Love's Not A Competition

I looked at him with my mouth hanging open, utterly surprised. Those words were definitely not the ones I had been expecting to hear. I closed my mouth before stepping backwards into Brittney’s room. He looked at me warily before entering the room. I sat on the sofa, feeling the tears streaming down my face.

“Why are you crying?” he asked, surprised.
“I was thinking that any day now you would come to me and tell me that we were over. I didn’t expect you to say that.”
“Jasmine, I’m truly sorry for the way I acted.”
“I’m sorry, too.”

I stood up and he pulled me into a hug after handing me a tissue to wipe my eyes on. I didn’t want to cry all over his suit. It felt so good, so right, to be in his arms again. I couldn’t explain the feeling. It was like coming home after a long vacation or something. I had missed it so much. He cupped my face and kissed me gently, sweetly. I sighed as I snaked my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. I felt my stomach clench. We pulled apart and I rested my head on his chest.

“Are you going to come with me?” he asked.
“My hair’s not done,” I said lamely.
“Leave it out, it looks better.”

I smiled and walked into the bathroom, grabbing my dress from the closet. I pulled it on and brushed out my hair before putting on light makeup. I slipped on the shoes and took a deep breath as I looked at myself in the mirror. It was all happening so fast. I felt like I was living in a fairy tale. I pulled open the bathroom door and blushed when I saw the look on Zeke’s face when he saw me. He looked me up and down before grinning widely.

“You look so beautiful,” he whispered.
“Thank you,” I said. “You look very handsome.”

He grinned and took my hand before leading the way downstairs. Prom had only just started so we were missing much. Zeke hailed a cab and we piled in. I caught Zeke staring at me as we drove to the hotel that the prom was being held in. He leaned over and kissed me on the cheek.

“Come back to our dorm,” he whispered. “It’s very lonely at night without you.”

I nodded and he grinned at me again. The cab pulled up and we got out. I barely had time to look up at the hotel before Zeke was pulling me inside by the hand. We stopped at the entrance to the ballroom and looked around. A stage was at the opposite end of the hall to us and a band was playing while students danced around the large dance floor in front of the stage. Tables were set up and some kids were sitting around, talking. A table was set up at the back of the room with refreshments and snacks. The decorations were silver and gold. The theme was meant to be ‘A Night in Hollywood’. There was even a life sized Academy Award statue in the corner that was taller than Zeke.

They had a photograph area set up and Zeke pulled me over to get our pictures taken. After about a dozen shots I pulled him away and went to find out friends. Eric and Amy were the first ones to spot us. Eric came rushing over, pulling me into a hug before smiling at me. I explained what had happened while Zeke stood awkwardly beside me, looking slightly embarrassed. Brittney pulled me into a hug when I found her. I had to explain all over again why I had come and she hugged Zeke, teasing him slightly. Katie and Jesse weren’t around but I’m sure she wouldn’t be happy to see me anyway.

“Let’s dance,” Brittney said.

We were dragged onto the dance floor and we danced along with the others though Zeke never let go of my hand. He kept me close to him but I didn’t mind. I was enjoying being together again just as much as he was and I didn’t want to let him out of my sights. It felt like I was living a dream but I knew it was real because my imagination wasn’t this good. I couldn’t imagine the way Zeke felt when he held me as we danced and the lightness in my heart.

A slow song came on and Zeke pulled me against him, holding me tightly. I rested my head against his chest as we slowly moved to the music. I could hear him humming along to the song as his chin rested on the top of my head. I closed my eyes and let the moment etch itself in my mind.
“I missed you,” he whispered.

I looked up at him and kissed him on the lips gently before resting my head back on his chest. I couldn’t even try to explain how much I had missed him. It had only been about a week but it had felt like years had passed. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how spending the summer without him was going to be.
“Zeke?” I asked.
“Mm?” he mumbled.
“I love you.”

He stopped dancing and I looked up at him, worried I had said the wrong thing. He ran a finger over my cheek before smiling at me. He kissed me and I smiled.
“I love you, too,” he whispered.
We went back to dancing but I couldn’t wipe the grin off of my face. I didn’t want to wipe the grin off my face. I had never thought that three simple words could make me so happy. But I didn’t think it was entirely the words. It definitely had to do with the boy who had just said them. The boy I had been waiting for since the beginning of the year to notice me, the boy who had been a womanizer and a player and a cheater. But those things didn’t matter anymore because he was mine.

We said goodbye to Brittney and Aidan at the elevators as they went up to the room they had booked out, both of them wearing their Prom Queen and King crowns that they had won. Zeke and Eric teased them while I just winked at Brittney. Eric, Amy, Katie, Jesse, Zeke and I got into the limo and headed back to the dorm building. I was tired but I knew I was too happy to be able to go to sleep. We said goodbye to the others when we reached our dorm room. Zeke opened the door and I sighed as I walked into the room. I lay down on the bed while Zeke went to go and get changed. When he walked out in his pajamas bottoms I realized something.

“I don’t have any pajamas with me and I really don’t want to move,” I said.
“Just sleep in your underwear then,” he said.

I raised an eyebrow but he just shrugged. I stood up and pulled my hair up. He unzipped my dress and I stepped out of it before getting under the covers on the bottom bunk, not looking at him. I rolled over once he had gotten in beside me and smiled at him.
“Goodnight,” I whispered.
He just kissed me lightly and I snuggled up close to him. He put his arms around me, trailing his hands over my bare skin. I sighed in content and my eyes slipped close, happy. I fell asleep easily, finally back in the one place that made me genuinely happy.