BELLINGHAM'S GIRL (under editing)

CHAPTER TEN:One Month Anniversary

BELLA'S POV
The next morning, I woke up feeling an exhilarating blend of happiness and excitement. The memory of Jude's proposal was still fresh in my mind, and I couldn't stop smiling. I reached for my phone to see a good morning text from Jude, and my heart skipped a beat.

"Good morning, beautiful. How did you sleep?" his message read.

I quickly replied, "Morning, baby. I slept great, thanks to you. How about you?"
His response was immediate, "Same here. Can't wait to see you again."

With a smile on my face, I got out of bed and went through my morning routine. Today was going to be a relaxing day with my family. I had no classes since my exams were coming up in a week. I headed downstairs to find my mom and little sister, Bianca, in the kitchen. I guess Dad went to work. Bianca was busy chatting about some school project while Mom made breakfast.

"Good morning," I greeted them, feeling the warmth of family life.
"Morning, Bella!" Bianca chirped. "You look super happy today."

"I am," I replied, giving her a wink. "I've got some great news."
My mom looked up from the stove with a curious expression. "Oh? What's the news, sweetie?"

I took a deep breath, feeling a mixture of excitement and nerves.
"Jude and I are officially dating now."
Bianca's eyes widened with excitement. "That's awesome, Bella! I'm so happy for you!"
My mom smiled warmly.
"I'm glad to hear that, Bella. Jude seems like a wonderful young man. Just remember to take things slow and enjoy each moment."

"Thanks, Mom," I said, feeling grateful for her support. "And don't worry, I will."

Just then, my older brother Benson walked into the kitchen, still half-asleep. "What's all the excitement about?"

"Bella and Jude are dating!" Bianca announced, unable to contain her excitement.

Benson raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on his lips. "Well, it's about time. Congratulations, Bella. Jude's a good guy."
"Thanks, Bee," I said, feeling a warm sense of approval from my family.

We spent the morning together, talking and laughing over breakfast. It was nice to share my happiness with them. After breakfast, I decided to call Joyce and fill her in on the news.

"Hey, girl" I said when she picked up. "Guess what?"
"What?" she replied, curiosity evident in her voice.

"Jude and I are officially dating now," I announced.
"OMG, Bella! That's amazing! I'm so happy for you!" Joyce exclaimed. "You guys are perfect together."

"Thanks, Joyce. I can't wait to catch up with you in person and tell you all about it," I said, feeling the excitement build.
"Definitely! Let's plan a girls' day soon," Joyce suggested.
"Absolutely," I agreed. "Talk to you soon!"

I decided to study my books since the exams were fast approaching.
Later in the afternoon, I decided to go for a walk to clear my mind and enjoy the beautiful weather. I wandered through the park, lost in my thoughts when my phone buzzed with a message from Jude.

"Hello princess, how's your day going?" he asked.
"It's been great. Spent some time with my family and told them the good news," I replied.

"That's awesome. I'm really glad they're happy for us. My parents said they can't wait to see you" he texted back.
"Me too," I responded. "What are you up to?"

"Just finished training. I miss you so much princess. Want to meet up later?" he suggested.
"Absolutely. I miss you too " I replied, feeling a rush of excitement.

"Great. How about dinner at my place?" Jude offered.
"Sounds perfect. See you then," I replied.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of anticipation. As the evening approached, I got ready for dinner with Jude. I chose a simple yet elegant outfit and made my way to his place. When I arrived, Jude greeted me with a warm smile and a gentle hug.

"You look beautiful, princess," he said, his eyes shining with affection.
"Thank you, darling. You look great too," I replied, feeling my heart flutter.

We walked into his apartment, where he had set up a cozy dinner for us. The table was beautifully decorated with candles and flowers, creating a romantic atmosphere. As we sat down to eat, I couldn't help but feel grateful for everything that had brought us to this moment.

"This is amazing, baby" I said, looking around in awe. "You really went all out."
"Only the best for you, princess" he replied with a smile. "I want tonight to be special."

And it was. We talked and laughed over dinner, sharing stories, talking about my exams and plans he had for us after I'm done for the semester. It felt like we were the only two people in the world, and I cherished every moment. After dinner, we moved to the living room and sat close together on the couch, enjoying the warmth of each other's company.

"Princess" Jude said softly, taking my hand in his. "I want you to know how much you mean to me. You're the most amazing person I've ever met, and I'm so lucky to have you in my life."

I felt tears of happiness welling up in my eyes. "I feel the same way, darling. You make me so happy."

He leaned in and kissed me gently, a promise of all the wonderful things to come. We spent the rest of the evening wrapped in each other's arms, talking about our future and dreaming about all the possibilities.

When it was time for me to leave, he took me home and  walked me to the door and gave me one last kiss. "Goodnight, beautiful. I'll see you soon. And let me know when your parents are home, I'll come visit." He said and I nodded

"Goodnight, baby," I said, feeling a sense of contentment as I entered my house.

The next two weeks were a whirlwind of school exams and stolen moments with Jude. Despite our busy schedules, we made time for each other, strengthening our bond with every passing day. My friends were thrilled for me, and their support meant the world.

One evening, as I was watching in my room,my phone buzzed with a message from Jude.
"Hey princess, how was your final exam.
? I'm sorry I've been busy these past days. I have a surprise for you. Are you free tomorrow? Let's have dinner together"

Curiosity piqued, I replied, "Sure! What's the surprise?"
"You'll have to wait and see," he teased.

The next day, I could hardly contain my excitement. In the evening, I got ready and headed to the restaurant where we were supposed to meet.
Jude sent his driver to pick me up.
When I arrived, he greeted me with a mischievous smile and led me to the rooftop. It was the same restaurant where we had our first date.

As we stepped outside, I gasped in amazement. The terrace was beautifully decorated with fairy lights and flowers, and a small table was set for two. In the center of the table was a beautifully wrapped gift.

"Darling, this is incredible," I said, feeling overwhelmed.
"Happy one-month anniversary, princess," he said, handing me the gift.

I opened it to find a beautiful Swarovski necklace with a heart-shaped pendant. "Darling, it's beautiful. Thank you so much."

"Only the best for you," he said, placing the necklace around my neck. "I wanted to do something special to celebrate our first month together."

I hugged him tightly, feeling a deep sense of gratitude and love. "Thank you, darling. This means so much to me."

We spent the evening under the stars, talking about our journey so far and life.

As the night drew to a close, Jude took me home, and we shared a tender goodbye. I fell asleep that night with a heart full of love and a smile on my face, knowing that this was just the beginning of our beautiful story.