Alive with Me

Chapter 14

Lia

A knock on the door sounded just as I came out of the bathroom.

"Come in," I said.

"Hey," Jake said as he peeked his head in.

"Hey. What's up?" I asked.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. Sure. What is it?" I asked, even though I already know it's about Charlie.

"I... I've never really done this you know," he started off.

"Done what?"

"Woo a girl," he said. "I mean, I don't date. I hook up, but I've never actually asked a girl out. This is a first, and I'm not sure what I should do," he said sheepishly.

I smiled at his honesty.

"You got me pegged right, you know. Everything you said about me is right, but I don't know. For the first time, I don't want to be safe anymore. I can't get her out of my mind," he said as he paced back and forth.

"Be yourself, Jake," I said. "Be yourself. If you can be that around her, then you can't lose."

He frowned. "What if she doesn't like who I really am?"

"Then it's her loss. And she's not the girl for you."

He frowned.

"You want to be with someone who accepts and loves you for who you are, not someone who only loves parts of you."

The love word caused his eyes to widen. Fear written all over his face.

I chuckled at the look on his face. "I can see the wheels turning in your head. Jesus, Jake. You're really a commitment-phobe."

He shrugged.

I smiled and chuckled softly. "Jake just let lose. Let go of all your inhibitions when it comes to commitments. Just go with it. Enjoy the night. If by the end of the night, she's all you think about, then be worried," I teased.

He gulped.

"I'm kidding, geez."

"She really got to you."

He nodded. "Look, I... I've never felt this way before, but I don't want to screw this up."

"You won't," I said. "Talk to her the way you just talked to me right now. Be honest, Jake. That's all anyone could ever ask for."

He smiled. "Thanks, Eddie," he said.

"No problem."

Jake turned to leave, the same time, Nate walked in.

"You leaving now, man?" Nate asked.

"Yup. Later guys," Jake said.

"Hey, Sunshine," Nate said, as he sat beside me.

"Hey," I said.

"What did he want?"

I shrugged. "He just needed some pep talk. He's nervous and he doesn't to screw things up with Charlie."

"She really got to him," Nate said.

I nodded in agreement.

"Anyways. Enough about Jake," he said as he held out his hand to me. "Come, I want to show you something," he said.

"What?" I asked.