Secret Crush

10

Kristie

Three months after the final 

I woke up first, as usual. 

A very cute brunette was cuddling by my side. Since she was on her periods, we decided to do a movies night before the big that that is today. I gently caress Steph's hair, glad to have her by my side. Ever since I officially came out, I only received encouraging words. People seem to have talk about us for about two weeks, but the it faded away. People don't really care if I date a girl or a boy. Now, I am just as popular as I was before. But popularity don't matter to me anymore. The only thing that matters is her. 

When her eyes open, they immediately land on me. Our legs are entangled, as well as our fingers. She smirks, and I know she finds it funny how we always are cuddling now. In the beginning, it was more her thing. But now that I tasted how it make me feel, I can't do one day without a cuddling session when I can hold my girlfriend close. 

Steph smiles at me. 

"Car and Hope already left" I tell her, and she frowns. "Hope spent the night with some friends of hers, kind of a bachelorette party. And Carli just went visiting an old friend of hers." 

"How can you know more about what my family is doing at the moment than I do ?" Steph asks, slightly pissed. 

"They're my family too, Stephanie" I innocently say. 

It is true. Ever since I kissed Stephanie in front of everyone - including her sister and her almost-sister - they didn't act weird with me. Instead, Hope has become way nicer than she used to be before us dating. And Carli is just being Carli, trying to keep her sarcasm away from me, because she knows it annoys her sister.  

That makes Steph smile. 

"True" she lets out, before taking a peek at the clock and immediately standing up on her feet, totally freaking out. "The ceremony starts in three hours ! We better get dressed up !" she yells, trying to find her socks in the mess that is in her room.

"I told Sam to be ready at eleven sharp" I explain, knowing what her answer will be. 

"Tell her to be ready at 10:30 instead" she says, finally finding her socks. "I should already be with Carli. She must be freaked out big time." 

"Okay."

I send a text to Sam, before kissing Steph and going in the shower. I am quickly joined by Steph, who seems to have forgotten about her sudden rush. 

°

The scene is amazing. Totally astonishing. 

The ceremony is held outside, since the sky is bright blue and the sun is shining. Hope was the one suggesting to do it on the beach, and Carli immediately agreed. So here we are, feet on the sand, and the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks arriving in our ears. Sam is sitting right next to me, and just beside her are our parents. They know about Steph and I dating, and accepted it : my mother is Steph's biggest fan. The white chairs are already all taken, while the flowers hanging out above us are all red and white. 

Hope is already waiting on the end of the aisle, nervously playing with her fingers. She opted for a sober black dress that is suiting her perfectly. I've never seen her scared before, and can only imagine what's going on in her mind. Something like what is she doesn't show up in the end ? Maybe she doesn't want to marry me ? those kind of things. But when Carli finally appears to her sight, she has a teary smile on her face. 

Since Carli hasn't got any parents anymore, she asked Steph to walk her down the aisle. My girlfriend is dressed in a cute black feminine suit, her bare feet carefully walking on the sand. Carli had taken her arm, she is radiant. Her long white dress is running down the sand, and her eyes are lightened by love when she sees her bride. When they walk next to me, Steph throws a quickly wink at me, before focusing again. I feel Sam taking my hand. She forgave me for acting like a douche, and I am glad she did. So I squeeze her hand. 

Carli and Hope don't have a normal relationship, in the sense that it's the most serious thing they've ever done together. They jumped from maybe together to let's get married ! And since the two girls aren't believers, they decided to hire a friend of their - Abby Wambach - to be the priest, and then just skip the religious parts. 

So here are they, reciting their vows. Hope's the first one to take Carli's hands, her eyes getting wet before she even spoke. 

"Carli" she says loudly, so that everyone here can hear us. "This simple word sums up my whole existence. If someone had told me years before that I would fall in love with my best friend, I honestly would have laughed. But there is nothing to laugh at anymore. Every day I've got to spend with you are the best of my life, and I want to have many more by your side." She takes a small break, catching her breath and giggling because of her tears. "I've never been a good person. I've never been the perfect girl to marry. But ever since you came into my life, you changed me. And I will be forever grateful for all the gates you opened for me. I'm glad I've got to meet Steph-" she winks at the brunette, and laughs "- and to be part of a real family for once. I love you, Carli, and that's why I am standing here, in front of you, ready to bring our lives together forever." 

A tear is running down my cheek, and I know Sam and Carli are crying too. When I look at Steph, I feel something weird on my stomach. Someday, when the time has come, I want to marry her. Have kids with her. Love her unconditionally like Hope loves Carli. She's my soulmate, and the girl I want to spend the rest of my life with. 

I wipe my tear away, as Carli coughs to have a clear voice. 

"Hope Solo" she begins, and smirks. "There are a ton of jokes I could be doing right now, but I won't because it obviously is a serious even." That makes Hope crack a smile. "Jokes aside, you are the sunshine of my life. It might sound cheesy, I know. When my parents died, you are the one person I could talk to and rely on. You helped me overcome my fears, taking care of my beloved sister, and build myself again. I am forever grateful to have someone like you by my side, even if you piss me off sometimes. Often" That makes the assembly laugh, and Carli just squeezes Hope's hands in hers. "I love you to the moon and back, and that won't ever change because I really do believe you're my soulmate. So there is no better person than you to spend the rest of my life with, right ?" 

The two women are intensively looking into each other's eyes, as Abby asks Steph to give her the rings. After they say I do, Hope carries Carli in a bride style and walks past the assembly. There is a care waiting for them, and someone to drive them to another romantic spot for the rest of the wedding. 

Once they are gone, I find Steph sitting down where the two women were getting married several seconds earlier. I just told Sam that I would go home by myself, and she and my parents left. There is only Steph and I left, because everybody else left for an aperitif offered by the just married couple. 

I sit down next to her, and she lets her head rest on my shoulder.   

"Promise me you will never leave me" Steph asks, nostalgia filling her voice.

I am quite surprised by her demand. Of course I know she's got some trust issue, and she's always afraid that I would leave her for someone else. But I won't. Because nobody else interest me the way she does. 

"I will never leave you, Stephanie" I murmur, placing a light kiss on the top of her forehead. "I promise." 

She lets out a sigh of relief. 

"Thank you." she then says. "I love you, Kratchet." 

"Me too, Hoodrat. Me too." 

That kiss is like a promise : the promise that we will always stand on each other's side, and forever be happy together. I didn't believe in love four months ago, but now love is filling my heart by surprise. 

A oh so sweet surprise. 

°°°

This is the end of that short story. 

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