Ti amo

Part 8

I get into the car and the driver brings us towards the mall. Naomi and I are talking so much that we didn't even noticed that we stopped driving.

"We're here." The driver says and we get out of the car.

"Soo... what is your favorite shop?" Naomi asks and I turn around. "It's one of the greatest book stores in the world." "What store though?" I smile as I walk into Barnes & Noble.

"So there should be a surprise waiting for me here..." I say and I close my eyes. "Let's turn into Enola Holmes!" I say excitedly as I open my eyes again. I begin looking for clues.

I am looking down the aisle of my favorite books. Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Hunger Games... You get it.

Suddenly I get an idea. "The titles!" I rush towards the Italian selection. "What...?" Naomi asks confused but I ignore her. While Hunter was away, he sent me many letters. I thought that it was more romantic than texting and that's why he sent me a letter every week.

There is one letter that I absolutely loved. I carry it with me since it arrived. I take it out of my pocket and I read it again.

Dear Ivy,

It is very weird here in Italy. I don't really fit in. Most Italians can speak English but there are also some that don't speak English at all, like my History teacher.

I can speak Italian a little bit. I have learned one sentence that I wanted to say to you for a long time.

Non mi piaci ma ti amo.

This was written as the title of a book that Cecile Bertod wrote. I liked the title, I read it and I loved it.

I don't like you, but I love you.

Hunter <3

I smile as I start searching for the book. He knows that I like playing the detective. Damn it, he almost knows too much about me. Naomi is trying to talk to me but I am in my element as I scan the books in the Italian aisle with my eyes.

Then something catches my eye. It was the book that Hunter had written me about. I take it and a paper falls out. I recognize his handwriting.

So hopefully this is Ivy, or I'll look like a fool...

Great job finding this thing. I didn't think that you'd remember my letters so well. And knowing you, you probably have a lot of time left. Go shop for some books if you'd like, I will pay you back as soon as you get home.

Love, Hunter.

I smile and start walking around the shop. I pull Naomi with me. I put the paper in my pocket, of course, I am going to save it!

Naomi and I have a great time when I see that we are late. 20 minutes too late!

I bought a book. And one only.

We were going to walk home but I guess that we should run. Together and laughing, me and Naomi run back to my house. But it is quiet.

I open the door, and it is very dark inside.

Apparently, I stood still causing Naomi to bump into me and I fell. She fell onto my back. "Sorry!" She says as she quickly gets up. "That's okay," I say and I turn on the lights. There is a trail of books leading upstairs.

"Isn't this something he would do if he proposes?" Naomi asks and I slap her on the arm. "Shut it!" I say and I blush. "We aren't even out of high school!" She laughs. "Follow it and you'll know."

I follow the trace, and it leads to the small library that my mom and I made together when I was younger. "He did not," I whisper. I walk into the library and I won't be lying if I said that it is so dark that I see black. Nothing else!

I turn on the lights and in front of me, I see Hunter. I run up to him and I hug him since I didn't do that the past few months. "I'm so happy that you're here..." I whisper and he hugs me back, tightly.

"What did you think I would do?" He asks. "I don't know! I am not great at relationships!"

I pull away from the hug, and he keeps his hands behind his back. "Why are you hiding your hands?" I try to look over his shoulder, but he backs off. "Hunter, what's going on?" I ask carefully.

"So I bought you a gift..." I melt. "I obviously also bought a gift for you," I say. "Wait it's in my room!" I run towards my room and I come back with a small box.

Hunter starts speaking. "Remember when we were talking about those matching necklaces and matching rings a few months ago." I widen my eyes.

Yes, we did talk about it. And we picked a pair of two rings, and we picked a pair of two necklaces that we wanted, so that we could match together. Spoiler alert: I bought the necklaces as a gift for Valentine's Day.

He shows me a box, and he gives me it. It is very small and I smile. Wait... did he buy the rings? I open the box and I see a beautiful ring. I put it around my finger and it fits exactly. "Woah..." I mutter. He shows me his hand, which shows the other ring. I hold my hand next to his.

"So I remembered what we talked about a few months ago, and I wanted to give you the ring..." Hunter says. "I also remembered." I give him a box and when he opens it, he takes out a beautiful necklace. "You wanted the matching necklace so badly and I wanted the matching rings. I guess that we listened to each other." I say and I smile.

"I guess we did. I love you, mi amor." I smile. "I love you too." And then we kiss.

Rings:

Necklaces: