I Don't Mind

Chapter 26

Adrian's POV

6 days later...

Derek's been acting really weird since we kissed almost a week ago. He is still super tense, fidgety, all of that shit. He just looks so uncomfortable. I don't know if I hurt him by telling him that I don't want to be with him because he won't come out. I know it's not his fault, and I know I shouldn't change my entire decision on that, but it is really important to me. I want to be public with a relationship, and Derek doesn't want to come out. 

That doesn't mean I don't have feelings for him still. Maybe he just needs time and then he'll come out on his own. Again, I don't want to pressure him into doing that, but it would be great. 

Right now it's really fucking late and me and Derek realized we had not eaten anything for dinner yet, so he ordered some food and went out to pick it up. I'm just chilling and watching TV right now, waiting for him to get back. 

I feel like I would 100% be cool with being with him if he would just come out. He's such a sweetheart and I feel like I should've seen it in his demeanor before. He likes me. He really likes me. He pays for all of my shit. He makes sure I'm doing alright everyday, he makes me feel comfortable, he lets me fall asleep on his shoulder, he does everything I want in a partner. 

Legitimately, what is really stopping me from being with him? So what if he doesn't come out? I've been wanting him for years, and I still want him, but is him not coming out really the only thing keeping me from being with him? That seems unreasonable, right? 

The sound of the door opening snaps me out of my thoughts and to Derek, who is carrying two pizzas and a grocery bag in his hands. He puts the bag down and opens it, and he bought me a pink lemonade, bought himself a water, and bought some chocolate. It's mint. 

That's what Derek's lips tasted like when I kissed him. 

"Thanks for getting me a lemonade," I smile at him. 

"No problem." 

We eat pretty quickly and have damn near all of the chocolate for dessert before we both decide that we should save some for later. It was expensive apparently, and it makes sense. It tasted fucking amazing, no wonder it cost so much. 

"Adri, can I talk to you about something?" Derek asks. 

"Uh, yeah, sure," I answer. I'm the only one in this room, I don't really know why he would ask permission to talk to me. 

"I need to confess some things to you." 

"Okay..." 

"I really like you. Like a lot, a lot. I'm talking more than damn near every person I've ever liked before," he states. 

"Really?" 

"Did you not notice how crazy I was going the week before I asked to kiss you? I couldn't handle it. Spending time with you makes me insane. Not in a bad way, by the way," he specifies. 

"Why do you like me so much?" I question. 

"Well, there are a lot of things I like about you. The fact that you are such a kind person, that's really important to me. You wouldn't hurt anyone unless you had a reason to. I also love when you talk about anything. You make the most boring topics interesting, just because you're such a funny, amazing person. I don't know what you've done to me, Adri, I really don't. You're so smart, you have such a great sense of humor, you're so compassionate, you're every kind of green flag possible." 

I stare at him in disbelief at his confession. He just told me that he likes everything about my personality. I can't believe this. 

"Your personality isn't the only thing, by the way, but I think I would still fall for you even if you didn't look like how you look. You're gorgeous. I think I told you that already, but you have to know, you have to understand. You are genuinely so beautiful. And you don't even try that hard to look so beautiful. I put all this effort into just doing my hair in the morning, and that doesn't even account for the amount of time I spend before I go to sleep and after I wake up on my skincare. I'm practically wearing makeup everyday, but you're so naturally pretty. How the hell do you do that?" he asks.