Part 2 of a two-parts Students AU. See part 1 under 'A Break in the Finals.'
"Guess who's coming to the party tonight!"
Jake enthusiastically sits down with his friends, joining them for a quiet lunchtime now that all of their exams are over and they finally are on winter holidays, ready to celebrate these events the same night.
"Well, us," Amy is the one who answers him; she doesn't quite understand his question and apparent and sudden excitation. "It's literally our holiday party."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. But I mean other than us," he insists.
This statement seems to startle almost all of the members of their little squad – except for Gina, who remains weirdly stoic, despite what the student just said.
Indeed, that party, thrown at her place, is supposed to be only them.
No one else than just them.
Rosa is the first to finally put into words what everyone thinks. "Wait, there's other people coming?"
"Not just other people, Rosa," Jake doesn't seem even a least taken aback by his friends' reaction, and simply goes on with his explanation, grinning widely as he announces, "Jenny Gildenhorn!"
He seems so happy about it. After all, the young woman was his very first love, and girlfriend. And he knows for a fact (not that he's been stalking her, not at all) that she's actually single for the first time in years. Which means he has all his chances to try and make up for lost times with her again tonight.
A Christmas Holiday party is always the perfect time.
"What? How?" Amy exclaims after a few seconds of complete silence, each student slowly processing the news thrown over at us, really not expecting this, of all things.
This night was supposed to be about them.
"The girl who broke your heart?!" Charles adds quickly after, defensive.
"Well, Gina and I were… doing some last minute shopping," the brunette explains himself – he actually praised the girl to help him find a gift for Charles, whose name he drew for their Secret Santa, after he forgot to do it earlier, "and we met her at the mall so we asked her if she wanted to join us, that's all."
"Seriously, Gina?!" Amy turns her attention to her other friend this time, visibly upset about something. "You didn't want me to bring Kylie but Jenny can come?! We don't even know her that much!"
"I do," Jake proudly interjects, but soon falls quiet when he meets the student's glaring eyes on him.
"Yes Gina," Charles supports Amy's words once more. "Why are you letting her come?!"
"Our moms are friends," Gina shrugs, still not a bit disturbed. "Plus I invited Kylie, finally. Half of the uni is coming anyway."
"WHAT?!" Terry is the one who takes the floor this time. "What happened to 'we want it to be private'?"
"Didn't feel like it anymore. Sorry."
She's not really, though. The redhead loves organising big parties.
The debate goes on for a few more minutes, anyone and everyone having something to add to the fire, especially regarding their Secret Santa and the fact that all this party was supposed to be about is to be able to exchange their gifts, but finally they manage to calm down and find an arrangement – they'll just have to take a moment in the middle of the night to offer their presents, that's all. Given the big amount of people expected to be there, their short absence wouldn't even be notice.
They all go back to happier conversations then, the incident soon forgotten.
One of them can't really stop thinking about it, though.
Indeed, as she looks at her purse, Jake's present carefully wrapped inside, Amy can't help but feel her heart tighten a bit inside her chest and be bumped about this change of plans. It'll ruin everything.
"Hey."
Amy's in the kitchen, filling herself another drink, when Jake joins her, two empty glasses in his hands.
"Hey," she answers with a small smile. "You need something?" she asks, pointing at the bottles in front of them – half of them have been consumed already, and it's not even midnight yet.
Which is kind of normal, given the number of people gathered in the venue Gina ended up renting for the occasion – they wouldn't have all fitted in her apartment otherwise. She didn't lie, when she said she invited half of their university to join them into celebrating the end of their fall semester exams.
(Some of those guys Amy has even never seen before.)
"Yes. I'll have two vodkas, please," he hands her his glasses.
"So," the brunette girl tries to engage conversation as she fills them, feeling awkward in the too-quiet, too-empty room. "How are things going with Jenny? Has she fallen for your charms again yet?"
Amy forces a laugh, but it doesn't sound real to her ears. Hopefully her friend doesn't seem to notice it, and simply informs her, "not yet, but…"
She doesn't know why (or does she?) but a weight lifts off her chest at this answer. She's dreading the moment Jake will come to his friends, all smiles out, bragging about how 'we're back together!'
Because that's what's going to happen, right? There's no way Jenny will walk past a guy like this.
(There is, though. She walked past him herself those months ago, when she was still in a relationship of her own and he told her he wished something could happen between them – romantic-stylez.
And she's been mad at herself for that huge mistake everyday now.
Because true, she's not with someone anymore. And he isn't either. But he moved on.
She became aware of her own feelings for him too late – blame her for it.)
"Are you okay?" he takes her out of her reverie, cutting himself mid-sentence talking in a concerned tone as he touches her arm to make her look at him. "You seem… vexed?"
"I'm… sorry, I just… remembered I forgot to put something in one of my exams today," she pitifully finds a terrible excuse to give him. He doesn't appear to catch her lie, though, since he only smiles.
"Hey, relax," he reassures her. "You're awesome, Ames. I'm sure you nailed it anyway. We're on holidays now – exams are over. So stop wondering about them and enjoy your night. You deserve it."
She manages a rictus in return, and tells him, sincere, "thanks, Jake."
"Anytime," he smiles back. "Shall we?" he shows her the way back to the main room.
She nods, and they walk out of the kitchen side by side, until Amy seems to notice something. "Wait!" she suddenly stops at the door's frame, inciting her friend in doing the same, searching her pockets for who knows what. "I think I forgot…" she starts explaining, but is soon interrupted in her speech.
Indeed, a high-pitched voice shouts from the opposite side of the room, startling them, "God, look!"
It's Charles, eyes shining with pure bliss as he points at the two students now that he has everyone's attention on him. "Amy and Jake are standing under the mistletoe! They have to kiss!"
In a same move, they look up to see little branch hung above them they didn't notice before, right in the middle of their two bodies, then turn back to each other, wild horror easily noticeable in their eyes.
"No, no, no, no," Amy is the first to react, denying with her head, her cheeks getting redder and redder with each new passing second and intimidated by all these people watching her – watching them. "I… it's not… no," she struggles finding her words, and seek Jake's gaze for help.
He's not in a better state as she is, though, opening and closing his mouth in search of something to say. So she takes a deep breath, closing her eyes, and firmly announces, "I'm not gonna kiss him."
Their audience doesn't seem pleased by it – they start booing her. She doesn't care, though, nor does she really hears them anyway, too focused on something else – she swears she could catch a glimpse of disappointment in the other student's orbs for a split second as well when she let out the words.
She's soon taken back to the reality of the moment by, surprisingly enough, Jenny Gildenhorn herself. "Come on, guys!" she insists despite their refusal. "It's tradition!" she tells them, then starts repeating the word 'kiss, kiss, kiss' to encourage them, soon followed by all the other persons around.
Kiss, kiss, kiss!
Kiss, kiss, kiss!
With everyone pushing them like this, they don't really have a choice but to comply – they know their comrades won't stop, and leave them alone, until they actually kiss. Or magically disappear.
(Which is, obviously, not an option.)
It doesn't have to be a true kiss anyway. A quick peck will do. So it's not so much of a big deal… right?
"May I?" Jake finally asks his friend, defeated, taking a step forward, trying to gently smile at her.
"You may," she agrees with a nod, and sighs in an attempt to keep her breathings even.
(Trying to sound like she doesn't want it, and is bothered by the whole thing.)
It's all done in a few seconds, objectively – the student coming towards the girl and simply, but oh so tenderly brushing his lips against hers, eyes closed as their mouths meet for the very first time.
It takes her way longer than that for her heartbeat to go back to normal, though, eyes still firmly shut.
It's overwhelming, this feeling taking over her whole body. For just this.
She can't quite picture what it'd be like then, to kiss him for realz. But she'd rather not think about it, because it's never going to happen, anyway. This was her first and only taste. A one-time thing.
For the sake of a stupid Christmas tradition – while it's not even Christmas just yet.
When she opens her eyes again, no one is watching them anymore, back to their own occupations now that they got what they wanted to see. So, after one last look and (pitiful attempt at) a smile to her friend, Amy finally gains the room. "I'm just… I…" she searches an excuse, pointing towards it.
"Yeah, no problem," Jake hopefully lets her go, voice husky, and they part ways. He can't seem to be able to leave his gaze away from her the whole time she hurries towards her best friend, though.
"You guys would make such a cute couple," Jenny happily tells him when he eventually joins her (and another guy she seems to have gotten quite close to during his time away) and hands her her drink.
He looks back at Amy at his ex-girlfriend's words, and sighs.
How foolish was he to think he was over her. Because God, oh does he wish they be one – a couple…
"Ames, your turn. Whose name did you draw?"
As the evening is going on, the initial little group of friends decided it was about time to gather around together and reveal their Secret Santa's identity as well as offering their gifts. The young woman, who actually made a pretty good effort to avoid her giftee after the 'mistletoe incident' until now, tightens her grip around her package when she hears her name, then confesses, "Jake."
"Ooooh," he excitedly exclaims, acting like a child as he rubs his hands together, impatient. "I hope you got me something good," he jokes, wiggling his eyebrows at her, eager to get his present.
"Well, I hope you'll get the nod, and remember that night," she lets out a nervous laugh as she hands it to him. "Otherwise this might appear a bit odd to you…"
Jake frowns, all serious again following this remark, and very curious of what's inside his package – it's small, and light, and soft, he notices right away as he takes it. He doesn't wait long to open it, and soon comes face-to-face with a very cute crocheted tiger cub stuffed animal.
"I… knitted it myself," Amy lets her friend know as he carefully stares at it without a word – she can't stand the silence, afraid he didn't get it, afraid he doesn't like it.
She should have gone with a Die Hard-related thing, it would have been less stressful.
"It's Leon?!" he suddenly exclaims, eyes shining as he looks at her with a bright smile. "Our Leon?"
Leon is the name they gave to the actual tiger cub Jake rented during a 'fake-date' night the both of them shared, when she lost a bet back in their first year of university and had to go out with him on the 'worst date ever'. It actually turned out pretty good, though – with a lot of fun at the top of a roof.
That's the night the beginning of their true friendship was sealed, too. A rather important event for the both of them, then. A night she's not going to forget so soon.
And apparently either is he…
"Yeah," she giggles, all of a sudden reassured by his positive reaction. "That's him," she nods.
People around them don't quite understand what's happening here, but they don't dare interfering.
"That's awesome, Ames," the male brunette stands up to reach her. "I love it!" he unexpectedly takes her in a tight embrace, apparently very touched by her gesture, arms wrapped around her.
"Thank you," he says when they part, then looks back at the stuffed animal with an endearing rictus.
"No problem," Amy answers, blushing. "I'm glad you like it. And that you remember."
"Of course I remember! That was one of the best nights in my life," her friend admits.
The girl swears she can feel her heart melt in her chest at his statement. She soon has to regain a bit of composure, though, because this time it's her turn to get her gift – offered by Terry –, as the Secret Santa's revelations go on between the squad.
As the night is almost over, and the atmosphere inside the room calming down, slow Christmas songs are played all around the place, and some couples are inspired to take the floor now, moving in shared rhythm. Among them is one Jenny Gildenhorn and her (apparently) new boyfriend, whom she got even closer to while the squad was away sharing Christmas gifts, arms wrapped around his neck as they dance around. Jake is watching them from afar, flashs of a time of his past he'd rather forget coming back to his mind – it's the same scenario of her dumping him for another one all over again.
"I'm sorry I ruined your chances with Jenny," he's suddenly taken out of his reverie by someone coming over to him, and when he turns his head in the direction of the voice, he's startled to see Amy standing right next to him and looking at him with guilt in her eyes – if they didn't have to kiss earlier…
"You didn't ruin anything, don't worry," he kindly smiles at her. "She just… wasn't interested in me. Kiss or no kiss. And probably that's for the best anyway," he turns back to looking at his ex-girlfriend.
"Really?" his friend seems shocked by his words – he seemed to want to go back with her so bad.
"Yeah. I realised… I'm not really into her anymore," he confesses with a shrug.
You, on the other hand…, he'd like to add, but doesn't do anything of the sort. What's the point?
She doesn't like him back.
"Oh," Amy is only able to reply, before falling quiet again, and they remain like this for a few moments, watching the others dance without a word, and listening to the music playing.
You're all I need tonight
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Here above the Christmas lights
Until the girl finally finds some courage stuck deep in her core.
"Well, if you ever need someone to slow dance tonight, I know somebody who'd be into that," she says playfully, to help le the words out more easily, when in fact she's never been more serious about something, inside.
He looks at her with a bit of startelement in his eyes first, then smiles. "Okay," he agrees to her implied invite. "Shall we, then?" he offers her his arm, and she obliges without any hesitation, giggling at his exaggerated manners playing the gentleman.
It takes them some time to adjust to each other's pace and the rhythm of the song (Amy's glad she got the idea to bring Teddy, her ex-boyfriend, to some dance classes when they were still together – that way, she's sure she won't break the sweet moment by stepping on both his feet at the same time – something that happened already, unfortunately), but when they do, they look back up at each other, and doesn't dare looking elsewhere as they move around the room, only caring about the other.
"It's nice," Amy lets out eventually, putting an end to the silence between them.
Jake only nods in return, too caught up in the moment, and the beauty of the girl stuck in his arms under the lights of the room to say anything back. He's also afraid this is just a dream he's having and he'll soon wake up all alone in his tiny bed if he starts talking.
Because it is nice indeed. He feels right, there. With her.
Underneath the Christmas lights…
Soon, too soon, the song comes to an end, and the students have to stop, and part. They don't want to, though. That's why, in a common, wordless accord, they keep their embrace tight even after.
They stare at each other for awhile, until they both take a step forward at the same time, a same idea, a same want, a same need coming to their minds, and they end the short distance between them…
And their lips meet for the second time this night as they share another kiss.
Unless it's for realz, this time.
(When he does wake up the day after, he's not alone in his bed. He's lying on a mattress in the middle of the rented venue with all his closest friends and Amy's right by his side, all wrapped up in her covers and clinging onto him to stay warm, her head hidden in the crook of his neck, smiling in her sleep. He knows then that his perfect night wasn't just another dream.)
Lyrics used in the end are part of the song Underneath the Christmas Lights by Sia :)