𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗗. a true story

⁀➷ 6- OFFICIALLY

SATURDAY — 4 / 8 / 23

As soon as I woke up the next morning, I shuffled on a pair of slippers and rushed over to Reese's house. 

I climbed over the fence, grabbed the big ladder from the back shed, and set it against the side of the house. "Reese!" I whisper-shouted, tapping on his window. "Get your booty up!"

Thankfully, he was a pretty light sleeper and came to the window right away, still half asleep with his hair ruffled up. "How was it?" he asked, knowing exactly why I was there so early.

"Okay, so we watched Netflix for a while," I started to explain as I climbed into his room, "and afterwards we went outside to watch the sunset and as we were sitting there... he asked."

Reese's eyes widened. "So you guys are official now?"

I nodded excitedly.

"See, I told you this would happen. What can I say? You just gotta listen to what the love expert says and follow- Mel!" He exclaimed mid-sentence. "What in the name of Columbia is that?" He pulled me closer to him and pushed my hair to the side to inspect my neck. "Did Lucas fucking Jones give you a hickey?!"

I scampered over to his bathroom mirror to check it out, and just as Reese had said, there was a red blob just about the size of a pingpong ball on my neck, right below my jawline.

"Mel what the hell did you guys-"

I clapped my hand over his mouth. "Shush before someone wakes up! Yeah, Lucas and I were making out yesterday but nothing more than that- shit, I didn't even realize he gave me a hickey."

"Well, you guys better name one of your kids after me."

"Reese!"

"See, you got it already."

---

WEDNESDAY — 4 / 26 / 23

So, we were now dating, even at school. Oh, how long I'd waited for this moment! And it was sweet, too. Sweeter than any relationship I'd ever been in. Obviously, there were rumors and things that bothered us, but it wasn't too big of a problem.

Our first conflict came almost 3 weeks into our relationship.

It was during study hall. I sat at a small corner table with Lucas, my head resting on his shoulder and my left hand intertwined with his right. I looked up from the book I was reading to find Lucas concentrated on his homework.

"Can't resist my beauty, huh?"

"W-what?"

"You're staring."

I flushed red in the cheeks. "Like you don't stare at me all the time during class."

"Not my fault you look so perfect."

We were quiet for a while.

"Hey, Ems?"

"Yeah?" I hummed back.

"I think I love you."

I froze completely. Hell, the air in my lungs probably froze too. It sure felt like it because the next thing I knew, I was choking on my own spit and coughing like crazy.

"Y-you-you what?!" I managed to gasp out between coughs.

"Whoa, are you o-"

"Of c-course I'm not okay! You just told m-me you love me!" 

Lucas went silent. "I really do though," he said earnestly.

I shook my head. "I... I-I what? Lucas-" 

The hurt in his eyes stopped me. But it was too overwhelming- the pressure was suffocating. I was nearly hyperventilating as I stood up and bolted out of the library, almost bumping into someone.

"Sorry-"

"Mel?"

I looked up to see my best friend, who could immediately tell something was wrong. He lead me into another hallway where there weren't too many people around. 

"Mel, get a grip. Breathe. Breathe, you hear me?"

I nodded as I tried to slow down my panting.

Once I got my breathing steady, Reese asked gently, "What's wrong?"

I breathed out a heavy sigh. "Lucas... told me he loves me."

There was a clear look of confusion on Reese's face. "Is that not a good thing?"

"It's too soon, I don't want things to move this fast!"

"Wait, I thought you already had I-love-you moments with both Connor and Ian?"

"Yeah, but Ian and I were stupid and didn't know a thing about anything back then! And Connor only told me he loved me because I was about to leave Cali- you know this already, Reese! I know now it's no good to rush things- we've only been together for like, 3 weeks!"

"So what you're saying is that you want to take things slower?" I nodded. "Well then, why don't you just tell him that?"

"I wanted to, but I-I panicked and just left, and he looked so betrayed...." I groaned. "I think I messed up, Ree."

The bell rang, signaling the end of Study Hall. 

"It's okay, Mel, we can figure it out. For now, let's just get to class, alright? It's gonna be okay."

IM SORRY IK ITS BEEN FOREVER ... SCHOOL IS A BICH

-emms