Forget Me Not

6. As Long As You Love Me

“Carter, you better not have been-“

“I didn’t! I didn’t!” I held my hands up in an ‘I’m innocent!’ expression.

Dea sighed, then plopped down on my lap, my arms easily curving around her waist.“Well, you still better not have been. You’re swim trunks look like a bruise.”

I started dropping kisses on her face, trying to distract her. “Mhm.”

“And you did leave your shirt on, which is good. I wanted to be the one to unveil your probably awesome six-pack.”

“Mhm.” I reached her cheeks, which made it kind of hard for her to talk, so Dea slapped me away.

“Stop that. Okay, lemme see the shirt,”

Still trying to kiss her, I let her raise the shirt until it was flung a few feet away, my top clad only in the opal necklace. Dea’s eyes turned as wide as saucers as her pretty little mouth dropped open.

“Carty…you have an eight pack?”

FLASH

“No way.”

Dea laughed softly as she met Riss, squeezing her eyes shut as my puppy licked her for all she was worth.

“You have a dog? Whats her name?”

I stood by, grinning. “Riss.”

“She’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.”

I frowned, pretending to be offended.

“Hey, hello? What about your boyfriend?”

Dea giggled and shrugged.

“Eh. You can’t compete with Riss.”

I dragged her up by her elbow and roughly kissed her, filling it with passion and possession. When I was done, I glared angrily down at a confused Riss, her tongue lolling out, ignoring the flushed girl with tender lips beside me.

“I DARE you to beat that, Riss.”

FLASH

The whole auditorium was silent as I prepared for the next bout, sweating slightly, adjusting my karate uniform. It’s the second national competition I’d competed in, and I was incredibly nervous. Thousands of people watched my ever move, buzzing softly as I stretched, took a small sip of water, and stared at my opponent.

“GO CARTY! WOOOO MY NANJA!”

Everyone, including me, stared at Dea, who was cheering like mad, in between a sullen Will and James holding a ‘CARTER KICK BUTT’ sign and a glum Sophie and Matt wearing shirts with my face on them.

Dea winked as she caught my eye, and I knew instantly what it meant -‘this is the last bout, then you win. I’ll have an extra special surprise for you afterwards!’.

Needless to say, I won my second world championship, and boy was my reward worth it.

FLASH

“LIFE IS A HIGHWAY, AND I’M GONNA RIDE IT, ALL NIGHT LONG!”

Dea and I were singing along to a Rascal Flatts song, totally rocking out as I drove her home from our date.

The song ended and Dea collapsed into giggles while I chuckled at her, deep and low.

She inched as close to me as she could and looked up at me, eyes glowing in the darkness.

“Iloveyou, Carter Michael Lane.”

I grinned at her, but kept my eyes on the road. “And Iloveyou, Dealia Alexa Fairland.”

I squinted into the darkness and made out two approaching lights from a car-I grew quickly alarmed as tit failed to swerve. The situation was pretty hopeless-we had minutes before impact. 

I unbuckled quickly and did the same to Dea, placing her on my lap and buckling us back up.

“Oh God help us, IloveyouDea. Iloveyou, Iloveyou.”

Dea’s huge eyes were filled with tears as she stared at me, and I realized that my Dea, my beautiful butterfly, was back at last.

“Oh Carter. Carty. Cart. Nanja. I can’t believe-how could I ever-“

I chuckled drily, eyes dilating as I drank in her face. “Forget me? Oh trust me, you showed me it was possible.

Dea just wept quietly, and then threw herself at me, wrapping her limbs around me. I took her place on the stool and buried my face in her hair, murmuring to her.

If anyone tells you I cried a little, I’ll deny it with all my heart.

Unless it’s Dea.

“Dea, don’t ever do it again, just promise me, you’ll never do it again.”

Dea looked up at me. “Don’t ever do what?”

I took a shuddering breath. “Forget me. I can’t take it, not again, not after everything we’ve went through.”

Dea nodded her head and kissed me, softly at first, and then insistently, hungrily. 

Dea was mine, and I was hers.

DeaandCarter.

CarterandDea.

Just like it should be.

Fin