A.N - Reviews dropped a little last chapter but I can understand that, considering the short chapter. This one isn't much better - but you gotta love the ending. ;)
In brighter news, yay! English exam OVER with. I get a good three weeks now until my Science ones - one of which is half term. Updates galore. I want to try and finish a few of these stories to get a few new ones up.
Almost over this story - shame, I quite liked it. :)
Day Twenty Nine
Paul and I were sprawled on my couch, eyes fixed on the small television in my dorm room. Our assignment had been due in that morning so now we were just … hanging out.
Which just goes to show how our friendship had grown over the past week or so.
"Change the channel." I muttered to Paul, the remote in between us.
"Can't," he replied, standing up and knocking the remote towards me. "I'm getting a drink."
"Well, get me one then."
Paul nodded as I pushed the channel up button, flicking past music videos, football matches and reality shows.
"There's nothing on," I told him.
"What about America's Next Top Model?" Paul suggested, chucking a bottle of beer towards me.
I dutifully switched to the right channel and smirked at the show that was on. Paul shouldn't really know what time this show was on – but, hey, I wasn't complaining.
"Susannah is so much better looking than any of these," I found myself muttering.
"Hey, at least you could kiss them, if you wanted."
I glared at him.
"Watch it," I warned.
"Sorry," he held up his hands defensively. "I'm just saying. God, I'd go crazy if I couldn't kiss Maria for that long. You're doing well."
He clamped a hand on my shoulder, supposedly supportively, and I shrugged it off again.
"It helps that if you couldn't kiss Maria, she'd go off and kiss the next man that walked through the door."
Paul laughed. "Yeah," he agreed. "That is a part of it."
We watched the rest of the show in silence, not even commenting on the beautiful women parading on the screen.
Paul was too immersed in the show, whilst I was lost in my thoughts.
"I can't believe you did this to me, Marta!"
Hours later, Paul had left and Susannah was in the library, studying for an exam she had tomorrow. I, on the other hand, was in Marta and Susannah's dorm, finally making my anger known.
After twenty-seven days of pure torture, I was letting Marta know just how much this had hurt me.
"You don't know what it's like!"
"I do, remember?" She lazily flicked through a magazine, lying stomach down on her bed. "You've banned me from going out with Michael Meducci. Even after you found out he is innocent."
"Well, he can't be all that good for you if someone had decided to frame him like that."
I ran a shaky hand through my hair and took a deep breath.
"But that's not the point, Marta." I sat down next to her and took her magazine away, ignoring the glossy pictures of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie or whoever it was Marta was reading about. "The point is, that every second I spend away from Susannah is a second she might grow tired of me. She might even be cheating on me. I can't even kiss her, let alone …"
"Jesse," Marta sighed. "Susannah loves you, okay? She really, really does. I've told you before – it's sickening."
"But –"
"But nothing." She continued, taking my hand. "Sure, it sucks that you can't kiss each other like you want to – and I didn't think about how horrible it would be for the two of you when I dared it. I'm sorry – but Susannah respects you, Jesse. She knows how you feel about that and she's still with you. Has been for years."
She paused for a second and dropped my hand. It took her a second before she rolled her eyes.
"Oh, Díos," she cried. "I so just sounded like Mom."
She picked up the magazine again and turned to the page I'd interrupted her reading.
"Yes, you did," I chuckled. "But, thanks. It helped."
"And, just think," she continued. "Thirteen days, and this will be over. You two can … kiss, as much as you want."
I rolled my eyes.
"As always, thank you for your wonderful advice."
"De nada."
I was sat on the couch, watching television again – only this time I was alone.
Susannah was coming over shortly and I'd already lit the candles the way she liked, and sorted out a meal for her – she was usually hungry after an afternoon of studying.
Nervously, I played with the new box that hung heavily inside my jacket pocket.
After I left Marta's dorm, I realised just how much Susannah meant to – how much I never wanted to be without her.
I realised just how much I truly loved her.
And how much I wanted to marry her.
I pulled the box out of my pocket and flipped it open with a sigh.
With the soft candlelight playing against the diamond, it looked beautiful. The biggest diamond, in the middle, surrounded by smaller ones, stood dominantly on the silver band.
It was not extravagant, by any means. The engagement ring was the best I could afford, given the short notice.
But I hoped – knew – that Susannah would love it.
"Hey, honey." The click of Susannah's keys in the door startled me and I only just managed to push the box out of sight as she made her presence known.
"Hey, querida," I returned.
She walked towards me slowly, exhaustion exuding from her even as she dipped her head gracefully to kiss my cheek.
"Good day?" I asked.
She yawned whilst she nodded, raising her arms above her head and I watched as her tanned, toned stomach was slowly revealed to my gaze.
"If not tiring."
I snapped my eyes away from the exposed skin and pushed my attention back on the show I was watching.
"I missed you today," she carried on talking as she took her plate and tucked into my side. "It feels like it's been forever since we just had some us time, you know?"
I merely nodded, the nervousness built up in my throat making speech impossible.
She kissed my cheek again.
"I love you, you know?"
I nodded again and cleared my throat, fingering the box in my pocket once again.
"Susannah?"
"Mmhmm?" Her drowsiness was evident and I smoothed her hair away from her face gently.
"I just –" My voice cracked, so I cleared it. "Querida?"
"Yeah, Jesse?"
Her eyes were shut as her head lay against my chest, her hand resting next to it.
"Nothing."
