AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys, when it says "1 YEAR LATER," it means that it's been one year since Jake and Katie were in the closet. It does NOT mean that it's been a year since the last chapter. Only one year has passed between Jake and Katie in the closet. Not two. Sorry for the confusion and I hope this little note of mine clears everything up. If not, PM me and we'll talk about it (:

____________________________________

You have to believe

there are kisses

and laughs

and risks worth taking.

—David Levithan

____________________________________

KATIE

FEBRUARY // 1 YEAR LATER

"Uh, I wish this jacket would just go on sale already!" I sighed, snuggling deeper into the couch. Finn was sitting in the middle of the couch, on top of my feet.

"Are you on JCrew?" Ava asked me as she emerged from the kitchen with an omelette. "Cause they're having a major sale."

"Oooo give me a bite." I said opening my mouth as Ava made her way over to me.

She cut into her omelette and fed me a piece. "Finnegan, you want a bite?" she asked him. He shook his head, not looking away from the television.

"Uhhh so good." I said through a mouthful of egg.

"I know. I'm a great cook." Ava said as she walked over to the other couch.

"Yes you are. I was just on JCrew. Everything is 50% off. I'm on the Victoria's Secret website now."

"Also having a major sale." Ava said without even thinking about it. If there was anything that Ava knew like the back of her hand, it would be shopping, throwing parties, and the back of her hand."Well it's almost Valentine's Day, so I gotta stock up." I said.

"For you or for Derek?" Ava asked me, grabbing one the the blankets off the back of the couch.

"What am I gonna get Derek from Victoria's Secret?" I turned to look at her. "A red lacy bra and some matching panties?" I raised my eyebrows. Finn laughed.

"He might be into that, you never know." She shrugged.

"No, no, you're thinking of Victor's Secret. Three stores down." A smirk crept onto my face. "Besides, I already got him some stuff from Polo and JCrew. I think that earns me a few favors." I laughed, giving her a knowing look. "What about Calum? What are you gonna get him?" I asked, mussing up Finn's hair.

"I've a got a few ideas in mind." She took a bite of her omelette.

"Oh yeah, like Victor's Secret?"

"Mhm. Besides, how do I know that you're not gonna tell Calum?" Ava took a sip of her orange juice.

"I would never." I said sarcastically, because last month, I accidentally told him about the surprise party Ava and I planned for him. It kinda slipped out. "And that was one time!"

"I'll figure something out." Ava shrugged.

"Yeah, I'm sure you will. Derek said he got me something. I'm kinda shocked he remembered," I said to Ava. My phone buzzed, a familiar tone cutting through the air, interrupting the commercials on TV, which were interrupting Finn's Saturday morning cartoons. "Speaking of the devil." I couldn't help but smile.

Derek 9:34am: Morning, beautiful

Me 9:34am: Hi, handsome

Derek 9:35am: How are you?

Me 9:36am: Good, watching cartoons with Finn and Ava. You?

Derek 9:38am: Doing a coffee run, you want anything?

Me 9:39am: Sounds delicious, but save that for next week. I have a huge exam and I would really appreciate a coffee that morning.

Derek 9:40am: Alright, I'll get you a coffee with your present (:

Me 9:42am: Haha why are you getting me a present?

Derek 9:44am: Because

Me 9:45am: Because?

Derek 9:47am: Just because

Me 9:49am: Well then, maybe I'll get you a present (;

Derek 9:50am: Is it cause I'm your boyfriend?

Me 9:51am: No

Derek 9:52am: Then...

Me 9:53am: Just because lol

Derek 9:57am: Fine be that way

Me 9:59am: I will

"Katie, would you get off your phone for five seconds? Though you may not want to hear this, the world would be better off without you buying clothes 24/7," My dad said as he walked through the living room. "And so would my credit card," he muttered.

"Dad, online shopping cannot wait! There is a sale going on!" I rolled my eyes, informing him.

"Homework, on the other hand, can." Ava said through a mouthful of food.

"I buy other things besides clothes," I argued. "Like phone cases, and books, and stuff."

"And stuff." It was my dad's turn to roll his eyes. Ava and I giggled.

"Michael, please. Don't try to hid the fact that you don't love it when mom buys you clothes." Ava said.

"He definitely does, girls." Nora said, walking in with three mugs of hot chocolate. My dad reached for one. "None for you, honey. You don't appreciate me buying you clothes." She scurried away from him and over to the couch Finn and I were snuggling on.

I couldn't help but sigh in appreciation. "Nora, you just know." I wrapped my hands around ash blue mug, letting the warmth seep into my body.

"She always knows, Katie," Ava said, taking the hot chocolate.

"Thanks, mom," Finn spoke for the first time in about an hour. He had been too into his show to notice reality.

"You're welcome, sweetheart." Nora kissed his head.

"I'm feeling very deprived of love," Dad said as he added another log onto the fire.

"Oh, now you appreciate me?" Nora laughed.

"Shhh." Finn said to them, holding his finger up to his lips. He was watching Tom&Jerry, a cartoon that had no words, so he wouldn't exactly miss anything anyways. However, the music was always on point.

"Finny, just put the headphones on, Ava said from across the room.

"But then I can't hear Katie typing, and I like hearing her type on her phone." Finn said in the most innocent voice possible. I frowned at Ava out of cuteness, my heart melting.

"Come here." I pulled him into my lap, so he could be closer to me and my phone. He leaned his head on my arm and pulled his feet back under the warmth of the blanket. I wrapped one of my arms around his stomach, feeling the rising and falling of his chest.

"Hi, little brother," I said quietly to him.

"Hi, Kay," Finn looked up at me, as his hand found mine under the blanket.

Δ

I heard tiny feet pattering down the hallway. I could tell they were Finn's by the way they held an excitedness to them. Seconds later, as I knew he would, Finn burst into my room. I was looking in one of the mirrors doing my makeup. The first time he burst into my room, it scared me so much that I ended up with a dark line across my forehead. Mascara and I never really got along, which is why Ava usually did it for me. I had grown accustomed, and even looked forward to seeing Finn around 6am.

"Happy Friday, Finn," I said slowly as did my eyeliner.

"I love Fridays!" Finn jumped up and down. How he had this much energy at 6am was a mystery to me.

"Me too!" I high-fived him.

"Can I pick out your outfit Katie?" Finn asked me, his hands grabbing fistfuls of the sleeves on his PJs.

"Did you already pick out Ava's?" I looked at him in my mirror. His hair was sticking up in every which direction, kinda like Derek's did after hockey.

"Yep," He said as he disappeared into my closet.

"What's she wearing today?" I called to him.

"A pink shirt, a blue blazer, tan corduroys, and brown boots," came his muffled response. "Red or blue?" he asked me. I thought for a moment, thinking. Finn's favorite color was red, so it was basically a no brainer.

"Red." I smiled, hearing his feet do a little dance.

Finn ran out of my closet, holding up red pants and a white sweater. "What do you think?" he looked up expectantly at me.

"It's perfect. Very festive seeing as it's Valentine's Day." I nodded in approval. "What about shoes?" I asked him. "Am I going to school barefoot today?" Finn giggled, sitting down on my floor.

"You and Ava can just wear the same boots and match." He shrugged, as if to say 'why-didn't-you-think-of-that?' I clicked my case of foundation closed and dropped it back into my makeup bag.

"Sounds good to me, Finnegan." I smiled, checking my phone.

Finn climbed into my lap, digging through my makeup bag. He pulled out a silver, creme, and grey color scheme for my eye shadow. I rested my chin on the top of his head while I did my eyeshadow. Finn, in turn, stayed as still as a statue. I knew he liked watching me do my makeup.

"What do you think?" I asked him, keeping my eyes closed so he could inspect my handiwork.

"It's really pretty." His fingertip brushed over my eyelids so lightly. "Wanna do my blush?" I asked him.

Finn could only nod in excitement. I handed him the brush and sat him on the desk, so he was facing me. I watched as he dabbed the brush on the pallet before tapping it against the side to get the excess powder off. A light layer of pink dusted his PJ pants.

"Done." Finn said, setting the brush down, his tongue sticking slightly out of his mouth.

"Thank you." I stood up and took him off the desk, because the last time he jumped it didn't end well. "Now go get dressed for school." I ruffled his hair. "We have to leave soon."

"Okay!" He raced out of my room, making zooming noises.

"Good morning," Ava said to me as I walked into the kitchen.

"Hi, Aves," I gave her shoulder a small squeeze as I made my way over to the fridge.

"Happy Valentine's Day," she told me with a laugh as I sat down at the breakfast bar with a banana.

"Practicing for Calum?" I asked.

"Of course. It has to sound perfect when I tell him," she said, concentrating on putting some peanut butter on an apple slice.

"He loves anythings that comes out of your mouth." I said. "Or goes in." I couldn't resist making the joke.

"I could say the same of Derek." Ava hit my shoulder laughing. I nodded.

Nora walked in moments later. "Girls, you'll be home for dinner tonight, right?"

"Yep." Ava and I said simultaneously.

"And you're still going over to the Martini's later tonight?" Nora poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Yeah, Alex is throwing a party." Ava said.

"For Valentine's Day." I clarified.

"Did you girls get Derek and Calum presents?" Nora asked.

"Mom, the real question here, is did they get us presents," Ava said as we help up our bags of clothes.

"You don't give those boys enough credit, ladies." My dad said as he walked in. "Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart." Dad made his rounds kissing everyone.

"Just because they're #1 on the ice Dad doesn't mean they're #1 in our hearts." I laughed taking one of Ava's apple slices.

Dad put his hands up. "You might be surprised after today."

"If they remember..." Ava said.

"See you girls at school," he said. "Bye Nora, have a good day." He kissed her. "I love you,"

"I love you too." She rubbed his shoulder.

"So what's for dinner?" I asked after dad had left.

"Salmon." Nora grabbed a container out of the fridge, presumably filled with salad, her usual choice for lunch.

"With asparagus?" I asked.

"Yes, Katie." Nora smiled at us.

"Perfect," Ava and I both said before taking a bite of one of the slices.

"Have a good day, girls." She kissed each of us before walking out.

"You too!" We said.

I reached for the peanut butter, grabbing a spoonful. "Always in a hurry." Ava shook her head. "Speaking of," Ava looked at her phone.

"Ready to go?" I asked her.

"Yeah." She hopped off her bar stool. "Finny!" Ava called up the staircase. "Time to go, bud."

Δ

"So the other day—" I was in the middle of a conversation and we had to step around some girls who were in the middle of the hall.

"Excuse us." Ava said, and I could tell she was trying not to snap this early in the morning. She lifted her coffee over some short person's head.

I made eye contact with Isabel and instead of saying hi, I just flipped my hair over my shoulder and continued my conversation, pushing Isabel out of my mind. "I saw Calum and Derek..."

"Speaking of knights in shining armor..." Ava trailed off. I followed her gaze to see Derek and Calum leaning against our lockers.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Ava asked, sauntering over to Calum.

"I just really wanted to walk you to class today." Calum said holding his arm out for Ava to take. Ava and I said goodbye before she left with Calum.

"Hi, you," Derek said to me, with a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Morning," I said walking into his arms. I sighed as he hugged me. I would never get used to his hugs because they were just so damn good.

"Do you have class right now?" he asked me.

"No, not until next period."

"Come get coffee with me." He put his hands on my shoulders. I shivered slightly, even though I wasn't cold.

"Okay," I smiled up at him. I put my hand on his cheek, letting it rest there for a moment. Derek wrapped his arms around my waist.

Twenty minutes later I was sitting in Blackie's, sipping on a macchiato.

"How are you?" Derek asked me.

"So much better, now." I held up my mug of coffee. "How are you?" I asked as his hand slipped into mine from across the table.

"Well, I'd be a lot better if I could just spend the day with you." Derek whispered to me. If any of the guys heard him talking like this, he would never hear the end of it. "Kinda like right now."

"You get me tonight," I leaned towards him. "All to yourself."

"I'm not complaining there." He laughed. "Not. One. Bit."

I had to laugh at his response. "No, I didn't think you would."

"I mean it is Valentine's Day and all." Derek's free hand traced the rim of his dark blue mug. "So, Happy Valentine's Day, Katie." He pulled out a small black box and an envelope.

"You remembered..." I was touched.

"I'm just that kind of guy." Derek shrugged with a grin.

I let go of Derek's hand momentarily as I opened the box to find a simple gold chain with a his hockey number hanging from it.

"#2" I said, my fingers brushing over his number.

"So now I'm always close to your heart." He mumbled, his face turning red. This was exactly like Derek: sweet, caring, truthful. He was only ever like this with me though. Around his hockey boys, he was a whole different person. He was still caring, but in different way. In hockey, caring was considered loyalty.

I leaned across the table and pressed my lips to his, delicately, slowly. "I love it, thank you." I whispered, my lips brushing against his.

"Turn around," he whispered back to me, and I could just hear the smile in his voice without even opening my eyes.

Derek brushed the hair away, placing a kiss on shoulder in the process before putting the necklace on me.

"It's beautiful, Der." I smiled at him.

"Yeah?" he asked me as we stood up to leave.

"Mhm." I reached up on my tippy toes and quickly kissed his cheek. "You're the best." I said.

"I know." Derek said, slinging his arm over my shoulders as we left Blackie's.

"What time are you and Ava showing up tonight?" Derek asked me as we walked down the halls for the second time today. I knew he would have picked us up, but I knew his practice was going to run late, like usual.

I ignored his question. "Can you do me a favor?" I asked him, stopping in the middle of one of the main hallways.

"For you? Anything," Derek said.

"Just hug me a little longer." I couldn't help but give him the puppy dog face. "This morning, wasn't enough." A small smile crept onto my face as I saw his eyes soften.

"That, I can do," he told me. "And your practice is gonna run late tonight anyways, so Aves and I will just drive there." We stopped outside a room, where I had class next.

"Alright. I'll see you there then, Miss Hawthorne." He kissed my cheek. "Have a good day," Derek said, as he turned around to walk off.

"Hey, get back here," I grabbed his hand and tugged him back towards me. "You missed," I told him.

"Oh, I did? Let me fix that," He smiled before leaning in and kissing me.

"Mr. Leighton, a little less PDA and a little more work on that GPA." Mr. Doulas cleared his throat.

Derek sighed as we broke away. "Is my 3.7 not good enough?" Derek's hand slipped into mine. I gave it a squeeze, knowing how rocky his relationship with Mr. Douglas was.

"Maybe it'd be higher if you didn't spend so much time focusing hockey." He made no attempt to hide the contempt in his voice.

Derek opened his mouth to reply, but I interrupted. "Mr. Douglas, I forgot my book in my locker. Can I run back and grab it?"

"Of course, Katie." He smiled at me. "Try and knock some sense into Mr. Leighton while you're at it."

"Will do." I nodded while Derek and I walked towards my locker.

"I hate that man," Derek ground his teeth together.

"Hey, hey, hey." I stopped walking. Derek leaned up against my locker. "You're smart. You know that. I know that. Don't let him get to you." I put my hand on his chest.

"I know," he sighed, running his hands through his hair. "I'm sorry." Derek ran his hands up and down my arms. "I never got to finish saying goodbye." He smirked, and was about to kiss me, when someone pulled him away.

"Come on DL-Easy, we got class, bro." Jake said, slinging his arm across Derek's shoulder.

"Man, why you gotta be like that?" Derek protested. "It's Valentine's Day. I think class can wait five minutes." Wordlessly, I waved to Derek before walking off to class. Stupid Jake, ruining my stupid kiss.

Δ

"Hey, girl," Jules said to me as I made my way into the kitchen.

"Hey, babe," I hugged her. "How's Emma?" I asked taking a sip of my drink, which was almost gone.

"Good! Good! Jake's mom has her for the night." She smiled. "Jake is around here somewhere, I think." Oh, believe me, I know he is. I've been avidly avoiding him all night long.

"We'll have to get together later and play some Kings." I laughed, though I wanted nothing more than to not see Jake, because every time I saw him, I felt like I was breaking into a million pieces all over again.

"Am I gonna have to hold your hair back tonight?" Jules took a sip of her drink.

"Nope, that job has Derek's name all over it." I leaned into her.

"I still can't believe you guys are dating." Jules sighed.

"Me either." I shook my head.

"Who'd have thought King High's player would go out and get himself a girlfriend?"

"I never thought he would end up with just one girl. Let alone me." I shrugged. "But, here we are." I couldn't help but smile.

"How long has it been since you two started going out?" Jules finished her drink, and visibly frowned.

"He asked me out last May." I bit my lip. "So it's been about nine months." I nodded. "Wow, it's been nine months." It finally hit me. "I've had a boyfriend for nine months." It felt weird to say that.

"You should go find your boyfriend of nine months, cause I need another drink." Jules tipped her cup upside down.

"Go on," I nodded towards the kitchen table across the room, where there were various bottles of alcohol.

"Bye, Katie," she laughed, before walking off.

I walked into one of the living rooms, looking around for Derek. I saw him standing with a few of his friends talking, so I set my empty cup down on a table and made my way over to him. I snuck up from behind and put my hands over his eyes.

"Nice lips, can I kiss them?" I said quietly in a low voice, deliberately brushing my lips against his ear. I felt his jaw stiffen up as he swallowed. I took my hands off his eyes and the guy that turned around wasn't who I thought it was. The seductive look on my face changed to a look of pure mortification.

"Sure, baby. I got a couple of other places that could use your lips." The guy wiggled his eyebrows at me.

"Wrong guy." I said, cringing.

"I can be the right guy for you, tonight." he smirked at me, looking me over. My lips formed into a tight line.

I shook my head so quick, I almost gave myself whiplash. "No, you most definitely can not."

"I don't care whose number you're wearing tonight. It'll look better on the floor of my bedroom." He licked his lips. I knew I was wearing Derek's hockey jersey tonight, but I looked down anyway to see the purple jersey with white accents everywhere. There was a white A in the upper left corner of his jersey, which I had learned stood for "alternate captain" not "assistant captain."

I leaned closer to the boy, almost suffocating from the tequila emanating from him. "The guy whose jersey I'm wearing, is here somewhere." I whispered making a circle with my pointer finger. "And he will gladly kick your ass, so screw off."

The boy held his hands up. "Alright, alright. You just come find me if you get bored with him." He reached out to twirl a lock of my hair.

I slapped his hand away and turned around to find Derek standing behind me with his hands in his pockets. He was leaning against the wall, and he looked so incredibly hot right now.

"Oh, so you wanna kiss him?" Derek took one of his hands out of his pocket and gestured to the boy I had mistaken for him. I walked the few steps over to where Derek was.

"I swear, he looked like you from behind." I bit my lip, looking up at him.

"Excuses excuses," Derek pushed himself off the wall, standing closer to me. His cologne, along with the beer on his breath, wrapped around me.

"Forgive me?" I stepped closer to him. Before I knew what was happening, Derek spun me around and pressed me up against the wall. I couldn't help but smile and ran one of my hands through my hair. That was kinda hot. Okay, that was wicked hot.

"Maybe." He said, grabbing my hands and putting them above my head.

"We both know that you can never stay mad at me, Der." I batted my eyelashes at him.

"At least let me try here, Katie." He grinned, pressing his forehead to mine.

"Ehh, you're not doing a very good job." I tilted my chin down and looked up at him, something I knew would drive him insane.

"Gee, thanks for the encouragement, babe." Derek rolled his eyes.

"You're not allowed to be mad at me tonight." I told him, managing to get one of my hands free from his grip.

"And why is that?" he asked as I walked my fingers up his chest.

"Because it's Valentine's Day." I said, grabbing a fistful of his shirt, and tugged him closer to me. "And I'm wearing your jersey." I told him in a low, sultry voice.

"Mmmm I know, I was just admiring you in that."

"Yeah, it basically attacked me when I opened my locker today."

"Well, I wanted it to be a surprise." Derek grinned as he brushed a few strands of hair out of my face, tucking them behind my ear. "Besides it looks really good on you."

"You think I look good in all of your clothes." I rolled my eyes.

"Well it's true." He defended himself. "But, uhh, do I get the pleasure of taking my clothes off of you later tonight?" his fingers toyed with the hem of the jersey I was wearing.

"Only if you kiss me." I gave him an ultimatum. "So, Mr. Leighton," I raised my eyebrows at him. "Are you gonna torture me forever or kiss me?" I asked him, arching my back and pressing my front against him.

"I don't even think I need to answer that." Derek pushed me back against the wall and held me there with his body. Seconds later, his lips crashed down onto mine.

I thought back to what my dad said this morning, how I might be surprised by Derek after today. And I was. Pleasantly. For once, my dad was right. Holy hell, my dad was right.

Because as his lips moved against mine, I decided right then and there, that Jake Roswell was most certainly not allowed to make me feel guilty for not being with him. I wanted to be with Derek and no one was going to tell me otherwise. Especially not Jake Roswell.

And that was that.

So I wrapped my arms around Derek's neck and pulled him closer to me, smiling against his lips as I did.