the secret » david dobrik au

T W E N T Y - T W O

"Don't answer that!" David snatched my phone faster than I could blink. It was Lydia calling, and I was completely confused.

"Why?" I rolled over in bed so I was facing him. Yes, after explaining to our friends that we were officially together, we went back to bed and hadn't left since. It was five o'clock in the afternoon now.

"I haven't given you your birthday present yet."

"What does that have to do with Lydia?"

"Um..." he got nervous quickly, and his cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "I found her Facebook and asked her about what I got you... you know, to see if you'd like it. She's probably calling to see what happened."

I stared at him in shock, but a few seconds later my dropped jaw morphed into a grin. I said, "You asked my aunt what to get me for my birthday?"

"I just wanted to make sure it was something you'd like."

Like the Grinch, my heart grew three sizes just hearing that.

"Where is it?" I glanced at the missed call and three text notifications on my phone, knowing if I didn't get back to Lydia soon, her brain might explode. She had a pretty busy life taking care of a middle schooler at just twenty four; I was practically her only source of entertainment.

"The house. I didn't bring it 'cause I didn't think you'd give up so easily."

My jaw dropped, and I whacked him on the arm. "Are you fucking serious? I can un-give up real quick if you keep talking shit!"

He grabbed my wrist to stop me from hitting him more, his other hand going to my waist so he could encourage me (AKA push me until I moved myself) on top of his lap. He said, "I'm kidding, Evangeline. You gave up in the perfect amount of time."

"I seem to remember you being scared I wasn't gonna say it back," I teased, my hands going to cup his cheeks. He smiled, a genuine smile, his hands going to sit on top of mine.

"Evan," he took a deep breath. We sat in silence for a moment, warm silence, comfortable silence. There was a connection, and I knew we could both feel it. Just sitting there on top of him, looking into his eyes, I felt whole... or, at least, as close to whole as one could be with a past like mine.

"I love you," I said, and I meant it. I meant it with every single cell that made up my heart. I didn't know you could actually feel it in your chest when you said I love you. It had never happened to me before, the way it felt like my heart was going to burst when I stared at him too long.

It was fucking terrifying for someone like me. Someone who had been abandoned and betrayed by people they loved over and over again. It was scary to look at someone and have to wonder in the back of your mind if they were going to be just like everyone else.

I shook all those thoughts to the side when David responded, "I love you, too. I can't believe we haven't been saying that the whole time we've known each other."

"I didn't even like you until yesterday," I giggled, knowing it was a lie. I was just in denial.

"You're such a liar. You've been trying to tie me down since the day you met me."

"Hmm, no," I smiled. I pointed to the closed bedroom door. "They've been trying to make me tie you down since the day I met you."

He laughed to himself, his hand moving from mine to the back of my neck. He was slowly pulling me down towards him, saying, "I'm not too mad at them, to be honest."

"Me either," I sighed as our lips finally met. It felt like heaven in that moment. I didn't know how to explain it other than this: putting the last piece of a puzzle that took you way too long into place. Finally feeling a sense of accomplishment. Finally feeling like you know what you're doing.