PUPPY

CHAPTER 26

Three days have passed since my mother left our home. Right now, we're sitting on the couch. I'm watching a lame rom-com movie and Neil is reading, as always.

The things that I said to my mother made my heart light, but at the same time, my mind was heavy. The duality is killing me. I hate that she has so much influence on me.

I hate it!

"Do you-"

"No, I don't want to talk about it!"

Neil looked at me from over his reading glasses.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you. I just-"

"-don't want to talk about it?"

I looked away from him and then back at him. "What my mother said before going away bothers me."

He closed the book and slid the glasses on top of his head. "Which part?"

I started playing with the lock of my collar. "The part of no one loving me ..."

He picked my hand. "I love you."

"That's cheesy."

He slightly nodded his head in disapproval while saying: "Then I want to be even more cheesy. I love you very, very much. And I don't know what I would do without you."

I smiled to myself like a little girl.

"Thank you, I love you too."

"You don't have to thank me."

I looked at him in confusion. "Why not? I'm thankful-"

"You don't have to thank me cuz' I'm not doing you a favour. I love you for you being you. You make every day feel like a fantasy."

He extended his hand toward me, and I gently pushed it away. "Thank you, I don't deserve all this."

He let out an annoying sigh. "You need to stop with the self-sabotaging. You deserve to be loved and appreciated. I'm giving you all my love; You just need to accept it."

I stayed silent for a moment.

I admit that I'm scared when someone says that they love me.

"I'm scared. I'm scared that you'll start seeing me the way I see myself. And that, you'll just walk away. That's what scares me."

"I see you as a smart, beautiful, talented woman. That's also kind, sometimes gets herself stuck in problems she can't handle on her own. I love you, just the way you are. I can't be without you."

I nodded in approval before moving closer and hugging him.

Until now I didn't understand how in love, he is with me and how much I need his love.

Tears of happiness rolled from my eyes. It feels nice to be loved.

"And since we're on the topic of love, I wanted to ask you something?"

I wiped the tears from my cheeks before looking at him. "What?"

"Will you marry me?"

I did an audible gasp of shock. I feel lightheaded and happy. I just want to scream at the top of my lungs.

"Puppy?"

"Y-es- Yes! Yes! Yes! I want to marry you! Yes!"

He chuckled at me before pulling me into a kiss. After our lips parted, I asked: "When are we going to do it?"

He smiled at me. "Someone is eager."

"Yeah, I want to marry you right now! I-I love you!" I couldn't contain my excitement.