Angelica froze as a floorboard squeaked rather loudly beneath her socked foot. She paused, breath held in desperately. She really didn't want to wake anyone. She didn't want them to see her after the way she'd acted.
"Ang?"
Too late. She sighed and turned to face the couch, a sheepish look plastered on her face.
Chuck got up from his makeshift bed. "You ok, Babydoll?"
She gave him an incredulous look. "You're not mad?"
"I quit being mad a while ago." he said. "I've just been worried." He made his way over to her. "You haven't left the bedroom all day. We've all been worried."
"I guess I didn't want to face everybody…" She hesitated then finally met his eyes. "I am kind of a brat…" she admitted in a whisper.
"It's ok, I do take things too seriously sometimes…"
"I'm sorry." they both said.
She laughed but then covered her mouth with a hand. "Oh, I hope I didn't wake anyone."
He drew her close and kissed her forehead. "Want to go to bed, then?"
"Well, I was making my way to…I…um…oh, whatever! I have to pee!" she squealed. "I haven't been all day!"
He stifled a laugh. "Ok, go pee."
She nodded and walked away as fast as her bladder would allow. When she got back to the bedroom, Chuck was in bed, comfortably sprawled out. An impromptu dinner (turkey and Brie on wheat, potato chips and apple juice) was set up for her on the dresser. She smiled as she took a sip of the apple juice, which was delightfully cold, especially after she'd stayed in bed all day, subsisting only on a lukewarm bottle of water. She sighed and crawled into bed next to her boyfriend. "I really don't deserve you." She whispered against the back of his neck.
"Oh, I wouldn't say that."
Her eyes flew open. "Oh, I thought you were asleep."
"Nope."
"It's true though," she said, feeling a little braver, a little more honest. "You're amazing. I just don't get it."
"Get what?" he asked.
"Why you love me." she said. "It doesn't make sense…I can be selfish, greedy, vain. I'm spoiled….I swear too much, drink too much, smoke too much…."
He lay there silently and let her barrage herself with criticism. When she was quiet, he turned to face her. "You done?"
She shrugged. "I guess so."
"Well." he said. He looked her in the eyes. "To be honest, you're sort of right. You can be all those things…But you can also be selfless, I've seen it. You can be just, and sweet and loving and compassionate. I guess you can even be compromising…occasionally."
He kissed her face. "You're the amazing one."
She sniffed and settled in against his chest, trying to discreetly wipe away her tears. "Love you." she said quietly.
"So, everything's ok now? We're good?"
She sighed. "Yeah…I'll play nice from now on, promise. Tomorrow, we'll go look for alien life forms or the loch ness monster or whatever the little freak wants to do."
"Actually, tomorrow's Kimi's day to choose. We're going to the beach at sunrise to do yoga and meditate and 'become one with Gaia' or something like that…"
"Sunrise? Um, I don't think so…"
He gave her an incredulous look.
"I mean…that sounds great. Yeah, waking up at sunrise on vacation to do yoga. Awesome. I'm excited. No, really."
"Good. I already set the alarm for six."
She kissed his face and settled in against him for sleep.
"Eat your dinner, Babydoll."
"I can't," she said around a yawn, "I'm too sleepy…Thanks, though. You're so good to me." She sighed against his chest. "I still think I don't deserve you."
"Don't say that."
"But it's true," she continued, yawning again. "You know it, everyone knows it." She said in a sleepy whisper, nodding off slowly.
"Angelica, have you ever thought about getting married?"
Angelica was suddenly wide-awake. "What? I—is this—are you?—"
"Calm down, I'm not asking now. I'm just saying, someday I might ask you…I mean, it's crossed my mind before…and I guess I just want to see what you think of it…Have you ever thought about it?"
"Well, yeah," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully. "I have. I do love you, you know. I mean—I used to not believe in marriage, but I also didn't believe in love one time. I have thought about it…I guess marriage wouldn't be that bad…I mean…yeah…I could marry you, maybe…possibly…if we signed a prenup and split all the rights and responsibilities fifty-fifty and…"
"Angelica, it's a marriage, not a business negotiation!"
"Oh, you're right, you're right! Ok, so sometimes I'm not the most romantic person, sorry…"
"That's ok…I think I love your flaws most of all."
Angelica scoffed. "Oh, whatever you say, Carrot Top. I think I'll eat a little of that dinner, after all." She got out of bed and turned toward her meal, busying herself with the sandwich so he couldn't see her crying.
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sorry i havent updated. my boyfriend and i broke up and i havent felt much like writing love stories. this is the end of part 4. ive already started part 5 and will have it up as soon as possible. sorry again. adore you all. please continue to read and review.
