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UNTIL THAT MOMENT, Steven had never even been close to experiencing real love. He may have thought so in the past—about his friends or his family—but this kind of love, this feeling of absolute adoration, was totally new to him, and he couldn't help but enjoy it. He actually never wanted it to stop; he wanted to keep that amazing feeling forever.
He felt like she was the most important thing in the world. And she was. In his world, she had become the most important thing.
It may have sounded extremely cringe—and definitely very unlikely—but the boy had never been more sure about anything in his seventeen years of life.
He loved Julie Fisher with all of his heart.
He got a habit of observing her whenever he had the chance, and as he only had one though as he watched her from across from the table: she couldn't be more perfect.
She was picking slightly at the boiled vegetables, something that she actually used to enjoy. She pulled some hair behind her ear, revealing the unsettled look on her face.
If Susannah or Laurel had looked at the girl, they would be able to see that something was wrong. Maybe they would just have brushed it off as the girl being tired, but Steven could see it was something else. Something that got his stomach filled with butterflies too.
"So," Susannah put down her fork, wiping her mouth in a napkin. "The debutant ball is this week—" She smiled brightly at Isabel. "—And even though Belly is the only one coming out, we thought it would be fun to all go together." When Jeremiah and Julie shared a look, their mother was quick to add: "It's gonna be fun!"
"I don't know, mum," Julie smiled nervously, "Wouldn't it be weird if we all showed up?"
"No!" The older woman smiled excitedly. "Janet said, that we could bring as much people as we wanted!"
Isabel sent the twins a begging look. "Please, guys?"
"I'll come!" Steven joined the conversation for the first time, "There's gonna be free food! Who says no to that?"
When her mother sent her a pointed look, Julie was quick to agree with him.
"Sure. Why not?" Julie laughed slightly as her mother reached over to squeeze her hand in thankfulness.
"We need to get you all some new clothes! You can't turn up in just anything!" Susannah was already in a frenzy.
"Can we talk about that later?" Jeremiah sighed as he slumped down in his chair, exhausted after eating. "I feel like I just ate a cow."
"You basically did," Julie teased, "Four portions is too much for everyone."
"Hey! I was hungry," He tried defending himself, but they were all laughing at the boy, so he just sighed, slumping further down the chair and letting out a huff of annoyance. "You'll all regret this."
☼ ☼ ☼ ☼
"HERE, LET ME help you," Steven and Julie were slowly coming back to their tradition of washing dishes together. Today, Steven took the cloth in his hand and began drying off the dishes Julie had washed.
"Thank you," her voice sounded nervous and he ragged his brain for ways to make her comfortable again.
"You, uh, look nice," He instantly regretted his words and closed his eyes in annoyance of himself.
"Thank you," she let out a short laugh and he smiled slightly.
They stood like that for a while: her washing the dishes and him drying them off.
They didn't speak, but the silence engulfing them was comforting. Feeling her so close to him made Steven's urge to pull her into the longest hug possible and never let her go bigger by the second, but he held himself together.
As they finished of, she looked up at him questioningly and he immediately responded by taking her hand, and leading her down towards the beach.
As they stood there, face to face, with a hesitant silence between them, Julie couldn't help but crack a smile.
"This is giving me a bit déjà vu, to be honest," she smiled.
"Me too," he laughed nervously, "I just hope this goes better,"
"You were kind of a dick last time,"
He couldn't help but laugh at that, but as he quietened down again, the silence felt suffocating.
"I," she looked down at her feet, suddenly hesitant.
He saw the look on her face and took her hand in his, trying to calm her.
"I don't think, I can handle another heartbreak this summer," she laughed sarcastically, and he sent her a look.
"I won't break ever break your heart. I promise," That was a promise he intended on keeping. Seeing her hurt made him hurt, and he had already messed her feelings up way too much in the spam of two month.
He looked down at her and she met his gaze head on.
As they slowly inched closer to another, Steven took her other hand in his too, lacing their fingers together, before meeting her lips halfway.
One of her hands loosened the grip on his, and instead went around his neck, pulling him closer. He tried his hardest not to smile into the kiss as his arm went around her waist, pulling her body into his, but he couldn't help himself from letting wide grin spread on his face.
As they pulled away to catch their breath, he pulled her into a tight hug, resting his head on top of hers and hiding his face in her hair, inhaling the calming scent she radiated.
"I love you." He whispered into her hair, kissing her head gently.
She didn't hesitate a moment before returning it, whispering a quiet "I love you too," to the older boy.
They pulled back and looked at each other for a moment, before reconnecting their lips. For a moment, against all odds, it was perfect.
✸ edited ✸ i don't understand how people can write 5000 word chapters... i feel like i've written a long chapter after 1000
