When I Started Loving You

10 | The End

2 Years Later 

Zac and I are moving in together. Officially. 

Of course, we spent most of our free time with each other--either at my house or his--so it was akin to living together. But now, this is different. We are actually moving in to our own apartment together. 

Zac and I finished our two years of community college and are moving an hour away from our hometown to transfer to a four year university. It feels as if it was yesterday that I was pining after Lucas, wallowing in self pity. 

Then Zac came along and changed that. He changed everything. He's turned my world upside-down. Inside out. He is my whole world. 

And from the way he gazes back at me in adoration, I can tell that I'm his, too. 

Like any typical relationship, we've had our ups and downs, trials and errors. But we've always worked it out and talked through it together. We have never left a fight without making up and coming to a term of agreement. Compromising to settle our issues. 

Speaking of issues, Zac and I are currently arguing over where to put his gaming set up. 

"If you put it in that corner--" I point to the far corner of the living room. "--then we can put the kitchen table over here."

"I don't want it there," Zac huffs stubbornly. I resist the urge to facepalm. "Then I can't put a chair behind the set up to rest my feet on."

I roll my eyes. "Why do you need something to rest your feet on?"

"It's more comfortable to play games when I have my legs elevated."

"Then maybe you shouldn't play games so often and get up and do something," I snap.

He throws his hands up in the air. "Like what? Hang out with Jake?"

Jake has recently become a borderline alcoholic, drinking during odd hours of the day while he plays games. Recently, the only way Zac and Jake communicate is through whatever games they play on their computers. 

I contemplate. "Good point. But you have other friends to hang out with."

"Yeah, and they all live back home," he says with a scowl.

I walk over and place my hand on his arm, looking up at him. "This is home now."

He tilts his head down to meet me gaze softly. "Yes it is."

I smile, but Zac quickly begins to irritate me again on where the set up should be. 

"Why do we even need a kitchen table?" he asks.

I gape at him. "What? How?"

"I can eat at my desk," he says with a shrug.

"That's disgusting!" I burst out, making a face at him. "Where am I supposed to eat?"

"At your desk," he points out. I resist the urge to shake him senseless. "Plus, we can put something else there."

"Like what?" I snap.

He hesitates. "Your desk."

"Enough with the desks!" I exclaim, digging my nails into my palms to prevent myself from spewing out words I would regret later. 

Zac smirks at my outbursts. To this day he still enjoys pissing me off to no ends. 

"You two argue like a married couple," Elaine says, bemused. I didn't even notice her walk through the door behind me. She's carrying a couple of boxes and places them down by the doorway, brushing her hands off on her jeans.

My whole face turns red and I'm rendered speechless. 

"I know," Zac replies simply. I still remain humiliated standing dead center in what will become our living room. Since Zac and I still haven't come to an agreement on the layout of the living room, he busies himself with carrying boxes into our bedroom. 

Elaine steps towards me with a sly smile to say, "I know he's a handful. Trust me, I raised him. IF you two end up breaking up, I won't hold it against you." She grins and tugs me to her side. "We can still be friends."

I just gape at her. Although Zac and I do argue like an old married couple, I wouldn't trade it for the world. We squabble like children, but still love each other so deeply. Always have and always will. Elaine knows this, so I'm aware of her teasing. Regardless, I'm still the shade of a tomato. 

"Are you kidding? I'm not sure how he puts up with her." My Mom approaches Elaine, shooting me a pointed look. "She's as stubborn as a mule."

"So is Zac," Elaine points out. Then she smiles knowingly at my mom and says, "They're perfect for each other."

"That they are," Mom agrees. I'm moving a box and acting like I'm not eavesdropping on their conversation. I smile at their words and move the box I'm holding into the bedroom where Zac is pulling open the blinds to gaze out of the window. I pad over to him and hug him from behind, peaking around from his back to follow his gaze. 

"What're you looking at?" I question. "There's just more apartment buildings across from ours."

He turns around and pulls me to his side, tucking me under his arm and wrapping his hand around my waist. "I'm just acclimating myself with our new view."

I grin up at him. "You know I love you, right?"

He peers down at me softly and places a swift kiss on my lips. "I know. I love you, too."

We stare out the window and watch the cars drive by and the leaves in the trees rustle in the light breeze. I hug his torso and my chest fills with that familiar warmth. That familiar warmth that is Zac. I can't wait until we officially move in; a start to spending the rest of our lives with each other. 

This is only the beginning.

~*~*~*~*~*~

I'm following this up with an Author's Note, so you can read my sentimental speech there lol.😉

~ Liv ❤️