Hearts on a Page ~ Enemies to Lovers

Chapter 13: Labels

"Joy has a boy! Joy has a boy!"

"Quit it, Bray. I mean it," I say in between giggles. "Keep this up and I won't talk to you about Oliver anymore."

"No!" Callie interjected. "If you couldn't tell, I'm vicariously living through your romantic escapades and won't let Brayden ruin that for me."

"Me too!" Lydia agrees.

Brayden coughs.

"Oh pish, you know what I mean," she says, squeezing her boyfriend's hand. He smiles.

It's another Friday night in Callie's basement. The popcorn's popped, the pillows thrown, and the stories shared. I was just catching my friends up on what occurred the previous night on my date with Oliver, blushing the entire time. I can't help it, just thinking about him makes my heart sing!

Okay that was cheesy and I'm going to pretend I didn't say that.

"Anywho, where is your boy-toy, Joy?" Callie asked, getting up from the couch to join me in the armchair and rest her head on my shoulder. "Haha, that rhymed."

I shook my head playfully. "He's probably on his way now. Until he picks a club or some sort of activity, Mr. Bennett is making him work five of the six days the shop is open. And the only day he's off besides Sunday is Monday, which I always work."

"At least you guys work together most days of the week, or else you'd probably never see each other," Lydia comments.

"This is true," Brayden says, pointing his finger in the air in a very "as a matter of fact" way.

We return our attention to the TV, which is just playing Gilmore Girls. Lydia, Callie and I are all big fans of the show and Brayden practically knows everything because we talk about it so much. If we can't decide on a movie, we just put it on as background noise. About 15 minutes go by and then a hear a voice that, well, makes my heart sing!

"Thank you, Mrs. Martin. Nice to meet you."

Everyone sat up while Callie poked my ribs. I swatted her finger away, but froze as he walked down the stairs. When he came to the bottom, his face had the most charming smile.

"Hey man!" Brayden said, receiving a nod from Oliver while they did that whole "dab up" thing that boys do.

Callie and I both got up from the chair. She gave him a quick hug before joining Lydia on the couch, who gave Oliver a smiling wave. When it was my turn to hug him, he picked me up and walked me back to chair where I laid curled up in his lap.

"So, how was the Friday crowd? Dead?" I asked.

"Eh, not too bad. I brought my bass down from my room and just played for a bit."

"I didn't know you played bass, Oliver," said Callie.

"Yeah, it's really nothing."

"Um, it's not nothing," I interject. "Oliver was in a band back in Chicago."

"That's so cool, you'll have to play for us sometime. If you want," Lydia said, smiling.

"We'll see-"

"Yeah, he's gotta play for me first," I say, nudging him.

"And why is that?" asks Callie.

"Yeah, why is that?" Oliver smirks.

"Because he's my boyfriend and I get to hear the tunage first," I say to Callie but instantly regret.

BOYFRIEND.

We had never used labels before. This was new territory and I might've just messed everything up.

"Fair enough," Callie say, totally ignoring my beet red face. "But if any of you want to hear my sweet ukulele tunes, my door's always open."

I glance at the TV and take advantage of the screen.

"Look, it's Jess. I love Jess. Don't you just love Jess, Callie?"

"Yes, he and Logan are my favorite boyfriends of Rory."

"Wait, who's Logan again?" Brayden asks.

While Lydia and Callie try explaining the many characters of Stars Hollow to Brayden, I glue my eyes to the TV to try and forget about what I just said.

"You called me your boyfriend," Oliver whispers in my ear.

SHIT!

"Did I? Really?"

"Yep, the two syllables came straight from your talking hole," I could hear him smirking.

"You don't say."

"It's okay, Joy," he says. "You can calm down. I'm too tired to deal with an anxious girlfriend tonight."

Suddenly, my whole body sinks to mush in Oliver's lap, which I didn't realize how stiff I had been before. I felt him kiss my forehead as I snuggled into him more.

"Joy, you're a Jess fan, right? asks Brayden

"For Rory, yes. But the best boyfriend in the show is Dave Rygalski, hands down."

"Who's Dave?" asks Oliver.

"Join the club," Brayden laughs.