The Upside of Falling Back To You

chapter fifty two | beginnings

CALIFORNIA SUNSHINE spills into the room. I wince as I awake. It feels like the sun shone brighter here than in Berkeley, and I wouldn't be surprised if that was true.

My eyes slowly blink open. Just from how we were lying, I could tell Ronan had one arm under my pillow and the other wrapped around me. His leg swung over my body, too. I reach over to hold his hand, entwining my fingers into his. I squeeze it.

I guess he's awake. "Good morning, love." Those words bring butterflies to my stomach, but not the nervous type. The good type.

I roll over. "Good morning." There's a goofy grin on his face paired with his messy bed hair. He keeps his hand on my side. "So..."

"So," he starts. He looks down at my t-shirt. "You look really good in my clothes, you know that?"

I rolled my eyes. Temptation wanted me to grab a pillow and smack him in the face, but I don't. "You look great without a t-shirt, you know?"

"I'm aware, actually." He sits up. His phone on the coffee table, it seems on cue, begins to buzz. It sucks that it interrupts the moment, but the way he looks at the screen makes it seem like it's important. "I'll be back in a minute, okay?"

He kisses my forehead and steps out of the room.

I sit up and take a look around his room. It's been, what, six months since he's been in here. There were probably housekeepers and other people that took the liberty to organize the place. But it felt less homey than Ronan's room in Berkeley, especially considering he probably spent more time here than at home.

The curtains were pulled back, revealing probably the most beautiful ocean-side view. Palm trees littered the area, swaying in the breeze. Waves crashed onto the shore. It made me question why I wanted to live in the city so badly - this view was a thousand times better.

A familiar ringtone cuts through the silence I was left in - my phone was ringing. I search through my bag, finding it in the front pocket. It was a video call from Parv.

"Hey," I answer, running a hand through my messy, unbrushed hair. I'm pretty sure my friends have seen me in a worse state.

"Asteria Martin!" she scolds through the phone. "Your friend was about to give birth and you decide to fly across the continent instead? I drove back here for my best friend and you just fucking leave us-"

"Don't swear in front of the baby!"

"I-"

"You do know I'm joking, right?"

We both laughed. "I'm sorry - I just... I had to do this, you know?"

Parv nodded. She tilts the phone towards Jamie and Laila. Jamie looked exhausted - which probably made sense, because she no longer had her pregnant belly. I doubt that little kid let her sleep.

"Can I see the baby?" I realise I don't even know the gender of Jamie's child. I don't think she ever told us. Parv walks to the other side of the bed, where a very tired Jiro was half asleep next to the crib.

"Meet Kaya August Tamaki," I heard Jamie say as I crawled back in bed.

"She's precious," I exclaimed, looking at the little girl. "God, she's so cute. I can't wait to hold her. Also, really loving the middle name. We all know August is the best month."

I may or may not be biased there.

Parv flipped the camera back to her. "Okay, so, you wanna tell us what you've been up to? You flew all the way to California for a guy? I'm going to assume you managed to talk about everything or else you wouldn't be in such a better mood."