36 Days

Chapter 2

DAVE POV

After meeting with Professor Evens I drove straight home. I pulled into our condo complex and saw Tara's car was in the lot. I knew I had to tell her about the internship, but I honestly don't know what we're going to do. She was going to make me go because she's unselfish and wouldn't even consider having me pass up this opportunity, but I don't know what this will mean for us. 

I turned my keys in the lock and opened the door. "Tara, I'm home." I called, kicking off my shoes. "In the study!" She called back. I headed into our sunken study room, and I could hear music playing softly. Tara was humming along softly to Maroon 5 while she typed furiously on her laptop. 

Her hair was pulled into a perk ponytail, and she her black, square glasses on the tip of her nose, and a bare shoulder was exposed as the loose white sweater she was wearing hung down on her arm. She was beautiful as always. 

"You're home early." She commented, looking up at me. I slowly headed over to the desk she was sitting at, "Is that a bad thing?" I whispered, kissing her ear slowly. "Do you have a second boyfriend you've been keeping a secret?" I teased her in between kisses to her face and neck. She smiled, "Definitely, he's hiding right now." She teased back, sliding her glasses off and putting them on the desk. She stood up and wrapped her arms around my neck, kissing my lips. 

We were interrupting by the buzzing on her phone. "Sorry." She said, picking up the phone as I continued kissing her neck. "Joe, hey. Yeah, I was just working on it now,' she paused as she listened to what Joe was saying. "Yes, I know, bu-' She was interrupted. Her face fell, "Okay, yep, by 8 o'clock tonight. Bye." She said, hanging up the phone.

She turned to me, "As much as I'd love to continue this, I have to get this article done so I can submit it by 8." She told me. "Joe is such an ass sometimes." She grumbled, sitting back down and putting her glasses back on. 

The stress on her face told me now was not a good time to tell her. "Okay, I'll let you work then, I'm just going to go to the gym for a while then." I told her. "Sounds good. Sorry Dave. I'll make it up to you." She promised with a smile.  

---BREAK---

I came home from the gym about an hour and a half later, and Tara was on the couch just watching t.v. When I walked in, I noticed Tara's face looked a little stressed. 

I slid beside her on the couch and wrapped her arm around her shoulder. "You look a little stressed T, are you okay?" I asked her. "I just got a call from your Professor, he said to meet with him tomorrow to discuss your student visa." She said quietly, her chocolate brown eyes boring into mine. 

Shit.

I gulped, this was not the way I wanted her to find out. "Tara, I was going to tell you." I started. 

"When?" She asked, clearly upset. 

"When I got home this afternoon, but then your editor called and you looked stressed, so I figured I'd wait until you were done with your work." I explained. Her face softened a bit, "Okay, tell me now then." She said quietly. 

"Well when I went to lab earlier, Professor Evens called me into his office. He said that He and the other professors were very impressed with my work and they offered me an internship. The best internship SU has, but it's in London." I explained to her. Her face twisted, processing everything. "Wow," She breathed. 

In a sudden move, she quickly wrapped her arms around her neck. "Dave that's amazing!" She congratulated me. "So you're not mad?" I asked her cautiously. She shook her head, "Of course not! Dave you have worked so harder, harder than anyone I've ever known, and you've earned this! I'm so proud of you." She gushed and kissed my cheek. 

"So how long is the internship?" She asked excitedly. 

"A year." I replied.

Her face fell, "A year? I didn't know it was that long. I can't leave school. I'm too deep in my major, and the program here is the best, and-" She stumbled. I kissed her and she became quiet, "I wouldn't ask you to give up school here. We'll make it work, I promise. I love you and we can do this." I promised her.

 She ran her fingers through her hair, "So how long do we have before your leave?" She asked.    

"36 days before I have to leave." I told her. 

"So a little over a month." She sighed. "What if you find someone else over there?" She asked me worriedly. I cupped her face, "Never. You are the most beautiful, wonderful woman I've ever known. I could never find someone half as wonderful as you." I told her. 

"Why- why do you love me?" She asked me. 

"Tara, there are so many reasons why I love you, and I have 36 days to show you them all."

AN: Don't own Maroon 5 or any music videos or songs in the beginning of my chapters.