Doctor Wrinkle, or Holly as she insisted we call her, did actually ask us the reason why we were in therapy.
Everett tried to say something but then stumbled over his words. I shrugged and muttered that it was just the usual stuff, and that the spark had died after six years together. I guess I could have been less helpful with keeping up the ruse.
But I didn't specifically care about winning the bet anymore.
"I have an activity that might help you with that!" Holly said brightly in response to my answer. "Relationships can get stale if you don't constantly put work into them. In a new relationship, both partners act very much in love and say it to each other constantly—but at some point, both of you would feel that the other already knows of your feelings, and you would stop verbally communicating it."
I did not like where this was going.
"So," Holly finished, "Now I want you to look each other in the eyes, and say three things that you love about him."
My body turned to ice as the words fell from her lips. No, no, no, this was a terrible idea. I couldn't say I loved him; that was something I had never even been able to say to Jenna.
And we had been together for three years.
"Shall I start?" Everett offered, glancing concernedly at my frozen expression.
"Yes! Please go ahead Evan," Holly enthused, "It can be any three things at all; the little things definitely count."
"Okay, well, I'll start with an easy one." He looked at me. "I know you won't agree with this, Clementine, but I think you're really creative. You get this look on your face whenever you're making something, and I think it's awesome that that's something you're passionate about."
"Two, this is probably a continuation from one, but you look so focused when you're making art. It's like you've transcended to another plane," he added with a smile.
"And finally, you act really serious at times and I love that too. You're sort of reserved, which just makes it all the better when you suddenly smile; when you finally cut loose and start to have fun," Everett finished breezily.
I was speechless.
Everett looked so much at ease, completely relaxed as he lounged on the sofa, with an arm draped dangerously close to my shoulder.
As if it was so incredibly easy to say all that. He played his role so well, acting like we were really a couple in love. He had just spewed out a whole love letter without a care.
I could never take it that lightly.
"That's fantastic, Evan," Holly enthused, "Clementine? Go ahead."
A million thoughts whizzed through my head. Everett's messy, curly hair and how it curls up even more after a shower. His midnight eyes glittering with stars, and his bright, dazzling smile.
I couldn't say any of that stuff.
"I-uh, um...you're really cheerful all the time," I muttered. And you have the most beautiful laugh. "And you're really chaotic, at times—"
And it's adorable.
Holly looked at me expectantly as I frantically fished my mind for a third thing to say. There were too many things to count, but none of them seemed quite appropriate.
I love that he loves yellow and that he had painted his whole room in his favourite colour. I love how he collects way too many plushies and piles them around in no specific order.
I love how he always bakes using the most horrible methods imaginable, and how he can't even measure a cup of flour properly. I love how he always uses too much icing.
I love how I feel when I'm around him. I feel more relaxed and carefree and every time he smiles I feel myself smiling too.
He glanced over at me and my throat closed up.
Even having him so near me was making my heart palpitate to the point where I couldn't think clearly or say anything.
All I could do was stare at him.
He was more dazzling than I could even begin to describe. He was sitting half-facing me, towards the side of the couch. He blinked at me a few times and chewed on his pouty bottom lip, one leg crossed in towards him and the other dangling off the arm of the sofa.
I love the way he can't sit properly in a chair. He always looks like he's about to fall off.
"Clementine?" he whispered.
I love it equally as much when he whispers my name in his soft lilting voice and when he yells it from across the room.
A small part of me was aware that I still hadn't fully answered Holly's question. She was trying to prompt me but I could barely hear her, let alone speak.
And I couldn't speak because I could barely breathe.
I love how he is sunshine personified, like a beam of light that brightens everything around him. He is messy, chaotic, and I love his weirdly tiny nose and how it scrunches up whenever he thinks about something especially stupid.
And I love him.
Like if you checked out the song at the beginning of this chapter <3
Comment what you think Clementine should do!
You might enjoy this cute sapphic love story by lemonhoax <3
When florist Anya's plans of renting a building for her business are thwarted by successful confectioner, Kaynath, she recruits the help of her best friend, Mirza, to help her. She never expects to have a sweet tooth not just for one person, but maybe two people after all, if she can handle their secrets.