I Loved You First

Chapter 4: William

AUGUST

"Bonjour, mon amour." I sneak up behind Elle, wrapping my arms around her waist while she hangs a few photos and her quote of the week in her locker.

We've been sharing a locker since freshman year so we don't have to go to two different ones between class changes and I've always had a suspicion that she chooses the quotes just for me. A very Elle thing to do.

"I remember taking that picture." I chuckle, squeezing her tighter.

"Meredith's middle school luau? We chose each other for every single slow dance that night." She lifts her shoulders and tilts her head in that cute way she does when she's her most content.

"That was the night everyone knew we were something. I totally swept you off your feet," I joke a little too confidently.

She laughs, leaning back into my chest.

God, that laugh.

It's gorgeous. Melodic and dripping with sweetness. Just like her. A Saturday morning waffles, backyard kissing, favorite song on repeat kind of laugh. One of those highly infectious ones that I always find myself smiling along with and damn if I don't love being the reason for it.

"You definitely did. But if I remember correctly, I did some pretty good sweeping of you that night too," Elle quips.

"Oh, for sure. That blue tank top did me in. I thought I was so smooth when I placed my hands on the bit of bare skin between your shirt and skirt," I admit, looking at the photo. "You know, right here..." I squeeze her waist on both sides and she jumps. I can't contain my laugh, I swear she's the most ticklish person on the planet.

"Will! No. Nope. Noo!" She giggles, pushing my hands away from her most ticklish spot.

I rest them safely on her hips and lean down to her ear, lowering my voice. "I seriously love you, Eloise James." I watch her dimples pull in as her soft, shy smile forms, a rosy hue coloring her cheeks. She looks back and lands the softest kiss on my jaw before handing me our French textbooks. "I totally loved you first," she says with a playful brow wag.

You know how most couples have a thing? Like, love you more or whatever? That's our thing, I loved you first. We can never agree on who actually said I love you first, so it kind of took off from there.

The truth?

She said it first, I can remember the day, but I'd bet money that I felt it first. I think I've loved Eloise from the moment we first locked eyes at our fifth grade lockers and I can remember the exact moment that I knew it for certain. I've just never been the best at translating those feelings into words.

I place my hand on the small of her back as we maneuver our way through a lively senior hall.

"Hey, you two!" Meredith, Elle's best friend, exclaims as she passes us in the hallway. "Elle! Your house tomorrow night, right? T-shirts?" And before Elle can even respond, Meredith finds her next friend to say hi to.

"Somebody's feeling senior year," I chuckle.

"She lives for the first day of school. I'll catch up with her later. We're making our shirts for your first game Friday. You're still keeping your same number, right?" She brushes her silky curls back over her shoulder as we walk into French class, filling the air between us with my favorite scent in the world. A sweet citrus that's oranges and honey and a tiny bit of something like cinnamon. It's feminine and warm and so distinctly her.

"Yep. Number twenty-three." I take the desk behind her, pulling hers back even closer to mine.

"Knowing you, you've already got yours all planned out. So tell me... What are you thinking for your senior shirt, Elle James?" I ask, knowing full well that she's dying to tell me.