I sipped on my second coffee as I flipped to the next page of Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman. I started reading it because of the movie, and oh, I literally fell in love. I adore the way it's written and that you can really feel what you read.

I wonder how I could improve my book to be as good.

So, long time no see. It's halloween already, means my birthday, and means my summer fever dream of living in France and deeply not giving a shit about anything has ended. By no means my relationship with Johnny has gone bad, it's just that we both now have responsibilities and can't hang out as much, but we still do it pretty often.

I was now sitting in a New York café in just a tracksuit, reading my book and obviously drinking coffee. I felt the need to be alone and drown in my imaginary world too bad today. I don't know if it's because of my birthday, or how I feel about it.

I don't want it to sound pathetic, but it probably will. A few people had called me or texted me Happy Birthday, but what really made me sad was that the ones close to me didn't do it. Johnny just woke up, gave me a morning kiss and went on with his day. Nothing from Maxine, Alice. It was a little upsetting, I can't deny.

I sighed and shook my head a little, trying to concentrate on the book instead of my thoughts.

Few solid hours had passed and I decided it's time to go home, since it was already afternoon and sun started setting. I gathered all my stuff and was ready to leave, but of course someone was waiting for me by the front door.

Recently you can say that I've become quite famous, due to my artwork that suddenly started gathering attention all over social media, and the fact that there are rumors I'm writing a book. I don't know why, but fame always comes to you when you're least expecting it.

I put on my sunglasses and saw a text from Jack that he's already waiting for me outside.

I mostly just ignore what paparazzi say or ask, because I've learned it's the best way to deal with them. But as I walked out and hid my face behind my hand a little to protect my ability to see, I heard one photograph ask something that made my blood run cold in my veins.

"Did Johnny punched you few months ago? Did he make you have a black eye?"

I was even surprised they remember that, or know in the first place, since I thought I hid it pretty well. It doesn't change the fact that I couldn't just walk away knowing that people think it was Johnny who hit me. I just couldn't.

I stopped in my place, breathing in deeply before turning around to face a group of guys, who took pictures of me like I was the lost painting of Mona Lisa.

"Alright, can we stop with the flashes? It's bright enough." They listened and occasionally I just heard clicks of cameras. They also went quiet, like, total opposite of what they were couple seconds ago.

"It wasn't Johnny. He never hurt me. Do you remember the blond guy, though?" I asked.

"Alex?" someone questioned.

"Yes. I knew a lot of people on the internet called me names for dating Johnny instead of Alex, but here's the truth." I started. "Alex hit me, also lied and cheated on me. He's a piece of shit, it's not hard to guess. Thank you for listening."

It was dead silence once I stopped talking, I only heard a few gasps. Though when I started walking away to Jack's car, the mess blew up again. I made it to the car, not paying attention to the paparazzi anymore, and found Jack smiling at me mysteriously.

"What?"

"You're goddamn right." Jack replied, and I chuckled, nodding.

After 15 minutes we were back at my house. I noticed the door wasn't locked, means Johnny probably came over while I was gone. He didn't call me or text anything, though.

I entered the house, taking off my shoes and putting on slippers. I left all my belongings on the drawer in the corridor, making my way to the kitchen because that coffee I drank earlier now made me somehow extremely thirsty.

"Surprise!"

My soul literally left my body as soon as I walked into the kitchen, seeing all my closest friends grinning from ear to ear. Maxine was holding a cake with burning candles sticked into it.

I put my hand over my heart, exhaling deeply. I noticed Alice, Joe, Elsie and finally Johnny, looking the proudest ever. I turned around to Jack, seeing that knowing smirk on his lips.

As they started singing me happy birthday, Johnny approached me with a small box wrapped in a colorful tape, and I'm guessing it was a present from him. I slowly shook my head, letting him know it wasn't needed, but he only leaned down enough to kiss me. Now I was fully grinning, my heart warming as I realized that in the end it wasn't that they all forgot.

We cut and ate the cake, and everyone hugged me and wished me a happy birthday. Some even brought presents with them, which was literally so sweet.

Then we just hung around, listening to music and talking. That was until Elsie spotted something on her phone.

"Elektra?"

"Yeah?" I replied.

"Did you speak to paparazzi?" she asked.

"I mean, yeah, I had to." I said. "They thought it was Johnny who hit me, not Alex. So, I lowkey exposed him."

"It wasn't Johnny, he never hurt me.." Elsie started reading out loud. "Alex hit me, lied and cheated on me." She made a pause to try to control her smile. "He's a piece of shit, it's not hard to guess."

"I fucking love you." Johnny, who stood next to me, whispered and then kissed me deeply on the lips, probably making me blush.

"Damn," Alice spoke up. "That's, like, totally badass."

I chuckled. "I'm glad people will finally know what kind of person he is."

Johnny still stared at me dreamily. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

I giggled, replying jokingly. "Then maybe you should propose."

Everyone went quiet as his arms carefully left my waist and he made a step back. He took a small box out of his jeans pocket, slowly getting on one knee. My breath suddenly got stuck in my throat.

"Wait, what are you-" I started, but then got speechless. If he does what I think he's doing-

He opened the box, letting me see a beautiful diamond ring inside of it.

I looked around, seeing that people had either a grin plastered on their face, or tears in eyes.

I suddenly forgot how to talk. Johnny was simply proposing to me, here, in my living room, where we've spent so much time cuddling, sleeping, talking, and doing other things, too. I just couldn't believe.

"Elektra, my El," he said. "Will you make me the happiest man on the face of the earth, and be my girl forever?"

I took a deep breath, composing myself.

"I've always been. And I always will, Johnny."