Seven Days a Week

Day Six (cont.)

"See? You two should thank the three of us, because if it weren't for us, you two wouldn't be happily together," Abi said, giggling with Reagan, and Nick smiling at both of us.

It had been a year and almost a half, since Jake asked me to be his girlfriend. Everyone had expected that we'd end up together, and that we're the only people you who didn't. I turned to look at Jake who gave me a peck on my lips. I blushed at this. The others teased us more about this. Logan told us to go get a room.

Jake was officially my first boyfriend. He was also my first kiss.

I woke up by the sound of my phone ringtone. I looked at my digital clock, learning that it was just barely past midnight. I reached for my phone and placed it near my ear, not looking who the caller was.

"Hello?"

"Happy birthday, Addy! Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Addy, happy birthday to you!"

I laughed as Ethan sing me a birthday song in a sleepy but still cheery tone.

"Ha, ha, ha, always wanted to be the first greeter. Thanks, Conny."

"Were you asleep?"

"Of course, you dummy."

"Well, I'm sorry for waking you up, but you have to admit that you're flattered having me as the only person thinking of greeting you at this hour."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, where's my gift?"

"Your gift is with me, get it. Kidding. I'll give it on Christmas."

"I'll be expecting two gifts then."

Before Ethan answered, I heard a knock on our room. Abi wasn't awake yet. She didn't even wake up by the sound of my ringtone. That's how a heavy sleeper she is. I told Ethan to hold on, because I just heard a knock on my door. He told me to arm myself and to not end the call, because it might be a killer.

I just held my phone tight, thankful that Ethan was on the other side of the line. My heart started to race that when I opened the door, I was surprised to see Jake, holding a cake with lit candles on it.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart."

I smiled at him as I blew the candles out the caramel cake. He knew that my favorite was caramel. I let him in the room and turned my desk lamp on, helping him place the cake on my desk before he hugged me tight. I leaned in and thanked him for the surprise.

He was about to go, until I stopped him, telling him that he could sleep beside me. His eyes grew wide, but I told him I could trust him that he wasn't going to do anything to me. He relaxed as he lied down beside me on my queen-sized bed. We kept our fair share of distance, making sure that it was enough for a couple who was still in the dating stage.

He greeted me once again, and bid me good night before falling asleep. I knew he had to sleep here. I could read the sleep through his eyes, and it would be dangerous for him to drive home alone with a drowsy mind.

I just observed him sleep. His eye lashes were pretty long, and it was cute how his body rises up and down with a rhythm, that just by watching him sleep, makes me want to sleep also. As I was about to close my eyes, I remembered Ethan.

I sat up and looked for my phone, which was on my desk. I picked it up, realizing that Ethan had already ended the call a few minutes ago.

Jake said he planned something for us today, so I wore a casual dress and closed shoes, while Jake wore a long-sleeved polo shirt and jeans. We had a series of dates before, but I was most excited for what we were going to do today.

We did everything together, remembering about what Daniel and I did before. To say that this was the best day of my life with the reason other than my birthday was by far an understatement.

By 10 at night, I was already tired, my feet had already gotten sore by walking, but I told myself that it was worth the pain. Jake drove the car with one hand, the other was intertwined with my hand, but we weren't headed to my dorm but to the park. I looked at Jake in question.

"I promise. This will be the last."

He said with a sad smile I didn't notice under the bright moon. I nodded at him as he kissed the back of my palm before he stopped the car. Hand in hand, he led me to the swings, and we both sat there before he wiped my seat clean. I smiled at him in thanks.

We were just swinging lightly under the kiss of the moon, until he stood up and kneeled in front of me, holding both my hands on top of my lap. I looked at him, wondering what he was doing. We were just shy of our third year and asking me to marry him was too early, so I let that slide off my mind.

He got something on his front pocket – a small box tied in a sliver ribbon. He opened it to reveal a silver ring. He didn't ask me anything nor did he tell me something as he put on the ring on my ring finger in my left hand. He looked up at me and smiled at me, now evident of the melancholy on his face.

"I love you, Claire, forever and ever. This ring would remind you of that."

I smiled at him as tears started to form on my eyes. He wiped them with his thumb and leaned in to kiss my forehead. He then stood up and stuck out a hand to which I held. I just leaned my head on his shoulder as we walked back to the car, driving home to my room where there was a box wrapped in sliver and tied with a gold ribbon.

I opened it to see a scrapbook and a teddy bear with our initials separated with & stitched on the bear's stomach. I opened the scrapbook to see pictures of us together – pictures that Nick had taken us before we were even officially together. The scrapbook was as thick as my dictionary. Every page was designed with effort I could imagine Jake could have done. There were also dates on every picture – dates that signify that almost every day, we were together.

I cried once more, before falling asleep, hugging the teddy bear he had given me like it was going to be out of my grasp soon.

Just as how I should have hugged Jake tight before he dropped me off my room. I should have kissed him before he walked out of my room. I should have told him that I loved him, too, before we left the swings. I should have done everything with him yesterday, because the next day, he was nowhere to be found. I asked the teachers where he was, and only one told me that he saw his parents yesterday, filing a drop out paper for Jake.

I tried calling him, but he was unattended. I sent him endless series of messages. Even Abi and our other friends didn't know that he was suddenly gone.

I felt remorse and regret. If only I had told him I loved him too. If only I had spent more time with him. If only I had the future at the back of my head. If only...

And that's when it hit me.

"I promise. This will be the last."

I stared at the ring on my finger, letting my tears fall one by one on it.