"I Love You" (Book Three In The "I Promise" Series)

The End of The Beginning

"Rachel! It's for you!" Leo called from downstairs. By the singsong tone to his voice, I had a pretty good guess of who it was.

"Katie, I kinda gotta go..." I trailed off.

"One second!" My best friend slapped my shoulder, running the brush through my hair a couple more times. 

"Hey, Rachel, look at me!" Rose snapped her fingers in front on my face, waving her mascara wand at my eyes.

I was sitting on my bed in front of Katie, facing  Rose, who sat at the foot of my bed. Katie was doing my hair, Rose was doing my makeup, and Mar'i was at the closet, looking for the perfect outfit. 

"Thank goodness you and Rose are the same size." Mar'i said, holding up an pair of my old jeans and a pretty white sundress belonging to Rose.

"Do you guys really think it'll be that fancy?" I asked doubtfully.

"I have my ways of getting information, Rach." Mar'i winked.

"Besides, Jai kept trying to "hint" to me that Andre wanted to take you to a skate park. When can we trust him?" Katie asked.

"Point taken." I sighed. I wanted to bury my face in my hands, but Rose would freak at me if I messed up my makeup.

My room looked a whole lot different since Anna and Rose moved in. We had taken over the master bedroom, and mom and dad had moved into my old bedroom so that all of us girls could be in the same room. Anna had her crib right next to the door, along with the changing table and the shelves with all her baby nescessities and a small dresser filled with all her baby clothes. The wall opposite the door was covered in posters from the different animes that Rose and I liked to watch (Your Lie in April and Fairy Tail, just to name a couple) as well as the bunk beds that Rose and I slept in. I got the bottom bunk, and Rose got top bunk. We also had our own desks and a huge bookshelf with Rick Riordan books, mangas, the Divergent series, and DVD cases of animes and Disney movies that we didn't want Leo and Michael to get their grubby little paws on. It seemed as though Rose and I weren't really that different.

"Okay, hair's done!" Katie declared, tying off my fishtail braid, which she had expertly done to hide my unsightly green streak.

"Makeup's done!" Rose shut her makeup kit, a high-tech birthday gift from Uncle Cyborg.

Mar'i shoved an outfit at me and hurried me towards our bathroom (another upside of having the master bedroom, in addition to it being the biggest room in the house).

"We'll go stall Andre, you get dressed!" Katie shouted at me through the door. I heard their footsteps trample downstairs, and only then did I get dressed.

Yes, I was going out on a date with Andre. It was summer now, and none of us had anything to do (the summer heat was good for scaring off villains, but not for finding stuff to do), but I was surprised when Andre asked me out on a date.

Mar'i had chosen a pair of skinny jeans that clearly belonged to Rose, because they had no holes in them, and a sky blue polo shirt that matched my eyes. At least it wasn't a dress. I relaxed. 

I pulled on a pair of comfy converse, my jean jacket, and my small brown purse as I headed downstairs. We could only wear our uniforms at school, so I loved being at home and wearing my own style of clothes.

Mar'i, Katie, and Rose stood in the doorway, blocking my view of Andre until I was right behind them.

"Woah," Andre gasped when he saw me. Katie and Rose squealed at the looks on our faces.

"Okay, okay, go have fun you two!" Mar'i pushed us out of the house and onto the sidewalk, winking at me all the way.

I was grateful to see Andre was wearing clothes just as casual as mine. He held my hand as we walked down the sidewalk, swinging them back and forth between us.

It may not have been much action, but it was pretty good for a first date. Just the two of us walking through the city.

We got ice cream and stopped on the dock to watch the ocean.

"It's so beautiful." I whispered, feeling the wind on my face.

"Not as beautiful as you are." Andre's pale face was bright pink when I nudged him. He also got some ice cream on his nose.

Feeling nothing but absolute bliss, I began to hum one of my favorite songs, a song dad had taught me, a song that was sang often.

"Don't hum." Andre told me.

"What?" I asked, slightly offended.

"No, I didn't mean it like that. I meant sing, instead of hum. You've got a really pretty voice, Rachel."

I don't blush, but I did smile a bit shier than I usually did. "Thank you."

I took a deep breath and began to sing.

"You can't fade away, The way I feel for you, Ain't no word I can say, What I do for you. And every single day, I make it through this game called life. It's always filled with pain and strife. Reality will cut you like a knife, It ain't right! But with you by my side, we will win this fight! In the battle of dark and light. Take my hand hold it tight! When we dance I feel alright!"

The words were no sooner out of my mouth when Andre did what the song said. He grabbed my hand and spun me around, dancing. 

I laughed as he spun me again and again. I could see his smile, which was bigger than any smile I'd ever seen on his face.

"Please, don't stop." He encouraged me.

I giggled breathlessly as Andre held me in a dance position, starting to waltz me around the dock. 

"By your side is where I'll be, Endless love won't fade you'll see! When I walk, you'll walk with me. together let the light shine. By your side is where I'll be, Endless love won't fade you'll see! When I walk, you'll walk with me. together let the light shine...."

Andre leaned his forehead against mine, and looked into my eyes.  

Then he kissed me.

I really don't know how to describe it, it was really quick, but it was a kiss. My first kiss.

"Andre, did...did you just...." I was speechless.

"I like you, Rachel." Andre said quickly. "No, more than like you. I love you."

My eyes went wide at his confession. "You...you do?" 

He nodded. We were still frozen in dance position, still looking at each other, the only two people on the dock.

"I promise you, Rachel, I'll love you. Forever and always." After Jack, I wasn't so sure if love was what I wanted. I trusted him blindly and nearly ended up working for a supervillain to destroy my home. But with Andre, I could tell his words meant something more. I'd worked by his side for years already, we protected each other, trusted each other.

And, I guess, even though I hadn't realized it until now, when I heard those words from him, I loved him too.

I smiled and rested my head on his chest. "Hey Andre, guess what?"

"What?" He asked, sounding a bit nervous. Scared that I would reject him, maybe?

I looked up, still smiling, and threw my arms around his neck. 

"I love you too."

Then I kissed him.

*sobbing in a pile of tissues* IT'S OVER, MY BABIES I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

I started writing this series when I first came to Wattpad. "I Promise..." was my first book and it got so much support. Now I'm on the third and final book in this trilogy, Terra and Beast Boy are both all grown up!!! Look at them: five kids, and their oldest is already falling in love!!! 

Thank you so much to everyone who's read this series. It was my first, and it truly means a lot to me. Thank you so, so much.

Lots of love to JuliaTheOtakuFangirl, who's been on this adventure with me from the start.