see you later // Pablo Gavi

Chapter 41

𝑰 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆. 𝑵𝒐𝒘, 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚, 𝑰'𝒎 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆.

𝐆𝐀𝐕𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑, 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓, 𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍, 𝐒𝐀𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆, "𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐅𝐓 𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔?"

I grin up at my beautiful companion. "I've never been more ready, Gavi."

He nods, but pulls out no present yet. First, he says, "Are you wearing that bracelet I bought you the first day we went out, to the mall?"

I blink, then smile, just oh so very softly. "Of course I am. I always wear it. It stayed on my wrist, even when I was mad at you."

His eyes get even softer at this, if that's even possible. I can tell that really touches him. So it also touches me, to know that I touched him. "Well, anyway, I think what I have for you might... Well, never mind. Just tell me if you like it. There is a note in the box I wrote before... anticipating plans to go differently..." He looks a little embarrassed. "I don't know if it will still apply, anyway, but still read it." Then he presents me with a gift. It's a tiny little box, and it looks like there must be some sort of jewelry inside it.

I glance to him with a smile, before opening the box. There is a piece of greyish white paper folded up inside the box. I take it out, and unfold it, and read his messy Spanish handwriting.

To my love, Ember Escarro,

Ever since I've met you, I've made me happier. You brighten up my life, and I look forward to every moment I get to spend with you. I love your lovely smile, your beautiful silky locks, your thick perfect eyebrows, the way you do your makeup, your black deep eyes that are so mysterious, I have yet to be able to understand them, your perfect skin, the beauty mark above your left eyebrow, your small, upturned nose, your thick, beautiful lips, that I have thought of kissing so many times.

I notice every single beautiful thing about you. Your personality, too, I love as well. I love how relaxed you are. I love how ambitious you are to reach your goals. I love how flexible you are. I love how you have so much internal strength, but you also have no need to be the strongest. I love how genuine you are SO MUCH. So honest, it is refreshing from a world of lies and fakers. You're so gentle, understanding, and sympathetic, too, though, at the same time. You're so contemplative and generous. Intelligent, calm, kind, daring, enthusiastic, educated, imaginative, all at the same time, and I love it, so much.
I'm aware of how much of a sappy, cliche note this is, but I guess you make me sappy and cliche, then if that's really possible. All this note is is a need for me to be honest, and tell you what I really think and feel, because I think it's about time. I know you're upset because of how long I've been silent, but it's simply because I wasn't sure. I wanted to make sure you really did like me back, because I didn't want to risk ruining our friendship if you didn't feel the same time. Now I'm pretty positive we feel the same way.
So, in short, I love you, so, so much, Ember.
Football and Ember Escarro are my face. And you know how much football is my life. You're that important to me.

You matter so much to me, you're all I think about. You take up all my thoughts. I can't sleep at night, just thinking about you. You make my heart beat faster, and I love to be able to hold and love you. You are all I want right now, Ember, and I promise I'll be loyal. I promise to love you.

So, this note, in short? I love you will all my heart, and I hope you do, too, so I'm asking you: Would you like to date me?

P.S. Sorry if you think I'm coward because I had to write it down in a note instead of say it, or because I took so long to finally ask you this. Please understand why. You know I'm a terrible speaker, and I'd just be awkward if I really tried to express these emotions to you. I hope you understand.

And I hope you say yes

With my whole heart; all my love,

Pablo

I look up at that beautiful boy again. He sits there, staring at me, looking a little, very, very slightly nervous. He says, seeming a little embarrassed, very quickly, "Sorry if I sound stupid or cliche or... whatever..."

"Shut up, Gavi," I say softly, kissing his smooth, clean-shaven cheek. My eyes are watering yet again, because it's him, of course. The boy who makes me cry. "This is the sweetest thing I've ever received. I'm keeping this forever, you know. I'll never throw this away. I'll keep this with me forever. And if anyone should be saying sorry, it's me."

"Ember, I already said it's okay-"

"I know I'm forgiven about kissing him. But I'm saying about more. Everything. I misunderstoof your silence. Now I understood. I'm completely in the wrong. You did nothing wrong. You, in fact, are perfect. You're the sweetest guy anyone could ever meet."

He chuckles a bit, scratching the back of his neck. "Thanks, Ember. I don't know if you're the most perfect girl anyone could ever meet, but you certainly are the most perfect girl I could ever meet." These words hit hard, true, right on the mark. They are complete truth, I think. Full truth. "Anyway, look at the actual gift now, won't you? I'm getting impatient."

I look back down at the box, then, and I'm astonished. Perfect gold that matches my bracelet beautifully. It's a necklace, with a real gold chain, but the charms! The charms are beautiful.

Three charms. One, a golden heart. And two more. On the left, the two small letters 'P.G', and on the right side of the heart, the two small letters 'E.E'.

He gently takes the necklace from my hands, and reaches around my neck, putting it on me. He straightens it, then mutters with a little adorable smile, "Do you like it?"