down for you- ruel vandijk *NOT COMPLETED- i gave up for now*

Chapter Twenty Two

wait

hold up

i honestly started this bc i was bored and i'm now #1 in cocovandijk and #32 in ruel... thanks so much for reading and voting!

Anyway, here's chapter 22, as promised!

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I feel Ruel's gaze on me as I lie next to him in the darkness. I turn my head, and he pulls my hand into his and says, "I love you."

I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing him say that to me. "I love you."

The word feels new to say, but it's just voicing the feelings I've had since the day I met him at Madison Square Garden. It seems so crazy how little time has passed, but I feel like I've known Ruel for years. He pulls me closer to him, and I rest my head on his chest, and he kisses the top of my head. "Goodnight, baby." The words send electricity through my veins. I squeeze his hand in reply, too tired to talk.

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Before I know it, the sun's risen and is blinding my face. I hear a groan, and Ruel flops onto his other side, pushing me off the bed. I push him back. 

"Sorry, babe," he says with a grin and kisses me. His smile is contagious, and I grin back.

I hear the elevator ding, and Coco calls for us to hurry up and get dressed.

Could she see inside the tent?

"I'm assuming," she says.

Did I say that out loud?

"You did, a bit slow in the morning?" Ruel jokes and I throw a spare throw pillow at him from off the floor as he pulls his shirt on. I pout, so he throws me his shirt and I smile and pull it on as he pulls the sheets off and into a trash bag. Coco undoes the string lights while I walk over to help Isa. Charlie laughs and videos my waddle, and I swat her. When I think it can't get any worse, Isa pulls out a cake from behind her back. "For you!" she says, and Coco snorts.

She really just got me a virgin cake. Ruel shrugs and grabs a chunk of the cake and eats it. I scowl, and he grabs another piece and throws it at Coco. 

"No you did not!" she says, and her jaw drops as cake and white icing drip off her hair onto her shirt. She slowly walks over to me, and Ruel sees her and runs away. 

Pretty soon there's cake everywhere and we're all laughing and covered in icing. Nate steps off the elevator, sees us, and immediately turns around to leave, and we all laugh harder. Michelle comes up with her camera, shakes her head, and starts snapping photos, and I really, truly, smile, because I'm having the time of my life with my favorite people on the planet.