All Jennifer Adrian wants is to finish school and head to the big city to chase her dreams, but it's not easy when her heart wants something else.
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Peaceful life in a small town is not enough for Jenny, even thou...
Blake glanced at me as he brought a big chunk of grilled chicken into his mouth. "Also, you can always stay here until you find a place for yourself."
The fact that we spent every weekend in his apartment had me unconsciously building my nest here at his place. He even made a space in his drawers and wardrobe so that I could keep my stuff. Still, moving in was a different story. It was far too soon. Also, we had not yet gone public about our relationship. Heck, I hadn't even told my parents about him.
Unfortunately, Blake had to stay at the university until the end of the year, meaning he was still officially a professor at the campus I was studying. We needed to stay under the radar for as long as we could, or at least until I attended my graduation ceremony.
"Hey." Blake nudged my elbow, pulling me out of my bubble. "I said you can always stay here as long as you want."
"Yeah, I heard you," I mumbled as I smiled at him. "Thank you."
Later in the evening, we lay in bed and talked about stupid moments in our life. Blake became less and less responsive after a while, nuzzling his face to the back of my neck while his breath tickled my skin. When a faint snore vibrated from behind me, I knew he had departed to his dreamland, leaving me behind with my thoughts.
Peaceful. That was what I felt right now. There was no other place I'd rather be than being here, in his arms. I chose to stay for him, for us, and I hadn't regretted my decision.
Blake was an awesome boyfriend. Well, he was still the notorious, insensitive asshole, but he was my asshole. His directness and tendency to not sugarcoat things made it so easy to be with him. I didn't need to second guess what he meant which assured me that he didn't have hidden agendas.
The weekends were still my favorite time because Blake and I could disappear from the world and stay in our little bubble. But when Monday came, the bliss vanished into thin air. Every time I put on my uniform —yes, we wore a uniform at work, an uneasiness started to crawl in me because the five-day torture was about to start. But I convinced myself that it was just a normal problem in working life, that it was just a little obstacle for me before I moved forward.
I had a job with a regular paycheck so that I could cover my bills. I had a hot and supportive boyfriend. I made my mom cry with joy when she heard about my plan on staying. I could even see the relief on my old man's face when I broke the news to him. Everyone was happy. It should be enough reason for me to be happy. Right?
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My graduation day had arrived. We were lucky that the weather was also celebrating with us. After a wet and gloomy week, the sun finally sparkled in the clear blue sky, radiating its warmth.
After a couple of brief presentations delivered by guest speakers, the ceremony began. We lined up next to the stage, waiting for our names to be announced one by one. A big grin plastered on Blake's face when I walked to the podium to receive my diploma. A few rows behind him, sat my dad with his proud gaze with Mom next to him, busy dabbing her cheek with a tissue. A sudden rush of warmth filled my heart just by thinking about how much I loved these people.
