Truth Or Dare? ✓

bonus chapter

for those of you who feel like they didn't get enough of Bel and Owen

7 years ago
(back in high school, a few days before Owen leaves to go live with his mom in New York)

Owen's pov

We have come to this stupid hill where silly people watch silly sunsets. I would always cringe at the thought of people doing this.

But as soon as I turned around and saw Bel smiling from cheek to cheek, I suddenly loved this stupid hill and this silly sunset.

I told her that I have a surprise for her and it seems now like it's working in my favor. I smiled to myself.

I wish she would never lose this spark in her eyes, this smile on her face.

"Can you even believe how beautiful this is?" She whispered beside me.

It was a little windy, so I wrapped both of my arms around her small body, placing my head on the top of hers.

"I've always wanted to come here, but never got the chance!" She looked up to me, her big smile never leaving her gorgeous face.

"I know, Bel," I chuckled, "I do listen to you sometimes, you know?"

"But I told you like ages ago!" She exclaimed.

I remember that day like it was yesterday. We were both 15 at the time. My mom had taken us to the beach and the sun had started to set. We were both sitting on my towel, shivering, and we were wrapped up in hers.

I remember I used to catch myself staring at her next to me more than I usually do. In fact, I couldn't keep my eyes off of her.

The sun was making her hair shine and her face look golden.

It was the first time I knew for sure that I loved her.

"We were at the beach, right?" Bel's voice dragged me back from my memories.

"Mhm." I hummed.

"And you were staring and staring at me. I remember I thought you wanted to kiss me." She chuckled.

"I wanted to, Bel. So much." I whispered back to her, which made her look up to me once again.

"No way!" She put her hand to her mouth.

"But the next day you said that I looked stupid in my new dress." She laughed.

"Well, but that dress was horrific!" I told her with a teasing smile.

"It had these cute hearts all over it, I know you loved it!" She gave me a teasing smile back.

"I saw how much your boobs have grown over the summer in that dress. How did you expect me to react?" I shook my head, which made her laugh even more.

"Horrific, horrific dress." I whispered.

We both stood quiet for a while. Bel was leaning against me and I was placing little kisses on her bare shoulders. The sun had almost set fully.

"You could have told me you liked me then, you know?" Suddenly she said.

"You could have told me too." I answered, which made us both chuckle.

"We wasted so much time." She said so quietly, I barely heard her.

I spun her around in my arms and cupped her face with my hands.

"Maybe we wouldn't be standing here right now together if things would have gone differently." I told her.

But the little glimpse of sadness on her face made me think as well.

We spent all these years pretending to want nothing to do with each other while we could have just stop fooling ourselves and talked to each other.

The thought scared me, especially now, while I was considering moving away with my mom.

"We should probably head back home now." She said.

"Wait!" I exclaimed. A little too loud and a little too stressed.

Bel looked confused.

"What's wrong?" She took my hands in hers.

"Nothing is wrong," I said, "everything is perfect, actually."

"Why are you being weird?" She raised her eyebrows at me, making me laugh.

"I just need to say it." I whispered, making her look even more confused.

I never knew why it was always so hard for me to even think about it, more so, to say it.

Maybe because of my dad, maybe because I was scared of getting hurt, maybe because I was scared to even feel this way.

But right now, standing with her here, feeling her warm body in my arms and letting her hair tickle my nose, knowing that she is the reason I am even able to feel like this, I couldn't hold it back anymore.

Her happiness had become my priority, long before I even understood what it meant, and I cherished every opportunity to make her smile.

In her presence, I felt a sense of completeness, as if she's the missing piece I've been so desperately searching for all along, but never really stopping to look around and understanding that she is the reason why.

Those words that were buried somewhere deep inside of me, had come crushing to the surface.

"I love you, Bel," I whispered, "I am so in love with you, so in love with you."

I squeezed my eyes shut, but not before I could notice how she is desperately trying to hide her smile and blinking away the tears that have formed in her eyes.

She reached on her tiptoes, pressing her lips against mine, while she couldn't stop smiling.

I kissed her back, not being able to hide my smile as well.

"I am so in love with you, Owen!" She whispered.