Overjoyed

Chapter 42 - Overjoyed.

“Eliza! Wake up babe!” Courtney shrieked excitedly. “What?” I groaned, covering my head with my pillow. I hadn’t been the biggest fan of leaving my bed ever during the three months I had been back in Detroit. I couldn’t go anywhere or do anything without regret hanging over my head like my own personal storm cloud. I hadn’t seen Dan since the day I had been discharged from hospital. His pleading eyes as he watched me climb into the cab still haunted me every day. I missed him more than I ever imagined I would’ve. I saw his absence in everything that I laid my eyes on.

I was finding that I had become one of those pathetic, pining girls that I had always prided myself on being too strong to become. I sought comfort in his music, which I had deleted several times in my countless attempts to move on and forget him, only to download the songs again within a matter of hours. Dan had done as I had asked him and not contacted me, only a brief, painful call on my birthday. I had cut him off and ended the call as soon as I heard the beginnings of an “I miss you”, knowing I’d give in as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Speaking of birthdays, it was the 7th of July, so it would be his in a week.

I started to wallow in self-pity again, until Courtney violently shook me. “I told you to wake up, Liza!” she yelled. I looked up at her angrily. “Get up” she ordered, “God, you look terrible.” I rolled my eyes, smarting from her remark. “Seriously, come inside, please? And at least fix your hair” she said, walking out of the room. I groaned, rolling out of bed and catching sight of myself in the mirror, Court was right, I did look terrible. My hair was a complete mess and I had put on quite a bit of weight from all the comfort eating. I did my best to fix my hair, which was just pulling a comb through it and tying it up in a ponytail. I changed my sweatshirt and headed to the living room, fully expecting Courtney with a self-help DVD and lecture, as she had done a few times before. Instead, I was greeted with a lovely faced man with expertly coiffed up hair.

My heart stopped. “Dan” I managed to stammer and his entire face lit up. “Lize, it’s so good to see you” he said, and smiled. “You too, Dan” I said nervously, scanning the apartment for Courtney and wishing I had put on something better. “How have you been?” he asked, motioning for me to come join him. “Awful” I blurted. Even after everything he was still able to command complete honesty from me. He let out a relieved laugh as I took a seat beside him, silently hoping I smelled alright. “I thought I was the only one” he said softly, fidgeting with something in the pocket of his jacket. Fuck, he looked good. Somehow, in the months we’d been apart I had forgotten just how strikingly handsome he was.

“I’ve missed you so much. I can’t bear to be without you any longer” he admitted, reaching for my hand. I moved it away nervously, my heart beating hard in my chest, screaming for me to kiss him, “Dan stop. We can’t…” my mind made me mumble. “Can’t what?” he interrupted, “I’ve been going mad without you, Eliza. I know I fucked up before, and I’m truly sorry that I hurt you but I swear to God, I’ll spend every day of the rest of my life making it up to you. I’ve never loved anyone this way.” I sat there, stunned, just trying to absorb everything he had just said. I was so sure he had moved on, had found someone new over in London, or in the various cities he’d visited on tour. “How can I trust you again?” I asked, so close to caving but still so afraid. Dan’s fiery blue gaze met mine as he took my hands in his, “I will never hurt you like that again. That I promise on my life, Lize.” Suddenly I knew that nothing else mattered. I knew that he loved me, and that I loved him and that he was nothing like Jason. I knew he was own little piece of perfection and I could never let him go again. “I love you too” I breathed.

Dan’s hand went into the pocket of his jacket and emerged with a little black box, which when he flipped open revealed a beautifully simple diamond ring. My breathing hitched when I saw it. “Eliza, will you marry me?” Dan asked, his blue eyes shining. I was speechless. “Do you not like it? I’m rubbish at picking these sorts of things, we could get you a different one…” he mumbled nervously and I laughed, throwing my arms around him. “It’s beautiful, I wouldn’t want it any other way,” I said, my heart practically bursting with happiness, “and yes, I will marry you.” Dan’s lips met mine and I could feel him smiling.

“Oh thank God” I heard Courtney say as she emerged from somewhere. I didn’t even care that she’d been eavesdropping or that she was standing right there as I kissed Dan. I had never been more grateful to anyone as I was to her in that moment, knowing that without her I would have never met this beautiful man.

The end.          

 

Author’s Note: I can’t believe this is finally finished! Thank you guys so much for reading, voting and commenting. I appreciate it so, so much! My next fan fiction will be out sometime next week, if not tomorrow. Please go ahead and read that one too, but heed the warning lol.

You have no idea how awesome this feels, I’ve been writing since I was like eight and this is the first time I finished something I started writing. 

*Oscars speech voice* I just wanna thank my sister Jade, who helped me avoid a few disastrous clichés and came up with the name for this story (It was originally going to be called ‘The Draw’­) and my friend and fellow writer, Ruben(@MetaphoricFall) who is currently writing 'Happy Birthday Izzie Michaels' seriously read it, he’s amazing. Also all my other friends, who were always willing to ignore the teachers in our classes to sit and read my shit. I love you guys. And especially all of you. THANK YOU! I never expected to get so many reads, it’s so cool!

Okay, bye now. Thanks again, and hope you guys liked it. ILYYYYY <3

xx Tara.