I peeked out the window, watching as Josh carefully helped my mom across the yard and up our front steps. I couldn't help but smile, knowing just how lucky I was to have someone like him; someone who was willing to take care of not only me, but my family too.

And I'd be willing to do the same for him.

I loved his family like my own too.

Once I could see she was okay, I made my way into the kitchen where the real party was still raging on, the bar almost completely cleared out. I wasn't shocked to see Sam lingering around it, quick to fill everyone's glass if it looked even a little bit empty as they walked by.

"Jaime!" He sang, reaching his arm out for me and wrapping it around me, pulling me up against him. "Look at you, you're so cute. Are you having fun?" I felt my cheeks burn, trying to contain my smile.

"Yes." I laughed, reaching over for his glass. "But it sounds to me like you're having too much fun." He shook his head, leaning in closer, gently tapping the tip of my nose.

"Oh, relax, it's Christmas. You should be having fun too."

"I'm having fun." I sighed, leaning my head on his shoulder. He peeked back down on me, holding his stare for a moment.

"I know that look.." He said softly. "What happened? With you and Josh?" My heart jumped, my smile growing.

"Nothing." I muttered, not wanting to get into it now, but I knew it was hopeless. There was no way I could keep it to myself. Finally I rolled my eyes, turning back to him.

"Josh and I.. we're back together." I muttered, biting down on my lip. His face dropped for a second before he quickly disguised it with a forced smile.

"T-that's.. that's great." He said. "I.. that's great. I'm happy for you guys."

"Thank you." I sighed, unable to break my stare. His eyes were already bloodshot, barely able to keep them open, but still he insisted to use whatever strength he had left to force them open just for me.

I don't know what had come over him lately; we had always gotten along but these past couple of days he had just been a little extra.. friendly. I couldn't say that I didn't appreciate it, not after everything that had happened, it was just.. different. A good different.

"And.. something else." I added. His gaze instantly lit up.

"What's that?" He asked, leaning in closer. I subtly moved away, feeling my face get hot again.

"I got in.. to the school in New York." I said, unable to finish my sentence without beaming from ear to ear. He immediately wrapped his arms around me, spinning me around the kitchen, shouting like we were the only two in the room. I held on tight, wrapping my arms around his neck for balance. At first, the sudden stares left me embarrassed from all the attention, but soon enough I melted into the enthusiasm with him, thankful that I could tell his excitement was truly genuine this time.

"Jaime, oh my god, that's amazing. I.. I'm so proud of you. That's amazing." He sighed, carefully placing me back down, his hand moving up, carefully grazing my neck. My heart jumped as I moved away again, nodding.

"Y-yeah, I.. I'm excited, we're excited, J-josh got in too. So, we're going together." He was quiet again, his sudden hesitance with anything regarding Josh now surprising to me. Out of anyone, he was the one who was always pushing for us. I thought, if anything, he'd be excited for us.

"That's.. that's really great, Jaime. I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you." He nodded, his eyes instantly shooting over to the doorway. I turned, hoping Josh had come back, but my stomach dropped when I saw Jake, standing there under the mistletoe, motioning for me to come over.

My body suddenly felt hot, a rush of nerves taking over me, the way they always did when he looked at me like that. I prayed that one day it would go away, that one day, him and I could exist in the same place and it wouldn't take everything in me to hold myself back from him, knowing what would come of "jumping" again.

But I did jump. I jumped back into the arms of the one who I trusted whole heartedly to catch me every single time. But even still. I was only human. And I knew how he made me feel.

But I would do everything in my power to forget.

I reluctantly made my way over to him, stopping just out of reach when I saw him start to reach out for me. I smirked back at him, playfully shaking my head. He sighed, his smile growing.

"You know, you promised.." He said softly, reaching back up, his fingers gently grazing against my arm. I moved away, shaking my head again.

"I don't think I promised." I said. He nodded, smirking back at me.

"I think you did."

"Well, that was before.."

"So your promises have an expiration date?"

"Jake.." I sighed. He bit down on his lip, his eyes moving down to mine. I gently tilted his chin up, making his eyes meet mine again. He giggled to himself as he snapped out of it.

"So.. what were you talking to Sam about?.. So.. closely?" He asked, trying his best to hide his jealous tone, but I would know it anywhere. I shook my head, playfully rolling my eyes.

"What, I can't talk to Sam now?" He scrunched up his face, shaking his head as he leaned in closer.

"You can.." He sighed. "Whatever.. so, what were you talking to him about?"

"You really want to talk about this?" He hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"When you say it like that.. I don't think I do, but.. yeah. I do."

"Which part?" I asked.

"Oh, there were parts?" I laughed, playfully shoving him away. He quickly moved back, closer than before, thinking I wouldn't notice.

I would always notice.

"So.. I got into that school in New York." I said softly, peeking up at him with an excited smile. His eyes instantly lit up, his lips curling into a lovestruck grin, but I could tell he was holding himself back.

"What?" I laughed, feeling my heart beat faster. He shook his head, holding his stare on me for a moment longer.

"Jaime, can I.. I just.. I want to kiss you."

"We already kissed."

"So that was our last kiss?" He asked. I nodded.

"Well, I wish you would've told me that." He muttered, now looking down at his hands as he awkwardly picked at his nails. I playfully slapped them, forcing him to stop. He peeked back up at me.

"Would you have done it differently if you knew?"

"Oh yeah." He said simply.

"How?" He shrugged.

"I guess you'll never know, since it was the last one."

Staring back into his eyes, I was instantly taken back to that night at the hotel; I would never forget that look in his eyes, the way he held me so gently while loving me so deeply.

I quickly shook the thought.

"Stop it." I muttered.

"Stop what?" He laughed, leaning in closer.

"You know what." I said. He shook his head, smirking back at me, knowing fully what.

"Josh and I are back together." I finally blurted out, knowing that if he knew, things could be easier, and that invisible wall would be built back up between us again.

His face dropped as he tried his best to hide his obvious jealously.

"Are you happy?" He finally asked. I nodded.

"I am."

"Good. Then I'm happy." He said softly.

"Do you really mean that?" I asked, not really sure if I wanted the answer.

"No." He laughed. "But.. that's what you're supposed to say."

"I'd prefer if you were honest with me." I sighed. "We did promise that we'd always be honest with each other."

"Well, I don't think that's a good idea anymore." He muttered, now looking away.

"And.. why not?"

"Because.. you're with him, and if I was honest with you, then you'd be coming up to my room with me tonight." My heart jumped.

And then I heard the front door open, Josh quickly making his way inside, shivering from the cold as he shut the door behind him, looking around until his eyes met mine, instantly flashing me a toothy grin.

And just like that, I was off the hook. Because just like that, that's all it took for me to snap out of any trance that Jake might've had me under, because who doesn't get caught up in the past, romanticizing memories that might've been better in your head than in real life, but when you were suddenly face to face with your future, everything faded away.

And life made sense again.

Life made sense.. with him.

And now we were going to do life.. together.