Unexpected Love (ON HIATUS)

Chapter 24: Happy Birthday, Badong part 3

Sorry for this long wait but it's been a busy week for me. I was working almost everyday and I was very tired at the end of the day. Plus, I have to write a little story ("school" homework) that I didn't finish yet but I'm pretty proud of it. It's very different from what I write here tho. But yeah, I finally finished this chapter and that's my favorite chapter so far so I hope you'll like it.

POV Yanyan

"I would like to know that ... Dancing in the arms of the person I love ..."

My gaze falls on Joseph, who looks at me surprised. I feel my heart float in my chest. I quickly look away and put them back on the little couple. They are really cute ...

"Did you know about them?" "

Joseph's question takes me out of my contemplation.

"Yeah, I caught them holding hands one day so I asked Vien and she told me they were dating. "

" You're lucky. Franz hadn't told me anything ... "

"He surely had his reasons ..."

"How did you get here? "

But what is he talking about?

"One day my parents slept together about 18 years ago and 9 months later I arrived. "

Joseph lets out a small laugh but explains:

"I mean on the branch. I thought it was bad for your heart to exercise. I'm worried about you. "

The fact that he remembers this and worries about me makes my heart beat wildly. I keep my cool and answer:

"I've grown up since I was 10, my legs are big enough that I sit here effortlessly. "

He nods as if to say he gets it and for a few minutes we don't speak. To be honest, I don't really know what to say to him. This evening was rich in emotions.

I understood something tonight. Something really important. Something about my feelings. I had spent the evening wondering if I should go to Joseph's party or not. Then I saw them both enter Joseph's room... Joseph and Carla... They talked for a few moments then Joseph seemed to throw himself on Carla to kiss her and my heart broke. I really wanted to cry.

But not for the reasons I imagined. It wasn't seeing Carla with Joseph that made me suffer, but seeing Joseph with Carla. I didn't want to be Joseph, I wanted to be Carla. I wanted to be the one Joseph kisses. I can no longer deny it: I gradually fell in love with Joseph. Despite my strong attraction to Carla, it's Joseph who makes my heart beat faster. I was happy when Carla told me it was all a misunderstanding and Joseph just ran into her. They didn't kiss. Joseph is therefore still in love with me. I have to be honest with him about my feelings. After all, he was with me. After everything I've put him through, I owe him that much.

I take a deep breath and then turn to me. Feeling observed, he looks at me in turn and I feel my heart go wild when I see his large, tender eyes.

"Joseph, I have to tell you about what happened tonight. "

"Nothing happened tonight. "

"Between you and Carla. "

"Nothing happened between Carla and me, I swear! "

"I know. Carla explained everything to me but we need to talk about it! "

He doesn't understand what I mean. Despite the frantic beating of my heart, I reveal everything.

"Joseph, please don't cut me off. Let me finish before speaking. It's been a while since I started to wonder about my feelings for you. Just a few months ago, I could say for sure that I loved girls, only girls, because I never felt a real attraction to a man. Well, of course there are men that I find absolutely gorgeous and sexy but it's different from how I feel for girls. And then you confessed your feelings for me and I rejected you. A lot of times. But I wasn't honest with you because ... "

I pause and watch him before saying these words:

"I often think of you. Like almost all the time. I rejected you because I don't think I'm good enough to be your boyfriend. I was horrible to you for you to stop loving me because I don't think I deserve your love. I tried to stop thinking about you but you just haunt me even in my dreams. I think less and less of Carla as you occupy my every thought. When I saw you with her tonight, it hurt. Because I didn't want you to kiss anyone other than me. If it had been another girl, I would have hurt just as much. I was jealous because I thought you found someone you will love more than me and I didn't want to. I don't want you to stop loving me. "

He blinks several times as if trying to understand what I just told him. I know it might be surprising but it's the plain truth.

"Joseph, please say something ..."

"Does that... mean... that you... like me?" "

I nod my head furiously.

" Really ? "

" You don't believe me !? "

"I have dreamed of this moment for a very long time and I was sure that it would never happen ... I feel like it is a dream and that I will soon wake up to realize that all of this isn't real. "

I sigh then order him:

"Shift a little further to the left." "

He stares at me for a few seconds and then obeys me. Taking advantage of the free space between us, I stand on his branch right next to him, grab his shoulders, then lower myself and give a brief but passionate kiss.

"So you still think this is a dream? "

My cheeks are all red as he looks at me dazedly. My heart races thinking about what I just did and then I say to him, trying to keep some dignity:

"You're ugly! "

He bursts out laughing and takes my hand to place a tender kiss on it. I clear my throat and then decide to go home, still going through the tree. Before going home, I say, without looking back:

"Happy birthday, Badong. "

I walk into my room and hear Joseph shouting at me:

"I love you, Yanyan. "

A broad smile stretches my face and I reply:

"You're dumb! "

And that makes him laugh, this moron!

So finally it happened!!!!! It took a long time but it finally happened! But the story is far from being over, I think we're about half way there, so stay tuned for the next chapter!