Flipped: Back Again (L.T. Sequel to Flipped)

Chapter 25: Time

"Mum, you won't believe what happened today!" Eleanor squeals into her cellphone. She's been calling her friends and family the whole ride home, informing them of the new engagement. I'll have to make some calls later on; I know my mum will be thrilled to hear the news as well.

There's so much to get done now, so much preparation to be made for a day we haven't even agreed upon. Well, it's whatever Eleanor wants really; I'll be happy as long as it happens. I have a feeling that by the time Eleanor gets a wedding magazine in her hand, I'll go from looking like her future husband, to just a thick leather wallet and a credit card. I have no doubt the occasions going to bleed me dry; I just hope my stocks are holding up.

Eleanor leaps out of the car, still singing into the phone about what she wants and who to invite, etc. I'm trailing behind her until she finally escapes me and runs upstairs. I'm left with nothing to do but plop on the sofa and try to comprehend everything that's happened today. I went from being a paranoid spaz, to a engaged man in a matter of three hours. I laugh to myself; it's insane to say the least. I'm in no position to get married to this woman, not even the least bit worthy of her love and yet she took the ring in all it's worth and consequence. I'm still spinning from it all. I am actually going to be married.

I'm thrown from the sofa and onto the floor by a mad woman with a beautiful face. She attacks me with kisses and hugs, yelling and squeals, smile cheesing as far as I can see and everything in between.

"I feel like I'm in a dream." She says in awe, looking at her ring then back at me. "Please tell me this is real. This is real life, right?" I nod as best I can in my restraint, earning an adorable chuckle. Eleanor's hair surrounds me in a curtain of brown locks and I'm entranced by her effortless beauty; inside and out. I reach out my hand to touch her, fearful that this may all be a dream too. After the proposal, there's no way I could possibly have the guts to tell her now; not when we're getting back on track. To kill the light sparkling in her eyes would be a crime in itself and I'm hardly man enough.

"What's on your mind Lou?" She covers my hand with hers, nuzzling into my palm. Even though I trust Eleanor with everything, I've dodged this question. I kept my inner fears hidden from her since the day we met because I was afraid to be vulnerable and somehow she's been able to help without knowing. If I'm truly willing to give my life to this woman, I should be able to tell her anything. I want to be at that level with Eleanor; I want to be able to answer any question she has without hesitation. I can do that- the change starts now.

"I'm thinkin' about where I'd be without you." Her brows furrow but she stays quiet, listening. "And if I'm bein' completely honest, the thought scares the shit out of me." I laugh but the seriousness behind that statement still carries the same weight. A slide show of dark images skims through my mind as it strays away from Eleanor. The countless empty bottles from week-long binges. Senseless fights that left me bloodied and bruised, adding to my wounded pride and crippled state. Women whose faces and bodies blended together in my memory and were forgotten the next day and replaced with another. The mourning of a broken dream that was wrongfully taken and the corpse of a man who used to have hopes but now was simply existing. That was my life and Eleanor decided to make herself apart of it anyway.

She had every opportunity to leave me. Hell, I gave her plenty of reasons to since I was so stubborn and lost. But Eleanor looked past her own distress and helped with mine. She embodied my pain and in turn, traded her strength. A normal person would've left me to rot in my own sulking and despair, or taken advantage since I was gold mine. However, Eleanor was different. Her thoughtfulness came from a place I hadn't tapped into for a long time; love. She endured the toll of unrequited love and still chose to be faithful to me. Without her, I'd be wandering the streets of London looking for my next brawl or broad to keep me occupied another day.