I watched as she quickly gathered her things, stopping in the doorway.

"Are you okay?" I asked, wondering what I could have possibly done wrong. The last thing I wanted to do was make her feel uncomfortable, but I thought that.. after everything, maybe.. she would want to.

"Yeah. I just.. I gotta go." She said, her mind clearly elsewhere. I nodded as she flashed me a quick smile before shutting the door behind her.

I had been waiting for this moment, getting to wake up to her, once she was mine again, and it was like.. she couldn't get out the door fast enough. Like.. after she realized it was me, it was like.. everything had changed.

And then I heard a voice out in the hallway.

Her voice.

I quickly got up, quietly making my way over, trying my best to listen through the door.

"I just.. I was wondering.. today, if you're not doing anything-" She said. My stomach dropped. I knew it was Josh.

"Jaime, I just.. if you're with him, I think that-"

"I was hoping we could work on some film stuff." She said happily. I missed when she'd talk to me like that, her voice so soft and giddy, like she was just excited to be around me. And now she was talking to him like that?

She had never talked to him like that.

"You.. you want to work with me?" He asked. I heard her giggling. My heart sunk.

"Of course I do, that was always the plan." She said.

"You're right. Um.. yeah. Yeah, okay. I'll.. I'll go get ready and come by in a little bit, okay?" He asked.

So.. despite the fact that her and I had gotten back together last night.. she just wanted to run off with him today? Is that why she was in such a hurry to get out of here?

To see him?

"Okay." She laughed, and I could see her flirtatious grin so vividly in my mind. All I wanted was for her to smile at me like that again, the way she did last night.

I would never tell anyone, but for those few moments when we were together in the kitchen, being with her and Evalyn, it was almost like.. what it would be when we had our own little family. I was suddenly excited about the idea of stumbling in late to a party, rolling my eyes as I made my way down the hallway with her carseat, despite that, deep down, I would be loving every second of it. How much I'd love to hear everyone telling us just how much she looked like Jaime, or me, or how they were unable to tell who she looked like, because she was just such a perfect combination of the both of us. And then we'd drive home in silence so she stayed asleep until we could bring her upstairs, and then we could have the rest of the night alone to ourselves, but not without having the baby monitor turned up on our end table just in case.

I had never imagined wanting kids. Not before Jaime. But now, the idea of seeing the two of them off in the wings while we were on tour together, Jaime holding her in her arms while she had on the biggest pair of headphones. I couldn't help but smile at the thought.

But if she actually wanted him..

that would ruin everything.

He was ruining everything.

After I heard the front door shut, I quickly peeked my head out from my room, looking around until I saw him making his way into his.

"Hey, um.. where are you guys going?" I asked, nonchalantly making my way out, leaning up against my doorframe. He shrugged, keeping his eyes down as he went back into his room. I quickly followed, lingering in his doorway.

"Well, Jaime asked if I wanted to shoot more today, and I figured, well, the deadline is getting closer so.. we should be working on it as much as possible if we're both gonna submit for the winter." I nodded, now awkwardly picking at my nails.

"Oh, so.. that's still happening, huh?" I asked. He stopped, looking back over at me.

"Of course it's still happening. Why wouldn't it?" I shrugged again.

"I don't know, I just.. I figured with the band and all-"

"Well, we're not really doing anything right now, are we?" My body went cold. I shook my head.

"So, then while we're home.. her and I.. we still have this. And.. me aside, I told her I'd at least help her." I stayed quiet for a bit, watching as he grabbed his camera, and anything else he might need, shoving it into his bag.

"So.. w-where do you guys go?" I asked, wondering if I could weasel my way into an invite.

"We've been shooting down by the river a lot, so.. for consistency, we'll probably head back down there." He said simply.

"Oh. O-okay, well.. do you guys.. need any help?" He shook his head.

"No, we're typically fine with the two of us. It's actually better with less people, it's more authentic, the less crew you have." He laughed. I nodded, not sure what he meant, but out of anyone, he would know, I guess.

I wondered if this was how he felt when I talked about guitar.

"Would you.. would you mind if I came with you?" I asked. He stopped, tossing his bag over his shoulder as he looked back up at me.

"Oh, um.. I mean.. if.. if you want to. You've.. well, you've never really come with us before, we kinda.. have our own thing we like to do, but.. yeah, sure. Okay. Maybe it'll be good, you getting to see what she does too." I nodded, my smile growing.

"Y-yeah, I figured.. well, she watches us practice and play all the time, I.. I should do the same for her, right? And.. be a good boyfriend." He bit down on his lip, holding his stare on me for a minute before finally nodding.

"Yeah." He sighed. "You should be a good boyfriend. I'll be downstairs."

I waited until he made his way down before quickly heading back into my room and started to get ready. Despite the fact that I had "won Jaime back," it just didn't feel like she really was "back," and I wanted to do everything I could to remind her why she should take me back in the first place.

I knew I should have been better when we were last together, and this time I was going to be. She deserved the world, and I wanted to be the one to give it to her. So that started with always wanting to look my best for her. I wanted her to be proud to be with me, to want to show me off just as much as I did her.

I flipped through my closet, finally pulling out a deep blue button up and a new pair of pants that had been sitting on my shelf for weeks. I combed my fingers through my hair, pulling it up into a bun just how she liked it. She never had to say anything, but I could tell just by how she looked at me when I put it up. It made my heart skip a beat every time.

But now, my wrist felt empty without my bracelet.

Maybe tonight I could take her back to get it engraved.

And.. maybe pick her out a little something.

Just because.

I did still have my ring though.

And before her, I had never been much of a ring kind of guy, but I was starting to love the feeling of one on my left hand.

Before leaving, I gave myself an extra spray of my cologne, lingering in the mirror for a bit. I had never once gotten so hung up about things like this, but suddenly for her.. I was second guessing everything.

All I wanted was for her to want me again.

Making my way downstairs, I could see Josh waiting by the front door, trying hard to hide the annoyed expression on his face, but it was no use. I knew I was intruding on their time together, but she was my girlfriend again. She had asked me. So.. I had every right to go with them if I wanted to.

Right?

"Ready?" I asked, hopping down the steps, grabbing my jacket and scarf from the coat rack. He nodded, heading outside, holding the door open for me without looking back. I quickly took it, knowing that my time to keep up was limited, and if I didn't, they wouldn't hesitate to leave me behind.

In every sense of the word.

As we made our way across the lawn, I could see Jaime already outside waiting for us, giving us a gentle wave, trying her best to contain her confused expression as she saw me trailing behind.

Did she not want me here either?

I quickly made my way over to her, moving past him and pulling her into a tight hug. My heart jumped as the sweet smell of her perfume wafted from her hair, making it so easy to nuzzle myself within it. How perfectly she felt in my arms, so soft and warm. I always felt like I was seconds away from melting within her grasp.

"You didn't think to invite me?" I laughed, leaning in and kissing her cheek before taking her hand, trying my best to make light of the fact that she had been so eager to make plans with Josh.. but not me.

"I.. I didn't think you'd be interested in this." She said softly, she cheeks burning red. "You've.. never really wanted to come before." I shrugged, flashing her a smile.

"Well, I guess not, but.. I'm interested in you." I laughed. "And.. you'll be there so.. I want to be there."

I could feel my face getting hotter, slowly becoming more and more embarrassed of who I was becoming. I don't know what it was, but the second I was in her presence, I just.. became putty in her hands, willing to do anything and everything, just to make her smile. I had never been like this with anyone before, and it was.. terrifying, knowing that someone had such a hold on me, having no idea if they had any intention of catching me when I fell so hard that I could shatter the second she decided to toss me away.

But I couldn't help it.

I just loved her so much.

She flashed me a gentle smile, squeezing my hand tighter as we began to follow Josh down the trail towards the river, where her eyes never once strayed from him the entire way.