𝐎𝐑𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐂 𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐘 ☾ 𝐥. 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞

𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐢𝐢.

"three words. eight letters. say it, and i'm yours."

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈•ﾟ｡

"HEY." I turned around to see Louis, his hand nervously brushing through his brunette hair, and his cheeks were flushed. He looked like he just ran a 10K.

"Hey."

I don't know what to say! I just bail on a date and then I see the guy that I actually like? What am I supposed to say? Hey, I'm in love with you and only you. Like I can only think about your hand in my hair, your fingers interlaced with mine, and— no, no, no. I can't say that.

He bit his bottom lip, sliding the soles of his shoes on the gravely ground, "It seems like we have a thing for gardens, huh." he pushed out an awkward laugh.

"Yeah," I snickered. "and uh, with all of our missed days, I'm pretty sure neither of us are going to get the top spot in any of our classes." we both chuckled quietly to ourselves. I haven't heard him talk this much to me in a while. It was like drops of rain after a drought, like some sense of clarity that we'll be okay.

"So, how was your date?" his hands made its way into his pockets, his eyes trained on the ground beneath us.

"Bad." because all I could think about was you—was all I wanted to say. But I can't say that. So, I'll bottle it up, until the day I finally explode.

"Oh."

Yeah, oh.

"There was something that just didn't feel right." his gaze slowly popped up from the ground, landing on mine. My heart picked up speed, scared to see how the rest of this conversation is going to play out.

"And," he began to walk closer to me. "what feels right?" his voice was in a hushed tone, making this encounter an even more intense one.

I closed my eyes, inhaling every breath that it will take to get this out.

I opened my eyes, feeling his presence even closer than before. Shivers flew down my spine from his innocent stare. "Louis, I don't know if this is the adrenaline or the newfound electricity in me," he let out a small chuckle. "but I'm not scared anymore. I want you, Louis. It's always been you." his eyes were planted on mine and I felt a gust of confidence spun through me. "I love you."

Seconds passed and he didn't say anything. I felt my stomach curl from the tiny bit of silence that has blanketed over us. I messed it all up.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I just, I knew if I didn't say anything I would—"

I began to ramble before I knew that Louis' lips have landed on mine, making me melt into his body. His hands were on both sides of my cheeks now, mine were rested on his chest. Our lips moved like the ocean waves, back and forth. It felt amazing. I felt the spark. The thing I never felt with Timothée.

He kissed me with such desperation, and such longing. It's like he was trying to tell me everything that he was feeling, just in this one kiss.

After a few long seconds he pulled away, his eyes searching my winded face. "You don't know how long I've been waiting to hear you say that." he took my hands into his and I felt reconnected with him, like one whole piece again.

These past few weeks have felt as if I was someone else, living in their body, living their life. I acted like I was okay, I acted like I didn't care what state of life Louis was in, but every night, I contemplated calling him, asking for him to come over and pull me away from my horrid nightmares, or even just to ask if he's okay. But I never did. I was never okay. I never loved anyone else. It was always him.

"Iris?" I hummed in response. "I wrote you a note."

"What?" I asked in amusement. He took a folded piece of paper from his front pants pocket as I watched him hand it to me.

I glanced down at the paper, in big lettering it said, "To the intimidating, lovely, Iris Aldine." I giggled.

"I wrote this after we went stargazing, 'cause I just, I knew it was you."

I furrowed my brows, fiddling with the paper in my hands, "Are we doing this wrong?" his eyes searched mine in confusion. "I mean, I've already told you that I love you and we aren't even in a relationship. I feel like some part of this is wrong." I shook my head, shrugging my shoulders.

"Well then, Iris Aldine," he took my hands into his, the note still in my palms. "will you be my girlfriend?" his cheeks were a bright red and I felt the corners of my mouth curl up.

I shrugged, "I don't know, I have to think about it." I smirked.

He rose my chin with his pointer finger; gentle and delicate, like I was a flower that he was too scared to break. He planted a soft, yet passionate kiss on my lips before pulling away.

"Still thinking about it?"

I rolled my eyes, "Why do I have the most charismatic boyfriend in the world?" he laughed, picking me up from my waist and twirling me around. High pitched squeals spilled out of my mouth as I felt, like I was standing on the highest point on Earth.

He put me down and I stared up at his dark brown eyes, they glistened with the bright moonlight. I began to slightly open the note as his hand rested on mine. "Read it later, yeah? So, I won't be as embarrassed." he chuckled.

"Get used to it. Now that we're dating, you're gonna be embarrassed all the time." I smiled before kissing his lips— a thing I have now become accustomed to. I felt his grin against my lips and I couldn't help but burst at the seems with happiness. For once in my life, something felt good, wonderful, blissful, perfect.

"Awww!"
"Oh my god!"
"Get it, Iris!"

The moment was ruined as we saw Fawn, Aster, Thomas, Issie, and Millie by the front iron black gates of the school.

I rolled my eyes as we both stuck our middle fingers up at them. They all snickered as my cheeks were flushed with embarrassment from them watching our whole ordeal.

"We're gonna go watch a movie, uh, just catch up when you're done!" Fawn called out. They all began walking away as Aster shot us a smile and two thumbs up.

I sighed, our hands intertwined, like a perfect puzzle piece, "Let's go."

"Just one more." he said. I giggled, kissing him one more time before joining our friends by the gate.

"I'm happy you joined us, thought we were gonna have to pull you two away from each other." Millie remarked.

I watched as Issie sent Louis a small smile before catching the conversation of the others.

Everything was perfect. Louis was perfect, my friends were perfect, school was perfect. I've never felt this way before, but I hope I never come down from the clouds.

I wish dad could see me now.

I bet he would be proud.

a/n:
oh my god!!!!
ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!
okay! one more chapter!
i'll post the last chapter today as well :)
i'm so excited! okay, bye!
- x, Sofia