Carly."
"I don't know how much longer its going to last." He whispered as his eyes bore into hers.
"You don't like her?" Miley scrunched her eyebrows inwardly.
"It's not that. She just doesn't see me how you do. She see's me as the star, you make me feel like a person. I can hold a real conversation with you and I know you will listen to me. You're real, Miley, and I haven't had that yet." Miley could see the seriousness behind his eyes and knew that he meant what he said.
Miley's tears turned into a huge smile.
"So you aren't over me either?" She grabbed his hands excitedly.
"It was going to take longer than months and a new girlfriend for me to get over you. I tried Miley, but I couldn't do it." A smile lit up on Jake's face.
She smiled as he bent forward and kissed her cheek.
"Gosh, I wish I could kiss you but I'll wait for you to break up with Carly first. Don't want to be more of a home wrecker than I already am." She joked.
"Carly, crap, I forgot about her. She's coming to meet me here at 7." He checked his watch in a slight panic.
"Are you going to do it tonight?" Miley asked with anticipation.
"He doesn't need to Stewart." She heard a girl's voice from behind them. "You boyfriend stealing jerk!"
Both Miley and Jake paused as their breath caught in their throats.
"Not good." Miley said looking to Jake for an answer.
"Carly." Jake said, finding himself between a rock and a hard place.
Hope you all enjoyed. I would give my left arm...and maybe a pinky toe to live on the beach...
Happy reading!
