Nothing lasts foREVer

Cat’s P.O.V.

“What the fuck are you doing here at four in the morning?”, he asked surprised.

“Happy birthday!”, I grinned widely. “I thought you’d be at Brian’s, that’s why it took me a while longer to get here, I stopped by his place first… Why are you home alone on your birthday?”, I scolded.

“I wasn’t feeling like being around people… I was upset! You didn’t talked to me all day, you didn’t show on MSN the whole day!”, he said pouting. He didn’t make a move towards me, I thought he would be so thrilled to see me at his doorstep that he would lift me up and swirled me around kinda like you see in the movies, but he didn’t move.

“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t tell you or I would have ruined the surprise! I thought you’d be happy to see me…”, I said desolately.

“I just can’t believe you’re here… It’s four in the morning… I’m afraid I might wake up if I try to kiss you!”, he replied locking his eyes on mine.

“You’re awake, baby! I’m here… Try and touch me! You’re not dreaming, I’m really here!”, I dared him.

He took one step in my direction and hesitated for a couple of seconds. “What now?”, I asked exasperatedly.

“What’s with all the luggage?”, he nodded towards the several suitcases on the floor behind me.

“We need to talk… But now… Do you mind kissing me already? What the fuck, James? I fly all the way from Portugal and all you do is ask me questions?”, I snapped.

Jimmy quickly filled the space between us and kissed me. “Finally! What took you so long?”, I muttered against his lips.

“You’re really here!”, he muttered and captured my lips in his again. He deepened the kiss almost desperately, his arms tightened around me pulling me even closer to him. Nothing else seemed to matter, everything else seemed unimportant, anything else but Jimmy and I, anything else but the heated kiss we were sharing. We only parted when we ran out of breath, I rested my head against his chest as I tried to ease my breathing. Jimmy held me in his firm arms, placed a kiss on the top of my head and whispered. “You have absolutely no idea how much I missed you…”

“Trust me, I do! Why do you think I’m here? I just couldn’t stand not being able to be with you, to touch you, to kiss you… It wasn’t working for me anymore! I couldn’t sleep right, I wasn’t eating right, I couldn’t focus on college, even breathing became hard to me…all I did was miss you… You were all I could think about! So don’t tell me I have no idea how much you missed me!”, I said pressing a finger against his chest as I firmly explained him how much I missed him.

“We can talk inside, babe! It’s freezing out here… Let me get your bags!”, he carried two of my bags inside his house and I did the same.

Once we got my belongings inside the house, he carried me bridal style upstairs to his room. “Will you explain me now? So many suitcases… Are you here to stay?”, he asked expectantly as he curled up to me in his bed.

“I will, if you have me… But we have some things to discuss first! First of all, I’m applying to UCLA next year, I’ll try to get myself into the American’s teaching process before that… I’ve already found a job, Jim!”, I let him took in the information.

“UCLA? That’s awesome, babe! You won’t need to let go of your dream and we still get to be together! How did you come up with that? How come have you found a job if you just arrived?”, he inquired.

“I had thought about moving here with you before, but I just couldn’t see how I could do that and keep going to college! College here is way more expensive than back at Portugal, and being a barmaid or something like it wouldn’t be enough for me to pay the bills, that’s why I never mentioned it to you before, because I thought it was just a dead end… You know I’m not willing to give up on my dreams, and graduate as an interpreter is what I want for me… I want to see my name on the first pages of a book or at the end of a movie! Val was the one who made me think I could really move to the States without letting go of my dreams, she was the one who helped me get everything ready so I could finally move here! She personally went to UCLA talk to the Principal so I could attend to the classes… About the job… I don’t think you’re gonna like it!”, I intently looked away from him.

“What about it, Cat? What job is it?”, he asked warily.

“Remember that photographer we met on New Year’s Eve? I called him a few weeks ago, his offer still stands and he’s offering real good money! I’m giving it a shot, Jimmy!”, I announced somewhat afraid of his reaction.

“What? You gotta be fucking kidding me, Cat!”, he let go of me and hopped up of the bed in less than a second, he looked pissed.

“Why? Why would I be kidding you? Why are you being such a bitch about it?? It’s not like I’m gonna fuck him! It’s just some damn photos! Why are you making such a big fuss about it? I’m gonna get good money from modeling, Jim! Don’t you want me to stay here?”, I sat at the edge of the bed, watching him pacing back and forth angrily.

“So you’re selling yourself out, huh?”, he snapped without thinking.

“You didn’t just say that, James!”, I warned not wanting to believe what he had just said.

“Say what, Cat? That you’re selling yourself to that asshole? You knew I didn’t like this, you knew I would never agree with you modeling! I thought I had made it clear when we first met that butt head! He’s just using you! He’ll try to make a move on you! I saw the way he stared, the way he checked you out! I didn’t like it then, and I don’t like this idea now!”, he snapped through greeted teeth while he clenched his fists at his side trying to control his anger.

“James Owen Sullivan!”, I seethed.

“What, Cat? What?”, he spat petulantly.

“Watch your damn tone with me, James! I’m doing my best not to lose my temper! What the fuck is wrong with you? Jeffrey told you you could go with me! You can watch the whole thing! He does not have second intentions, James! Me modeling makes it possible for us to be together! Don’t you want me here? I’m doing this because I want to be with you more than anything! Why don’t you just trust me, ME? He’s just a photographer, he just saw me as a job! Why are you making this such a big deal, Jim? Do you have any idea of how much you just hurt me? Your lack of trust, your insinuations are like daggers stabbed across my heart! Why can’t you just be okay with it? It’s just a job, a well paid one!”, I reasoned. I just wanted him to accept my decision. This decision was what made possible our reunion! I couldn’t have moved to the States without this job, if I didn’t have had this offer I couldn’t have moved without leaving my dreams behind.

“So, he’s Jeffrey now, huh? That’s definitely a step up!”, he said sarcastically.

“Really? This is how it’s gonna be? I’ll be at Val’s then! When you’re done being childish, you know where to find me, James!”, I said as I walked towards the bedroom door.

I slammed the door behind me, reached my back pocket for my phone and called Val. She answered at the third beep.

”Hello? Cat? Why are you calling me at four thirty in the morning? Is everything okay?”, she asked alarmed.

“I’m sorry to call you this late at night… But could you come pick me up?”, I asked.

”Sure… Where are you at?”, she agreed.

“I’m at Jim’s…”

”Why do you need me to pick you up then? If you’re already at Jim’s… Wait! What happened?, she asked worriedly.

“We got into a fight! He’s being a bitch about the modeling thing! You have no idea what he said to me, Val! He said I was selling myself out! Can you believe it??”, I blurted.

”He said what? He’s just jealous, Cat… Don’t take it so seriously, he’ll come around!”, she reassured me.

“I just can’t, Val! Jealous or not he’s not being fair! I’m doing this for us… Why can’t he see that? And Jeffrey is a decent guy, he won’t take advantage of me like Jim thinks he will! He can always come with me… Why is he being so damn stubborn? How long will it take you to get here?”

”Are you sure you can’t work things out with Jimmy now?”, she asked.

“No… Not until he stops acting like this… I’ll only get mad and we’ll both say something we’ll regret later! I’ll leave him alone to think this through…”

”Whatever you think it’s best, babe… I’ll be there in fifteen minutes! See you in a bit…”

“I’ll be outside waiting for you…”, I hung up.

I took a seat in the black leather couch on Jimmy’s living room while I waited for Val… After a few minutes I heard some footsteps down the stairs, I didn’t look up.

“I can pay for your college… I’ll do a mortgage if I have too! You don’t need to do this… I’ll take care of you…”, he tried as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

“And that’s what you came up with? I don’t need you to take care of me! I can take care of myself… I need you to trust me! I need you to respect my decision!”, I said calmly as I turned around in the couch to face him.

“What do you want me to do, Cat? I don’t want to fight…”, he said sheepishly.

“I don’t wanna fight either, Jimmy! Come with me to the first shooting… See for yourself that he’s not trying anything!”, I replied.

“Fine! I’ll go with you… But what if I don’t like it anyway? Will you quit that idea of modeling?”, he asked studying my reaction.

“If you don’t like it, suck it up! I’ll quit if I think something is wrong… You need to see past the jealousy! Can you do that?”, I asked firmly.

“I’ll do my best… I’m sorry, baby! I shouldn’t have talked to you like that, I overreacted… I don’t want to fight, all I want is for you to be cuddling up to me in our bed! Will you come back to the bedroom now?”, he pleaded.

“Val will be here in a couple of minutes.”, a loud horn sounded outside the house. “I guess she’s already here…”, I hurried up to the front door as Jimmy followed me close by.

“I thought you said you’d wait for me outside!”, she yelled from the car as I opened the door.

“I thought you told me you’d be here in fifteen minutes! Took you less than that… I was about to call you…”, I began.

“Ouh… Hi, Jimmy! So you guys made up yet?”, she asked cheerfully.

“I hope so…”, he said half-smiling.

“You better stop acting like a damn child, Jimmy! There are no reasons for all that jealousy! Stop bitching about it! It’s just a job…”, Val scolded and left not giving Jimmy a chance to reply.

Jimmy looked inquiringly at me and I just shrugged smiling. “What was that about? Did Val just lectured me?”, he muttered to himself but loud enough for me to hear.

“You deserved it!”, I said playfully.

“I guess I did… Have I told you I’m sorry?”, he asked as he took me by the waist and kicked the front door shut.

“I don’t recall hearing it… Perhaps you should say it again…”, I teased.

“I’m sorry, baby! I acted like a complete ass driven by jealousy!”, he whispered against my neck.

“You’re a cheat!”, I accused with a moan as he kissed and nibbled my neck.

He laughed and hauled me up over his shoulder, tapping my ass lightly as he carried me upstairs. I laughed too and squeezed his little ass.

“Hey! Do not squeeze!”, he scolded playfully.

“Do not smack my ass then!”, I laughed.

“I smacked it because I can! Your ass is mine, you’re mine! Muahahahah!”, he let out an evil laugh which only made me laugh even harder.

“You’re crazy, baby!”, I chuckled.

“Do you love me?”, he asked seriously as he laid me gently on the bed.

“Do you really need to ask? I love you more than anything, I love you forever, Jim!”, I caressed his cheek as he hovered me.

“I can keep the craziness, then!”, he grinned widely. “I love you too, baby… I love you forever! I’m sorry for all the times I’ll might end up being an ass, I can assure you most of the times the cause behind that will be my eternal love for you…”, he leaned in and kissed me ardently.