"I'll unlock the door for you." She said, smirking back at me. My heart jumped, my body now feeling like it was on fire. She seemed fine, so why was I freaking out now? I wondered what she was expecting. We had spent the night together before, so.. why would tonight be any different? Just because we were together now, didn't mean anything had to change yet.. right?

"See you soon." I said, as confidently as I could manage, hanging up and quickly making my way out of my room. I peeked out into the hallway to see that everyone's door was closed, most likely asleep for the night, except for the glow of Jake's light under his door. I quietly snuck down the stairs, slipping out the front door without so much as a peep. The last thing I wanted was anyone questioning me.

My heart started beating faster as I hopped up her front steps, a smile escaping my lips at just the thought of kissing her goodnight. The perfect ending to the perfect first date.

I took a deep breath before gently knocking on her door. I didn't have to wait long for it to open, now face to face with her again. She was still in her yellow dress, beautiful as ever.

"Long time no see." She joked, leaning up against the door frame. I couldn't contain myself, flashing her a wide grin before pulling her into a passionate kiss. She didn't hesitate to tightly wrap her arms around my neck, kissing me back harder. I slowly moved my hands down to her waist, gently pushing her back into the house, shutting the door behind us.

"Do I finally get to see your room?" I laughed nervously, already starting to feel light headed. But even still, all I wanted to do was kiss her over and over and over..

She nodded, taking my hand and quickly leading me upstairs. I had never been allowed up here before, Jaime's mom always making sure we played outside, or stayed in the living room, never out of sight. I never understood it when I was little, all of my guy friends were always allowed in my room, and I was allowed in their's. For the longest time I thought her mom just didn't like me, until my mom tried to explain it to me.

"Boys and girls are just.. different, honey." She said, sitting me down one day after I came home upset.

"But why?" I asked, sitting down at the kitchen table as she brought me my lunch, peanut butter and jelly with the crust cut off. She sat down across from me, giving me a sympathetic look.

"You'll understand more when you're older." She sighed, running her fingers through my hair.

"But Jaime's my best friend. I don't get why I can't play in her room. And I want to show her my room. I don't want her to think I don't like her."

"I'm sure she doesn't think that at all."

"Can you talk to her Mommy? Maybe then she can."

"We'll see.."

"Well, here it is." Jaime sighed, guiding me in, shutting the door behind us. I looked around, making my way over to her self, spotting her old record player, flipping through her records. I'd have to get her some more, then we could listen together.

Then I turned around to face her to see her already sitting down on her bed, staring up at me with dazed eyes and a soft grin. She was so beautiful, I would never get tired of looking at her. She gently patted the spot next to her, moving over. I bit down on my lip, hesitating before finally going over, sitting down close to her.

"So, what do you think?" She asked, moving her hand onto my leg. My heart jumped again at her touch, my eyes shooting down and then back up to meet hers.

"It's exactly how I pictured it." I sighed, thinking back on all the mornings I would hear her music start to play, the smell of her candles burning through my widow. I knew her room would be just as comforting and cozy as she was, and I told myself if I ever got the chance to experience it, I would spend every day forward craving its warmth.

The same way I craved hers.

Her eyes then moved down to my lips as she leaned in closer. I reached over, caressing her face and pulling her into a series of long kisses, each one filling me with that much more love than the next. I felt like I was going to explode.

She then climbed up onto my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck, kissing me back harder.

"Jaime.." I sighed, looking back up at her. Her face dropped.

"W-what is it?" She asked, moving away. I shook my head, gently brushing the hair out of her face.

"Nothing's wrong, I just.." I started, knowing how she overthought.

"You just.. what?"

"I just don't want you to think.. you ever have to do anything. This is new for the both of us, and.. I never want you to feel like.. we have to do what everyone else is doing. I would never push you into doing anything you don't want-"

"I know." She sighed, gently running her fingers down my cheek. "Me either." I nodded, my smile growing.

Despite how long I've.. felt this way, we were still new. And the last thing I wanted was her thinking that just because we were "official," we had to do anything we weren't comfortable with. We were different then other couples our age, and I was okay with that. And I needed her to know that she could be too.

"Okay, good." I said, pulling her into another kiss, tangling my fingers in her hair.

"But.." She said, moving away from me again. "If we.. want to.." I stared back up at her wide-eyed. Did she want to? And it was just.. me holding her back?

"W-what.. what do you want? We.. we can do.. I mean, whatever you're comfortable with.." I managed, unsure of what she really wanted. All I knew is that I didn't ever want her to feel pressured, by anyone else, but especially not me. We had been pressured by everyone around us our entire lives, but now that we were finally together.. we could make our own rules.

It didn't matter what anyone else thought about us.

She smiled back at me, pulling me into another series of long kisses as her hands slowly moved up my chest, her lips making their way up to my neck. I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest, my grip on her getting tighter as I pulled her in closer, needing her closer. I could feel myself losing control of my breath, much sharper and rapid as her kisses got harder, making it borderline impossible not to ravish her right here and now.

Then she took one of my hands, moving it to her back, placing it on the zipper of her dress. I stared back up at her, giving her a questioning look, needing to make sure I wasn't misreading anything right now. She nodded, kissing me again as I slowly pulled it down.

She then pushed herself up from my lap, tightly grabbing onto my shirt and pulling me over her. As much as I tried to fight it, it was so easy to want her. I couldn't help but pull her back into another passionate kiss, unsure how I've survived this long without having memorized every curve of her lips against mine.

She moved my hands to her waist, now helping me slide off her dress, tossing it onto the floor. I couldn't help but stare at her, admiring her, marveling, just needing to kiss every inch of exposed skin, needing to kiss her like she had always deserved to be kissed.

Then I felt her slowly start to unbutton my shirt, everything suddenly becoming much more real. I moved away, staring back at her wide-eyed.

"W-what's wrong?" She asked, her face dropping again as she reached back out for me.

"Nothing." I sighed. "Nothing's wrong, I just.." I rolled over next to her, leaving my arm draped around her waist, pulling her closer to me, just needing to be touching her in some way or another.

"Did I do something or-" I hated thinking she blamed herself.

"Jaime, no, no.. it's no you." I said, pulling her into a gentle kiss. "I just.. I don't want us to be.. this. After all these years, we've.. we've waited so long and-"

"Yeah, we have and.. that's why I thought.. well, I thought you'd want t-"

"You have no idea how much I want to." I said, my cheeks now burning red. But I saw how Jake and Sam treated those girls, and I never wanted her to think she was one of them.

She was so much more than that.

She always has been.

And she always would be.

"But.. exactly that. We've waited this long and.. I don't want us to just.. jump into this too soon just to try and make up for lost time. Because.. even though we've felt like this, I still want us to do this right. And.. I mean, I don't know what the rules are anymore.." I laughed, rolling my eyes. "But.. I want all of our moments to be special. And.. I can't speak for you, but.. I'm not going anywhere. All I have is time with you, so.." She nodded, wrapping her arms around me, nuzzling her face into my neck.

And in that moment, everything felt complete. She was mine, and it was my job to make sure she felt safe and respected and.. loved.

And I did. I loved her. I think I've always loved her.

And even though it was way too soon to tell her, I would spend every day showing her.

"So.. you don't want to." She muttered. I bit down on my lip, hesitating for a moment.

"I just.. want this with you tonight." I said softly, peeking back at her. She then reached over for my shirt, unbuttoning the rest.

"Can I at least.." She said, slowly pulling it off. I nodded, feeling my lips curl into a wide grin. She moved her hands down to my pants, carefully unbuttoning them. I took a deep breath before eventually helping her slide them off, tossing them onto the floor.

"Now come here." I sighed, pulling her up against me. She rolled over, laying her head on my chest as I combed my fingers through her hair, gently running my other hand up and down her back. She lifted one leg over mine, pressing herself up against me.

Just the feeling of her skin against mine, getting to hold her in ways I've only dreamt of; there was no place else I'd rather be. I was in pure bliss.

"Goodnight, Jaime." I said softly, gently kissing her forehead. She then looked up at me, and as her eyes met mine I could feel my heart melting in my chest. I was hers, and I would be hers forever.

And I just needed her to know.

"Goodnight, Josh." She said pulling me into one more long kiss before lying back down on my chest, eventually drifting off to sleep.

"I love you, Jaime Adams. Sweet dreams."