Finally, when things were normal between us, the day to return home had arrived too.

Thinking about the things that encountered on the trip, it felt nostalgically memorable already. I found my true love, was the only thing that mattered to me the most.

Though one question lingered in my mind for a long, how did even Chloe get that recording when this was my conversation with Vian's dad?

Vian told everyone on the trip that all that recording was a prank planned by Chloe, him, and me which cleared out all the misunderstandings, but my only focus now was to face the squad and Casey.

We were on the bus and were about to reach in an hour at the university when I excused myself for a moment to take a nap.

Sleepyhead. Don't you see your subconscious scoffed at you and here you're oblivious of any fact?

My slumber got pleasantly troubled by soft hands caressing my shoulder and how I wanted to just wake up like this every morning by Vian.

Look who's getting cheesy.

You're the one sending these lines to my head.

Haha. Ha. Yeah.

"So, you're going to tell everyone about us... right?" Vian asked with a confused expression.

"Why wouldn't I? Unless... you want us to be a secret?" I stated.

"It's just... I like to keep things personal and since my dad is back in town and knows about us... I don't have a good feeling about it."

"I'm with you whatever will be your decision," Though, I asked him to be by his decision, but deep down I wanted to not keep this a secret.

"Since it's about us, only my decision is void enough. I want to know what you truly suggest." He draped his arms around my shoulder and engulfed me in a light hug.

I couldn't help but try to resist the smile forming on my lips. At this point, I would have done anything to be with him.

You're already. How's the feeling of living my life, sleepyhead!

The bus came to a halt near the university gate and I yawned while stretching my hands after getting the roll call done.

My sleepy eyes bolted open in a shot as the view in front of my eyes seemed like an unrealistic dream.

"Xavier?" I shouted and he looked back at me. "Casey?" Vian chimed from behind my back as he unloaded our luggage.

A couple of surprises? It's not my age, but did you get the dad joke? Haha.

What even? I marched my way towards them, and Xavier left Casey's hand and ran towards me. "Jo!! I missed you, kiddo!" He exclaimed and hugged my form and started to encircle me around.

"What's going on? Are you guys dating? Why didn't you guys tell me? Xavier! How did you forget me? Was this our best friendship? Was this our love?" I started to bombard him with my questions as the sight in front of me of Xav kissing Casey left me in shock.

"Calm down! Calm down. It just... happened. And I wanted to tell you in person, so I waited for your arrival back at home. Also, grandpa misses you. Swing by, okay?" He explained.

"I'm so happy for you." I hugged him again and hugged Casey too who seemed more interested in knowing something about Vian which he answered her by rolling his eyes.

I don't think you should tell about yourself, right now?

"Let's go home, shall we?" Xavier said to me as I had to meet with the squad who were waiting for me at Xav's uncle's house.

He kissed Casey Goodbye and went to load my luggage in the car.

Just as I was about to walk away, I felt a tug at my wrist, halting me to move ahead.

"Ouch- wait," Vian whisper shouted.

"What happened?" I asked suddenly.

"My heart can't take this, don't go. I miss you." He dramatically said.

"I'm here only, Vian. I just moved a bit, how can you miss me?" I asked dumbfounded.

He leaned closer until his lips brushed over mine. "Hmm, now I don't miss you." His lips lingered over mine as I pushed him a little.

Idiot is making me shy. Back off bitch.

"If Xav or Casey see us, then we can't keep us a secret, you know?"

"What's going on?"

"Are you guys dating?"

"Why didn't you guys tell me?" Jo, How did you forget me?"

"Was this our best friendship?"

"Was this our love?"

I heard Xavier's voice and the well-versed lines I recited a few minutes ago. Shit.

I turned around and looked at him with puppy eyes, "I knew it!" Casey shouted and jumped to hug me, blocking the air from my lungs.

What a couple of surprises. My jokes are getting old. Shit.

Drown me somewhere, I can't take this anymore. "Umm..." I started to blabber until Vian, Casey and Xavier fell into a fit of laughter, high-fiving each other.

"What the actual hell?" I said with a serious face with an expression of anger that could lead to the devastation of the creature species off this planet, which I mean by Xavier.

"Vian?" I asked with my eyes ready to pop out of their sockets.

"Sorry, not sorry. But I wanted to see this priceless expression of yours after getting pranked." He laughed.

"Welcome to the squad, brother." Xav and Vian hugged, which made me emotional and sigh in awe.

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

I reached Xavier's house after bidding quite a farewell to Vian and Casey. Entering in, I was taken aback when the rest of the squad gave me a sweet welcome.

Uncle Gabs had prepared my favorite dishes and gave me a saccharine welcome.

"Thank you for making it alive till here!" Kia exclaimed and hugged me tightly.

What's with the hug? Am I a teddy?

"Wouldn't leave the chance to be your bridesmaid, girl!" I coyly said and nudged Mark who was smirking looking at Kia.

Crap! If it wasn't for me, you would have died long gone.

"Ughh," I let out an exasperated groan, listening to my inner voice non-stop throwing daggers at me.

"What happened, Jo?" Xav asked.

"Nothing, I'm just tired..."

No, go on, tell him, you can't even fight yourself. Let me tell you, though, the most dangerous enemy of yourself is you.

Not again.

"So, so, so... please tell me what I have heard is true. I'm dying for this to hear!" Abby cheered.

"Yeah! It's true, Vian just confirmed it!" Xavier said, more like made a slimy face.

"Omg! Omg! Omg! So you realized finally you like Vian, Jo. I'm so happy for you," Abby said and hugged me again, and they all got together for the group hug, squeezing the life out of me.

"How do you know, Abby?" I asked.

"Umm... Jackson told me. We have been texting lately," she blushed.

Woah! Sounds like you all got your partners. Yet another couple of surprises. I need to shut up. Bye.

The last line of yours has my heart, my sweet inner voice.

"For the record, I love him, liking was in the past I guess," I chimed and earned dramatic gasps from all of them.

"What happened exactly at the trip, girl!" Kia smacked at my arm and jumped excitedly.

What, are you 13?

Control!

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

I tried to sleep at night, but I was not able to. I was tired as hell but at the same time, I couldn't sleep. There was something that felt missing.

What you have done to be tired of? Eat, sleep, repeat is your life rule for God's sake.

I unlocked my phone and decided to text Vian.

Jo
Hey... Are you asleep?

I waited for a couple of seconds, but I got no reply, so I kept the phone on the nightstand and looked blankly towards the ceiling.

*Chimes*

I saw the notification and a grin automatically formed on my face. It was Vian's message.

Vian
Yes, I'm asleep.

Jo
Casey?

Vian
Umm... Jo, it's me, your love. And it's my freaking phone!

*Photo*

Jo
That doesn't look like home.
Are you out somewhere?

Vian
Yes, princess.

He was wearing a black turtleneck with black joggers, with a black baseball cap on his head. In short, his favorite color. The only thing which seemed different was his metal piercings, of which the silver color brightly chimed. He was looking ethereal handsome.

Vian
*photo*

Jo
Ugh... why did you send me a pic of an empty road?

Wait! Is there a ghost? Omg!!

Vian
My penguin, look clearly...

Jo
Wait... this is outside the dormitory?
You are here?
What?
Why?
How?

He stopped replying, and I got up from my bed and slid my slippers on, rushing out to meet him.

I was acting like a freaking kid who got excited seeing her boyfriend, but I wanted to experience all of this. The love, the passion, the madness of everything... after all I was a hopeless romantic, and my dream was coming true.

Just as I was about to pull the door of my room, I heard a knock on my window.

I turned around to see him knocking in a rhythmic tone. I snapped out of it, realizing he was outside, and I immediately opened the window. He climbed in and his tall figure stood close to me.

"What are you doing here? What if someone sees you?" I whispered, keeping in mind that Kia was still there in the next room and if she woke up, she will wake everyone up in the dormitory.

"Don't worry, nobody saw me. I'm an expert in sneaking to places where I'm not even allowed to." He whispered back and got on his one knee.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Beautiful flower for my beautiful girlfriend," he chirped. It was just the same rose he gave me for our first... date?

Thank God, you realized it was a date.

"What's the occasion?" I asked, taking the rose from his hand and bowing a little.

"Princess, I will bring a rose for you every day. I want to see that smile of yours every day," he stated, to which I couldn't help but blush.

He got up and walked near me. My heart skipped a beat as I took a step back. He moved forward, his hand to hold my waist, but stopped suddenly.

"May I?" He whisper asked leaning into my ear in his deep raspy voice.

I nodded my head and in a second his lips were on mine while my back touched the wall, his hands on either side of me.

I responded to his kiss with passion and love. I pulled back to catch my breath as he connected our foreheads. The only sound heard was our heavy breathing.

"I can't sleep without you, let me stay here," he whispered and started to kiss my jawline and nibbled on my earlobe, earning a small moan from me. I nodded my head as I felt the same.

"Jo? Are you okay?" I heard Kia's voice from outside the door, and immediately I told Vian to hide anywhere.

"I'm fine!" I shouted back.

"Are you sure?" She asked and was about to open the door when I stood before it. I opened the door slightly ajar and peeked my head out.

"Everything's fine, I was just exercising in case you...h- heard something... anything!?"

"Noo, sshh!" Vian mouthed from under the bed. We both looked at each other and were on the brink of falling into a fit of laughter.

"Don't laugh," Vian mouthed and let out a chuckle which sounded like a deep groan.

"Are you with someone, Jo?" Kia asked and I turned my head towards her. My face heated red as she barged in and looked around.

"Jeez, Kia! Privacy." I chirped and she arched her eyebrow.

She looked around and under the bed, and I closed my eyes shut. "Hmm... you are acting suspicious, Jo. Please tell me it's Vian, I want to say Hi. Please." She begged like a teenage girl fangirling over him.

But wait, if he wasn't under the bed, then where did he go? I thought.

"No one's here. I was on a video call with him minutes ago," I made up quickly.

"Naughty, naughty. You guys stayed together under one roof for a whole freaking week, and now look how the love birds can't even resist."

"Don't, just get out." I pushed her playfully outside the room, and as soon as I closed the door, I gazed at a shadow.

For God's sake, I was about to scream in terror, but a hand covered my mouth. "It's me, relax, Princess." He whispered.

"Let's get you to bed," he said coyly and smirked.

I pulled the duvet on both of us, while my back touched his bare chest as he pulled off his shirt. His hand snaked around my waist and pulled me closer to him, and he rested his face above my head.

I put my hands on top of his and scooted closer to him if there was any space left, and I moved a little to entangle our feet.

"Don't move, I won't be able to control myself then," he said and planted a kiss on my temple and caressed my hair with his free hand, and soon we drifted to our dreamy land.

The next morning I opened my eyes without the help of the alarm clock as I gazed at Vian who was already awake.

My hands were on his chest and he held me in his embrace, facing me. "Good morning," I said shyly, seeing our closeness.

"This is the best morning ever," he stated and bopped my nose with his lips.

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

A few weeks passed by since we started going to the university like before.

Vian and I always walked our way talking about anything and nothing towards the university. He got a rose for me every day in the morning before we met, and I kept it securely in the box I named as "special secret."

The lectures went on by boring nagging of the professors and faint snores from the backbenchers.

I had told the squad about the trip, except for the part of Vian's story and related issues.

Meanwhile, Vian and I went on dates quite often, and I got to see his new side every time. He acted so jollily and happy, which made my heart flutter every time.

Something was different in me too. I didn't realize what felt to love and to be loved as a soulmate until I met mine.

How could you even without meeting one? This girl.

We all used to get out with the squad and spend our days together happily and merrily. Until... our life was going to turn around drastically and a tint of sourness along with.

─•~❉᯽❉~•─

Thoughts?🦋