Unconditionally

Chapter 0.21

  May 2018

|| Marabelle ||

When the following Saturday had come around, I found myself in the studio that morning with the girls. So far, ignoring Delilah has been the easiest thing ever. I just pretend she's not there. Works like a charm.

"Alright, ladies. That's was great," I said to the girls as our dance came to an end.

"Righty ho, can I bolt? I gotta go pack," Stacy said with a large grin.

"Yeah, yeah. Get outta here," I laughed. Stacy's going on a two week cruise with her longtime boyfriend Will for their anniversary.

After Stacy had left, Karla retreated because she had plans and then Mal deserted because she had an appointment at the hairdresser.

"Marabelle? Can we talk?" Delilah asked me while I packed my stuff away. I'm due at the spa to meet Laura so we can get all pampered for tonight.

"No. I'm about to leave," I said harshly.

"Marabelle, please," She pleaded.

"I don't wanna hear it, Delilah," I snapped as I turned to face her. "You hurt my friend and I'm not okay with that."

"I didn't mean to," She said.

"You didn't mean to?" I echoed. "So you mean to say that you tripped and then your tongue ended up in Nate's mouth? I'm finding that just a little hard to believe."

"I didn't want to hurt Freddie," She said. "I was gonna end things with him... He just walked in at the wrong time."

"Why Nate?" I asked. "Of all people, why Nate?"

"We've been on and off since we met," She mumbled. "But now...we're sure we want to try us. I just didn't know how to tell Freddie."

"So you let him walk in instead," I said dryly.

"He won't take my calls... Just please tell him that I'm sorry and I didn't mean to hurt him," She sighed before walking out the room.

The nerve of this girl!

When I had gotten to the Luna Day Spa a little while later, Laura met me outside before we headed in. Karliegh is staying with her aunt tonight so she's not here.

"I'm so glad you agreed to come with Freddie tonight," Laura said to me as we sat getting foot massages. "It'll be lovely to have you by his side."

"I really don't mind going with him," I told her.

"Marabelle, I really hope you don't mind me questioning," She said, "but...are you and Freddie just friends? I mean..."

"We really are," I said quickly. "There's nothing more than platonic between us."

She sighed. "I was hoping you wouldn't say that."

"Freddie's just broken up with Delilah. Its too soon for him to move on," I said.

"So you're saying that once he's had time to heal that there could possibly be more between you two?" She asked with a smirk, finding the loophole in my sentence.

"Wait, I don't -it doesn't -no I -" I stuttered to find the words.

"I always knew there was something off about that Delilah girl. And I was more than ready to give her a piece of my mind when I found out how much she'd hurt my little boy. I was so mad. But then I realised that perhaps this is an opportunity for you two to get together."

"I don't know," I mumbled.

"You both have feelings for each other," She said knowingly. "What's stopping you from being together?"

"He...he has feelings for me?" I murmured.

"He does," She nodded. "He hasn't said anything yet but its obvious just by the way he looks at you."

The way he looks at me...?

"I don't know if we'll ever be together," I said with a sigh.

She smiled at me. "All good things come to those who wait, Marabelle. They really do."

***

"Wow," I murmured to myself as I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

After the spa with Laura, I came back home to get ready for tonight. Mallory would have helped me get ready but Scott unexpectedly came down with a serious fever this afternoon and I told her to stay home with him.

For tonight I was wearing a gorgeous Elie Saab purple ombre couture dress that my mom had shipped to me from Paris and a stunning pair of strappy silver Jimmy Choo heels. I had curled my hair and then clipped it back with a diamond encrusted butterfly clip I had gotten from my nana before she passed on a few years ago.

I left my make-up semi natural with just foundation, eyeliner, mascara and a nude pallet eye shadow. Of course I brushed on a bit of highlighter and did a classic matte red lip. Around my neck was a beautiful gold pendant that Evan had given me for my eighteenth birthday.

Just as I slipped all my necessities into my small clutch, I heard a knock on my bedroom door.

"Come in," I called, knowing that it would be Freddie.

"Wow," He murmured with wide eyes as I turned to face him, causing me to smile a bit.

"Hey, peaches."

"Belle...you look beautiful," He said as he came closer to me.

"Thanks," I said, feeling my cheeks heat up. "You look pretty dapper yourself." And damn he did. The fitted tux looked amazing on him.

"Shall we get going? My mom hates it when I'm late," He said, extending his hand to me.

"Yeah, let's roll," I said as he lead me out.

The drive in the town car was spent with Freddie explaining to me what tonight was actually about. His dad is pretty big in business and tonight was supposed to be a whole glitz and glam thing.

When we had gotten to the banquet hall where the event was to be held, I was nearly blinded by the camera flashes as Freddie helped me out of the car.

Meeting up with his parents, we were made to pose for the cameras for a little while before finally going inside.

"Marabelle, you look absolutely beautiful!" Laura gushed as she hugged me.

"Thank you! You look fabulous too," I told her because she really did in her satin teal gown.

After greeting Ben, Freddie's father, the two of us headed off before we could be sucked into conversation with business people.

"Think you can handle one glass of champagne?" Freddie asked me with a smirk as we stood at the bar.

"Shut up," I laughed. "Yeah I can handle a glass."

The bubbly champagne went down easily before we were pulled into conversation and then asked to take more photographs with his parents. But halfway through the evening we both found ourselves bored out of our minds.

"I say we skip out," Freddie said.

"We can't," I reminded. "Your mom would kill both of us."

"Trust me, she won't notice," He said.

Looked at him. "You sure?"

"Dead sure," He nodded.

"Alright then. Let's blow this joint."

After Freddie had requested us an uber, we quickly snuck out the back door to where our uber was waiting.

"We going back to the apartment?" I asked him.

"Nope," He shook his head. "The beach."

"The beach?" I echoed.

"Yup," He nodded. "Its a nice night. Why stay cooped up inside?"

"You make a good point there," I agreed.

When we had gotten to the beach, Freddie paid the uber driver before we got out the car and then made our way to the boardwalk.

"Hang on, lemme take my shoes off real quick," I said as I stopped to unclip my heels and then take them off.

"I don't know how you can walk in those death traps," He laughed.

"They're not that bad," I giggled.

"So what do you say, Belle? Fancy a quick dip?" He asked me when we got to the mermaid pool while taking off his shoes.

"Now? Like right now?"

"Right now," He nodded as he loosened his tie and took it off before unbuttoning his shirt which nearly made me loose all sanity.

"What if someone comes past?" I questioned.

"At nine thirty?" He raised an eyebrow.

"You never know," I defended.

"Then we'll just be quiet."

I contemplated it. "Oh, fuck it. Yolo right?"

I dropped my shoes and purse next to his stuff and then managed to undo the knot that kept my dress tight at the back before letting it fall to the ground, leaving me in just a pair of lacy purple undies and a strapless matching bra.

After he had taken off his pants, we made our way down the steps and then into the chilly water.

"This is ridiculous," I laughed as we swam around the water.

"Yet here you are doing it," He chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," I smiled before splashing him a little.

The splashing continued as he backed me up against a boulder, leaving nowhere for me to swim.

"You're driving me crazy, Marabelle Jaimeson," He said as he came nearer to me until there was almost no space left between us.

"The good kind of crazy, right?" I asked almost breathlessly.

"Totally," He nodded before putting his mouth against mine.

The kiss managed to send a warm spark through me, almost making me forget that we were in cold water. My arms wrapped around his neck and my legs went around his torso as the heated kiss took its course.

"Oh my god," I groaned as he peppered kisses down my neckline. "You drive me crazy too, Freddie," I whispered into his ear.

He looked up and grinned at me. "The good kind of crazy?"

"Totally."  

***

Eyyyyy! Guys, im so sorry ive been AWOL for the past month and a half. ive just started my last year of school with my tutors and so getting around to updating has just been difficult. I hope you guys liked this chapter ;)

Enjoy Love Story by Taylor Swift. My favourite throwback song of hers (Also, still really obsessed with Reputation!!)