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1. Maggie’s Truck Discovery – Summer before Sophomore Year
It had been an unusually warm autumn night, and Jake had driven Abby out past the edge of town, parking his old pickup just at the edge of the driveway leading to Maggie’s house, tucked under the shadow of a large oak tree. They hadn’t meant to do more than talk—just have some time alone, away from the noise of high school and family and stress..
But when Abby curled up beside him on the truck bench seat, her head on his shoulder and her hand playing with the edge of his t-shirt, something inside Jake unraveled. He leaned down and kissed her—slow, unhurried—and when she kissed him back, everything else melted away. Hands tangled in hair, soft gasps and whispered promises filled the cab. Jake shifted to pull her closer, Abby’s leg sliding over his, their bodies pressed together as the kiss deepened.
They didn’t hear the porch door creak open or Maggie’s footsteps on the gravel.
A sharp knock on the driver’s side window shattered the moment. Jake jumped, practically hitting his head on the roof. Abby gasped and scrambled back, her face crimson, lips kiss-swollen.
Maggie stood outside with her arms crossed and a single eyebrow raised. “You wanna maybe get some air in there before you fog up the windshield?”
Jake rolled the window down halfway. “Uh, sorry, Maggie.”
Maggie gave a pointed look. “You planning to steam the windows clear through to graduation?”
Abby tried to vanish into the seat. Jake cleared his throat, adjusting himself discreetly.
“I’ve raised seven boys and caught all of ’em doing worse in a truck,” Maggie said, not unkindly. “I’m not mad. But let’s remember y’all are sixteen. And if I ever see clothing coming off, I’ll put Jake to work and call his grandmother.”
She winked at Abby, who let out a nervous laugh.
As Maggie walked back down the driveway, Jake whispered, “Well... that was horrifying.”
Abby giggled and reached for his hand. “Is it worth it?”
Jake looked at her like she hung the stars. “Absolutely.”
2. Timeout Under the Bleachers – Sophomore Year
The sun was setting behind the stadium, casting long orange shadows across the field. Most of the team had already cleared out, helmets tucked under arms, shoes echoing on the concrete as they headed for their trucks. Practice had gone long, but Jake hadn’t complained once.
Because he had a plan. Abby had shown up to drive home with Jake, and the second he saw her sitting on the bleachers in his hoodie and messy ponytail, his chest tightened with affection.
That plan involved the space under the bleachers, the leftover golden hour, and the girl who made every day feel like a damn highlight reel.
Abby was waiting where he told her to, sitting cross-legged on an old equipment bag, sunlight tangled in her hair and his hoodie drowning her frame. She looked up when he ducked beneath the metal seats, grinning like she already knew what was coming.
“You smell like sweat and grass, Cowboy” she said, wrinkling her nose playfully.
Jake dropped his bag behind her and pulled her to her feet with both hands. “You smell like my hoodie,” he said, leaning in close. “So I think we’re even.”
She rolled her eyes, but her fingers curled into the front of his practice jersey like she wasn’t about to let go anytime soon.
“You’re insufferable.”
“And you keep showing up anyway.”
Jake kissed her before she could argue back — deep and unhurried, like they had all the time in the world. He tasted like Gatorade and sweat, and Abby kissed him like she’d missed him all day even though they'd texted nonstop through her third-period history class and she had seen him at lunch. He pressed her gently against the wall beneath the bleachers, hands braced on either side of her head. She was so small compared to him, barely reaching his shoulder, but she never once backed down. Abby kissed with all the fire she tried to hide behind her quiet demeanor — mouth open, tongue teasing. Abby’s hand slid up his arms, under his jersey curling around his biceps and his hands slid around her waist, then lower, fingers gripping her ass as if he never wanted to let her go. Her breath hitched, and Jake deepened the kiss, completely lost in her.
Jake groaned softly against her lips. “You tryna kill me, Sunshine?”
“Just distracting you,” she murmured, nipping at his jaw. “You looked stressed.”
“Gonna be more than stressed in a minute if you keep that up—”
“ Seresin. ”
Jake flinched like he’d taken a hit from the blind side. Abby gasped and ducked her face into his chest.
That voice? Not one of the guys.
That was Coach Harrell .
Jake didn’t move right away. He just exhaled, slow and deadly. “You have got to be kidding me.”
Jake turned around, arm still protectively around her waist. “Hi, Coach.”
Coach’s boots thudded down the concrete sidewalk, stopping just a few feet away from the edge of the bleachers, glancing up like he was praying for patience. “You’re lucky you’re my best damn JV quarterback, son. Otherwise I’d have you running laps ‘til sunrise tomorrow.”
Abby slowly peeked out from behind Jake’s shoulder, red-faced but biting back a smile.
Coach Harrell crossed his arms, one eyebrow raised. “Under the bleachers? Really? What is this, Friday Night Lights ?”
“I’m sixteen,” Jake said with a shrug. “It made sense to me, sir.”
The coach sighed like he regretted every decision that led him to a career working with teenagers. “Miss Abby, I expected better from you.”
She cleared her throat, stepping out from behind Jake with as much dignity as a girl could have while wearing someone else’s hoodie and getting caught mid-makeout. “Respectfully, Coach… I expected better timing.”
Jake nearly choked trying not to laugh.
The coach looked like he was two seconds from banning girlfriends from all future practices.
“I don’t care where it happens,” he grumbled, already turning away. “Just not here. And for the love of god, Seresin — don’t let me catch you under the bleachers again. You’re not twelve.”
“Yes, sir,” Jake said dutifully, lips twitching. “Thank you, sir.”
“Get outta here, both of you. And for god’s sake, wash your jersey.” What Coach didn’t say aloud—but thought with an amused shake of his head—was that he’d seen a hundred flings in his time, and this didn’t feel like one. Those two? They were different.
Once Coach was gone, Abby looked up at Jake, eyes wide with amusement. “So... we just got the third-degree by your football coach. Think he’ll make you run laps for that?”
Jake smirked, pulling her right back against him. “Totally, worth it.”
Abby laughed, soft and breathless, kissing him again just once before they walked away from the bleacher, hands swinging.
3. The Disappearance – Junior Year
The barn pulsed with music, lit up by strings of fairy lights looped across the rafters and the occasional flare of headlights from the field outside. The scent of hay, beer, and cologne hung in the air like a fog. Somewhere near the back, someone had opened a bottle of Fireball, and the football team was already half a bottle deep. But Jake Seresin only had eyes on one thing tonight.
Abby.
She stood near the drink table, laughing at something one of the cheerleaders had said, wearing his oversized letterman jacket and a sundress that made his knees weak. Her wild brown curls bounced as she talked, and her boots were muddy from the walk through the pasture. She was half a foot shorter than anyone in the barn, and still, Jake swore the room tilted toward her.
He didn’t realize he was staring until she looked up and caught him doing it.
One eyebrow arched. The barest smirk pulled at the corner of her mouth.
He was across the barn in seconds.
Jake looped an arm around her waist and dipped low so his lips brushed just under her ear. “Wanna disappear with me, sunshine?”
Abby didn’t even hesitate. “Thought you’d never ask.”
He tugged her out through a side door, away from the music and heat, into the quiet shadows behind the barn. They crossed the gravel, his hand gripping hers like he’d never learned how to let go, and ducked into the old hay loft stairs around back — a place that had seen plenty of action over the years from horny high schoolers, but Jake couldn’t have cared less.
This was Abby.
This was his girl.
The moment they were out of sight, he turned, pressed her back gently against a wooden beam, and kissed her like she was air and he was starving.
She melted instantly, gripping his jacket with both hands, dragging him closer. “Took you long enough, Cowboy” she murmured between kisses, her voice low, a little breathless, a little smug.
“You think I didn’t spend half the night looking for an excuse to get you alone?” Jake growled, his lips trailing down her jaw to the curve of her throat. “You’ve been killin’ me all night, baby.”
“You’re dramatic,” she whispered, tugging his head back up so she could kiss him again. “But I like it.”
Her legs barely reached around his waist, but Jake made it work — lifting her easily, pinning her up against the wall as her arms looped around his neck. Their kisses turned hotter, hungrier, all tongue and teeth and aching teenage love. Jake groaned when her fingers twisted in his hair, and Abby let out a quiet little whimper when he nipped at her lower lip.
“I want you so bad right now,” Jake muttered against her neck.
Abby grinned, breathless. “You always want me.”
“You’re not wrong.” He dragged his mouth back up to hers. “My name on your back drives me crazy, Sunshine.”
Her legs tightened around him as she tugged his head closer whispering against his lips. “You gonna make out with me or just whisper sweet nothings about how hot I look in your jacket?”
Jake grinned into her mouth. “Both. Definitely both.”
And then—
“ Well damn. ”
They froze.
Jake groaned quietly and dropped his forehead to Abby’s shoulder while she tried to smother a laugh against his neck.
“Look what we’ve got here,” came the familiar voice of Nate, their team’s wide receiver. “Seresin's gettin’ cozy with his girl in the hayloft again. That’s the second time this month, man.”
Abby turned her head just enough to see them. “Maybe if y’all had girlfriends, you wouldn’t be lurking like pervs.”
“Ooooh,” chimed in Ryan, grinning. “She’s spicy tonight. Hey Abby, blink twice if Jake’s holding you hostage with those dimples.”
“Y’all jealous?” he said while his head stayed bent to Abby’s shoulder, sneaking kisses to her neck..
“Jealous we’re not making out in a smelly hay loft?” one of the juniors quipped. “Hard pass.”
Another teammate added, “Seriously though, get a room—or at least a better hiding spot.”
Jake didn’t even lift his head. “Five seconds to run if I have to come down there and I’ll make you do suicides at 6 a.m. for the rest of the season.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Nate said, laughing. “Wrap it up, Romeo. Coach said no babies before playoffs.”
Abby, flushed and breathless, waited until they disappeared back toward the barn before she snorted into Jake’s shirt. “I can’t believe we got caught again.”
Jake kissed her forehead. “Worth it every time.” He kissed her again, slower this time. Sweeter. “God, I love you.”
She smiled, brushing her thumb across his cheek. “Love you more.”
Jake looked at her like she really had hung the stars — like she was the only damn thing in the universe that mattered. “No chance.”
And then he kissed her again like he planned to prove it.
4. Caught – Summer before Senior Year
The ranch house was quiet in that golden, late-afternoon kind of way—warm light filtering through the gauzy curtains, casting soft shadows on the hardwood floor. A faint breeze drifted through the open kitchen window, carrying the distant smell of hay and sun-warmed cedar.
On the couch, Jake and Abby were tangled together in a tangle of limbs and heat, their bodies pressed close in a slow, unhurried kiss that said we have time . Abby lay beneath Jake, one bare foot hooked over his calf, her fingers threaded through his hair, holding him close like she couldn’t bear to let go. Jake's weight was warm and grounding over her, his hand sliding beneath her shirt to skim along the delicate curve of her waist.
Abby gasped softly into his mouth, arching into his touch, her pulse thudding in her ears. Jake deepened the kiss, his thumb brushing just below her ribs—tender, reverent, like he was learning her by touch alone.
They were so wrapped up in each other, they didn’t hear the gravel crunch in the driveway. Or the front door creak open.
“Oh for the love of —” Evelyn’s voice cutting through the air like a whip. “I leave for two hours and this is what I come back to?”
Jake froze. Abby’s eyes flew open.
Jake bolted upright, eyes wide, his hair a mess from Abby’s hands, blinking as if coming out of a dream. Abby scrambled to sit up, letting out a strangled sound and immediately pulled her sweatshirt down, face flushed a deep, mortified pink even as Jake tucked her back under his arm.
“Hi, Evelyn,” she croaked, tugging her hair over one shoulder as if it would somehow make her look more innocent.
Evelyn, Jake’s grandma, stood just inside the door, grocery bag still on her arm, one brow arched so high it might’ve disappeared into her grey hair. Her gaze flicked from Jake—disheveled, red-cheeked—to Abby, curled beneath him like a deer in headlights.
Carol stepped into the kitchen, keys still in one hand, her mouth pressed in a firm line. She didn’t yell—she didn’t have to. The weight of her stare was enough.
“I shouldn’t have to remind you that this is a family home,” she said evenly, setting her bag on the counter. “I expect you both to act like it.”
Jake rubbed the back of his neck, clearly trying not to look guilty. “Sorry,” he said, offering her a sheepish glance.
Carol didn’t miss the way Abby couldn’t quite meet her eyes. “This isn’t just about rules,” she said. “It’s about respect. For yourselves. For this house. For each other.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Abby said quickly.
“We weren’t—” Jake started.
Carol raised a hand. “Don’t insult my intelligence, Jacob. I was seventeen once too. I know what I walked in on.”
Jake winced. Abby groaned and buried her face in her hands.
Carol let the silence stretch before finally exhaling. “Look. I’m not trying to be the bad guy. But if you’re old enough to be in a relationship, you’re old enough to handle it with maturity. That means boundaries. And self-control.”
Jake nodded. “Understood.”
Abby gave a tiny nod too, still not lifting her head.
Carol turned toward the hallway with a sigh. “Next time, try the porch swing. Like respectable people.”
The door to her room clicked shut a moment later, leaving Jake and Abby alone in the lingering silence.
Abby peeked out from between her fingers, then gave him a look. “I think I died a little.”
Jake leaned closer, resting his forehead against hers. “Worth it.”
Despite herself, Abby smiled.
5. Snack Time Chaos – Senior Year Thanksgiving Ski Trip
The cabin was quiet, wrapped in the kind of deep night that only came in the mountains—blanketed in snow, silence pressing against the windows like a held breath. Most of the house had gone to sleep hours ago, the laughter and chaos of the day finally giving way to stillness.
Only the flicker of the fireplace lit the main room, throwing soft golden shadows across the rustic wood floors. The low hum of the refrigerator was the only other sound. Jake and Abby had crept into the kitchen planning on finding a snack—but neither of them had made it farther than the couch.
Abby lay beneath Jake, their legs tangled, her shirt rucked up exposing the curve of her stomach and the pale strap of her bra inching up as their kisses grew heated. Jake hovered over her, bracing his weight on one forearm, the other hand sliding beneath the hem of her shirt. His fingers moved slowly over her skin, reverent and hungry all at once.
Their kisses were deep and unhurried, the kind that tasted like trust and promise, like no one else in the world mattered.
Abby arched into his touch, her breath catching when his hand skimmed up over the swell of her chest. She gasped softly into his mouth, her fingers tightening behind his neck, pulling him closer. Jake groaned against her lips, his heartbeat pounding hard and fast against hers.
“You’re not helping me keep my hands to myself, Sunshine,” he murmured, voice low and rough against her skin.
Abby smiled, breathless but sure. “When we make it back to our room,” she whispered, “I’m not letting you stop.”
That did something to him.
Jake stilled for a beat, just long enough to meet her eyes in the firelight. There was teasing in her voice, yes—but also something rawer, something real. He could see it in the flush on her cheeks and the way her hand slipped over his heart like she wanted to remember this— him —forever.
His expression softened, just for her.
He kissed her slowly and devoured her mouth, threading his fingers through her hair like she was the most precious thing he’d ever held. “Then I won’t.”
And that was exactly when the kitchen light flicked on.
“ Goddammit! ”
Jake jerked back and Abby let out a startled laugh, covering her face with both hands.
Ryan stood at the edge of the kitchen, bleary-eyed and barefoot in pajama pants, blinking like he couldn’t believe what he’d just walked in on. “You two have your own room ! I just came in for a drink, not a live show!”
Jake didn’t miss a beat. “Then grab your drink and look the other way.”
Abby snorted from behind her hands. “Sorry, Ry.”
Ryan sighed heavily and walked to the fridge.
Jake stood with a stretch, then leaned down and swept Abby into his arms. She squealed in surprise, laughing even as her arms locked around his neck.
As Jake slung her over his shoulder, he gave her a playful smack on the rear. “See you in the morning, Ry.”
Ryan just shook his head as they headed for the hallway. “I swear, if I catch you two again—”
“ Totally worth it! ” Jake called back, grinning, just before the bedroom door slammed shut behind them.
Ryan cracked open the water bottle in his hand and stared down the hallway in exhausted disbelief. He couldn’t even be mad.
Those two were ridiculous. Intense. Practically glued together since freshman year.
But watching them disappear, laughing like that—completely wrapped up in each other—he figured maybe they were the rare kind of couple that actually made it.
+1 Disgusted - Many Years Later
The house was quiet, lit only by the soft flicker of the TV and the low amber glow from a kitchen nightlight. Outside, the wind whispered against the windows—leaves rustling, the last hints of fall giving way to winter. Inside, it was all warmth and stillness.
Jake and Abby were curled up on the couch. Her hand was beneath his t-shirt, fingers splayed over his ribs. His lips grazed the curve of her neck, slow and familiar. They were laughing between kisses—low, lazy, content.
It had been a long day. The littlest ones were finally asleep, the older ones locked in their rooms doing who knows what. The house was, for once, still. They had maybe fifteen minutes before someone needed water, or a charger, or decided they needed a snack. But for now, it was just them. Abby pulled Jake’s head back up to her lips, opening her mouth to kiss him deeply with a groan.
Then the front door slammed open with a bang.
“Oh my GOD, you two are gross!” Charlotte’s voice cut through the room like a siren, followed by the thud of her cheer bag on the hardwood floor. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to come home from a football game and see my parents making out on the couch like horny teenagers?!”
Jake lifted his head from Abby’s neck. “Hey, sweetheart.”
Abby turned her head to see Charlotte better; “How’d the game go?”
Charlotte stared at them, aghast. “You’re not even sorry! ” Charlotte looked positively traumatized.
Abby bit her lip, trying not to laugh as she pushed Jake away, sat up and adjusted her sweater. “We were teenagers once. Just picking up where we left off.”
“Yeah, thirty years ago! ” Charlotte groaned, stomping toward the kitchen. “You’re making out on the couch like horny teenagers. You have a bedroom! ” “I’m going to bleach my eyes. ”
Jake just grinned at Abby. “Still got it, Sunshine.”
Charlotte groaned, stomping toward the kitchen. “I’m going to bleach my eyes.” Before she could disappear, three more voices thundered down the stairs.
“What’s happening?” Evie asked, hair a mess.
“Why is Charlotte yelling?” Olivia yawned.
Jake pulled Abby tighter against his side, grinning as the chaos unfolded. “Family bonding, kids. Everything’s fine. Go back to bed.”
Then Wyatt appeared in the hallway in pajamas, wearing his headphones around his neck.
“Were you guys kissing ?” he asked, blinking at them.
Jake smirked and kissed Abby’s temple. “Always.”
Charlotte reappeared just long enough to grab a pillow off a nearby chair and lob it at Jake calling out, “You’re disgusting! ”
The pillow bounced harmlessly off Jake’s shoulder as Charlotte disappeared down the hall, muttering something about needing therapy.
The rest of the kids wandered back to bed, too tired to stay outraged.
“Goodnight, honey!” Abby called sweetly.
Silence settled again, broken only by the crackle of the TV and the steady rhythm of Jake’s breathing.
“Thank God she didn’t wake Meg.” Abby said as she pushed him back down to lay on the couch, her head resting over his heart. “So Cowboy, all the chaos still worth it?”
Jake kissed her forehead, then her cheek, then her mouth. “You’re worth it; every single time.”
She smiled against his lip, and for a moment, the years melted away. They were just Jake and Abby, as they always were.