Love Me on Valentine's Day || ✔️

3.5 // the awaited dance

3 . 5 / / t h e   a w a i t e d   d a n c e

Grade Eleven // Age 16

ALEX COULD not stop fidgeting with her bracelet, the same one she wore all the time because Caleb gifted it to her on her birthday last year. It was a golden chain with a heart, a flower, and a crescent moon, and it fit perfectly. It seemed that he did listen to her when she complained about the lack of small-enough bracelets that hung snuggly against her thinner than normal wrist.

Oh, God. Caleb. Her best friend, the very person who she was going to the dance with. Not as friends. As . . . more than friends.

The thought sent her heart into overdrive and it beat quickly against her ribcage. She played with the charms until she was afraid she was going to rip them off. But she was nervous enough not to notice and care.

Her mind was filled with doubt. Not about her feelings for Caleb, but about everything that entailed. Everything that could change. He liked her too, but what if it didn't work out? She would lose a great friend because of that. What if he learned more about her and didn't like what he saw when he was no longer just a friend? What if she was a horrible kisser? What if she was just not meant to be with someone like that? What if—

The front door bell rang shrilly, echoing in the small house and jerking Alexandria away from the quick sand of her thoughts.

He was here.

Alex flew down the stairs, trying not to trip as she made her way to the door. Her parents were out on a date though they knew that Caleb was picking her up for the dance, but Alex was sure they didn't think he was picking her up as a date. She didn't bother to correct them. Her sister couldn't care less about her dating life.

Alex stared at the door, trying to catch her breath before opening it. But it didn't matter, for as soon as she saw Caleb, her breath was stolen away.

He was so handsome. The crisp white shirt, black suit jacket and pants, the shiny shoes, and midnight blue tie, fit him perfectly. His hair flopping into his eyes like it did that first time she saw him and every time since then, his soft pink lips, and his smooth features and bones. He made her heart beat fast, her breath shallow, and her hands shook.

And he was staring at her in the same way she was. With eyes filled with admiration, star-struck, and confused as to how he got so lucky to find her.

Alexandria was wearing a two-piece dark blue dress, with an off-the-shoulder top and a puffy knee-length skirt. She was barefoot at the moment, but a pair silver heels were waiting for her. Her hair was in its usual style, and her make-up natural. A simple silver necklace was a her throat, and the charm bracelet from Caleb.

She smiled hesitantly, cleared her throat and said, "Hi," her voice was a whisper.

Caleb looked in her eyes, and smiled a wide grin. "Hi."

They stood watching one another for awhile, until Caleb chuckled. "Sorry."

But it had already punctured through he thick wall of awkwardness, and Alex smiled. "Let me put on my shoes first."

Soon Alex and Caleb were in his car and on their way to the school. They made small talk, but there was lingering awkwardness. This was what Alex was scared of. She didn't want this to happen. As her mind started to swirl around with doubts and what-ifs, Caleb parked.

"I didn't bring you flowers because I know you hate that," he said as he opened the door.

"They'll just die in a few days, it's not worth the money," Alex repeated her argument. It was true, and no one could change her mind.

They walked towards the school, presenting their tickets to the teacher at the door. They were ushered to the gymnasium, where it was converted into a club-like scene with flashing lights and music blasting from a DJ. Alex and Caleb met with other friends and hung out, danced a bit even though both were awkward dancers.

They weren't as comfortable with each other, their conversations jerky and not as smooth as it usually was. Alex felt panicked. She wanted to save this, she couldn't let the best thing that happened to her get ruined.

She started to tell Caleb that when the DJ announced, "For all the couples here, happy Valentine's day!" and a slow song started playing. Caleb looked at her and presented her his hand.

"Dance with me?" She nodded. His hand was soft and warm in hers and she felt some of the tension from this night leave her.

The two stood close together, his hands on her waist, her arms around his neck, their heads close together. They fit like two pieces of puzzle. Alex knew that. She knew he was something special. So shouldn't it be easy being with him? Why was it not?

"I'm sorry about this night," he said. His voice was just loud enough to be heard over the song.

"Why?" she asked, scared that he changed his mind. She knew he would—

"You didn't have fun. It was awkward. It's my fault—"

Alex shook her head furiously, "No," she said. How could he think that? "It's not your fault. Don't think that. It's just awkward but—" but what? What would happen? Then suddenly an idea came to her. She smiled, saw Caleb frowning confusedly at her, and said, "Want to hear a joke?"

"What? A joke?"

She nodded, her smile growing, "Yeah."

"Okaaay," he drew out the word.

"Knock knock."

Caleb blew out a sigh and looked at her with a deadpanned expression. "Seriously? Now?"

"Just continue it."

"Okay, just because I like you," his words brought a flutter of butterflies in her stomach. "Who's there?"

"Tank."

"Tank who . . . Oh, oh. Lexie," her smile grew into a blinding grin as he looked at her with the expression that she already loved. He looked at her like she was everything. The repeat of their first conversation seemed to remind them both of their history, of their friendship, and how they were together. It seemed like the air around them crackled less with tension and more with the electricity of their intimacy and feeling.

"I like you," she said. "So much. You came into my life and I don't know how to live without you. I don't want to live without you. You're amazing," she finished.

"And you're amazing, too," he replied, pulling her closer. "You know you are. You're selfless, strong, smart, and beautiful and just . . . I'm so fucking lucky that you like me. And I know you don't like to be helped even though all you do is help people, but maybe you'll let me be the person you can be vulnerable to?"

She nodded, smiling softly, "Yeah. You can be my person."

"And you're mine," he whispered just before the space between their lips closed and they kissed.

It was everything they both hoped for and more. It was like fireworks going off, and the feeling would not diminish no matter how many times they kissed over the years.

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Hi everyone! What do you think of this chapter?

It's done 😭 This was a hard chapter to write because this is what the whole book was leading up to. I hope I did it justice!

There's one more chapter, it's not quite an epilogue but an "after" of sorts. There's a little debrief of how the characters did after the last chapter. I didn't feel like an epilogue would fit here, but I wanted to get and give closure so that should do.

See you next chapter,
Sage