I slid open the door to the back room, seeing Jake sitting up, quickly typing on his laptop, his eyes glued to the screen. I knocked on the door to get his attention, smiling when he finally picked his head up.

"Hey, what are you working so hard on?" I asked, leaning against the door frame. He gave me a quick smile before looking back down, typing again.

"I can't believe how many emails I've gotten since they announced the nominations." He sighed. "I had no idea how involved all of this would be."

"Well.. when do you think you're gonna be done with them? Cause.. I was wondering if.. maybe you and I could run up to the-"

"And once I'm done with these, then I have at least two interviews to do, and who knows what else is gonna come in throughout the day." He said. I nodded, biting down on my lip.

"O-oh.. okay, well.. that's.. that's exciting, right?" I managed. He nodded, still keeping his eyes locked on the screen. I felt my heart start to beat faster, hoping at some point he would eventually stop to listen to me.. but he didn't.

But it was okay. This was all so new. This was an exciting time for him.

"Um.. but do you know how long you're gonna be? Because.. I was kinda hoping you'd come with me to get-"

"I really have no idea how long these are gonna take, sorry but.. I'm just.. really swamped right now. Can it wait?" He asked, finally peeking up at me. I bit down, nodding.

"Y-yeah.. it's.. it's okay, sure."

"Where'd you wanna go? Do you wanna just run up? Do you need me to go with you?" My cheeks burned.

"Well, I.. I don't have a license." I said quietly. He finally stopped, staring up at me wide-eyed.

"You don't have a license?" He asked, smiling back at me. I shook my head, my smile growing.

"I lived in the city. Why would I ever need a license?" He shook his head, giggling to himself.

"You never anticipated moving to Michigan with your fiancé and having to drive everywhere?"

"Funny enough, no, that was never actually on my to-do list." He smirked back at me, his cheeks burning.

"It's okay, I'll figure it out." I sighed, forcing a smile. "Have a good interview." He nodded, flashing me a wide grin, quickly looking back down at his laptop, rapidly typing away again.

I went back out into the main area of the bus to see Josh sitting down at the table, peeking up at me.

"Where'd you wanna go?" He asked happily. I stopped, feeling my cheeks burn.

"Oh, no, it's okay. I.. I can just wait for him. Don't worry about it."

"Chances are.. he's not gonna be done for a while. If you need to go, I can take you. I don't mind." I bit down on my lip, holding my stare on him. Taking him up on his offer would mean having to explain why I needed to go, and at the moment, I really just wanted to keep that between me and Jake.

Then again.. Josh had been there for me before. Out of anyone, he was probably the best person to ask. I remembered that day so vividly; I was absolutely terrified and yet he somehow managed to make me feel like everything was going to be okay.

"Actually.. um.. if you wouldn't mind.." I muttered. He shook his head, flashing me a smile as he got up, quickly finishing the rest of his coffee, placing his mug in the sink.

"Not at all." He said cheerfully. "We can borrow the van. Come on, we can go now if you want." I nodded, following him closely as we made our way down the steps. As we got closer, he tossed me the keys. My cheeks burned as I caught them, staring back at him.

"What?" He laughed. "You don't wanna drive?"

"I can't." I giggled. He stopped, staring back at me confused, his smile growing.

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I.. I don't have my license." I said softly. He laughed, shaking his head.

"You don't?"

"We.. don't drive in the city." He stopped, nodding.

"Huh.. I guess that makes sense. Well, okay, toss 'em back over. Don't want you to kill us." I shook my head, giggling to myself as I threw the keys back over to him, climbing into the passenger seat of the van.

I peeked over at him as he went into the glovebox, pulling out a pair of sunglasses, reaching his arm behind the headrest of my seat, turning around to back out.

"Don't worry." He smirked. "When we get back, we're gonna teach you how to do all of this." I bit down on my lip, holding in my smile.

"Okay."

As we pulled in, he turned the key, looking over at me.

"So, what do you need?" He asked.

"Um, I.. I can just run in, that's okay."

"What, are you embarrassed to be seen with me?" He laughed. I smirked back, shaking my head.

"Of course not, it's just.." I stopped, looking down.

"What's wrong? Are.. you okay?"

"I'm fine, I just.. I wanted to get another test." I mumbled. He stared back at me wide-eyed, his cheeks burning red.

"Are you-"

"I don't know." I said softly. "But-"

"Do you feel okay?"

"I feel fine, I just.. I just want to be sure."

"Well, if you feel fine then why would you think.." He stopped, his voice trailing off, finally understanding. He nodded, looking away.

"You don't have to come in if you don't want to." I said, looking away, feeling like my face was on fire. I hated doing this to him again. He didn't owe me anything. Jake was the one who should be here, but..

I shook the thought. I couldn't be angry with him. This was an exciting time for him, and I'd never take that away from him.. but.. it was also scary for me. This wasn't just a 'me' thing, but.. an 'us' thing.. I wanted to do all of these things together this time. These were the memories we were supposed to be making.. together.

"I can come in with you if you don't want to go alone." He finally said, giving me a gentle smile, staring back with dazed eyes. I felt my cheeks burn again, trying to contain my smile.

"Okay." I sighed, getting out of the van.

He quickly got out, closely following me into the store.

"So, you know where they are, right?" I asked jokingly. He smirked over at me.

"I know you're kidding but.. yeah.. I do." He said, guiding me down one of the further aisles.

"You know.." He laughed, stopping in front of the tests. "As someone who hasn't gotten laid in.. who knows how long.. I seem to be in the family planning aisle more than anyone else." He reached over, grabbing two from the shelf, tossing them into the basket.

"You need anything else?" He asked, smiling over at me, taking the basket from out of my hand. I appreciated how nonchalant he was being about this. It made everything so much easier. If I had to do this by myself, I don't know what I would do.

He looked around at the decorations as we made our way towards the registers, pink and red hearts dangling from the ceiling, baby cupids and glittery purple streamers coating the shelves, the card aisle overflowing with obnoxiously large stuffed bears.

"Oh yeah.." He said. "Valentine's Day is coming up." He shrugged, peeking back at me. "Us single people really don't have to keep track of that holiday." I bit down on my lip, holding in my smile. I was happy he was able to joke about these things with me now but.. deep down, it still made me sad.

He deserved to be happy more than anyone.

"I guess I should pick something out while we're here." I said quietly, now looking through the cards. All of them, either too casual or so over the top that they felt forced and fake. None of these cards could ever capture how I felt about Jake, but.. maybe that was good. Perhaps we were just too good for Hallmark.

I peeked over to see Josh also looking through the cards. My cheeks burned. Did he have someone to shop for that he wasn't telling us about? He noticed me looking, putting down the card, smirking back at me.

"Trust me, he'll love whatever you pick out for him." He said. "Don't overthink it." I smiled back at him, continuing to flip through.

When I tell you that I love you,

it's not out of habit.

It's to remind you

that you are the best thing

that has ever happened to me.

True, but cliche.

I put it back.

If I had my life to live again,

I would find you sooner

so I could love you longer.

Also true, but I don't think I could have loved him any sooner if I tried.

I put it back.

Finally, I grabbed a blank card, tossing it into the basket. I'd fill it in myself later. Slowly panning the shelves, I grabbed a few bars of his favorite candy and a small stuffed lion with a heart on the belly. Josh glanced down at the basket, smirking back at me.

"A lion?" He asked. I shrugged, avoiding his eyes as a smile escaped my lips.

"That's what he reminds me of.." I said softly.

"I don't wanna know.." He giggled. I shook my head, playfully shoving him.

"Oh, stop. It's.. it's just because of his hair." He laughed, continuing to look through the shelves.

"You need anything else?" He asked, changing the subject. I shook my head.

"Okay, you can go back out to the van, I got this."

"I'm not gonna let you pay for this, Josh." I sighed. His smile grew, his cheeks burning.

"Fine.. you can pay me for Jake's gifts.. but that's all." I bit down on my lip, holding my stare on him. He motioned back outside.

"Josh.."

"Go.." He laughed, playfully shoving me towards the doors. I knew it was better than to fight him on it.

"Okay, I'll.. I'll meet you outside." He nodded, going up to the register.

I didn't have to wait long for him to come back out, bag in hand. He swiftly tossed it into the back before getting into the driver's seat. I looked back, but quickly brought my attention over to him as he put his sunglasses back on, propping his hand behind my headrest again.

"It's not that hard." He laughed, effortlessly spinning the wheel with one hand, quickly backing out.

"I hope you're a good teacher." I laughed, turning away, looking out the window.

"You'll be just fine, don't you worry. I will make sure of it." He said softly. I nodded, holding my stare on him.

When we pulled back up next to the bus, he quickly hopped out, making his way over to my side. He motioned me out.

"Right now?" I laughed. He nodded, flashing me a wide grin. I sighed, feeling my heart beat faster as I hesitantly got out, hopping into the driver's side. He smirked over at me as I looked around.

"Don't be nervous, you'll be fine. We're gonna stay in the parking lot. You'll be okay. I promise." He said, adjusting the rear-view mirror for me. "Can you see okay?" I nodded, continuing to look around.

"Now have your foot on the break as you shift out of park, and then gently press the gas." I felt my heart beat faster as I did what he told me, the car now slowly moving forward.

"I'm doing it!" I laughed. I felt his arm wrap around my seat.

"Yeah! You're doing great, okay now you're gonna make this turn right here.. yep.. see! You're a natural, are you sure you haven't driven before?" I laughed, smirking over at him.

"Hey! Eyes on the road." He said, gently turning my chin forward. My cheeks burned.

"Sorry." I laughed.

"Okay, you wanna learn how to back in now?" I nodded.

"Okay.." He sighed. "Now, you don't have to do it like I did, that kinda takes practice.. but if you want to, I feel like it helps. Now.. put your foot on the break.. great, shift into reverse.. no, no.. not neutral.. reverse.. there you go.. okay.." I reached my arm behind his head rest, looking through the back window.

"Alright, nice and slow.. annnddd.. perfect! Look at you, incredible. What can't you do?" He laughed, holding his stare on me. I felt my heart beat faster, my cheeks burning. I moved my foot back to the break, shifting into park.

"I did it!" I yelled. His smile grew into a toothy grin as he nodded, staring back at me with dazed eyes.

"You did." He sighed. "Awesome."

"Thank you." He shrugged, quickly breaking his stare.

"And, uh.. we'll keep working on it. You'll be ready for your test in no time. After all, you're gonna need it in Michigan, right?" I bit down on my lip, nodding. I reached around, grabbing for the bag.

"Oh, no. I got it. You.. you head in. I'll be right there." He said restlessly, forcing a smile. I hesitated for a moment.

"O-okay.." I said, hopping out of the van.

I leaped up the stairs of the bus, two steps at a time, excitedly making my way to the back room. I couldn't wait to tell Jake what I did, and just like I did for him every night, he'd wrap me in his arms, and tell me how amazing I was too. I bit down on my lip, containing my smile as I slid the door open.

"Jake! I-" He immediately waved me off out of frame of his virtual interview, his eyes never once leaving the screen. My stomach dropped, my face feeling like it was on fire as I backed out, quietly shutting the door behind me.