Forever Yours

chapter thirteen

After Halloween and the uneventful, yet fun party at Mitch's, the rest of the school semester goes by quick. Since my relationship with Joel started, the people at my school have started to back off. I have since become... popular? I don't know if I would go as far as to say that but it's a start. Just one of many benefits of dating the most popular boy in school. Mia and I now sit with the football boys at lunch, well minus Ryan of course. He and Brooke haven't said much to me since the incident at The Lighthouse. Thank you, Joel! Everyone else in school is being fairly nice to me. Girls in the younger classes say hi to me and the boys just smile and nod, which, I don't know how I feel about that. But it's a pleasant change.

Thanksgiving was fine, my dad and I went over to my mom's parents' house. We spent time together with the family and ate until we about threw up. Christmas comes out of nowhere and Dad and I spend time with his side of the family. Joel and I snuck away the day after Christmas to exchange gifts. We hadn't seen each other much since school was out, because my dad still doesn't know about us and there's only so many times I can say I'm with Mia as a cover up. Mia is good, she's been hanging out with Hank and the art kids. She thinks she's making progress, but I still say in her dreams. Since Christmas, though, I've been spending all my time with my best friends. Joel and Mia get along really well, and it warms my heart. New Year's Eve is tonight and the three of us are starting the night with yet another party at Mitch's.

"Oh, c'mon guys! You have to stay till midnight," Mia is whining to Joel and me as we're trying to leave. She stumbles onto the front porch, slightly tipsy from a couple of shots of vodka. My dad is out of town for business and also has a date where he's at so that he's not alone tonight. Joel and I are trying to sneak away to my house for some alone time.

"Mia, you'll be fine. You have Hank! Go give him a little smooch at midnight. But promise me you'll call me tomorrow and tell me all about it." I give her a kiss on the cheek and start to walk away. Hank is driving her home, so she'll be fine.

"Love you!"

"Love you too!" I yell to her as Joel and I are getting into his Jeep. On the drive home, I'm quite nervous. I'm not sure why though. Well, maybe because this is the first time I'm going to be alone with Joel at my house. Where there's a bed...

I shake any nervous thoughts I have out of my head as we pull up to my house. He parks a way down the street again just in case. "Welcome to my humble abode," I say to Joel as I unlock the front door.

Just as the door is opening, he turns me around and kisses me, pushing me inside gently. Closing the front door with his foot. He continues to kiss me, and I get even more nervous. So nervous that I start laughing.

"What's so funny?" He questions seductively.

I play it off as nothing and grab his hand and pull him up the stairs to my bedroom. I feel his eyes on me the whole way up the stairs and to my room. I even catch him eyeing me when we reach my room. I guess I chose the right dress, short, black, and sparkly. It's exactly the reaction for which I was hoping. I shut the door and take a seat on the edge of my bed. I pat the spot next to me on the bed, gesturing for him to sit too. He doesn't look at me as he does so, he just stares at his hands in his lap.

"Willow?" He speaks up.

I watch him continuing to look down, "Yeah?"

The tension in the room gets serious and I'm scared for a second until he turns and looks deeply in my eyes and says, "I think I'm falling in love with you." My eyes go wide, and I'm surprised by his sudden affectionate words. "Wait, no. I am definitely in love with you. Head over heels, madly in love with you."