Promise Me Forever

by Sarah Ashley Jones

  Ignoring the tears that fell down my cheeks was easy, but it was Jhett’s soft whisper that made it impossible to keep it together.

  “You are always worth it to me.” Shivers ran through my body as he guided himself in and out of me at a teasingly slow pace. Every move he made was filled with passion and purpose. He took his time and made sure I felt every bit of him.

  Controlling my breathing was useless. Every time I managed to catch my breath, Jhett eased himself deeper inside me. I felt nothing, and yet I felt everything. My pain, his pain - our pain - but also our love. Any doubt of what was meant to be was wiped from my mind. He gripped the flesh of my arms, and it was the only thing left anchoring me to the real world. My mind was already gone, lost somewhere in the realm of passion and ecstasy. I cried out; Jhett’s name rolling off my tongue and mixing with the husky whisper of my own name coming from above me.

  I don’t know how long we lay there intertwined together like that; his body ending where mine began. It wasn’t just him or just me - it was us again. Jhett wiped my sticky, tear-stained cheeks, then leaned down and kissed first one cheek and then the other. I hadn’t realized how much I cried until he pulled back and pressed his mouth to mine; the taste of my tears on his lips.

  He rolled off of me and onto his side, and my breath caught in my throat when we separated. I opened my mouth to speak, but his finger went straight to my lips. Jhett shook his head and a lopsided smile appeared across his face. I rolled my shoulders backwards as I relaxed in his arms and put my hand up into the air. He let out a small chuckle as his hand went up next to mine. Together we matched the pads of our thumbs, pointer finger, and pinky; the knuckles of the other two fingers bending and meeting in the middle.

  Above us our hands made the sign for ‘I love you.’ I guess sometimes you don’t need words to let someone know how you feel.

  An hour later I climbed the spiral stairs behind Jhett. The view from behind might have been my favorite part about going to The Pointe. Jhett always looked nice, but tonight he was especially sharp. His dark jeans and black button up shirt weren’t anything unusual for him, but it was classy, and this girl loved it.

  As I stepped up and over the last step, I entered the time warp that was Riot Night. It didn’t matter how many times I came, it always felt like the first time when I’d stuck out like a sore thumb. That wasn’t the case anymore since I could pretty much name every person in the room, but sometimes it was still possible to feel like the odd man out.

  I heard the shouts coming from around the dance floor almost immediately. Jhett’s hand slipped into mine as we made our way over to the large group of people waiting for us. I mentally made a list of everyone I knew. I saw Danny right away and let out a sigh of relief. He was a constant ray of sunshine in our lives lately. He offered himself up to the mercy of The Voodoo Kitchen, and I couldn’t have appreciated him more for helping out.

  “Well if it isn’t the castless wonder herself,” a high-pitched voice floated above the crowd. I didn’t need to see her to know exactly who it was; her fiery red hair made her presence known loud and clear. Ginger paraded away from the bar, her hips swaying with each step as she made her way to us with a glass in each hand. She set them down on the table in front of us and picked up her own bright green drink.

  I lifted one of the glasses up and held it in front of my face, inspecting its clear contents. Ginger took notice and mouthed to me - ‘It’s water.’ I couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. ‘Thank you,’ I mouthed back. Our slightly awkward and newfound relationship still took some getting used to, but at least things were semi-tolerable. Nowhere near normal...but tolerable nonetheless.

  “So I heard you started classes this week, Charlie. How do you like SDSU so far?” Danny asked while Ginger pulled up a seat next to him. They exchanged similar awkward smiles. Jhett’s eyebrow rose as he watched them.

  I sat down on a stool and let all the details of my first week of classes spill out. Every once in a while I caught Jhett’s eyes lingering on me. It was a struggle to keep the conversation flowing when he watched me, beaming like I’d just won an Academy Award. I had to give it to him - he really knew how to make a girl feel loved. I don’t think a day passed that he ever made me think I wasn’t good enough, and for that, I was forever grateful.

  The table burst with commotion. Thankfully the conversation started to veer its focus away from me and onto another girl in the group, Annabelle, who was going off about the latest and greatest gossip. I took a sip of my water as Jhett leaned in close to me.

  “So - you ready to put that arm to the test tonight?” he whispered in my ear. “You have a few weeks of dancing to make up for with me.”

  I pursed my lips and took another gulp of my water. “Not true. I danced last time.”

  Jhett pressed his shoulder into mine; a teasing smirk painted on his face. “I mean real dancing. You’ll need both your arms to keep up.”

  I rolled my eyes and set my glass down on the table. “I have two left feet you know, so you’re gonna have to lead.”

  His features softened. “As you wish,” he answered.

  Jumping down from his seat and taking my hand in his, Jhett drew it up to his lips. With expert skill, he placed a delicate kiss on the back of my hand.

  “Quoting The Princess Bride doesn’t magically make me feel better about this.” I gave him a coy smile.

  As he lifted our joined hands in the air, I hopped off of my stool. When my feet hit the floor, he spun me in a circle and pulled me so close to his chest I felt every muscle under his thin shirt. It drove me wild. He dipped his head down and spoke right next to my ear. “Yeah, but admit it. It helps.”

  I giggled when his warm breath hit my neck. Pulling back just a few inches, I stood up on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Okay. It helps.”

  Jhett suddenly grasped me even closer to him, moving his body to the beat of the new song coming from the band on stage; the strong baseline thrummed through both of us. He turned to face the remaining group at the table and sighed dramatically. “We’ll be right back. Someone won’t leave me alone about going to dance, and what she wants - she gets.” He flashed a wink my way before dragging me through the maze of tables and up to the front of the dance floor.

  I let the music take over my thoughts and soaked in the upbeat bass coming from the band. It was a cross between swing and jazz, making it physically impossible not to dance, but I guess having an extremely sexy and skilled dance partner helped encourage my moves. Every time we came out before, I refused to go out and dance with him. The most he ever got from me were a few sways next to our table. I always made up an excuse not to make it out on the dance floor. But my cast was gone and I started to see exactly what I missed.

  Jhett was an expert. He took the lead and never left me to think about what to do next. Each time he twirled me a new squeal escaped my lips, and the way Jhett’s teeth dug into his lip told me he enjoyed every sound I made.

  His eyes grew as he watched me move. I imagined what I must look like to him…totally uncoordinated, limbs flailing as he tossed and turned me without thinking. But I didn’t care - at least not tonight. There was a glimmer in Jhett’s eyes that said he didn’t care either, so I must have been doing something right.

  The music slowed as the band transitioned into the next song and the people around us began to disperse from the floor. I turned to follow their lead when Jhett grabbed me around the waist and scooped up my right hand into his own. His cheek pressed to mine, and I let his spicy scent take over my senses as his thumb rubbed imaginary patterns on the small of my back. My eyes closed softly. It was nice to finally be able to enjoy being close to him again. We moved slowly, swaying back and forth, lost in our own little world.

  “You never told me you knew how to dance like that.” If it weren’t for the loud music, I could’ve gotten away with a whisper, but with all the commotion around us, I needed to practically shout for him to hear me.

  J
hett leaned back and looked down at me with a wrinkled brow. “Why do you say it like that? You’ve seen me dance with other people before.”

  I scoffed, my mouth falling open at his feigned innocence. “You’ve never done what you just did with me, to anyone I’ve seen you dance with. That was….something else.”

  He cocked his head to the side and smiled smugly. “That’s because depending on who your partner is, there’s different ways you dance with them. So you’re right, I don’t do that with anyone else, because I’ve been waiting to do it with you.”

  I bit my lip in an attempt to fight the bashful grin that threatened to appear. Jhett shrugged his shoulders, letting them linger by his ears for a few seconds. He knew exactly what he was doing.

  :

  I leaned back to make sure I heard him right. “But we just got here a little bit ago. And we were the ones who invited everyone out tonight. Shouldn’t we stay a little bit longer-”

  With each word I spoke Jhett grew more and more antsy, until he cut me off.

  “Come on, let’s just go.” My eyes widened as he released me from his grasp and guided me back through the crowd, narrowly avoiding our group of friends as we hurried past them to the spiral staircase. My curiosity built with each step until we exited through the double doors and landed out on the sidewalk in front of The Pointe.

  “Aren’t they going to eventually wonder where we are?” Jhett continued to lead me down the sidewalk; the music fading into the background as we wandered further away from the building. My pace quickened; I needed to jog to keep up with him. Why was he in such a hurry?

  “I’ll send them a text in a bit, but I’m sure they’ll survive without us for one night.” He glanced over at me and squeezed my hand. It was his attempt to comfort me. It didn’t work.

  There weren’t many people out on the streets. Summer was dwindling down and that meant most of the tourists were already back where they came from. Each street light we passed under sent my thoughts flying in every direction. I couldn’t understand why we got all dressed up to go out, just to leave the bar anyway.

  “Where are we even going that we couldn’t have just driven? There’s nothin’ but bars, greasy restaurants and tattoo shops open this late.” Jhett’s snide look made my stomach drop. “Oh no. Don’t tell me we’re going to a tattoo shop. I am not getting a tattoo, Jhett!” I stopped walking and jerked on his arm, watching with pleasure as he stumbled back a few steps.

  With both hands, he cupped my face. His shoulders slumped forward. He looked defeated. “We aren’t getting tattoos, jeez. But I’m going to need you to trust me on this one and just go with it, okay?”

  I sighed and gave in. “Fine.” His bottom lip was bright red from where he chewed on it more than once throughout the night. I’d never seen him do that before. Intertwining his fingers with mine, we started back down the sidewalk, or rather, he pulled me behind him as he walked down the sidewalk. I decided to stay quiet this time and just enjoy the walk. As the buildings grew more colorful, my surroundings felt more familiar. It wasn’t until the concrete barrier came into view that I knew exactly where we were.

  Jhett dropped my hand and made his way out towards the boardwalk. My feet stopped moving forward, despite my brain yelling at them to go and follow Jhett. We’d been to the beach many times together; we’d just never been back to that part of the beach.

  The salty wind whipped around me and the bottom of my dress swayed in the breeze. It took a few minutes to get a handle on the fact that Jhett brought me back to the one place where it all started – where we started. My hands shook at my sides, and the waves of emotion that hit me were almost too much. I fought to keep it together.

  My chest tightened. I wanted to run and I wanted to stay. It was the same feeling from that first night. And just like before, neither fight nor flight won. I was stuck standing on the concrete walkway, watching as Jhett took off his shoes and disappeared towards the water.

  “Are you coming or not?” Jhett called from the sand. It was dark; the sun set a few hours earlier. But the moon let off enough light that it didn’t matter there were barely any streetlights. My leg bounced as I glanced from Jhett’s shoes and socks, to the water, and then back at Jhett, who was already making his way towards the shoreline. I wasn’t going to be left behind again. Kicking my shoes off, I ran towards him without another thought.

  The sand was cool and compact under my toes, but it was still a struggle to avoid falling in the dark. It didn’t take long to catch up to Jhett. He stood in the same spot as we had three months earlier. Jhett looked out over the ocean and I found my place next to him, my arms slipping around his waist. A comfortable silence fell between us. Neither of us spoke as we watched the waves roll towards us and crash into the sand just a few feet ahead.

  I leaned my head against Jhett’s shoulder with a heavy sigh. “It feels like a lifetime ago since we were last here,” I spoke my thoughts out loud. I knew I wasn’t alone in my thinking since he was the one who brought us here, but I just couldn’t figure out why. Maybe he thought this would help me get some closure, but I didn’t need any of that from there. Even though this side of the beach made me uneasy, it didn’t bring feelings of sadness with it. It was more like the feeling of being complete, like everything came full circle.

  “It really does. I don’t think anyone could have guessed that night would lead us to where we are now. ” He took in a deep breath; his ribs expanding under my arms. “You know Charlie, I didn’t plan on life working out this way, but you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” Jhett slipped his hands on my hips and adjusted his stance so we faced each other. I rested my arms on his shoulders and entwined my fingers behind his neck. His eyes went soft and somber. He was….emotional. And it made my insides go soft.

  “I haven’t always been the best person, but that all changed when I met you. When I look at you, I get this feeling like everything I’ve done in my life led me right to you. All my choices, even the terrible, stupid, idiotic ones, the heartaches, and even my regrets. Everything. It was all worth it, because I think if I’d done one thing differently, you wouldn’t be standing here right now.”

  I opened up my mouth to respond, but he shook his head. He wasn’t finished. “You made it completely impossible not to fall for you. I’d sworn off all relationships before you, Charlie. It was easier to keep everyone at arm’s length than to let someone in and see the real me. That’s why I pushed you in the beginning. You were everything I said I would avoid when it came to woman. But I want it all, Charlie - all your giggles, jokes, sarcasm, your flaws - I want everything.”

  It felt like the world started to move in slow motion as Jhett bent down to kneel on one knee before me. My breath was completely gone, and my throat went bone dry. The only movement I could force my body to make was throwing my hands over my mouth as I watched him. When he reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny black box, I knew what was about to happen. His own hands shook as he popped it open, revealing the most gorgeous piece of sparkling jewelry I’d ever laid eyes on.

  “I’ve loved you from the first time I saw you across the room at The Pointe, and I fall more in love with you every day we are together. I know I may not have been your first kiss, or your first love, but I mean it when I say I want to be your last everything, because when I think about my life years from now, you’re the only person I see in it with me.” With a smile that could turn me into a puddle of emotions in three seconds flat, he asked the questions I never knew I longed to hear. “I have one last proposition for you, Charlie. Will you marry me and stay forever?”

  I’m not sure how I avoided falling apart while listening to his entire speech, but when he finished the tears hit me with a vengeance. I was no longer in control over any muscle in my body; each one of them buzzed with the perfect mix of utter shock and happiness. My mind bounced all over the place, screaming eight hundred answers at once, but my breathing made it impossible to say a single one of them.


  “Charlie?” Jhett’s voice wavered; still bent down on one knee before me. I’d never answered him.

  “Yes! Without a doubt in my mind, Jhett, of course yes!” My arms were around his neck faster than he could stand up; the tears flowed freely down my cheeks and onto his neck. I refused to let go of him for fear that if I did, I might wake up and realize it was a dream, and one of the most amazing moments of my life would be ripped away from me.

  I was never one of those girls who fantasized about how someone would propose to them, but if I needed to imagine what a perfect proposal would feel like, it would be exactly the way Jhett made it happen.

  Jhett wrapped his fingers around my forearms and carefully loosened my grip around his neck. I noticed the wet streaks on his cheeks, but said nothing. It was his moment, too. He deserved to cry. His hand appeared between us, the ring pinched tightly between his thumb and index finger. He took my left hand in his and slipped the ring onto my finger.

  My mouth fell open at its beauty when I saw it up close. It was petite, just like me. There was one single diamond that stuck out from the detailed, almost braided-looking rose gold band. It screamed my name in every way possible. It was stunning.

  Soft fingertips brushed the slick skin of my cheeks, and I looked up into Jhett’s waiting eyes.

  “Thank you, Jhett. It’s everything I could have dreamed of. It’s perfect, really.”

  “I love you, Charlie.”

  Jhett looked down at me as if I was the brightest star in the sky, and he kissed me as if I was the only breath he needed to live. Every single one of my nerve endings screamed with pleasure. I didn’t think it was possible to physically feel the love that someone else had for you, but in that moment I felt Jhett everywhere inside me. And it was glorious.