spark ❧ jake dufner

NINETEEN

Lucy let out a groan as she felt her brain pound against her skull. She laid back down, gripping her hair in an attempt to ease the pain. It only made it worse.

She laid on her bed, staring up at the white ceiling, confused and dazed as to what happened the night before. She remembered parts, and flashes of the night replayed in her mind.

She remembered only downing the entire bottle of stolen Fireball, then changing into her sexiest pair of lingerie. For what she still did not know.

It took her ten minutes its to get out of her bed and walk to the door. Her head was killing her and she desperately needed the aspirin located in her kitchen.

She opened her door and stepped onto her carpet, when she stopped. Her eyes landed on Jake's sleeping form on her couch, and the girl's heartbeat quickened.

She watched his chest rise and fall softly, and she tried to replay the events of the night before in her mind.

She sighed after gaining no answer, and she walked to her kitchen to grab some water. She downed a few glasses before popping two aspirins into her mouth, screwing her eyes shut. She hated taking pills.

As the girl walked back towards her bedroom, Jake's voice sounded in her ears. "Mornin' sunshine. How's that hangover?" She could practically feel the angry stare at the back of her head, and Lucy turned around.

Jake stared at her, unamused, with an elbow propped up. His messy bed head made the girl bite her lip, and she looked into his eyes. "Jake, if you're here to scold me, just leave. I don't need to listen to your stupid comments and degrading remarks."

When she turned around once again, she could practically hear steam coming out of the boy's ears. "Are you serious, Lucy? You just expect me to leave without asking for a fucking reason as to why you would just get black-out drunk? You fucking told me you would never even touch alcohol, but you text me saying you're drunk and quote on quote 'horny'. You practically begged me to fuck you, and now you just want me to leave? I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what the fuck went through your mind last night."

Lucy closed her eyes and listened to her pounding heartbeat. It finally clicked into her brain; realization spread across the girl's face as tears began to form. Her shaky hands could barely grasp onto the glass of water she was carrying.

She opened her eyes and tried to form words, but it was as if her vocal cords were gone. And as she stared into Jake's green orbs, she felt her grip loosen on her cup.

She cleared her throat as she clutched the cup with two hands. "He has cancer."

Jake stood up, and walked slightly forwards, a questioning look in his eyes that was telling her to continue. "My dad has cancer."

Jake felt his heart plummet to the ground as he took in her words. He opened his mouth to apologize, but the girl pressed on.

"That's why I stole the Fireball from the liquor store. That's why I did the most reckless, most dangerous thing i've ever done in my life. Because I just wanted to forget."

"Lucy, I-" Jake tugged the girl into a hug, and Lucy felt her whole world crumble from his touch. Feeling his skin on hers made the girl snap back into reality. It forced her to realize her father was going to die.

"I'm so sorry, Lucy. i didn't know-" Lucy shushed him, just letting the tears fall from her eyes as she removed herself from his embrace.

"You should go. I don't want you to keep looking at me like i'm just one big mistake."

Jake furrowed his brow. "I don't see you as a damn mistake, Lucy. I was worried as hell, can't you see?"

Lucy shook her head. she forced herself to look him in the eyes. "I can see it in your eyes, Jake. I fucking see how a part of you has started to hate me cause i've touched alcohol."

"So please just leave, Jake. I want to be alone." Jake stared ahead at the girl, his hand reaching out to touch her cheek. She shuddered away from his touch, but he slipped his hand around the back of her head and embraced her one more time.

When the two stood in the center of the girl's apartment, Lucy's feelings bubbled over as she tilted her head to look at the boy. Her mind exploded with thoughts, an argument starting to form in her brain.

Kiss him. Her mind screamed at her;

Don't kiss him. Her heart screamed from inside her.

Lucy's eyes flickered from Jake's eyes to his lips for a moment, ready to pull away and enter her room, but her body refused to listen to her minds.

The girl's eyelids fluttered closed as she pushed her lips onto Jake's gently, her skin tingling from the contact. She gripped the back of his neck as she melted into his arms, and for a moment, she felt her heartbeat quicken in nervousness. She hadn't felt Jake kiss back; had he not wanted to kiss her? Was she not worth it?

All of the questions dissipated when she felt Jake's lips move. Their lips seemed to mold perfectly together, and it was as if Jake's hands were made to fit around the girl's waist.

The two pulled away, staring into each others eyes, before Lucy finally spoke. "I didn't mean it when i told you I wanted to be alone. Truth is, i can't bear the thought of being alone."