and we scored

Scene 36

CADEN

"What's wrong, love?" I ask as soon as I find her. Nini is sitting on the the swing on the porch, her eyes shattered with thoughts as she seems to be completely torn inside. She's been good this whole day, however. Better as good. After the night we've had, we spent the day together in the city and she had fun. She loved the tree and the moment she met Santa. She was happy. Even as the Christmas tree decorating party began, she was smiling bright. I also couldn't stop smiling just by looking at her. She is wearing a red dress that matches her hair beautifully and she was almost spreading cheer and joy to the world. Now, she's the opposite of cheerful.

Nini looks up at me then tries to break our eye contact. I come sit down next to her on the swing and give off the sweater I'm wearing, remaining only in my T-Shirt, so that she can have it. Her dress is sleeveless and I can assume she's freezing. She doesn't want to accept the sweater at first, however, she then takes it and thanks me.

Silence installs between us for some time. When I can't have it anymore, I repeat: "Broadway, what's wrong?"

She seems to want to hold it back inside again, but this time, the worries just explode and she says: "I thought I could do it, Caden. I really did. But I can't."

"Can't do what, love?" I ask, getting more worried by the minute.

"This", she says, gesturing between us. I worry so hard that I immediately tense. She notices since she explains: "Don't get me wrong, I love you. And that's exactly the thing."

"What do you mean?" I can't feel my breath anymore. My palms are sweating. I think I could collapse any moment now.

"I love you. I love you so much that every time you smile, your smile is the only thing I would ever want to see. When I see you cooking all I can think of is that someday, maybe one day, we will be cooking in our own home. I love you so much that I want to give you all my nights and let you hug me and kiss me until I'm sleeping in your arms. I love you. And I want all of this with you. But how could I ever think of something like that when we're not even together to begin with?"

I swallow hard. She said she loves me. Nini said she loves me. She said that she wants me to be that one. And I now I have to screw it up.

'Broadway...", I try to begin yet she interrupts me.

"No. Caden, you say that you don't want me as your girlfriend, but you introduce me like that to everybody. You told every single person at this party that I am your girlfriend."

Shit. She's right. I did just that.

"Broadway, I..."

"No, Caden. I don't know what to fake believe anymore. Why don't you want me as your girlfriend?"

"But I do", comes out of me without me even thinking about it first. All my walls are down. It's clear I could lose her any second now. I'll deal with the consequences of the deal later, now, all it matters, is making her stay: "I do. Broadway, there is nothing I would like more than to have you as my girlfriend. There is no one else I could ever love as much as I love you. Every day, I wake up happy that I'll get to see you. I want that all too. And I want it with you. Only you."

I can see tears in her eyes and cup her face in my palms to wipe them out. She smiles at me and my heart restores itself a little bit. Then, I look straight into her eyes and begin: "Would you, Nini Elway, like to be my girlfriend?"

She gasps and the next thing I know she's crashing her lips on mine, her hands wrapped around my neck as she's kissing me. "Yes", she whispers, her lips brushing mine. "Yes. Yes, yes, yes."

Although I feel something choking my neck knowing what I had just signed myself for, losing her in three months, her happiness right now is contagious. And I'll do my best so that she doesn't find out about the deal and we can continue being together forever. Because she's it for me. She's the realest thing that ever happened to me. And even if it didn't start out so romantic, she's all I think of when I think about love now.

Nini comes closer to sit in my lap, holding me closer so that she can kiss me more. I wrap my arms around her waist and keep her so tight, afraid she might slip away. In three months, she will. Even if you can convince Tessa to end this deal, the moment Nini finds out she was just a deal for you at the beginning, she won't forgive you. I try to push those thoughts away and focus just on her. She's meanwhile making her way along my neck, kissing and giving me shivers. It feels so good, I think I don't ever want it to stop.

"I love you, Caden", she whispers, her lips on my skin.

Forget before, now it feels even better.

"I love you too, Broadway. I'm yours. Forever."
~

It's late at night I get the text.

TESSA: I've seen your story.

I immediately tense. Because I know what the story says. It's a picture of Nini and me decorating the tree at the party, with the text: "Holidays with my beautiful girlfriend". Although I was aware of the danger I'd put myself into, a part of me wanted to let the world know she's mine now. And that no other guy should touch her, or I'll really make them pay for it.

TESSA: Congratulations on the girlfriend.

TESSA: I think you know what this means.

TESSA: Deal on.

"Fuck", I swear out loud. Nini, who is lying down next to me, drawing hearts on my back, immediately tenses.

"Everything alright, Caden?" she asks.

"Yeah, don't worry, Broadway, I lie, pulling hereven closer. I just want to feel her with me. For as long as I can. "Everythingis fine."