The Bucket List

everything happens for a reason

We've both showered, the kitchen is clean, and now we're sitting on the couch cuddling like normal while we wait for the pizza to cook.

"Can I ask you something?" I look up at him and he tightens his grip around me.

"Sure."

"How long have you liked me for?" He pauses, running his fingers through his hair.

"Since August eighteenth, two thousand and seven."

"Why specifically that day?"

"Because that's the day I met you."

"It is?"

"It is."

"And you never bothered to tell me?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I was scared!"

"You were scared?"

"Yes!"

"I thought you didn't get scared."

"I get so scared, Morgan. I was so afraid of loving you."

"Well, that's a different question. How long have you loved me?" He thinks about this for a second and then turns to face me.

"That's a hard question." He says. "I really learned what love was when I was around thirteen or fourteen. And that's when I realized that I loved you. But then again, I think that I loved you before that, it had already been like six years of liking you. I'd just go with always. Ever since I met you, I've loved you."

"Wow. Kevin, I'm so sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"For over ten years, you felt this way about me, and I never noticed or caught on, and you just had to feel that way. All the time."

"It's okay. Because I have you now. And you have me."

"I do?"

"Of course you do." He grabs me and hoists me up onto his lap so that I'm straddling him. "And I'm so beyond amazed that I get to be here with you right now." I wrap my arms around his neck and start to lean in.

This is it.

No interruptions.

Just me and him, about to finally kiss.

Or so I thought.

Because the fucking oven goes off.

"What the hell!" I say, rasing my voice as I step off of him and walk towards the oven. He follows behind me as I grab the oven glove and pull the pizza out. The cheese bubbles as I set it on the counter.

"Maybe the universe is just interrupting because it's waiting to give us the perfect moment."

"Maybe. Or it's the universe telling us to give it up."

"I don't think so. I did not wait almost eleven years for the universe to go against me. I thought we were friends."

"Good point." I say, grabbing a piece of scrap paper and a pen.

"What are you doing?"

"Writing Liam a note." I say.

I scribble it down and leave it next to the pizza. It reads:

Dear Liam, here is a pizza that Kevin and I made you. I hope it's not gross. Love, Morgan.

I grab his hand, slip on my shoes and pull him into my car.