Chapter 17 #2
There are decorations and balloons, and on the TV I even spot a rerun of the ball drop from this past year, playing for everyone.
I look at Bellamy, almost in shock at the effort he’s put into this.
I’m not sure why I’m surprised. He’s gone above and beyond for every single thing we’ve done, but this is just.. . It’s perfect.
“Bell…” I turn back, looking at everything again.
He threw a party for me... He sent out a dress code. He did it all for me, and my heart is turning to mush. This is not helping me and the butterflies in my chest.
“Happy New Year's Eve Ryn,” He leans down, his hand holding onto my hip as he stands behind me.
He tilts his head around me, and kisses my cheek, making me laugh, “Do you want a drink?”
“Always.”
We both walk to his kitchen. My stomach gets hot thinking about the last time I was in this kitchen.
Our first kiss.
I shake my head, and he reaches into his fridge, getting me a seltzer. He opens it for me and passes it over. He stands in front of me and pats the counter, the one I’d sat on before. I use one hand to push myself up on the countertop, and he stands in front of me, his eyes locked on me.
“You look really good tonight Ryn,” He takes a sip of his drink.
“So do you...” I tell him, my eyes focusing on the black short sleeve button up he wears.
It’s left partially open, showing off his chest as usual.
He wears black pants that fit his legs well, and Converse like always.
His fingers are clad with rings like they always are, and his hair is a perfect mess.
I take his hand that rests by his side, and I pull him forward, closer to me.
He stands between my legs now as I sit on the counter.
I set my drink down, and dangle my arms over his shoulders, and around the back of his neck.
“Did I do good?” He asks and I smile with closed lips, his hazy grin showing me he already knows he did good, he just wants me to say it.
“You did amazing... You’re the best fake boyfriend I could ask for.”
He laughs, his eyes diverting from me as he takes a sip of his drink.
“And you’re the best fake girlfriend I could ask for,” He speaks casually.
My eyes catch in the corner of the room. I see Leah standing there, surrounded by her cheerleader friends. Her eyes are on me until she sees me looking at her. She looks away quickly, pretending she wasn’t staring. My stomach sinks at the sight of her. Questions ripping through my brain.
“Why is she here?”
He whips his head around, looking over his shoulder quickly as if he doesn’t know who I’m talking about.
“I’m not really sure. Why? Are you jealous?” He’s joking so I laugh despite the anger burning in my chest.
I personally don’t find anything about his ex funny besides her fantasies and make believe she’s created in her head.
“Not in the slightest. She’s just got daggers in her eyes. She’s staring at me.”
He leans in closer to me. The uneasy feeling in my stomach isn’t one I feel like sharing. He’s told me before he’s not using me to make her jealous. He’s said it, and I should believe him, right?
“Let her,” He whispers and kisses me. His lips are warm, he’s warm.
Always, and I know he was trying to make me feel better but the thought of her here leaves my stomach sinking.
Bellamy has never given me a reason as to why he wanted to fake date me. Not a legitimate one anyway. Part of me wonders if maybe it was all a scheme to make her jealous despite what he said before. He seems to have no interest in her, but that one side of me never knows.
The voice in the back of my head tells me that even if he did do this to make her jealous that I have no right to be mad about that.
Even though the thought of me being used without my knowledge does make me feel sick.
But this is fake after all. I look at him, unhooking my arms from around him, and he starts to back away, but I lock my legs around the back of his, keeping him with me.
“Not so fast. I have a question for you.”
He raises his eyebrows, “Shoot.”
He nods toward me.
“This...” I hold up my hand, pointing at the ring that I still haven’t taken off.
“Do you like it?”
I hesitate, “Of course I like it, but I guess I’m just confused... How did this fake proposal of yours have a real ring?” I wiggle my fingers in front of him and take a look at the ring again.
As if I haven’t been staring at it for the past 24 hours like a crazy person.
“I was buying something for my sister. She graduated high school, and she’s trying out for the cheer team here in a few weeks.
I got her a present, and I saw that when I was there.
It reminded me of your eyes, and I like giving gifts.
I was going to just give it to you last night but I saw an opportunity so I took it, that’s all. ”
It reminded him of my eyes. My heart can’t handle this type of knowledge. It’s not what I was built for.
“Bell, I really don’t need expensive gifts.”
He nods with a smirk on his lips.
“I’m aware. You don’t need anything from me, and that makes me want to get you things even more because you never expect them. It’s cute when you’re surprised.”
I shove his chest back lightly.
“You’re annoying,” I tell him.
It’s more than annoying, it’s infuriating that he wants to buy me things, and that I secretly like it.
His dimple is carved deep into his cheek as he smiles at me. That dimple makes me forget anything going through my head.
“Someone has to be,” He shrugs his shoulders softly.
The unsettled feeling leaves my chest altogether. I look around us, and I look back at him. Then my ring out of the corner of my eye. It reminded him of my eyes. I shake my head and fight the urge to smile.
“I need to find Sienna really quick... But I’ll be right back,” I start to wiggle myself off of the counter, and he runs his hands up my thighs slowly, holding onto me.
“Don’t rush babe. Have fun... Just make sure you find me before midnight,” He helps me down from the counter.
I start to turn away from him, but he keeps hold of me by my hip, his fingers burning into my skin.
“Hey...” He nods his head, and my eyes land on him. “I don’t get a kiss?”
I press against him, my lips brushing his. I kiss him, and he squeezes my hip once we break. He lets me go, and we separate. My eyes scan the party for Sienna, every turn I make I notice something new that he’s decorated the place with. He really went all out with these decorations.
I managed to find Sienna in the dimly lit hallway that leads to the bathroom…
Making out with Lawson. “Friends” my ass.
I prominently vacated the area, and they yelled their apologies.
I found myself elsewhere, socializing, and chatting with everyone.
I talked to Griff a lot and realized just how much I liked him.
He seems to be an incredibly good friend to Bellamy.
Griff is also leaving halfway through summer so he can start his training for the Raiders.
He’ll be living a Las Vegas lifestyle. Talking with him is easy, and it’s fun.
I barely realized how much time had passed.
I had left him to see if Sienna had returned but I found Jade, Griff’s girlfriend instead.
“Kamryn! How are you?” She wraps me in a hug.
She is a bit more under the influence than I’ve seen her in the past. She’s wearing a tight fitting sparkly black dress that hugs her just right. I hug her back, and she looks at me.
“You look incredible... Oh my god, Bellamy, and you together too. Such a good couple,” She yells over the music, and I can feel my cheeks heat up.
I don’t know why I blush at her words but I do. Jade’s definitely more loose with her thoughts now, and she knows we’re not together. Part of me wonders if his friends are truly rooting for something more, the thought makes my stomach turn.
“Says you! You and Griff are practically perfect.”
She swats her hand, “Oh stop.”
She carries her drink close to her chest as we talk.
“He just talked to me about the Raiders. He seems so excited. But how does it make you feel? Him moving and stuff?” I ask her.
“It makes me feel happy. I’m going with him.”
I raise my eyebrows. I don’t know why the thought shocks me. Maybe it’s just hard for me to think about moving for someone else... To be with someone else.
“Why? I mean I know you’re dating him, but is there anything there for you?” I ask.
I know I might be projecting. I just can’t wrap my head around it.
“There’s always something for me anywhere I go. The school I’m going to now, Kirkland, it’s just mediocre to me. I think transferring will be a breath of fresh air. It’s not every day that your boyfriend gets drafted by the NFL either. I think it will only be exciting.”
I can feel the excitement radiating off of her. She smiles wide too. A genuine smile, one I know is true. I smile at her, happy for her. Good. I’m glad she and Griff are as happy as they are.
Part of me feels a bit weird about the two of them not being here.
I’ve gone to all the games. I’ve seen him and Bellamy play hand and hand.
There’s no Bellamy without Griff on the field, and vice versa.
I wonder how Bellamy feels about that. I wonder why we’ve never really talked about it before.
From the rumors I’ve heard there’s a new Wide Receiver stepping up.
One of the soon to be juniors. I’ve seen him step in a time or two at the games.
Parker Thompson. He has promise, but he’s not best friends with Bellamy.
The two of them have to work together perfectly next year, and…
“Oh my god, Kamryn is that you? And Jade too?” I turn over my shoulder to look at the person speaking and to my shock, it’s Leah.
Someone I never expected to be so cheery when talking to me. Maybe she’s trying her best to give me a chance. Or maybe it’s all fake. I tread lightly as I look down at her, her body only a bit shorter than mine.