The Final Project

Chapter 116

Ava

I know enough to know that I don't know much. Perhaps I've never known anything significant apart from him—apart from us.

Call it naive, but I waited for Liam long before he talked to me, and I waited for him long after we stopped talking. I don't know why, but something was telling me to hold out—to give the blonde-haired boy in front of me a chance, and I'm happy I listened. I'm happy I didn't ruin another good thing.

"What?" I ask as we sway to the slow love song. "Why're you smiling so much?"

"A guy can't smile at his girl?" His girl. Me. I'm his girl. My stomach flutters, cheeks flushing at his gaze.

"He can if he tells her why...." I muster back. He affects me, and I know he knows it from that stupidly perfect grin plastered across his face.

"It's a secret, Ava."

"You know I don't do too well with secrets, Liam."

"I know." His hands trail down my sides, pulling me close. Our bodies are pressed against one another now, and I think I'm burning. Psychically, metaphorically—I think I'm just burning. I think maybe my soul is on fire.

"But I'll tell you soon..." he continues, still more interested in my rising breath than anything else. He's amused by it, and I hate that he is. I try to continue the conversation, although he's doing a phenomenal job distracting me.

"When is soon? Why can't you just tell me now?"

"You ask too many questions."

"And you never answer them," I retort. He laughs, the low rumble evading my senses and making me feel all warm and fuzzy. Can we just stay like this forever? I'd do anything to stay like this. Being so close to him—it's all I've ever wanted. He's all I've ever wanted.

I stare at his blue eyes and his messy hair—I smell his vodka-coated scent. I think I could admire him forever and ever—until the end of time—until there is no time. Is it weird to have a crush on your boyfriend? Because I definitely do...

"What're you thinking about it?" I come out of my trance to Liam staring at me curiously, a ghost of a smile on his face. I give him an obviously fake smile back.

"Oh, sorry. It's a secret." He rolls his tongue on the inside of his cheek, a slight smirk on his face.

"Feeling smart, are we?"

"Feeling? I'll have you know that Einstein has nothing on me."

"Mm, whatever you say, babe." He brings a piece of my hair behind my ear, his eyes fixated on the action as he so casually drops the b-word. I don't know—I know we're dating, so it's normal, but it just feels so...domestic? Like we are a couple, and all of it's real. The pet names, the flirtatious teasing—it suddenly feels a lot more real from a simple word.

"I like it," I reply after a moment. He furrows his brows in question, turning his gaze from my hair back to my face.

"Like what?"

"You calling me babe. I like it." I nod, and he gives me a smile—not a smirk. One of those real, I'm-smiling-from-within-smiles and those are rare to come by. And he has this look on his face, but I can't quite place it. I can't quite tell what his eyes are screaming, but I know they're screaming something. Mine are too. I swear I feel it too...

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ik...ik...it's been so long. i'm sorryyy, BUT new chapter soon :))) i've missed you all!