31
Valentina
I’ve never gotten what I wanted. Sure, my parents made a good living and were able to give us things beyond the basic necessities, but all those things helped make them look better.
And everything I wanted, I never felt like I could ask for or that I deserved.
So, how has everything been so great lately?
Huxley has started picking me up before classes, and afterward, he drives us to his apartment, where we just spend time together.
Doing homework, fooling around with music, just being in each other’s company.
All of my time is being consumed by Huxley Adams, and happiness and I have found a common ground for the first time in my life.
Someone knocks on my door, which halts me in my tracks. Huxley usually just texts me when he arrives so I can meet him outside, but I don’t know who else it could be.
I pull it open to find Huxley smiling on the other side, his hands behind his back in a way that makes me curious.
“You came to the door today?” His smile doesn’t change as he nods. “And why is that?”
He brings his arms forward, letting me see the bouquet of flowers he was hiding. My eyes widen at them. He got me flowers?
“Happy One Month Anniversary.”
My eyes fly back up to his, his smile never fading. If anything, it gets wider as I try to take all this in. That happiness I was talking about? It just doubled. Hell, it might have just tripled. No one has ever gotten me flowers before.
I take them from Huxley as he leans down to kiss my cheek.
“They’re so beautiful,” I breathe out, finally looking at the mixture of flowers in a bouquet that’s bigger than my head.
“Well, of course.” He leans down, pulling my attention back to him. “They had to match you.”
I will away the tears that threaten to fall, happy tears of course, but let my smile grow to a point that my cheeks hurt. But I don’t care. This is the happiest I think I’ve ever been in my whole life.
“Daisy’s and Larkspur’s.” My fingers trace over the delicate petals. “What made you choose those?”
Huxley shrugs as he stands to his full height again. “The woman at the flower shop said a bouquet of birth flowers would be romantic.”
I freeze. Did he say…“Birth flowers?”
He nods. “Yours is a Daisy. Mine's the other one.”
I look back at the bouquet, picking up just how well the flowers go together.
The dark blue of his and the soft yellow of mine contrast with each other, but still blend so well.
The white petals of the daisies fold around the longer stems of the larkspurs while the blue petals hang over them, protecting, but not obstructing, them from view.
And together they make green.
Our favorite color.
Huxley scans my face, and his confidence in the gift slowly fades. My smile falls to a softer one as I grab his shirt, pulling myself closer to him. I move up onto my toes and press a gentle kiss to his cheek, making him sigh in relief.
“For a second, I thought you hated them.”
I shake my head, my feet landing back on the floor. “I said they were beautiful.”
“No, I know. I just mean after I said they were our birth flowers.” He rubs the back of his neck, still staring at the flowers with hesitation. “Your smile faded, and I thought I fucked up.”
I tug on his shirt, and his eyes shift up to mine. “I love them.”
His hand falls from the back of his neck, his smile growing. “I’m glad.”
I lean up and kiss his cheek again before slipping into my apartment to find a vase.
While I fill the vase with water, I glance over at him as he looks over my apartment. “Are you a vampire that has to be invited in?”
His eyes swing back to mine. “Is that a thing?”
I shrug and turn the water off. “Honestly, I have no idea. Ava’s just gone off a few times about some show she’s obsessed with.”
I grab the vase and place it on the island before removing the flowers' packaging.
“You into that kind of thing? Like mythological creatures and stuff?” Huxley asks as he finally steps into my apartment.
“Why? You wanna bite me?”
Both our eyes widen, but mine stay wide as he smirks. “You want me to bite you, Valentine?”
I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. Nothing. Not even a breath. Huxley walks around the island slowly, teasing me. He flips my hair over my shoulder, and that breath finally stutters out of me.
Our eyes stay locked as he leans forward until I can’t see him anymore, and his lips trail over my throat. My fingers grip onto his forearm, fear and excitement rushing through me like I’ve never known before.
His lips move slowly up to my ear. “Neck biting might be a bit advanced for you, Love. But I’ll gladly try it when you’re ready.”
I shove him back with a huff. “So you just wanted to tease me.”
He just shrugs with a smirk that I roll my eyes at. I finish up with the flowers and grab my bag.
“Ready?”
“I think the better question is, are you ready?”
I lock up my apartment and turn to him. “What do I need to be ready for?”
“You didn’t think I only got you flowers, did you?” He slips his arm around my shoulders as I sigh.
“Huxley, you don’t have to get me anything else.”
“Too late. All the plans are made.” He pulls open the passenger door as he looks down at me. “And I think you’ll really enjoy it.”
I narrow my eyes. “Just don’t make me sing again.”
“No promises.”
I want to tell him that I mean it, but instead, I only roll my eyes. Because I can’t deny that singing again sounds like fun, even if it does also terrify me.
“Fine,” I whisper, and his smile grows. And that alone makes me want to sing all the more. Because I’ll do anything to make him happy. Because Huxley Adams’s happiness is also my happiness, and I’m not ready to let that go.