I quickly rolled off the bed, grabbing my clothes as Jess ran out the door. If her dad was here, the last thing I wanted was for him to walk in on me in his daughter's bedroom in just a towel.

"What are you doing here?" I heard her say. My heart started beating faster. I could tell by her tone she was nervous. If it wasn't him, then who could it be?

"Come on, Jess." He said. My stomach dropped. Travis. "You know you always invite me over when you're back in town." I hated the idea of her with him. She deserved so much more than this, how did she ever get involved with someone like him?

"That's not true." She snapped. I sighed, feeling a little better. I quickly slid on my pants, grabbing my shirt as I made my way for the door. The last thing I wanted was him alone with her.

"I figured you'd be with your little boyfriend." He said smugly.

"Oh, don't worry, she is." I said calmly, now pulling my shirt over my head. He glared back at me, trying to maintain his smile, but I could tell he was annoyed I was there.

Of course I was there.

I would always be there.

"Oh, great." He said sarcastically, his jaw clenching. I nodded, staring back at him as I ran my fingers through my hair.

"So, what are you doing here?" I asked. Travis shrugged, pushing himself up off the wall, reaching out for Jess. She backed away nervously. It made me sick to see how she got around him. I could only imagine what's happened between them to make her react like this. The idea of anyone treating her like that was enough to make me lose it.

He then went into his pocket, pulling out a small bag, tossing it onto the coffee table.

"I'm just dropping off her usual." He said, looking over at Jess with a cunning smile. My heart dropped. Her usual? She does this? Or.. did? Because I knew she hadn't done anything since I've known her. And if she did, she was great at hiding it. But.. I really don't think she has.

She couldn't even look at me, and it broke my heart. I would never judge her. But I could tell how panicked she was. It killed me to think she was that nervous about what I would think of her.

I held my stare on Travis as I finally saw her peek up at me. I didn't want to make her any more uncomfortable than she already was. We could talk about it later. But I knew Travis was doing this just to get a rise out of me, so no matter what he said, I knew I couldn't react. As far as he had to know, I knew everything about her. There was nothing he could spring on me that I wouldn't act like I already knew.

"Jake, I-" She finally said.

"She doesn't do that anymore." I said calmly, cutting her off. I grabbed the bag from the table, tossing it back to Travis, avoiding her eyes. "I think you should go." Travis laughed, shaking his head.

"You have no idea what you're getting into, man. I know her. You clearly have a lot going on, so why the hell would you want to waste your time on someone like her, and risk ruining it? She's only going to drag you down."

I stayed quiet, holding my glare on him.

"Come on." He said, now placing the bag in Jess' hand. "You and I both know that you quitting is bullshit, just like every other time. You know how it goes, we do a few lines, we hook up, and then I stay the night. And every single time, you beg me to come back."

I felt like I was going to be sick. I was sure Jess had been with other guys before me, but the thought of her with him, honestly, the thought of Jess with anyone else was enough to make me wanna snap. But someone as vile as him? I hated how she thought he was all she deserved, but that didn't matter anymore. She had me now. She would always have me.

"He's lying." She cried, turning to me with tears in her eyes. I hated nothing more than seeing her cry, and if she said he was lying, then he was lying.

Travis then turned to her, reaching out and tightly grabbing my arm.

"Let's go." He demanded. My heart started beating faster, my hands curling into tight fists. How dare he touch her.

"Ow, Travis stop!" Jess cried, trying to pull away from him, more tears coming to her eyes.

And then I snapped.

Before I even had time to think, I started swinging, getting in as many hits as I could before he eventually fought back. But he never did. He never had the chance to. How DARE he touch her. That was my girl, soon to be my wife, the mother of my child. And in that moment, I just saw red, and I couldn't stop. And if Jess hasn't pulled me off of him, I don't think I ever would have.

When I felt her arms around me, I quickly pulled away, cautious not to hit her.

"Don't you ever fucking touch her again!" I shouted, feeling Jess' grip on me get tighter, pulling me away. Travis sat up, wiping the blood from his lip. He's lucky that's all that happened to him.

"Or what?" He argued, getting up and coming back over to me.

"I guess you'll have to find out." I muttered. "But last I checked, a coked out lead singer who's band can't get out of their hometown is pretty cliche. Best not ruin your chances before you even get one, though.. it doesn't really seem like many people give a shit about you anyway."

I was never one to pull the fame card, but I knew how much it bothered Travis that Jess was now with someone more successful than him, and I was willing to bring it up any chance I got.

Travis held his glare on me, his cheeks burning red, his fists clenched. I wish he would hit me, it would give me another excuse to go after him again.

"That's what I thought." I said softly. "You should go. And don't you ever come near her again, or I swear.." I stopped, biting down on my lip. My heart was pounding in my chest. I don't think I've ever been this angry. The idea of anyone hurting her, the idea of anyone touching her..

Travis reached out for Jess' hand, but I quickly pulled her away before he could grab her again.

"Alright, just call me when you need more, Jess." Travis smirked, wiping his lip again. "You know my number." And then he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

I sighed, finally trying to catch my breath.

"Are you okay?" I asked, gently touching her cheek. She stared up at me wide-eyed, I could tell, still shook up.

"Y-yeah." She said softly, biting down on her lip. I hated so much that he had this affect on her, but she wouldn't have to worry about that anymore, not with me around. I gave her a gentle smile, staring back into her eyes.

"Jess, I'm sorry. I.. I'm so sorry you ever had to deal with him, and whatever you've been through, you don't have to talk about that with me if you don't wa-" She then cut me off, pulling me into a passionate kiss. My heart jumped, my body getting hot. For a moment, I couldn't even react. Every time she kissed me was a jolt of pure bliss, sending my mind into a whirlwind.

I hope she felt the same about me.

I then finally reached out, holding her face in my hands, kissing her back harder. She wrapped her arms tightly around my neck, pulling me up against her as my hands traveled down to her waist, gripping her tighter. A smile escaped my lips as I backed away, leaning my forehead against hers.

"W-what was that for?" I sighed, gently running my fingers down her cheek.

"No one's ever done anything like that for me before." She said softly, her eyes moving back down to my lips. My cheeks burned, my smile growing.

"You're my girl, and I promise you, no one.. especially not him, is ever going to touch you, ever again. Whatever happened in the past.. I hope one day you'll talk about that with me but.. I need you to know that I will do anything for you."

She stared back up at me with a gentle smile, her eyes in a daze as they got lost in mine. How easy it was to get lost in my own little world with her. All I wanted was for her to know that if she was going to spend the rest of her life with me, that I would do everything and anything to make sure she always felt safe, to make sure she trusted me enough to know that I would never let anything happen to her.

"You know, I really love when you get protective of me. It's.. kinda sexy." She giggled. My heart jumped. I bit down on my lip, staring back at her wide-eyed as my smile grew into a wide grin.

"Well, I am pretty tough." I laughed. "You don't wanna mess with me."

"I love you." She sighed, pulling me into a long kiss. I could feel my heart melting in my chest.

"I love you, Jess."

"And.. what he said, it.. it's not true, him and I, we never-" My stomach dropped. The last thing I wanted to do was think about them again. I could go the rest of my life without ever having to picture her with someone else ever again.

"Hey, it's okay. We don't have to talk about that." I said calmly, shaking my head, trying my best not to sound jealous. "Whatever happened before me, that's your business." And it was, she didn't owe me that.

"Jake, I.. I've only ever been with you." She said quietly. My heart jumped. So.. she had.. never been with him? Or.. anyone else? So.. that meant..the day with me in my room..

I wish she would've told me.

I would've wanted it to be special for her.

It was special, because it was with her, but..

I would have made it special.. for her.

"Oh.." I sighed, gently touching her cheek. "Okay." She bit down on her lip, her cheeks burning red. I stared back at her, my eyes in a daze, unsure if I could love her any more than I did right now. I pulled her into a passionate kiss, my heart racing. Her hands then slowly moved down to my waist, pushing me back towards her room. I backed away, flashing her a smile as I reached behind me, not wanting to take my eyes off of her for a second, fumbling with the knob, but eventually opening the door to guide us back in.

"And I only ever want to be with you." She sighed, showering me with kisses. I could feel my heart swelling in my chest, my cheeks burning red as I lifted her up, bringing her back over to her bed. And then I knew..

Now was the time.

I gently lied her down, kissing her forehead.

"Um.. wait here." I sighed, flashing her a smile, going over to my bag. I frantically rummaged through until I finally found the little black box, shoving it into my pocket.

"Jake, I.. I want to start my life with you." She said. My smile grew. Now was the perfect time. I went back over, sitting down across from her, staring back at her with lovestruck eyes and a soft smile. It was just so easy to be happy with her.

"So do I." I said, reaching out for her hand.

"And I don't want to think about him anymore. Ever."

"And we don't have to." I said simply. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I had thought about this moment from the second I saw her. I just knew, and now it was finally about to happen.

"Jess, I want-"

"Wait, I.. I just.." She sighed, moving closer to me, running her fingers through my hair. "Jake, I feel like.. when I met you, I became this.. better version of me, and I love her. And I never want to go back to who I was before you. I just.. I want to forget about everything here. When.. when we leave here, I.. I don't want to come back. I don't want to think about this place.. ever again. I just want to start over new with you. I can't wait for our life together, and.. I don't want any of this life to be part of it. I'm ready to move on from all this.. with you."

My stomach dropped.

She didn't want any of this life to be brought with us.

How was I suppose to propose now? I thought she would've loved this. But now, she would always think about this moment whenever she thought back on our story. And.. I didn't want her thinking about that either. I wanted her to be able to start fresh too. I wanted nothing but good memories attached to every single one of our milestones, especially the day I asked her to marry me. It needed to be perfect.

Now wasn't the time.

I bit down on my lip, nodding as I held my stare on her.

"W-what did you want to say?" She asked, now moving closer, gently sliding her hand up my leg. My cheeks burned, my heart beating faster.

"Oh, I.. um.. I just.." I stuttered, not sure what to do now. I quickly leaned back, trying to secretly shove the ring box back into my bag without her seeing.

"Nothing." I said, forcing a smile. "I.. I can't wait for life with you too."