accidental love • n.maloley「✓」| EDITING

twenty-four

nate

waking up, i find natalia still fast asleep in bed, but anderson nowhere to be seen. it's then that i hear water running coming from the bathroom, the door wide open and the light on. sliding out of bed, i walk over towards the bathroom door, leaning against the doorframe and watching with a toothless smile as anderson washes her face, completely oblivious to me standing her.

"how're you still so flawless at 8:30 in the morning?" i ask, and anderson jumps, letting out a quiet squeal.

she turns to face me as she dries her face, her eyes wide. "god nate, you scared the shit out of me," she says and my grin widens. "is natalia still sleeping?" she then asks.

"mhmm," i hum, slightly nodding. she simply nods in response before turning back towards the mirror. "when are we going over to your parents?"

"whenever we all get dressed," she answers. "i'm going to do my hair and make-up when we get over there because i have to do carrington's anyways." this time it's me nodding in response. "so, get dressed while i pick out natalia's clothes for today." and with that she's steps around me and heads over towards natalia's bags.

i do as she said though, and gather a nice pair of jeans and a nice shirt before going into the bathroom and changing. once we're all dressed and ready, we exit the hotel and head towards anderson's parents' place.

××

"nate, can you take the picture please?" anderson asks, holding her phone out for me. if there's one thing i've learnt about anderson's family, it's that they like to take a lot of pictures on special occasions. they've took more pictures today for carrington's graduation than i have my entire life.

"of course," i say, taking the phone from her. she smiles at me before moving to stand by her parents and carrington, all of them getting positioned before smiling widely. i snap the picture, then i snap one of anderson and carrington, then another one of anderson and emily, before anderson takes her phone back and continues taking pictures of everyone herself.

"nate, anderson, get the baby and let me take a picture," mrs. ford says, motioning for us to stand together. neither of us argue, anderson simply taking natalia from carrington's arms and moving to stand next to me. i wrap an arm around her torso, allowing her to lean into my side as she cradles natalia, both of us smiling widely as her mom snaps the picture.

"perfect." her mom smiles, handing anderson her phone. anderson takes it and clicks on the picture, both of us admiring it.

"you're so gorgeous," i quietly tell her, laying my head on top of hers. i can hear the smile break out on her face, causing me to smile.

"i love you," she then admits, taking me by surprise. i remove my head from hers and she turns to meet my gaze, a small smile still playing on her lips. i can't help but to smile widely, glancing down at natalia before looking back up at anderson.

"and i love you, andy. i always have."

××

i roll over onto my side, fiddling with natalia's hand as she sleeps. i let out a quiet sigh and anderson rolls over, her eyes finding mine in the dark. i guess my sigh wasn't as quiet as i thought it was.

"why're you still awake?" she whispers, and i glance at the clock, shocked to find that it's already two am.

"just been thinking." i shrug. "why're you still awake?"

"can't sleep," she says, her gaze dropping to natalia. she lifts a hand and gently rubs natalia's cheek with her thumb, admiring the sleeping baby. and despite the fact that it's two in the morning, anderson's gesture makes it impossible for me not to ask her right now.

"can i ask you something, andy?"

she looks back up and meets my gaze. "of course."

"you already play the role, so there's no need to even ask you, but will you be natalia's mom? and i mean, legally be her mom. like, go have your name put on the birth certificate and everything."

"i'd be honored, but only if that includes being your girlfriend," she replies, and a smile slowly breaks out across my face.

"i wouldn't want it any other way," i tell her truthfully.

"and neither would i."