Dedicated to krystalp6. Thanks for the support <3!
"I think your Granny is starting to warm up to me." I was so busy typing I didn't hear Brett coming 'til he sat in the bench beside me and the sudden squeak of it made me jumped out of my skin. "Aren't you a jumpy one?" he teased at my wide-eyes as my pulse struggled to regain a clamer pace.
"You scare me half to death!"
"Don't be so dramatic." he rolled his eyes and slid loosened a bit the tie not bothered by my narrowed eyes. "What?"
I shook my head. "Nothing. How is Will?"
"Freaking the hell out." he huffed. "But if he haven't left Rose after this last neurotic week I don't think he fucking will-"
"Brett." I cut him pressing my hand over his mouth, eyes wide and looking around. Luckily, it was a small ceremony and most of the presents were with the bride or with the groom, congratulating them for the event about to start. Rose had dismissed me like ten minutes ago and ordered me to go take a seat so I'd been here ever since. My gaze returned to Brett's. "Don't curse in a church."
His eyes rolled and he dropped my hand from his face. "I'm just speaking the truth and everyone knows it."
"Still." I bit my lip sneaking a pick at the sweating guy surrounded by his and her family. It was a black and white event so the place look like a chess set. "That's not something you say on someone's wedding day."
Brett poked his chin, pretending to think. "So... you lie on someone's wedding day?"
I sighed, reslizing he was imposibled. "Whatever. You said something about Granny, uh?"
"Oh, yeah. She didn't try to chop my head off when we crossed there." he gestured to the group around the groom down the aisle, who looked beaming and stressed at the same time. "She even mentioned a dinner? I'm gonna take that as a good sign."
"Back home, she asked me to invited you over sometime this week."
"Really?"
I nodded. "I think all those flowers and you charms are finally working."
"Good." Brett grinned. I smiled fixing his loosen tie back up and he pouted just as more texts come and the phone beeped in my hand.
"So? What's got you so concentrated you didn't bother to pay me attention? Apart from my overcontrolling sister, of course."
I had to bit down my grin. "Aren't you a needy one?" I teased and he chuckled as let his arms circled my waist.
"As if you don't know it by now."
I laughed softly and leaned into him, letting his warmth soaked from his chest to my side, spreading chills everywhere. My phone vibrated with another message from Macy.
"We're going to this protest tomorrow." I answered his previous question, focusing on what she was saying.
"Protest?" he hummed over my shoulder. "Of what?"
"Against the country estate outside Northtown. They torture animals and exploid them."
"What do you mean?" I could sense his frown as I typed back at the girls.
"I mean, they had this tiny little cages, in overstored barns with no light and poor feeding. Haven't you seen the picture they releassed a couple days ago? It's just disgusting."
Brett hummed, "Sounds like a big deal."
"It is." As I talk I get more and more enraged. "So far they freed several animals but the mall is refusing to write down a proper order to close them. They make me sick."
"Hey" he smoothed my arm and shoulder in soothing paterns. "Don't get so worked out over it, save something for tomorrow."
"I can't, it just makes me so mad."
"I get it." he mumbled softly kissing my shoulder. "Those bastards."
"Yeah, just look at him. Look at him!" I lifted my phone and practically slammed the picture Macy sent me of the little piggy they just rescued to his nose and he gently pulled it away so he could do as I said. "Would you eat that poor little thing?" I turned sideways so I could see his face. His frown pursed, ever so casually, and kept one arm around me while he stared carefully the cute little pig with shinny big eyes. I fought to ignore the tingles that his touch and heat spread sweetly through my body. "So?"
"I don't know, Giggles." he rose one eyebrow and look back at me. "I like bacon too much."
I gawked at him.
"You can't be serious. Look at that pour thing! Look at him and tell me that you still rather kill him than refuse to eat bacon."
Brett smirked.
"I'm a big bacon fan, you know." my jaw dropped and he tilted his head backwards with a laugh. "Your face-"
I took the phone back.
"You're hearless."
"And you're cute." I frowned and his smirk grew wider.
My lips parted to add something else but he had different plans and captured them with his own, succesfully shutting me up. I surprised myself by kissing him back, responding at his tender movements like I had no other choice, like it was a natural reaction. A sweet bliss overpowered my chest and gave me goosebumps as our mouths melted together, making whatever I was about to say blurred in the back of my mind.
With his free and he cuped my nape and let out soft moan, only for me to hear. The hottest sound I'd ever heard. But then I abruptly remembered where we were and broke the kiss, blushing deeply. Fortunately, there were no one paying attention to us. Our lips parted but he just let his travelled down my chin and jaw-line, covering it with butterfly kisses and messing with my mind with his addictive attentions. Teasing my nerves with the most wonderful sensations.
"Brett," I tried to sound severe but my voice came out as a breathless whisper as he never stopped kissing. "We're talking about flesh."
"Mhm" his hum against my neck vibrated through me spreading waves of pleasure everywhere. A gasp escaped my lips when he nibbled the delicate skin and I clung on his shoulders for support as my eyes shut close. "Yeah, flesh." he mumbled smirking before slowly kissing it again. "That's what I'm talking about."
I shuddered at his sensual tone but pushed gently, immediately missing him when he looked up with a small pout. "Your whole family is there."
"Same old song." Brett rolled his eyes, playfully, and leaned back into the chair. "My family, your granny... Those excuses would run old in a few months, you know."
I blushed in content and shyness at his taunting tone. In a few months we'll be in USC. My letter arrived a week ago, his yesterday. We've both been accepted and I'd been overly joyful ever since. Not only I felt like dreaming at the thought of been granted with a schoolarship for my always wanted university, to pursue a vet degree and a photography course; but also Brett will be there too. A year ago that would had scared me, but now I couldn't figure out a better future.
Well, I can; with my other friends there too. The Mendley twins are both going south and Macy's been accepted in Princeton. I'm gonna miss them to death, but we'd promised to write, call and keep in touch.
The perspective of being in a new place, a new city full of new people both scared me and thrilled me. At least I got one friendly face there. More than friendly.
I blushed at his words and adverted my gaze to my fiddling fingers. "It's not an excuse." I muttered.
"I know." he laughed softly at my self-consciousness and kissed my temple sweetly making my chest warmed. "I'm just kidding. So about this protest. It won't be dangerous, right?"
"Of course not. A pacific event, we'll camp before the estate. You know I'm not up to anything agressive."
"Right." Brett chuckled. "As if you would ever hurt a fly. I think you're the kindest person I ever know."
"Oh, come on." I blushed even more, overwhelemed at the suddent intensity in his eyes and nudged his shoulder lightly.
"It's true. What kind of eight-year-old become vegetarian for been too simpathetic with animals?"
"Well, my parents weren't that happy when eight-year-old-me refused to let them gave me a conventional meals."
He laughed and adjusted the position so we were more comfy, his arms never removing for around me. "They kinda had it coming. Eight year-old-you cry whenever you watch Bambi."
My brows pursed. "That deer is the cutest thing and, what are you talking about? You took those menus too when we went out!"
Brett rolled his eyes. "Just because I loved you, they really are yuck."
What?!
My breath hitched but he shrugged as if he said nothing. The pulse in my ears became deafening. The whole church fading on the corners of my vision as I only managed to focus on him.
"Y-you what?"
He returned my gaze, confused, but I saw the exact moment realization hit him and his eyes widened a fraction. "O-oh. Yeah. I, um..." his words drifted away and the thumping of my heart getting louder the more seconds passed. He brushed his hair nervously. "This isn't how I planned to say it but, yeah." he chuckled softly.
I gulped, the excitation in my stomach almost too much for me to bear. "How did you plan on saying it?"
"I- I don't know." his cheek tained of soft pink and he shifted awkwardly. "It was supposed to be in the right moment. Not just drop it like that."
Supposed to-
My lungs didn't seemed to get enough air. Was I sure I'd I heard it right? He LOVE me? No wait, he'd used a past tense. Does that meant-
"Fuck. I wasn't supposed to say it like that!" he groaned, frustrated, brushing his face in stress. "It was supposed to be cute and heart warming, and was supposed to be something memorable. Not to just blurt it out!"
He said it. He must had really said it.
"Don't swear." I softly cup his face with one ginger hand and made him look at me, my whole body buzzing in anticipation. At the bright blue mess of his orbs my guts curled to an aching point. "C-can you say it again?"
He let out a breath and cupped my hand with his leaning into it. "I love you, Lys." my heart stopped, hanging on every word he uttered. "Always have. Probably always will." his head tilted forward making our foreheads pressed together. "You've got me under your spell all along and you haven't even noticed. "
My lips stretched in the widest grin ever, threatening to split my face but I couldn't care. He loved me. Brett loved me, all along... Wow. I couldn't even began to process how much that made me feel. I felt like floating. Like jumping, like melting in the floor like a puddle at his feet.
Brett loved me.
Love.
His minty breath brushed my face since none of us had moved an inch, the rest of the people barely a blur. "Memorable enough for me." I mumbled, still in cloud nine.
I felt his smile, so close it tickled my skin and filled my chest with more joy. I took his hand that was still cupping mine to my mouth, kissing it gently under his attentive glance, then guide it over my pouding heart, wanting him to feel it.
The warmth tact of his palm sent shivers down my spine and I watched his pupils dilated as he followed the movement before lifting back to mine. "I love you." I whispered back, unable to raise my voice louder than that and his lips parted, surprise and something else swirling in those magnetic pools of blue. I grinned more shyly now and my hand clenched his involuntarily. "I'd love you ever since I knew what that was."
"You have?" he gasped and let his hands slid up my neck and hold my face closer, my head spinning.
"Always."
"Can you say it again?"
I giggled when he used my words. My lid fluttered closed, enjoying the small bubbled of intimacy we've created. "I love you, Brett."
"You..." he shook his head, not ending the sentence and that was the only advise I got before I felt his lips on mine.
He kissed me like wanting to proof what he just said. That he loved me. He poured all those feelings in the way he held me close, delicately yet like he didn't want to let go and I leaned into him, responding to the kiss with everything in my heart.
I love him...
I love him!
And I finally have him. He said he didn't mind waiting and even tho I was slow in opening up knowing he was there, he'd wait for me... that was something priceless. We got so many things to explore, to live. And we could do it together. Here, in college after... I don't really know. I just knew I wanted to do all that with him. To build a future with him just like we planned as kids.
I couldn't-
"Why do I feel like I'm always interrupting something like this?" Dave taunted, braking the moment and we pulled away, panting slightly. My lips felt swollen and my chest bloathing, the pulse drumming through me with force. Dave rose his brows and my face warmed. This was highly inappropriate. In a church. In Rose's wedding. But it wasn't like we planned it, right?
"What do you want?" groaned Brett, clearly frustrated to Dave further amusement.
"Mom's been asking for you." he imformed. "Something to do with Uncle Jared finding his place."
"What? No no, I swear I left him with MaryJo."
"Well, apparently he was wandering through the dressing rooms and scared the bridemaids." shrugged David falling into the free spot by my right. He grinned. "Hey, Alyson."
"Fuck." Brett, cursed but before I could lecture him again about swearing in here he was at his feet. "Be back in a sec."
"More like in an hour." Dave rolled his eyes as his brother marched down the hallway as the guest were beginning to take their spots. "If my dear crazy sister don't kill anyone by the end of the day I'll call it a victory."
I bit a smile, knowing it wouldn't be right to laugh on her behalf in the moment. "She's a bit stresses... just want for everything to be perfect."
"As if we hadn't noticed." huffed Dave, loosening his tie just as Brett had done not too long ago, but the difference was I wasn't that close to him to fix it as well. He was wearing the same clothes than his younger brother, only his were black and Brett's were white. "She said she'll pair me with this hot friend of hers, but I'm afraid that was all a bait 'cause none of the girls I seen could be considered hot."
"Dave!" My eyes widened at his blunt comment and he rolled his eyes.
"Excluding you, of course, but you're Brett's girl so it'll be weird..." I pushed his shoulder, embarrassed and he laughed. "Easy! Why does everyone pay it with me? Harmless joke here. Seeing I'm not gonna get laid you have to grant me this."
"Y-you can't say those things here."
"Why not?" he lifted on shoulder, mockingly. "It's true. And after the hell Rose put me through this past hour I think God will cut me some slack."
"Stop blaspheming!" I whispered, horrorized but he just rolled his eyes, not concerned at all.
"Whatever. Just telling you." he warned pointing one finger at me. "If you became half as an annoyingly bitchy as my dear sister on your wedding, I'm moving to Europe. Not gonna edure all this all over again."
"David." I uttered, mortified just as Brett came back and frowned at the way my cheeks were red again. It took him a moment to turn his scowl to the most probable culprit of my unease.
"What have you done already?"
"Nothing." his hands shot up innocently but his grin said otherwise. "Just warning Alyson." David winked but Brett's frown didn't missed a bit.
"'Bout what?"
"Chill, will you? With one Ryder neurotic we got more than enough."
Brett was about to retord something when Julia appeared by his side, eying her sons cautiously. "Are you creating trouble again?"
"No, mum." they both answer and she nodded.
"Good. Gary is finally here so it must start at any minute now. Have you-"
She continued to interrogate them about the preparations and everything and in that moment I noticed almost everyone was already settled in the benches. Some of the Ryder's looked familiar but others and all of Will's family were a bunch of unknown faces. A couple rows behind ours, I spotted Granny.
I wanted to sit with her but since I was here not only as a family's friend but also as Brett's girlfriend my place was here. Granny had insisted too in me not worrying over it. And by the looks of it, she was more than good, with Brett's grandparents and another lady from her lecture club. She was smiling and radian and that eased me. Our eyes met and I waved, she smiled back.
Yeah, she was perfectly fine.
Not long after, the music began and all of us get to our feet, turning to look at the beautiful bride in awe. Rose dress was elegant and delicate, just like her. Every sign of stress and 'crazyness' as her brother put it was gone as she stepped into the aisle hanging by her father's arm, shinning in happiness as her eyes met the groom's across the distance. Both of them sparkled in a magic way that filled the eviroment like an halo.
A hand grabbed mine and I looked just to see Brett smiling. My chest heated at what that smile was saying. It was a promise. A oath to me that this was only the beginning. One month dating and I was sure this could be the best thing of my life.
I'd love him forever. Now I had him.
The music proceeded sweetly with the wedding march, sinking us in a lovely spell and adding to the flutter in my chest. I grinned back and snuggled closer to Brett, fitting under his arm as we turned to the aisle.
Against all odds, Brett Ryder was mine.
And I was his.
The school was almost done and a whole new life was spreading infront of us, waiting for us to face it...
Together.
THE END
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Hey beautiful people! This was the Epilogue! What are your thoughts on it? Did you like it? Did I let something unexplained? I really want to know so I could tight down all the remain plot holes if I've forgoten something.
Please, don't forget to comment, vote and share.
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WOW! I can't believe we're here already. I really grew to love this characters and your feedback and now that it felt like a goodbye it's sad...
Thank you so much for reading this story. I can't begin to express how much it means to me. Your incredible support is one of the main things that keep this plot going for this long. When I started the story over a year ago, I wouldn't had guess where it would lead nor how amazing each one of you would be. I'm so greatful for everything! xxxx
Well, the plot might have ended but I've decide I will do a few BONUS CHAPTERS. If you're interested in something particular you'll like to read let me know.
If you still up to read more of their story don't take this book out your library yet, we'll be seeing again very soon!
Once more, thank you all for everything!!!
Love,
Siara x