Tangled With My Roommate

Chapter-29: Best Gift

My heartbeat quickened, and fear crept in for his reply. But more than that, I felt embarrassed. I couldn't do one thing right.

I shouldn't have chickened out and closed my eyes. I planned to do it while looking into Theo's eyes. But I ended up screwing it up. He had to hear my confession from behind the doors, that too being said to another person.

Theo stood up and walked away from the bed.

Tears welled up in my eyes.

See? He was going to reject me. That's why he was going away. I mean, who wouldn't reject a dumb girl who confessed to an old man by mistake?

I harshly rubbed my eyes, not wanting to embarrass myself further. I promised myself that if Theo were to reject me, I was going to take it like a champ.

Just then I felt something rest on my forehead. I opened my eyes to see Theo leaning over me from the bedside, and he had put a box on my forehead.

"What is it?" I asked, taking the purple box in my hand. It seemed heavy. It had something inside.

Theo smiled softly and said, "Find out yourself."

I sat up and said, "You already gave me my Christmas present yesterday."

"I know." He kept smiling as he sat beside me.

"Okay..." I hesitantly started opening the box. My fingers were shaking the whole time. I pulled the ribbon and slowly took off the lid. There were two similar wristwatches inside, and on top of it was a note.

"Will you be my girlfriend, Ara?"

"Oh, my God," I gasped, tears falling out of my eyes. I couldn't believe it. "I-is this for real? Or are you p-pranking me?"

Theo chuckled and took my free hand in both of his, caressing them as if they were the most precious thing on earth. "It's real, and I'm not pranking you." He looked deep into my eyes and uttered firmly, "I like you, Ara. I really do. You can't imagine how much you mean to me. So will you be my girlfriend?"

I tried to smile through my tears and say yes, but being unable to do that, I cast aside the box in my hand and threw my arms around his neck, starting to cry out of happiness.

"I l-like you too. So, so much. And y-yes, yes, I'll be your girlfriend." My voice was croaking, unclear, and broken, but I was sure that he understood because he kissed the top of my head in response, mumbling a small thank you.

I don't think I had ever been this happy in a single day.

Theo stroked my hair lightly and held me tightly as I let the reality sink in. I couldn't help but nuzzle more into his warmth. I felt like I belonged there.

After a few minutes, when I stopped crying, I raised my chin, looking up at him with my lips parted. He smiled in slight amusement as if he was thinking the same.

And the next thing I knew, he gently pressed his lips on mine, pulling me in a soft butterfly wings-like kiss. He slowly moved his lips against mine, and so did I.

Maybe it wasn't the most perfect kiss in the world due to both of our inexperience, maybe our teeth knocked together lightly every often, maybe the position we were sitting in was awkward, but it was more than I could ever ask for. It was beyond perfect for me.

I could taste the salt from my tears, but the delicious feeling of his lips compromised that. And I knew he would compromise for everything else wrong in my life.

It was amusing how I never imagined my first kiss to be Theo. Heck, little did I know he was going to be my first boyfriend. And I swear to God, I wanted him to be my last.

I don't think with anyone else I would ever feel what I felt with Theo. The sparks would never ignite for anyone else but him. I just wanted Theo Benedict, not Theo Hoovers or anybody else.

As we pulled apart from the kiss, I couldn't stop grinning. "Oh, my God, we broke our 'no kissing' pact Our first kiss."

"Technically, it was our second."

"Huh?" I let out in confusion, then gasped dramatically. "Did you steal a kiss from me in my sleep?"

He rolled his eyes. "No, dummy. I did tell you about it. Remember you kissed me when you were drunk as a skunk?"

My mouth formed into an 'O'. I recovered and said, "That one doesn't count since I still don't remember it. This is the real deal."

A smile spread across his lips. He gave me a small peck and said, "Yes."

I looked at the purple box that I set aside on the bed and picked it up. I took out the male watch and took Theo's hand. It was a classic expensive silver wristwatch with a blue dial and 'boyfriend' written in golden color.

I chuckled as I was putting it on his wrist. "Good choice. In this way, people will know that you have a girlfriend."

"It was for my own benefit too." He chuckled and picked my watch which had 'girlfriend' written in it.

I put forward my hand with no hesitation. "No problem. I'm loyal."

"No, I'm insecure that you will go sleep with that old man whom you mistook for me," he teased.

"In my defense, my eyes were closed."

"I have to beware when your eyes are closed then."

I scowled at him. "If you don't stop teasing me about it, I will actually consider sleeping with him."

"Not that I have anything against old people in general, but good luck getting yourself pleased by those wrinkly hands and thin lips."

I cringed. "Did you have to mention these?"

He bit his bottom lip and said, suppressing his grin, "Can I also mention that you look absolutely stunning tonight?" which made me want to kiss him again.

"Can I kiss you?" I responded innocently.

"That's your reply to my compliment?"

I nodded firmly. "Because I already know I look good tonight. It was to make it hard for you to reject me."

He chortled and put his hands on my waist, pulling me onto his lap. "Then it's a good thing that I didn't, huh?"

"So can I kiss you now?" I repeated.

"Of course, you can. Whenever you want, wherever you want, whatever you want to do. I'm all yours now."

"Don't worry, you're in good hands. I'll take care of you, so you better do the same," I said, playing with the hair on his nape.

"I promise I always will," he said so sincerely, it melted my heart.

"You know, I think Santa exists," I said as I had a random thought.

"Mhm? Why?" Theo asked with genuine curiosity.

"Santa got me the best gift for Christmas." With that, I mashed my lips on his, knowing I would never exchange this gift for anything.

★★★