Behind her, the noise escalated, an ever growing siren of the bar. The sounds of laughter, and heavy bass drowned out all reality as the vibrating tones grew louder until they chafed out all things in the life of her mind; no thoughts, no worries, pure and absolute nothingness. She simply had to smile to herself. The numbing assurance of this non-passing feeling gave her clear, pure sanity. Away from the chaos of everything; work, friends, family, emotions, her (ex)fiancee, and pain. The complex pain that seemed to forever haunt her memories since she was a child, and since then, creating a massive, wreaking havoc on every aspect of how she saw things, how she felt things, how she determined what to do with things in her life. But none of that mattered; none of it. She swigged the last of the rum and Diet Coke from the bottom of the crystal, sweat-beaded glass before her.
“Hey, Jake!” She yelled over the music at the bartender, with a sly grin on her face. “I'll have another, please.”
The bartender, in his late 20's, as she was, turned around to service her order with a smile. She noticed something off about him tonight, something amiss. He had never smiled like that at her before in the 4 years she had been coming to this bar. His face glowed as he slid the fizzing drink back over the bar to her hand, but he didn't let go, and so her hand overlapped his.
It seemed about this time that she noticed how defined he was; the firm muscles of his arms leading up to a chest every woman died for. Of course, it didn't help that he wore a black T-shirt that hugged him like a second skin.
In turn, he had seen her face here, at this very spot for 4 years. He saw her through everything; rain, sunshine, even let her cry on his shoulder in the back room several times. Drove her home when he knew she shouldn't be driving, and tucked her in bed at her apartment. He saw her, and every time, she made his heart skip a beat or two. Seeing her made his mouth go dry, made him want to get down on one knee and ask for her hand in marriage.
But someone had already beaten him to the punch, and it nearly ripped his heart out when he got the wedding invitation in the mail several weeks before. She had no clue the pain or the heart break she had caused him, and he never wanted her to know. Yet in that moment, there was nothing else except the two of them.
The perfect two, he thought silently. And then the moment ceased, they looked down at their hands entwined, ashamed. She drew back first.
She started to say,“Thanks, I owe you--”
“It's on the house, Grace. I'll pay for it,” he interrupted her quietly. From then on through the night, there was not another word spoken between them.
He had hated seeing her throw herself away, seeing her chase after men. Especially the ass hole that would be her husband soon. That's why they were on odd ends lately, because he had tried to explain to Grace that he fiancee was cheating on her. Who did she believe? Him. And the subject was never brought up again.
She felt it all coming back again, the reality waves making a smoldering tide around her ankles.
The way he looked at me....
It was all she could think about. Every time she tried to produce a different thought, the new thought was overridden by the look. The way he looked at her replayed over and over in her head; the brokenness in his eyes, the hurt in those black depths.
I have to talk to him. Have to tell him it's over. Have to tell him how...
“Jake,” Grace said quietly, so quiet no one turned as if her voice had startled them. Not even Jake. The rushing chords of electronic guitars rang out in her ears, and the pulse of the bass drum sent a chaotic headache into her temples. She felt her pulse quicken, in time with the rhythm of the music, and it was becoming too much. “Jake!” She said more forcefully, feeling her stress building. The room began spinning, tilting, blurring. The headache ever raging across her skull as if a thousand jackhammers began piercing her skin.
“JAKE!” She screamed, crying out in pain. Tears welted in her eyes and several people turned to stare at her, murmurs beginning across the crowd, and blood beginning a slow stream out of her nose. Jake turned to look at her, as their eyes met in a sharp contact, Grace's entire world went stone, cold black, as Jake's world fell to chaos under her stress attack.
******
Beep.... Beep... Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep-beep-beep-beep. The heart rate monitor spun out of control as Grace woke up; a large gasp escaping her chest, her heart pounding in her narrow chest. Jake bounded across the room to her side immediately.
“Grace? Grace, can you hear me?” he leaned over her, looked her in the eyes, both of his hands cupping her pale cheeks, shaking.
“Jake? Is that you?” Tears brimmed in her dark blue eyes as she stared into his burning black eyes. “I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry,” She didn't even say what she was sorry for, instead began uncontrollably sobbing, leaning forward into his chest, not even caring of the tubes in her nose to help her breathe. He couldn't help but cradle her head to his chest while she cried.
“Don't, Grace, it's OK. You're fine. I promise.” He didn't even notice he was crying until Grace pulled back and reached up to wipe them away from his cheek.
“I have something to tell you,” They said in unison as Jake pulled a chair up to her bedside. “Go first, Grace,” Jake whispered, reaching out to hold her hand in his. Grace leaned forward, interweaving her hand through his, and brought it up to her lips to kiss it.
“Jake, I'm sorry. God.” She sniffled, trying to form words in her head so she didn't seem like a total dunce to Jake. “I should have believed you, you know? You were right. Right about Warren. I caught him last week. Threw his damn ring at him, packed up, and left to go back to my apartment.” She sniffled again. “I'm sorry, Jake. So fucking sorry,” She felt the lump in her throat growing and she knew she couldn't say anything else to him without bawling her eyes out again.
He couldn't believe it. His heart swelled up in his chest, and he knew something was happening; something right.
“Do you want to hear what I was going to say?” He chuckled, smiling wide and moving closer to her as she nodded. “I was going to tell you that I'm going to leave you and the ass wipe alone from now on, and the only time you would see me was at the bar. I was going to tell you I'm sorry for testing your judgment, and that I think you're amazing. You... You make me feel like a man. You make me feel like no other girl has before,” He had started to look down at their hands when he started telling her how he felt, and so now when he paused to look up at her, she had tears in her eyes and dimples that highlighted her smile.
“Don't cry yet, I'm not even done!” He joked, which made both of them laugh. Then he continued on with soft words from his heart. “Grace Anna Faith Davis, I love you. And I will spend the rest of my life by your side, through anything; through rain or sunshine. I'll be here to hold you, to cry with you, to love you, and most of all I'll die for you. Grace, please, say something,” His voice broke as he stared at her in sheer pain. He wanted everything for her, and the silence created a massive hole in his heart.
Grace felt her heart welt up, and burst. That was what she had always wanted to hear from him. Those words, the sheer emotion, everything was simply perfect. She responded with eight words.
“Kiss me in the rain. I love you.” And with those sealing words, Grace fully captured Jake's heart, and Jake fully had Grace's heart.
**************
Walking out of the hospital, hand in hand, with Grace's head on Jake's shoulder, and his arm around her, a sharp crack of lightning flashed across the sky, followed soon after by thunder. Dark, roiling clouds moving swiftly across the sky seemed to darken more, thickening the night air. A light sprinkle wiped across the concrete as far as the eye could see. Within another minute, a heavy down pour cascaded from the heavens, drenching every dry inch of the land, and person in its wake.
Grace looked up to Jake, and he smiled down to her, pulling her out into the soaking weather. They stood looking into each others eyes for five minutes, letting the rain seep through their clothing, letting the rain freeze their very cores. Then, Jake bent his head down to Graces, and gently fastened his mouth to hers. Her hands reaching up and twisting in his hair; his hands cupping her cheeks, drawing her deeper into the fiery embrace.
When they pulled back, they smiled, and Jake shouted over the storm, “Grace, I love you!”
*****
(4 years later)
"What now?" Grace asked, laughing as Jake uncovered her eyes. He had taken them to a restaurant that was empty except for the two of them. A table was in front of her, with a white cloth covering it and a single rose resting on its center.
"Wow, you out did your self, Jake." she laughed, as he pulled out her chair for her to sit. He chuckled behind her.
"Maybe just a little bit. Wait until you taste the food. Then we can talk, love." He grinned across the table from her. Grace missed this, the mystery he brought in to her life. Soft music played in the background of their evening, food came on the table and went. She sat there, thinking of the past four years of happiness she had had with Jake. Grace simply stared at him as he spoke. Looked at the way his face was always lit up around her, how his smile always reached his eyes. Then, his lips stopped moving, and he stared at her.
"Grace, are you OK?" He questioned. She nodded, and responded.
"I was just looking at you. You look so happy all the time now." She picked up the tall, elegant glass before her and sipped the contents out of it. "Now tell me, why are we here, Jake?"
Jake felt his stomach tighten at the question. He reached for her hand across the table; his face solemn.
"We've been together for four years."
"Yes? And?"
"Today is our four year anniversary. So I'm giving you this," He leaned across the table, and kissed her. He felt the soft skin of her lips against his and he relished in that feeling.
Grace smiled at him as he returned to his seat. "OK, I really liked that gift."
"And, since we've been together for four years now, I have technically known you for 8 years." He tried to sound sophisticated, which just made her laugh.
"And now here is my third and final present to you, Grace." Jake got up from his seat, and circled the table to her side. Grace felt a knot in her stomach form.
This is it. He's going to do it. She thought.
This is it. I'm going to do it. Jake thought, sinking down to both knees.
Oh my god, he's going to break up with me! Breathe, breathe... She felt tears prick at her eye lids.
Damn. I hope she doesn't break up with me. I love her too damn much...
"Grace Anna Faith Davis," He pulled out a box behind his back, as he watched tears form in her blue gaze.
"Will you marry me?" He pulled the box out and flipped it open to reveal a beautiful princess cut diamond ring. Inside the silver band read: Love me?
Grace cried and sobbed for five minutes straight with Jake by her side, trying to take the ring back, telling her it's OK to not feel the same way. Finally, she kissed him and put the ring on her finger. He held her against his chest and felt triumph. He did it. He found "The One." And she was his One and Only.
****
(Wedding day, 8 months later)
A rupture of applause, and screams and whoops from the crowd filled their ears. He kissed Grace one more time, long and deeply. When they broke apart, he whispered in her ear, “Kiss me in the rain, baby. Kiss me in the rain.” She smiled and looked back at him, remembering that one night, and responded, "Always, and forever."
<3
felt like you guys are giving me great reviews, and fans. More will be posted soon. and thank you all so much for the compliments, believe it or not, I wrote this story trying to get rid of writers block 
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