Who knew I'd get back to this story so quickly? Hope you enjoy this portion of chapter five. I've already written quite a bit of the next part too. Hope you like it!

My dorm door loomed in front of my stationary powder-pink sneakers. I'd already reached for the handle twice and still hadn't brought myself to turn the brass knob.

"No point hanging out in the hall, I know you're there," Jake said from somewhere beyond the oak door.

I cringed, placing my hand on the icy handle and turned it slowly. The door clicked open, and I slid through the crack.

Jake made himself at home, spread out on my bed with his hands behind his head.

"Hey..." I said, scrunching my face, and biting my lower lip.

"Did he ask you out?" He adjusted the pillow, then crossed his arms.

Bold question for a guy that wasn't my boyfriend. I unzipped my hoodie, rubbed my hands together and breathed on them trying to combat the lingering outdoor chill.

"I can't control what other people do. Can I?"

Jake raised a brow and tilted his head. "So, he did then."

"Wait a minute... I didn't say that." I shoved the old door shut, pushing it past the point where it got stuck in the painted frame.

"You didn't need to." He sat up and tossed his legs over the side of my bed. "So, when's this hot date of yours?"

Jealous much? I rolled my eyes. "Honestly, are you done?"

"I don't care about my seat. Newbie can have it. But if he thinks he can have you..." Jake flexed his fingers and let loose a smirk that made his eyes spark with mischief. "How's his chest?"

"You launched him out of his chair! He's probably got bruises from that punch." I said, shaking my head. "You know, I had to convince him I did that."

"And he believed you?"

I shrugged not entirely sure Matt had bought it. "You were invisible. He had to accept I did it, even if he thought I wasn't strong enough to."

"Then he's the dumb one." Jake glanced up from the floor. "He hasn't seen you in action."

"And you didn't see how long he rubbed the spot where you punched him."

"Good," he said without an ounce of remorse.

I walked over to the edge of the bed and stood in front of Jake. His smokey-white image flickered. For a moment, it looked like he wanted to reach for my hand but he pursed his lips, placed his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands.

"I only hoped you'd give me a chance." His shoulders slumped as he spoke.

How many times did I want to say those same words to him? He looked so sad and hurt. My heart ached for him, for us. I wanted to hold him close and never let him go, but I couldn't do that in this form.

Without looking up, Jake held his arm in place, hooking his transparent fingers with mine. I watched his thumb brush the top of my hand. Every cell in me ached to feel his touch and any resolve I had left to ignore my feelings for him crumbled to my feet. The next thing I knew the crisp astral air and the warmth of his hand in mine greeted me.

"Jake," my voice cracked. "I don't like Matt."

He lifted his gaze to mine, and I brushed a lock of hair from his eyes with my fingertips.

"You don't? Because Mr. GQ wannabe sure has his sights on you."

"Not even a little." I lowered myself on the bed next to him and gave him a nudge with my shoulder. "Besides, there's someone else I'm interested in."

"M'Lady has another suitor?" He smirked and leaned into me, brushing his nose against my ear. "I shall do my best to scare off this other knave and win your favor."

"You're such a geek." I giggled, shoving him with my shoulder again, then looked down at my hands. "I know you heard the rumors."

"You can't believe everything high school students make up to be popular." He threaded his fingers through mine. "But if they got the one about you liking me right, I'd be more than happy."

He lifted my hand to his mouth and pressed his lips against my skin, sending shivers down the back of my arms. My heart fluttered, and my mouth went dry. 

He placed a hand on the side of my cheek and turned me to face him, his head rested on my forehead. "I don't want to be your friend."

Sensitive to his fingers trailing the length of my arm, my skin tingled in their wake. When he kissed my neck, my breath hitched. He had me unraveling like a ball of string only he knew where the end led.

"I know we're meant to be together." He brushed his lips over mine. "I can feel it."

I sighed, and his tongue parted my lips. He dragged his hand through my hair and his mouth explored mine.

My body prickled begging for more. I wrapped my arms around Jake pulling him toward me until we both tipped over and he lay on top of me.

The door handle rattled. Jake jerked his kiss from me and glanced at the door.

"She's gotta be in class by now," Maggie said as she entered the room.

I glanced at Maggie and dropped my head back onto the bed, letting out a loud groan. At least they couldn't see us.

Jake tilted his head blocking my view of my callous roommates and kissed my nose. "You're adorable when you're frustrated."

Tammy walked right past us and opened my dresser drawer. "What are we looking for anyway?"

Maggie riffling through my closet didn't even look up to answer her. "I already told you, anything with juicy stuff about Jake. Maybe a diary?"

I washed my hands down my face. They were so going to pay for going through my stuff.

Jake chuckled. "If you have a diary and I'm not in it, I'll be so disappointed."

I smack his chest. "I don't have a little black book of secrets." Thank God, because if I did? I'm sure he'd be entertained by how many times I thought of my name as Tessa McGee.

"How about a little brown one then?" Jake pointed in Maggie's direction.

"A what?" I pushed up to my elbows.

My heart sunk at the sight of the fuchsia shoe box lid resting on top of Magpie's black bootie. My gaze crept her slender frame until I saw the leather journal tight in her grip.

"Oh, crap." I shoved Jake off of me and scrambled off the bed.

"What?" he asked.

"Lookie what we have here." A grin spread across Maggie's freckled face, and she started to untie the leather strings holding it shut.

"That's my dad's journal!" I hollered to Jake. "Don't let it out of your sight."

I ran past Maggie and right through the oak door. 

THANKS for reading! Who's your favorite character? Who's your least? Love to hear your thoughts. :)