Her eyes are glaring through me, and if looks could kill, I'm pretty sure I'd be up in flames at this very moment. She's speaking nothing but facts, and I hate that she's so worked up. I wish she would have talked to me about this long ago; I wish I would have had the courage to speak to her about how I feel, definitely before now. She's so cute when she's feisty and fired up, and I can't help but smile and chuckle.
Oh shit.
"You're seriously laughing at me, Ander? That's fucking rich!" She rolls her eyes, the frustration rolling off of her as she spins out of my grasp and storms off, not giving me a second thought. I ran behind her to catch her, but I didn't bother trying to stop her with my words. I know her too well; they won't work.
Once I finally reach her, I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her into me and swooping her off the ground for a split second. Letting her stand, I refuse to let her go as she thrashes beneath me and tries to pry my hands off of her.
Still chuckling, which definitely isn't helping my case, I whisper, "Shh, V. Can you let me talk now?" She whips her head around, looking over her shoulder at me. She flashes me a death stare before she lets a huff and mutters, "Fine. Now, let me go!"
I shake my head against the back of hers. "No. I'm not letting you go. Don'tyouget it? I don't want toeverlet you go." I spin her in my arms to force her to face me and pull her in close, but close enough that I can still look into her beautiful, piercing light blue eyes.
With a sigh, I begin. "Rosie, youaremy best friend, but you are also so much more than that…"
I can feel the frustration radiating off of her slowly subside a little when she hears me call her by my nickname for her. When we were younger, it was a joke about how red her cheeks would get, and it quickly became my term of endearment for her. She practically lights up when she hears it, and it's the cutest thing to witness.
"It doesn't feel like it, Ander. I can't—"
"Are you going to let me talk?" I ask, cocking one eyebrow in question as my mouth turns up into a half smile. She rolls her eyes and signals with her hand for me to continue. I put a little more distance between us but still holding on to her. I want her to see me when I speak, really see me.
"You've been my best friend for years. Talking to you about other girls was never to hurt you but to try to prove something to myself. I was only ever with them to try and prove to myself that you are just a friend, but you aren't, V. You never have been.You're everything to me.You've always been everything to me, and that's scary. It fucking scares me. Because if I lose you, I lose a piece of myself. A piece I genuinely cannot live without."
I'm cut off by the sound of her soft whimper as the tears flow freely from her eyes, and I work diligently to wipe each away as they come. Before continuing, I lean in and kiss her forehead.
"I haven't been with anyone since long before last summer. You know that. When I tell you that I love you, I mean it with every fiber of my being."
"I love you too, Ander, but where does that leave us? I'm so tired of wondering."
"Isn't it obvious?" I scoff, playfully.
"Apparently, it's not, asshole." She rolls those beautiful eyes at me again as she spits her words at me.
"You're mine, Rosie. You've always been mine. You always will be. You're it for me."
"I'm your. . . What? Best friend? Property? Hook up? You know, calling meyoursdoesn't really clear anything up." She arches an eyebrow as she eyes me playfully, undoubtedly trying to get under my skin. I can't help but laugh. This girl and that mouth of hers drives me absolutely mad, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.
"You're maddening. My beautiful, infuriating, funny, sarcastic, witty, absolutely fucking perfectgirlfriend."
"Hmm, are you asking me or telling me? Because I mean, I've never actually had a boyfriend. I'll have to think this over to see if you're the one I want to—"
Laughing along with her little giggles, I pull her into me and take her lips with mine. A slow, soft kiss that sends my heart racing with each passing second.
"Rosie, will you be my girlfriend?" I ask, still chuckling and kissing her lips between each word.
"I mean, I guess I will."
Absolutely perfect.
"So it's finally official?" Jett asks as we walk down the shoreline to meet with Via and Izzy.
"Yeah, it is." I can't control the feeling of pride that fills me.Official. She's mine. Finally mine.
"Well, it's about damn time. You've only been obsessing over her for years. If you weren't going to jump on it, I was about to."
"Fuck off, asshole. Don't you even think about it—" I stop in my tracks, anger filling me instantly as I shove him to the ground.
I'm ready to attack as Jett stands up, laughing. He may be my brother, but I'll beat his ass here and now to put him in his place.
"Would you fucking chill, bro. I'm just busting your balls. V is like a sister to me, and she clearly only has eyes for you. It's about time that you see it for yourself." He dusts the sand off himself and swats at my arm playfully.
