"Don't answer that!" David snatched my phone faster than I could blink. It was Lydia calling, and I was completely confused.
"Why?" I rolled over in bed so I was facing him. Yes, after explaining to our friends that we were officially together, we went back to bed and hadn't left since. It was five o'clock in the afternoon now.
"I haven't given you your birthday present yet."
"What does that have to do with Lydia?"
"Um..." he got nervous quickly, and his cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "I found her Facebook and asked her about what I got you... you know, to see if you'd like it. She's probably calling to see what happened."
I stared at him in shock, but a few seconds later my dropped jaw morphed into a grin. I said, "You asked my aunt what to get me for my birthday?"
"I just wanted to make sure it was something you'd like."
Like the Grinch, my heart grew three sizes just hearing that.
"Where is it?" I glanced at the missed call and three text notifications on my phone, knowing if I didn't get back to Lydia soon, her brain might explode. She had a pretty busy life taking care of a middle schooler at just twenty four; I was practically her only source of entertainment.
"The house. I didn't bring it 'cause I didn't think you'd give up so easily."
My jaw dropped, and I whacked him on the arm. "Are you fucking serious? I can un-give up real quick if you keep talking shit!"
He grabbed my wrist to stop me from hitting him more, his other hand going to my waist so he could encourage me (AKA push me until I moved myself) on top of his lap. He said, "I'm kidding, Evangeline. You gave up in the perfect amount of time."
"I seem to remember you being scared I wasn't gonna say it back," I teased, my hands going to cup his cheeks. He smiled, a genuine smile, his hands going to sit on top of mine.
"Evan," he took a deep breath. We sat in silence for a moment, warm silence, comfortable silence. There was a connection, and I knew we could both feel it. Just sitting there on top of him, looking into his eyes, I felt whole... or, at least, as close to whole as one could be with a past like mine.
"I love you," I said, and I meant it. I meant it with every single cell that made up my heart. I didn't know you could actually feel it in your chest when you said I love you. It had never happened to me before, the way it felt like my heart was going to burst when I stared at him too long.
It was fucking terrifying for someone like me. Someone who had been abandoned and betrayed by people they loved over and over again. It was scary to look at someone and have to wonder in the back of your mind if they were going to be just like everyone else.
I shook all those thoughts to the side when David responded, "I love you, too. I can't believe we haven't been saying that the whole time we've known each other."
"I didn't even like you until yesterday," I giggled, knowing it was a lie. I was just in denial.
"You're such a liar. You've been trying to tie me down since the day you met me."
"Hmm, no," I smiled. I pointed to the closed bedroom door. "They've been trying to make me tie you down since the day I met you."
He laughed to himself, his hand moving from mine to the back of my neck. He was slowly pulling me down towards him, saying, "I'm not too mad at them, to be honest."
"Me either," I sighed as our lips finally met. It felt like heaven in that moment. I didn't know how to explain it other than this: putting the last piece of a puzzle that took you way too long into place. Finally feeling a sense of accomplishment. Finally feeling like you know what you're doing.
It was perfect... until Todd barged in.
"Hate to step into the love shack, but we've got chapter tonight," Todd smirked as he said it. "I need my boy back, Evan."
I pouted my lip out, trying to shift off of him, but David kept his hands on my hips and held me firmly in place. He asked, "What time is it right now?"
"Almost six. We're starting at 6:30 tonight so Matt can get to that meeting thing, remember?"
"That means I have at least fifteen more minutes," he gave Todd a half apologetic, half I-really-don't-give-a-fuck look. "Come get me then."
"You don't want to pick up some food from the student center before?"
David looked at me, then back at Todd. "Todd, if you had a girl this hot on your lap, would you choose Chickfila, or her?"
"Don't answer that," I told him because I was worried I'd get offended with his answer. "I'll come with you guys, and I can cook during your little meeting. Do you have groceries?"
"I'm sure we have something," Todd shrugged, clearly just wanting me to go over and make him dinner. "You're smart. You can whip something up. It'll be like Chopped."
It was agreed upon that I would go with them, even though my roommates complained as I was dragged out the door that they "hadn't got to see me all day" and that David "can't hog me forever". David just laughed and shut the door on them mid-sentence.
They had many ingredients in the house that didn't quite go together, so I ended up making some cajun chicken with baked potatoes. The house was much fuller since even the frat boys who didn't live in it were there, and I just worried about not having enough food.
The meeting took forever, and having to listen to them drone on and on about philanthropy and how they were officially going to co-host their philanthropy events with Phi Mu, the sorority Madison was in (smiley face, heart, kissy face — those were the emotions I felt when I heard that. Totally not being sarcastic), so that the boys were more likely to want to help.
Once the meeting was adjourned, the boys crowded into the kitchen, where I had already began plating food. Some began to walk away, but David yelled hey!, bringing everyone and everything to a pause. Even I got a little scared.
"I want every single one of you to thank Evan for the food," David said loudly, and I blushed, embarrassed that he'd act like that in front of everyone. I really didn't care if they thanked me.
"Thank you, Evan," the whole group said collectively, and David nodded like he was proud. We got our food and went upstairs to his room so we wouldn't have to sit with everyone.
David turned on The Good Place while we ate, but paused it once he saw we were both done. He turned to me and said, "You want your present now?"
"I guess," I shrugged, not wanting to look excited. "If I don't call Lydia back soon, she'll go crazy."
He leaned over and pulled a small, white and black spotted bag out of his nightstand drawer. He dug around and took out the card first, handing it to me. He explained, "This was supposed to be given to you before everything happened. It would've made a whole lot more sense at, like, ten o'clock last night."
I nodded, ripping open the envelope to read the card.
Happy birthday Evangeline Grace!! I hope it's been your absolute best one yet. You're the best person I've ever met and no one deserves it more than you.
Also I like you and I think we should be boyfriend and girlfriend. Okay
Love, David
"You were going to give this to me?" I raised my eyebrows like I didn't believe him. He told me earlier that he was scared to tell me he liked me because he didn't know if I liked him back.
"I mean, technically, my plan was to hand you the card and then make up and excuse to leave the room," he admitted, a shy smile on his face. "I figured you'd come find me if you felt the same way."
"I probably would've hid if I felt the same way," I told him with a laugh, tucking the card back into the envelope so I could keep it in case I wanted to make a scrapbook in the future. I pulled out the little blue box, a fucking Tiffany's box, and cracked it open. Inside was a silver necklace with a little silver and gold lion on the end of it.
"Oh, my gosh," my empty hand went to clutch my heart. "It's so pretty. This is too expensive, David, I can tell."
He ignored that statement completely, and instead started explaining the gift to me, "You know, lions are called the kings of the jungle, but it's really the female lions that do all the work. They remind me of you. Strong and brave and always helping everyone else."
I teared up at his words, realizing that the charm dangling from the dainty silver chain had a meaning behind it. "David... this is so sweet."
"Lions also sleep 15 to 20 hours a day," he smiled. "That reminds me of you, too."
I ignored that diss, and instead pushed myself forward so I could kiss him. "I love you. Thank you."
"I love you, too."
Sorry it took a minute!! Ive been doing school work..... and thinking
Vote and comment bc they make my heart want to burst
Xoxo abby