Chapter Fourteen – The End

The next few weeks flew by and before we knew it, summer was drawing to a close. The days grew shorter as the nights seemed to become longer. Thankfully, there were very few embarrassing or awkward moments that occurred. Except for one thing that happened a week ago…

I woke up in the middle of the night with the sudden burning urge to ask David if he liked cheese. I remember telling Phoenix a couple years ago that I would never date a guy that didn’t like cheese. Sure, it’s three in the morning right now, but David won’t mind if I quickly wake him and ask. I can’t go back to sleep anyway until I’ve satisfied my curiosity.

Creeping stealthily out of my room and into the hallway, I slowly turned the doorknob that would open into David’s room, wincing at the quiet creak that sounded as the door swung open. Trying to breathe evenly and as lightly as possible, I slid towards the bed, thankfully not bumping into anything as the room was dimly illuminated with a nightlight. I felt a silly smile form as I looked at David, sprawled out on the bed with his blanket draped from the waist down. Hmm, so he sleeps shirtless. Pretty. Slowly reaching out a hand to tap his shoulder, David suddenly mumbled something unintelligible and twitched, rolling over.

That would’ve been fine and dandy if the sheet hadn’t slipped lower, now exposing a couple inches of David’s bare butt. Partly out of shock and partly scandalized, a short scream erupted from me, which I quickly tried to stifle with both hands on my mouth. So maybe sneaking into a guy’s room in the middle of the night isn’t all that smart of an idea.

David awoke with a start, eyes snapping open and then widening at the sight of seeing me in his room. I could vaguely make out his green eyes, sleepy and a little confused, look at me questioningly while he stretched to turn on the night lamp. “Holy, Remy. Wake up the whole house why don’t you. What’s with the scream?”

Still blushing profusely, my eyes unwillingly drifted down from David’s face again, where they stopped just where the sheet began, right under his hipbones. Understanding dawned on David’s face and a horribly self-satisfied smirk began to form on his face. “Okay, so we know why you felt like you had to burst my eardrums and wake me up at the ungodly hour of,” he glanced at the clock, “three o’clock in the morning.”

“Well I wouldn’t have burst your eardrums if you’d told me that you… you… you… sleep in the nude!” I exclaimed, still a little horrified and a lot embarrassed.

Arching an eyebrow, he sat up while making sure the blanket still covered his privates, and shifted a bit to the side, motioning for me to sit beside him. As I hesitantly climbed onto the bed and sat on the edge, David spoke up. “It’s summertime, thus being really hot. I’m a guy, a lot of guys sleep in the buff.”

“But still! It was shocking, okay?”

“Okay. You know you liked what you saw though,” David teased, poking me lightly on the side.

I replied unthinkingly. “Yeah, you’re really quite pretty.” Realizing what I just said, I turned slowly to face David’s gaze, which suddenly seemed more sober than before.

The room was silent for a few beats, full of… I dunno. Unresolved sexual tension? I gulped and blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “So… do you like cheese?”

David blinked and his eyes cleared up. “Do I like… cheese?”

“Um, yeah. I woke up with a burning desire to ask you if you liked cheese, because you know, I don’t know how I could date a guy that didn’t share my love for cheese. Preferably cheddar or mozzarella. Or, you know, marble.”

“You woke me to ask me if I liked cheese?” David’s voice sounded incredulous, although a small smile played on his lips.

I sighed, suddenly feeling very dumb. “Yes.’ I hopped off the bed and headed to the door. “But I just realized that this question could’ve waited until morning. Sorry for bothering you… bye!”

As I wrenched the door open, David’s voice stopped me. “For you, Remy, I’ll like cheese.”

Too mortified to look back at him, I just nodded once and tiptoe-ran back to my room, diving into bed. What did David’s answer mean anyway? That he liked cheese? He didn’t like cheese? He would like cheese for me? With these silly thoughts still playing in my head, I drifted off to sleep.

Luckily, no one else in the house woke up to my scream so that episode stayed as a little secret between me and David.

I also tried to talk David out of switching out of Queens and into Rockyview. Obviously, I would love to have my boyfriend go to the same school as me, but it’s really not practical to leave a perfectly good engineering school into one that isn’t as well known. He patiently tolerated my nagging before finally sitting me down and telling me firmly that he was going to Rockyview and that was that.

I finally got around to teaching David the basics on how to use a camera properly as well, one that wasn’t just digital. He actually has quite a knack at it, although he says he prefers to spend his time sketching than pointing and clicking. As for me, I discovered that I had no talent whatsoever when it came to a pencil and sketchpad. David tried to teach me basic shading and drawing, but it turned out to be way harder than it seems.

Right now, though, David and I were in the grocery store, armed with a list of ingredients we had to buy. My mom had suddenly decided to make a big, complicated dinner, full of ingredients we didn’t have in the house, let alone heard of.

“Tarragon? What’s that?” I studied the shopping list with furrowed brow while David drove.

“Beats me. Some kind of herb probably.”

David parked and we exited the car, walking towards the entrance of the supermarket. Swinging our hands lightly back and forth, I rattled off the first couple items on the list. “Two T-Bone steaks, milk, tarragon, carton of eggs, and bean sprouts. Weird list, eh?”

I opened my coin purse and pulled out a quarter to get a shopping cart. David placed his hands beside mine and walked behind me while we pushed the cart, giving me a trapped feeling – in a comfortable way. Walking slower than usual and taking the time to enjoy our time together, I savored the warm feeling in my chest. How does someone describe what it’s like to be in love anyway?

“What are you thinking about?” David asked, moving his hands to cover mine.

Pausing for a second, I replied, “Us.”

“What about us?”

“I like us.”

He laughed a sound that made me laugh too. “I quite like us as well, Remy.”

The air between us was relaxed as we continued going through the shopping list. I couldn’t stop grinning, it was like I was in a… a love bubble or something.

“Remember when you punched Kyle at the Burtons’ barbeque? That was very knight-in-shining-armor-esque of you. I wonder how his face is doing.”

“Well I had to protect my girl.”

“I wasn’t your girl back then,” I reminded David.

“I knew you were going to be.”

I fought down a blush, muttering, “Well you definitely know how to flatter girls.”

David leaned down and chuckle. “What’s that you said? You’re flattered?”

“Yeah yeah, smooth guy. I’m thrilled.”

After spending a large amount of time trying to find a specific type of seasoning my mom wanted, we finally finished the shopping list. Shopping cart piled high with everything from steaks to toilet paper; we pushed it towards checkout line where there thankfully wasn’t a long line-up.

With the help of a friendly bagboy, we got our groceries into the trunk and ourselves into the car. David looked at me with a smile. “Ready to go?”

I returned his smile readily. “Absolutely.”

We were both quiet, listening to the radio and caught in our own thoughts. At a notoriously long traffic light, I saw David look at me intently from my peripheral vision. I turned to look at him, a little startled at the look in his eyes. “What - ” I began, only to have my mouth covered by two of David’s fingers.

“You once imagined what it was like, being so in love with someone that he even kisses her at a stop light.”

My heart started to pound as David leaned towards me, eyes still fixed on mine. He brought a hand up and ghosted it down my cheek, leaving it to curve lightly around my neck, drawing me nearer. My palm rested on his chest as our lips met, burning a trail of heat throughout my body. His lips traced unfamiliar patterns on mine, my hand unconsciously twining into his hair. It wasn’t rushed or passionate; it felt like molten heat, slow and lazy.

Unnoticing of the light change or of cars honking; with his lips brushing mine, David whispered, “I love you.” And life, at that moment, was perfect.

A/N: Aaaannnddd.. that's it. Short, I know. Will I change this chapter in the near future? Most likely YES. If I'm not completely happy with it, why am I still uploading it and possibly opening myself up to unhappy reviewers (heaven forbid.)? I write really for pleasure, and for my own weird pleasure, I wanted to finish this story on June 12, 2008. Since I started it on June 12, 2007. hahaha YEP. And I've been completely busy these past couple weeks so.. yeah.. maybe look for an updated version sooooon.

I really want to thank EVERY reviewer that has ever reviewed TAOR, whether once or every chapter. It's cliche, but you guys really did help me keep going. As well, many thanks to those that added me to your favourite stories/authors, or story/author alerts. You all have no idea what a big grin I get on my face every time I get an email from fictionpress. I feel like I've formed a sort of bond with you reviewers over this past year, and you all mean so much to me. :)

As well, this MIGHT be the last time you'll see me posting here on fp for a whilee.. unless I get a really good idea for another one-shot or something. There's been a couple sci-fi/fantasy stories bouncing around in my head lately, and they're going to be serious, in-depth, and... very difficult to write. And I probably won't post it here just because.. yeah.. ahaha. But this has been SUPER fun, seriously. Feel free to PM me whenever. I LOVE YOU ALL!