Her and the Basketball Champion

EPILOGUE

Three Years Later

Jonas

The alarm is blaring in my ear, and I shove my face deeper into the neck beside me, inhaling the sweet fragrance of pomegranate. I breathe deeply, tightening my arms around the sleeping form cuddled up against me, her legs are tucked between mine, and her hands have a death grip around my waist, her light breathing being the only thing showing me she's alive.

She's a dead sleeper, and the alarm is still going off in my ear, causing her to stir, her eyes opening slightly. Her hand detaches itself from around me, and she makes to rub her eyes, but I think tiredness is still controlling her, because she slaps me across the face.

"Ow, fuck." I groan out and pull her hand down beside me, turning my body slightly to switch off the alarm. Sighing, I turn back around and see Eliza running a hand across her face. "Here let me, you're tired." I whisper, so as not to startle her in the early hours of the morning. It's 2am.

I bring my hands up and rub her eyes softly and she breathes out one long breath. "You're the best." She mutters as I pull her up out of bed and drag her to the bathroom with me. 

I move to switch on the light, but she stops me with a hand on my arm, and just hugs me, her arms around my neck, her body pressed up against mine, no surface untouched, one of my hands in her soft hair and one on her waist, keeping her upright as she closes her eyes against me.

We stand like that in the dark silence of the bathroom, the world around us closed off.

She feels like heaven, and I squeeze her, enjoying the moment as she starts to breathe heavily again.

Don't tell me she's falling asleep.

I switch on the light, hesitantly, one hand still around her, and she whines out, burying her face in my chest. "Too bright." She exclaims.

"We need to pray, baby." I say to her as softly as I can, grabbing a hair rubber from next to the sink and turning her around so my front it facing her back.

She hums in response and rubs her eyes again in an attempt to wake herself up.

"Talk to me so I stay awake, please." Her eyes are closed as I gather her hair in my hands, taking my time to comb through the strands so I don't tangle them. She loves to sleep with her hair open because she claims that her hair is tied up in a bun all day, so she needs freedom and 'air'. 

"You're beautiful, even when you're half asleep." I say quietly, and she lets out a half yawn half laugh, turning around to give me one of her breathtaking smiles.

I continue to run my hands through her hair, massaging her scalp a bit, and she moans out at the feeling. I kiss her skin where her shoulder and neck meet, and she sighs out in bliss, her eyes closing once again.

"You're gorgeous." I begin to gather up her hair in a pony tail.

"You're perfect." I wrap the rubber band around her hair.

"And I love you." When I'm finished, she taps my cheeks with her forefingers and makes a tutting sound, her eyes furrowing slightly. "You're too cute for your own good." Her fake patronising tone makes me roll my eyes, and she lets out a little chuckle.

I grip her hips and kiss her cheek all the way to her ear. "I'd fuck you right here right now but you're tired, and you won't be able to walk for your doctors appointment tomorrow." I place my hands on her stomach, and move away, walking over to the sink and running the tap. I look over my shoulder at her and she has a little smirk on her face before standing next to me and washing her hands. 

We make Wudu in silence, and I watch her as she dries her face, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she looks at me.

She rakes her eyes up and down my body, and walks so slowly to me I have to force myself not to move to show her i'm not as affected. 

I am.

She slips her hands under me shirt and finds the tattoo on my right lower hip, kissing it once before stalking out the bathroom. 

"You coming babe?" She calls out over her shoulder, and I shake my head, adjusting my pants slightly as I follow after her.

"You're such a tease." I say, my voice coming out low. She only laughs and gives me those eyes before slipping on her prayer hijab and rolling out the prayer mat.

"You love it." She waves me over and I stand in front of her while she stands behind me slightly to my right.

We pray, and time slows down, our soft breathing filling the silence, the air still and calm and perfect around us.

We do our Salaam, and I hear shuffling behind me, then Eliza's head on my back and her arms around me as she hugs me from behind.

"I love praying with you." She says, her voice slightly muffled by my back, and I lace my fingers through hers, standing up and pulling her with me.

She has that tired look on her face now, and I help her take off her scarf and guide her to the bed, placing her down in the middle as I climb in after her.

She instantly throws her leg over mine and cuddles up closer to me, my hand going to her hair, and pulling her against me tighter by her leg.

I don't know how I would ever sleep without her again. 

You know how some people need music to sleep? Or wave sounds or rain? 

She's that for me.

She's it.

She's my rain and she's my music and waves and everything that helps me sleep and everything better.

Our soft breaths fill the air and she mumbles three last words before dozing off.

"I love you."

I kiss her neck and settle my face down in her hair.

"I love you more."

guys i'm THINKING about doing an extended epilogue. If you couldn't tell, there were some hints in there about their future.

i'm so sad this is ending, because Jonas has my whole heart and Jonas and Eliza have my whole universe and I love them so much and ugh.

Thank you all again for every single little fingerlicking inch of support and I love you guys so much you don't even know.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

OH AND STAY TUNED FOR MY NEW BOOK HEHE.