Drive This Ocean Road-9When I'm With You

When I'm with you/I'll make every second counts/cause I miss you whenever you're not around/ when I kiss you, I still look forward for five years from now/when I'm with you/ every second counts/

 

Song: When I'm With You by Faber Drive

Home is a ragged mess of an unstructured design that people hesitate to call a house but nonetheless it was mine and I love the damn thing since the first second I've seen it, it seemed that I have a knack of knowing what I want from first sight.

I paused at the front porch, admiring the porch swing I installed just that morning. "Are you going to hide there forever?"

I didn't turn, even when I heard the shuffle of feet, the low, irritated grumble that sounded something like; "Stupid werewolf senses."

I smiled when two, slender hands slid around my waist and a slim female build snuggled against my back. "A porch swing."

My heart sighed in satisfaction hearing the quiet happiness in her voice. "You said you want one."

"I do. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

I twisted in her arms and turned to face her, touching my warm hands to her cheeks that were chilled by the fog that blanketed the grounds, looking into her eyes I leaned down to touch my lips to hers, not stopping until her breath flirted against my face in a sigh. I smiled; wide and bright as everything inside turned golden at the look in her eyes. "Hi."

She grinned, a little foolish, a little impish, and a little shy. "Hi."

"Happy birthday."

A warm flush pinked her cheeks. "Thank you, again. I guess that was what the porch swing is for, right?"

"Um no. That was just because." I circled her waist with one arm, tangling them in her brown locks as we walked to the front porch. She raised a dubious eyebrow. "Just because? A porch swing? Really?"

"Speaking of porch swings. Have you tried it, yet?"

She smiled. "No, I wanted to wait for you."

I kissed her nose and with the hand that held her waist, lifted her high enough for her to squeal and plopped her on the swing, watching her grin at me, her brown eyes bright will laughter. I looked at her for a reaction. "Well?"

"It's great. Come sit with me."

"I will. Just wait a minute, okay."

She frowned when I kept looming above her, casting her in shadow, her expression questioning when I took a deep, calming breath.

It's not like I've done this before.

My hand grazed over the page of paper that I scribbled over, going over the words that I chose especially for this occasion. Mentally crossing out the words that Quil and Embry wrote in a fit of insanity, remembering the comforting and reassurance of Emily's and Sam's.

Okay, I can do this.

"Jacob. What's wrong?" Suddenly, she shot off the swing, her face terrified. "Is it, Billy? Did something happen to him?"

"No. No, he's okay. Better than OK, actually." I added, remembering the way his father had crowed and celebrated when I told him of my decision.

She still looked worried, her eyes tight. "Then what…?" She clutched his arms. "Dad?"

Since her dad was probably celebrating with his dad that was unlikely. "No. Calm down, honey."

"It's the pack, isn't it? Vampire trouble?"

I was struggling not to roll my eyes but eventually let my sense of humor saved me, doing a bang up job here, Jake, you should write a book.

"No. No, vampire trouble." I eased her back down on the porch swing, her expression still worried. "There's nothing wrong."

Her anxious brown eyes swept my face, trying to read every line. "Something's wrong."

I shook my head, in exasperation and in denial. "Nothing's wrong."

Except my ineptitude to do what I intend to do, that is.

"It's just that…" I clutched the velvet box that has been burning a hole in my pocket for a week now and pulled it out…only to be interrupted by a shrieking ring from inside the house. I shoved it back into my pocket, I was a bit worried I tore something in there.

"Damn it."

She chuckled. "You're the one who keeps complaining that you can't hear it ring, obviously someone decided to help you. I'll get it."

"No. Let it ring."

She peered dubiously over the front window when the shrieking continued. It sounded like an ax murder was…murdering somebody. "Maybe it's urgent."

I cursed Quil to hell and back again, it must be him. Only he can be so annoying even when he's not here. The very shadow of his presence is annoying.

"I'll get it, you stay here, okay? Don't leave."

She stared at me with an amused smile, pulling her feet up and curled them against her body. "Okay."

I inched back, keeping her in my sight as much as I was able while I stomp my way to the phone. "What?"

"Hey, buddy." I knew it, that disgustingly cheerful, smug tone can only belong to Quil. "How's it going?"

"What do you want, Quil."

"Oooh, someone's in a bad mood. You chickened out, didn't you?"

I was about to let loose a scalding stream of poison when another voice piped in. "Is that Jacob? Did he ask her, yet?"

I stared into the receiver. "Is that dad?"

"Yeah, we're all here, waiting for the news. Emily brought food so hurry, man. I'm starving." I could just about see the smirk on his face. "No pressure, dude."

I opened my mouth to say something, anything to get him off the phone but another voice slithered through the lines. "Is that Jake? He asked her, yet?"

Quil chortled. "Naw, man. I think he's going to chicken out."

Embry scoffed and yelled at the backgrounds. "Geez, Jake. We all know she's gonna say yes. Just spit it out already."

"Keep your voices down." I hissed at the phone, looking over my shoulders at her silhouette from the front window.

"Is she there?"

"Yeah. And to answer your questions, I would have if you hadn't called."

A smattering of laughter rushed into the lines that made a suspicion crawled into my cramped brain. "Did you put me on speaker?"

"Boys, stop bothering Jacob." Emily's cheerful voice crept into my ear, a distinct contrast to the snickering tone of my brothers. "Now, put that phone down."

"Yes, Emily." They chimed in simultaneously.

"You better hurry, Jake. "Quil whispered hurriedly into speaker as if he was struggling to keep the phone from being wrestled out of his grasp. "You never know when a vampire will come and sweep her-"

"Thanks, Quil." I slammed down the phone so hard I think I might have broken it….on second thought, that's not such a bad idea.

I rolled my shoulders and rubbed my face feeling like a boxer about to get into a ring. I can do this.

When I lift my face I saw her, framed by the front window and the shading sunlight of the afternoon, warming her skin.

My heart tripped and did a slow turn inside my chest.

She doesn't care about pretty words or big gestures, if she did, she wouldn't be with me, would she? She's a simple girl, easy to please which of course made me even more determine to please her. I watched her combed her thick brown hair with a hand, it cascaded down her back as an errant wind played with its edges, it was so long now, reaching well below her waist.

When she tipped her head towards the dwindling sunlight, I felt my heart swell till it could burst.

She smiled when she felt the swing shift as I sat beside her and when her eyes opened the words slid out of my mouth as if had always been there, just waiting for the right moment.

"You know I love you."

The smile on her face went wide and bright. "I know." Then the look in her eyes shifted, I know she was remembering the same words in another time. "You know how much that's more than enough for me."

I felt the smile curve my lips, everything inside me sighed with that everyday miracle. "Yes."

The sky was burning with a thousand shades of gold, pink and orange behind her and when a small fragrant breeze brushed against our skin I was completely convinced, that there will not be a more perfect time than now. "Bells. " I reached for her hand and the smile on her face softened.

"Bella, honey. Will you marry me?"