Just An Outcast

Chapter Six

2 months later

Christmas break! No classes but Daniel still has swim practice. Neither of us have family to go to so we just stay at his apartment. I filled out a bunch of papers last month and now I live in the apartment with this thing that's laying on me!

"Daniel, why are you laying like this?"

"You're so comfy."

"You weigh a ton! I know it's muscle but still." Then my stomach growled, immediately Daniel gets up and goes into the kitchen without a word. He does this a lot actually; he says he loves to cook for people especially me.

"What are you feeling today?"

"Hmm. Oh! Do we have the stuff to make that orange chicken and rice you made a couple weeks ago?"

He goes through the fridge and cabinets to see if he has everything. "We'd need a couple things but if that's what you want, we can go to the store to grab stuff."

"Mhhmm!!" I hum cheerfully.

"Okay. Let's go." He grabs my waist and we begin to walk. I kiss his jawline a couple times while walking and he chuckles every time. So cute! I would kiss his nose, but I can barely reach his jawline.

"Hey love?"

"Hm?"

"It's been 2 months and you haven't said anything. I don't mean to rush but I was wandering how much longer."

"Oh. I've been thinking about it A LOT recently and I was going to actually tell you at dinner tonight."

"Really?!" He got jumpy. Just like the first time I told him I was ready.

"Mhmm." I hum again.
....

We get back home from the store and Daniel goes into the kitchen to begin cooking immediately. I love this man.

"Hey baby" I call for him

"Whattie?"

"I love you."

"I love you too." He chuckled.

As he cooks, I always sit at the island he has in the kitchen and watch him. Sometimes he talks to me through what he's doing but tonight he does not. I love watching him cook because he loves it so much that he glows.

"Shouldn't you be building your portfolio?" He asks laughing at me staring at him.

"Yes, but I can't focus. You're too distracting." We laugh.

"By the way, a couple months ago when we did all of the photos, did your professor say anything about them?"

"Yep. She said she loved them."

"That's it?" He laughs.

"No. She said she could see the love from the hatred. The anger to the sadness and that I was very talented in being able to show the variety of emotions."

"Yay. You worked hard for those."

"You did too."

"Oh it was so hard to kiss the top of your head or lay out on the couch or cook and everything."

"You're being humble." I mumble.

"Pfft" I roll my eyes as he makes that sound. "What are you supposed to be doing?"

"One more calligraph piece and then painting a couple pieces."

"What are you going to paint?"

"I can't tell you that." Whenever I say this, the food is ready. He sits the plate in front of me. On the plate is cooked green and red peppers and onions, orange chicken, white rice, and a couple small celery sticks with ranch. "You're a genius!" I say excitedly.