Was It Always Us? | COMPLETED ✔

𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚂𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚜

"So, what did you think of Amy?"

Ryle's question made me pause for a second. I had come over to hand Emerson over to him, and we were having a quick discussion by his car, while Emerson ran around it.

I didn't know what to say. I mean, I know Amy hadn't done anything to invoke my anger, and I'd found her somewhat...pleasant, but I wasn't sure about what to do. I would be lying if I said a small part of me wasn't biased against her. Her interactions with Emerson back at Alyssa and Marshall's were good. Emerson seemed relaxed around her. 

"It's hard to form opinions after just one meeting, Ryle."

"First impressions exist, you know."

"Well, I don't have any impressions about her right now. You're gonna have to be very patient with this."

"I don't...okay. I guess."

"Come on, Emmy, your father's waiting!" I called out, signalling the end of the conversation. I avoided looking him in the eye as I kissed Emerson on the forehead, and then handed her to Ryle.

"See you later, Mommy!"

"Have fun." I said, watching Ryle open the door for her to sit. He looked at me for a moment, and there was something in his gaze I couldn't decipher, before he nodded and went to the driver's seat. The car reversed on to the road, and I stared at it leave until it was a mere speck in the distance, gradually disappearing.

I sat in my own car, opening my phone to see Atlas's texts.

A: Hey, Lily.
A: Just wanted to tell you that I'm leaving the restaurant early today. Brad and Devin and the whole lot is going out, so I'm joining them.
A: Do you want me to bring anything on the way back?

L: No, it's alright :D
L: Just be safe and all.
L: <3

I sighed. Today was going to be a boring day. I didn't know what I would do. Josh was at school. Atlas was with his friends. I couldn't go over to Alyssa's either. And I'd taken a holiday from the flower shop.

Igniting the engine, I began driving back home, with nothing much to do.

***

'Cause I'm in a field of dandelions,

Wishing on everyone that you'd be mine, mine,

And I see forever in your eyes,

I feel okay when I see you smile, smile,

Wishing on dandelions all of the time,

Praying to God that one day you'll be mine,

Wishing on dandelions all of the time,

All of the time.

I hummed to the song, pencil in my hand as I scribbled on the paper, doing nothing much. I'd taken a long bath, put on some comfy clothes, and played my comfort playlist on Spotify. My hands just flew around the paper, the pencil leaving grey marks, and I didn't really know what I was doing. Until an hour or two later, when I looked at it.

It looked like a rough sketch of a man with messy hair and a cardigan wrapped around his neck. It reminded me of Atlas. I decided, why not? 

Perfecting the sketch, I went to Josh's room to take an eraser, and sitting down, I wiped all of the unnecessary lines, tracing the outlines of the guy I'd drawn. The song echoed through the room, though it wasn't Dandelions anymore.

Time flew by.

At one point, Josh came and I cooked him a quick lunch, and then turned back to the drawings. I didn't realise when the front door opened and Atlas came in. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed the tattoo on my collarbone, his soft breath making goosebumps appearing across my body. I scrambled to hide the drawings, but he was too quick, and he snatched them out of my hands.

I reached for them but he easily towered over me and I couldn't reach the pile of papers.

"Atlas, just give them back."

"Not before I look at them. What have you made over here?"

"Ugh, just hand them to me."

"Why? Is there something embarrassing written?"

I gave up, dropping on the bed, and looking at him with a defeated scowl. He glanced over them, and I saw his eyebrow raise. His expression reflected his curiosity. I found myself holding my breath, waiting for him to say something.

"Wow, Lily, they...they're awesome. Was it really you who made them?"

"You think I'm not good enough to make these?"

"You never struck me as the 'drawing' type."

"I had nothing else to do."

Without a word, Atlas came over and hugged me real tight. He ran his hand through my hair. I felt safe with him. Protected. Loved.

"I brought you something." he muttered. I looked up.

"What?"

"Nothing much, really."

He went to the living room and came back with a single calla lily and a box. I smiled. When I opened the box, I saw a necklace inside. It had a heart trinket attached to it. What really surprised me was that it wasn't just any heart, it was our heart. The one he'd carved for me from that old whittling knife in that abandoned house. From that oak tree in my backyard.

The same heart I'd tattooed on my collarbone, the spot where he loved kissing me.

I didn't know what to say. It was overwhelming.

"I'd placed a customized order some time ago. I picked it up today."

"What's the special occasion?"

"Have you forgotten? Honestly?"

"Forgotten what?"

"It's our anniversary tomorrow, you idiot."

I just stood there, rather dumbfounded. How could I have missed that? I looked over at the pictures I'd drawn. Most of them didn't capture their face. One was the messy haired Atlas with the cardigan. Another was someone holding a flower. 

The feelings, the emotions, they all hit me at once and I gave him a small peck, grinning wider than ever.

"Thank you."

***

This one's mainly a filler, but I'll be updating the other chapter soon. I'm not too happy with this one but it's all I could come up with for now, so you might expect heavy editing later. I'm writing this at 2:30 AM at night after having stolen the laptop from my mother's clutches, so y'all better upvote. I'm risking my life for you here. <3