"I love you."

I blinked numerous times, just staring at him. I was almost dizzy. Almost. "You what?"

"I love you, Indie," he repeated. No Indigo either.

"You... love me?"

He nodded.

I pushed him off. "Reece, are you crazy? Is this a game to you? One day you love me and then the next day you don't. What are you doing? What are you trying to do?"

"No, I love you, Indie. I swear I do. I didn't want to, but I do."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "You didn't want to but you do," I repeated.

"Indie, listen to me, please?"

"I am listening!"

"Everything I told you when you said you liked me was true. I still think that way. But I'm willing to try."

"Suddenly?"

"Yes, suddenly," he said sternly. "Because when I thought about you going to Hawaii for the summer and not seeing you until three months later, I hated it! I hated that thought, I hated the fact that I couldn't see you for three fucking months. And if I wanted to see you, I would have to fly over there, which, undoubtedly, I would, Indie. I fucking would."

I felt my eyes and expression soften, I felt myself slowly giving in.

"If you were already gone by the time I got here today, I would have flown over to Hawaii and found you. That's exactly why I asked you where you would be. Because I knew that I wouldn't be able to stay without you. I fucking love you. And that reality crashed down on me today."

"Why today? Because I was leaving? Is that it?"

"Indie."

"Reece," I said mockingly.

"It's the truth."

"It's the reality you want to believe. You just want a good lay, don't you? A steady one? And it's me because you know I won't leave you because I love you. You're taking advantage of my feelings!"

"I'm not, I swear I'm not! Look, all I could think about today was that if I can't even go a few days without this girl, then how could I go three months? And if I can't even go three months then how the fuck can I go through the rest of my life without you? How can I stay away from you for that long without it killing me?" He sighed, pulling me closer. "It's not just the reality I want to believe," he said, his voice coming out much softer now. "It's the truth. I fucking love you."

He blinked a few times and I noticed the glassing over his eyes. I noticed tears. Like the night I did when I told him I liked him, like the night I found him drunk on the rooftop. I know I probably shouldn't forgive him and accept it so easily. But I can't bring myself to refuse him. I love him. And if I refuse him now it'll just be a waste of time because we both know eventually, I'll come around and I'll want him more than I ever have before. I already do, for fuck's sake.

"Please, forgive me, Indie?" He shifted anxiously. "Please?"

I sighed, looking away from him.

"Indigo," he sighed.

I looked back at him, resisting the urge to cry. "I hate you," I said, my voice and breathing both shaky.

"If you tell me to go, I will," he nodded, taking in a breath and composing himself.

"Don't be stupid," I huffed.

He stared at me half confused, half hopeful.

"Fuck you," I spat.

"Will you?"

I stared at him in disbelief.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry." He looked down.

"I hate you," I laughed, grabbing his shirt and pulling him closer.

"I hate you more," he scoffed.

I threw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He hugged me back, twice as tight and kissed the side of my head, both of us slowly rocking back and forth. I pulled away just enough to look at him.

"I love you," he said softly.

"I love you more," I smiled.

He shook his head. "No, you don't."

"I do," I chuckled. "You fucking asshole, you took so long to love me."

"I came around, didn't I?"

I nodded, grinning now. "You did."

"Of course, I fucking did. I love you."

"I love you," I smiled, pushing his hair back. He leaned forward, kissing me so hard that I stumbled back, nearly knocking some things off my vanity. I laughed against his lips, pulling him closer while he lifted me up, seating me on the vanity. I was expecting him to be the first to ask for my shirt to be tugged off or to slide his hands under my shirt, or do something to start the sex.

But he didn't. It's not what he wanted today. He just wanted me and him. Together but not necessarily having sex. I never felt like he was just using me for sex in the past either, he never treated me in a way that made me feel like that. He never made me feel that worthless. But today he's making me feel like a million bucks. He may not want sex today, but I do.

I grabbed the hem of the shirt and started tugging it upward but he grabbed my wrists and pulled away to look at me. "We don't have to do that today."

"You're right, we don't. But I want to."

"Do you really?"

I nodded enthusiastically.

He laughed softly, taking a step back and pulling his shirt over his head from behind and I gasped like a little kid, sticking my arms out. He laughed, leaning back in to kiss me while I trailed my hands from his shoulders, down to his chest, down his abs, stopping at his hips and then bringing them back up. He tugged at my shirt a little and I raised my arms, letting him pull it off completely. When he grabbed my hips and started sliding me off the vanity.

I wrapped my legs around his waist and he lifted me up, walking us to the bed. He sat down and kept me straddling him. I pecked his lips and then climbed off, rushing to the door and locking it. I really hope Chloe put those headphones on. He stood up, both of us working our sweatpants down our hips. I made my way back over, both of us moving from the foot of the bed to the center. He turned us over so I was lying under him.

Before we both got naked, he stopped, sighing. "I didn't bring a condom."

"Why not?" I chuckled.

"I wasn't expecting us to have sex." He put his head down, kissing my collarbone.

"No?" I laughed, running my fingers through his hair. He shook his head.

"I was expecting us to kiss and cuddle, not ravish each other."

"Ravish," I giggled, ruffling his hair. "You're so cute."

He pulled back to look at me.

"I have condoms, Reece," I laughed, pecking his lips.

"Thank god," he sighed, reaching over to the nightstand.

"They're in the bottom drawer," I mumbled.

"That's very inconvenient," he scoffed, reaching over and grabbing one, pushing the drawer shut before coming back up to me. "I love you," he mumbled, kissing me slowly.

"I love you," I smiled against his lips.

➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵

I stared off into space, my head still resting on his chest while he had one arm around me. "Reece."

"Yes?" He drew circles on my bare arm, slowly going to my shoulder blade.

"Good luck staying without me while I'm in Hawaii," I chuckled.

"Don't remind me, babe," he scoffed, shaking me lightly.

"Babe?" I sang, lifting my head to look at him.

"When will you be back?"

"Soon enough," I laughed.

"Tell me, okay? I want to come get you from the airport."

"Weren't you going home? To visit?"

"I am. But I want to be back to pick you up," he smiled.

"Look at how romantic you are now," I snickered.

"Don't point it out. I'll act like a dick again."

"Is that a threat?"

He chuckled, nodding his head.

"Prick," I scoffed.

There was banging on my bedroom door and he sighed in disappointment.

"Yes, Chloe?" I called out.

"I called Caleb over! So stop fucking now! We're having game night!"

"Okay!" We called out in sync. "Do you think she put those headphones on?" He laughed, grabbing my bra and handing it back to me.

I pulled it on and once we were both in our underwear, we both got out of bed.

"Let's shower," he smiled.

"Together?"

He nodded.

"We don't have time," I sang, grabbing fresh sweatpants and a pink tank top. "Your best friend is on the way. So, I'll shower first, and then you can shower. Okay?"

He stared at me blankly.

"Okay?" I sang, going up on my toes and kissing him and he grabbed my waist tightly, his hands going lower and lower and I pulled away before he grabbed my butt. "I'm going to shower," I said quickly, turning around and rushing to the bathroom, closing the door. I turned the shower on and stripped out of my undergarments before stepping under the water, closing the curtain behind me. I let the hot water run over me and rubbed the water away from my eyes and when I opened them, I heard the bathroom door opening and then closing. I laughed to myself while he opened the curtain and stuck his head in.

"Hi," he grinned.

"Hi." I leaned forward, pecking his lips.

"I'm coming in."

"Are you?" I asked.

He nodded, pushing the curtain open just enough to step in.

I stood under the showerhead and he wiped the water from my eyes for me before leaning in to kiss me. I hooked my arms around his neck, kissing him back. I smiled, pulling away after a while. "You know, Chloe and Caleb might get mad if we take too long."

"So? I don't care."

"You never care but you should."

"I care about you. That's it."

I chuckled, "You're such a flirt."

"I just love you."

"I love you too."

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