East Chapel Academy

Chapter 27-Nia

"Marcus," I gasped as I stepped closer. Marcus sat in the window seat. "Did you do all of this?"

        The section had been decorated like something out of my dreams. String lights hung above the window illuminating the rather dull space. Multi-colored throw pillows lined the seat cushions, and small battery operated candles flickered on the bookshelves. 

   "I had some help," he told me. "Do you like it?" he asked visibly nervous.

        "Like it," I smiled, taking everything in. "I love it." It was breathtaking. I've never had anyone do anything like this for me before.

        "Really?" he breathed. "You don't think it's too much."

        "No," I assured him. "It's beautiful."

He smiled down at me, and I felt my whole body catch on fire with something I've never felt before. For a moment, we just stared at one another, and I could have looked at him all day.

        "Come sit, I have more," he said gesturing for me to sit next to him.

        More? What could make this any more perfect than it already is?

        I sat down next to him. A sliver of sunlight passed through the sheer curtains, highlighting his gorgeous green eyes and long lashes. "I'll never get tired of looking at him," I thought to myself.

        "Okay, what else did you want to show me?" I was itching to find out what else he had planned.

        "Hold on a second," he said bending over. He opened a panel under the seat and pulled out a small brown picnic basket.

        "Has that always been there?" I asked surprised. I sit here often, and I never knew that panel opened. 

        "Well, not the basket," he responded. "But the hiding spot was. This place is full of old hiding places."

        Figures, the school is over hundred years old. Who knows what's hidden behind these old walls. Marcus opened the basket to reveal, a bunch of snacks inside. I was so nervous that I hadn't eaten much of my salad during lunch, so this is exactly what I needed.

    He'd really thought of everything.

    "I've brought a few snacks for us," he explained as he pulled things out of the basket.

     "These are my favorite. How did you know?" I asked pulling a Rice Krispy treat from the line he had made. There were lots of things, fruit snacks, chips, cookies, and oddly enough, juice boxes.

        He shrugged. "Dumb luck, I guess. Rosa put this together for us, I didn't know what you liked so I told her to throw something together. E.J. is responsible for the juice boxes."

    "That's so sweet of him," I laughed. I looked over everything, and decided on two things. "How is my boyfriend by the way?" I asked only half-joking.

    "He's great, still obsessed with his iPad," he said. "But that's to be expected."

        I unwrapped my treats, and placed the straw in my juice box. "How's your Mom?"

    "Good," he said. "She's been posting a lot more, since her book came out. So I've been forced to take a lot more photos of her."

    "I didn't know you were into photography."

    "Well, I wasn't until she realized I was competent enough to hold the camera still and press a button. It was only a few pictures here and there at first, but now I really enjoy it."