Flipped Into Place

Getting To Know You

Juli's POV:

Before I dashed into my room to get changed, I told my family who was surprisingly all in the living room already. I suppose they were all waiting for me. My parents agreed but both my brothers looked at me all skeptical. I needed their permission too, so I did my cutest puppy dog eyes along with a small pout, looking straight into their eyes with both my hands clutching each other right in front of my chest.

They couldn't resist.

I then picked the cutest casual dress I could find when I heard the front door open with both my brothers chatting. I couldn't make their words out but I knew they were talking to Bryce. I was worried they'd say something weird so I quickly went out, after buttoning my dress.

I was right.

There I saw a cute, shy Bryce looking straight up to my brothers. It was clear he didn't know what to say. I kissed my parents goodbye and I darted out the open front door.

"Ready to go?" I didn't care if my brothers haven't finished talking to him but I could already see Bryce all sweaty.

"Yeah," he said as he excused himself from my brothers.

We walked out the front porch when one of my brothers said, "We're watching you, Bryce!"

"Have fun guys, but not too fun!" The other yelled as he winked.

"Not cool," I shouted back as we walked further down the road, disappearing from their sight.

We walked together, hand in hand and I was beyond curious to what they told him.

"Did they say anything weird?"

"Uhm, just that I was dead if you come home crying one day," he gulped.

Even his palm was sweaty so I tried to cheer him up with giving him a light kiss on his cheek. It seems as though it worked because he stopped shivering and smiled at me.

"Only a cheek?" he asked slyly, showing out a grin.

"Yep," I answered short. I knew how to play hard to get.

It was as though he read my mind when he smiled broadly and said, "Playing hard to get, are we?"

"You could say that."

All of a sudden, he swung his arm over me, not letting go of my hand, causing my arm to be across my chest and my hand close to my shoulder, making me pulled closer to him. He gave me a rather long kiss in the cheek in return.

We arrived in an ice cream parlour a few minutes later. I was surprised he knew my favourite parlour. He pushed the door open before I entered. Bryce asked me the flavours of mine. I told him chocolate with strawberry and he ordered the same. He paid and we made our way to an open table for two, having to sit across each other.

The rest of the afternoon went by quickly and we both had a great time. It was like a 'getting to know you' date. I've learned a ton about him and he even confessed lots of things that he claimed nobody knew about him. I was honored as I knew he trusted me so I trusted him.

Now we knew each other better. I examined him and observed the way he reacts to matters and I realized that he was so gentle and selfless. An addition to the long list of what I liked about him.

He held my hand and smiled at me all throughout our time in the parlour, telling each other about ourselves. I could see he was genuinely happy. I was too.

After the day ended we walked back to our neighborhood but before reaching our street, he stopped at his tracks, with one of his hands in his pocket, causing me to stop too, as our hands were still clinging on together.

He looked at me with his infamous dazzling eyes, knelt down and said, "Juli, I really like you. I'm crazy about you and I really hope you feel the same way. I promise to never hurt you and to always be here for you whenever you need me. Also, I promise to be the best I can to be better for you, for you deserve the very best. Even if it takes 6 more years of chasing. I want you all to myself and I'd be over the moon for me to finally be able to call you mine. Will you make me the happiest boy and officially be my girlfriend?"

I got a grip of my hanging mouth with the other few hand as I teared up a little but I wasn't going to make him wait. "Yes!"

He got up and pulled me into a big hug, mumbling the words "I love you so much"

I spaced out upon hearing that. I've been waiting my whole life for those uttered words from him and him only, but I managed to answer, "I love you too... I have for six long years."

He pulled away, cupped both his hands on my cheeks, stroking them with his thumb, and looked straight into my eyes and said, "I'm sorry for making you wait too long but I promise you, I'll take care of you, and love you more than anyone else," he reassured, as he wiped away a tear or two from my cheeks and kissed my forehead and entwined our fingers once again and walked on until we reached my front porch.

He gave me one last look and said, "Thanks for making me the happiest boy today, Juli. I love you," he kissed my knuckles and I entered my house, the fact that we were together still not sinking in, I was blank.