All I Need {Sequel to We Belong Together}

Chapter 8: In Due Time

Hey everyone! Sorry it took so long for an upload. I've been busy recently helping my mother out with my younger brother's openhouse. He's graduating in a few days, so it's been pretty crazy around here. On top of that, I was planning on using this evening to write, but instead, I spent most of it watching the radar, making sure my house wasn't going to be hit by one of three different tornadoes to cross my area this evening. So, now that the weather has calmed, I was able to get this done. It's not much, but I hope you enjoy it anyways. :)

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Adrianna had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach as she sat on Val's couch working on her spatial analysis homework. The girl admittedly had had the feeling for a while, although she wasn't sure why. The last time Adrianna had felt like this, her boyfriend at the time dumped her; she sincerely hoped this was not the case this time. She glanced up at the clock; Tom should be there soon, and hopefully he wouldn't be the cause of the terrible feeling she had.

"How much more of that do you have to do?" Val inquired, still playing her video game aimlessly on the other couch.

"Not as much as you think I would actually," Adrianna sighed. "It's just time consuming."

"Your professors hate you," Val determined.

"Rybarczyk doesn't hate me. He just wants me prepared for the real world," Adrianna assured. "Only his homework assignments are killing me and my drive to do anything. The only class that isn't killing me right now is Kaufman's."

"That's because you and Sam are teacher's pets in Kaufman's class," Val retorted.

"Well that and the fact that his class is really not that difficult if you pay attention in class," Adrianna added, before giving Val a pointed look from across the room. "And besides, it isn't a bad thing to be teacher's pet all the time."

Val rolled her eyes, resuming her game. "If you say so."

Adrianna didn't say anything else to that, and resumed her homework. The girl stared at her laptop screen, studying the problem carefully. She took a deep breath, steadying her mind for a few more minutes as she waited for Tom to arrive. The girl hadn't had to wait long; only a few moments after she resumed her work, there was a knock on the door. Adrianna shut her laptop before heading towards the door. She opened it, knowing it was going to be Tom standing on the other side. Sure enough, her boyfriend was standing before her, his hands stowed in his pockets. Something looked like it was bothering him, but Adrianna would ask him about that later.

"Hey," she greeted instead.

"Hey," he answered, tension lingering in his voice. Adrianna was nearly positive this had to be what that bad feeling she had was about. Tom was hardly ever bugged by anything, so whatever this was, it had to be serious.

"How was the casting call?" she inquired.

Tom shrugged. "It was alright," he muttered. "You ready to get out of here?"

Adrianna glanced over her shoulder at Valarie, who hadn't seemed to notice Tom at the door. "Yea, let's get out of here," she eventually answered. She moved back over to the couch, and gathered her things in silence, stowing them in her over-sized purse. "Alright Val. I'm out."

"Later," the blonde called from the couch.

Adrianna shook her head, carrying her bag as she made her way back to the door and where Tom remained standing. The two of them left Val's apartment, shutting the door behind them. Adrianna followed Tom out to his car hesitantly, wondering exactly what was on his mind. Part of the girl was afraid to know, yet the other half of her desperately wanted to know what was troubling the man she loved. Once inside his car, she decided to break the ice.

"Tom, are you alright?" she asked, her voice a tad shaky. They hadn't even started driving yet, and she figured now that she had asked they wouldn't be until the conversation ended. There was no turning back now.

The boy sighed. "Sort of. Just... kind of bugged by something."

Adrianna felt her heart rate increase. This was just like last time. "What's bugging you?"

"About last night," Tom started, "I just... want to know what made you change your mind." He paused for a moment. "Before you were so... adamant about not having sex until we were married, and then last night, you flipped gears on me." He rested his head against the head rest. "I guess I just don't know what you're thinking, and that worries me a bit."

Adrianna frowned slightly. "I guess I just realized how old-fashioned I was being. Besides... you have made me so happy, and I feel safe with you. I've never been so comfortable with another human being; it only seemed right. And I know, no matter what happens, I'm going to be happy with the decision I made last night."

Tom looked over at her. "So this isn't some elaborate stunt to force me to marry you?"

Adrianna gave him a baffled look. "Why the hell would I do that?"

Tom shrugged. "I dunno. Rupert just thought that it could've been something to do with marriage, since you didn't want anything to do with sex until recently."

Adrianna rolled her eyes. "Oh I should've known Rupert was behind it," she sighed. "No. This isn't about marriage. This is about us furthering our relationship. One day, marriage would be amazing, but I am certainly in no rush for it. And most of all, I'm not going to pressure you into marrying me."

Tom's frown was replaced by a smile. "I agree. Perhaps one day, but not anytime soon," he stated. "I dunno why I let Rupert make me think you were being crazy. I think I'm just still in disbelief it happened at all."

Adrianna winked. "Well it did, so... get used to it, because I intend for it to happen a hell of a lot more."

Tom laughed slightly. "Good. I'm glad to hear it," he answered her. "You ready to get out of here? For real this time? Perhaps go do something more enjoyable."

The girl nodded, definitely glad to have cleared the air with Tom. She was almost certain that that conversation was not going to be one like that, and admittedly she was glad it turned out to just be one huge misunderstanding between them, rather than something that would split them apart. "What exactly did you have in mind?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, this weekend, I was curious if you wanted to see a play with me?" he questioned.

"Of course," Adrianna replied. "You know I enjoy going to the theater."

"Excellent!" Tom exclaimed. "But in the meantime, I was wondering what your plans are for the rest of the evening?"

Adrianna thought about it. "Well I was going to finish up this spatial analysis homework, but other than that, nothing. Why do you ask?"

"Would you like to be doing something?" Tom asked back, winking at her.

And that was when Adrianna knew, despite everything her instincts had been telling her, that everything was going to be perfectly fine between her and Tom. Or at least for the time being.