Page 40 of Level Up

Ryan glanced over at me, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Remember it’s a surprise?” he teased.

The streets grew quieter. The hustle and bustle of the college faded into the background as we chatted about the show. The conversation between us always flowed as easily as a river babbled over a bed of smooth rocks and pebbles.

It was nice.

Really, really nice.

Finally, we arrived at our destination. My eyes widened in surprise as we found ourselves standing before an old bell tower that loomed tall against the twilight sky. Its smooth white stone and spiraling staircase gave it an air of mystery.

“Here we are,” Ryan announced with a flourish, gesturing toward the tower’s entrance. “I know the maintenance people. They gave me a key.”

“You’re wild,” I said, feeling so damn excited. He unlocked the heavy wooden door and pulled it open, the joints creaking loudly.

“After you,” he said, smiling from ear to ear.

My heart raced as I climbed the winding staircase, the sound of our footsteps echoing off the stone walls. With each step, the anticipation built until finally, we emerged onto a small platform at the top of the tower.

I gasped in awe as I took in the breathtaking view spread out before us. San Luco stretched out in all directions, its twinkling lights painting a mesmerizing scene against the darkening sky. The campus was alive underneath us, with buses taking kids home and lights from the different buildings revealing that some were still studying. I could see the ocean from here, too, but didn’t stare too long in that direction.

It wasn’t the landscape that blew me away, though. It was the scene that Ryan had created atop the tower that truly snatched my breath right out of my lungs. Picnic blankets were spread out on the floor, adorned with flickering candles and an array of delicious foods. A bottle of wine stood chilling in a bucket of ice, its pastel pink label glistening in the soft glow of lanterns.

“This is incredible,” I murmured, my voice filled with wonder as I took in the romantic setting Ryan had prepared.

Ryan beamed with pride. His green eyes sparkled with excitement. “I wanted to create something special for us,” he confessed, his gaze never leaving mine.

I reached for his hand, intertwining our fingers beneath the soft glow of the lanterns. “You always manage to make me feel special,” I admitted, feeling the weight of my words hang in the air.

As we gazed into each other’s eyes, I felt a surge of emotion welling up inside me, and I knew it was time to share something I had been holding on to.

“You know, I’ve been thinking a lot lately,” I began, my voice tinged with vulnerability. “About you, about us. And it’s like you’re always on my mind, Ryan. I can’t seem to shake this feeling that you’re becoming a bigger part of my life with each passing day. During the play, I could barely even think about my lines. I kept thinking about you. That’s why I winked at you. So you’d know I was thinking of you.”

Ryan’s expression softened. “I knew it. And I feel the same way,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

A comfortable silence settled over the bell tower, the gentle breeze carrying the scent of the city below. But my mind was elsewhere, filled with thoughts of the complicated situation between us.

I sat down on the blanket, Ryan following my lead. He grabbed the bottle and popped open the cork. The sound echoed around the small space.

“You know,” I began, my voice tinged with sadness, “I understand you aren’t your father’s company, but… Redpine is playing with the building blocks of nature, breaking all the rules. It’s like they don’t understand the consequences of their actions.”

Ryan nodded, his expression somber as he took in my words. “It’s scary to think about,” he admitted. “I hate that it’s my family causing it.”

That part was clear to me, but would it be obvious to casual observers? “But even in the face of all that,” I continued, “being here with you, it’s like everything else fades away. It’s like… like we’re creating our own little sanctuary, where nothing else matters but us.”

Ryan’s eyes softened, and he reached out to cup my cheek. His touch sent warm, delicious shivers down my spine. “I know what you mean,” he whispered. “With you, it’s like I can forget about all the chaos in the world and… just be.”

As we sat there, lost in each other’s gaze, I realized that this moment was something special, something worth holding on to.

It hit me like a comet. I knew it was time to take the next step.

“Ryan,” I began—don’t think about it, don’t second-guess yourself, let it happen, let the words form—“Lets make this official.”

A smile spread across Ryan’s lips. Dimples appeared where they weren’t before. “Fuck. Yes,” he replied.

Ryan leaned forward, hand settled on the nape of my neck, and he kissed me. Soft, tender, passionate. I could tell he meant every word he spoke, same way I did. I felt it in the kiss, deep down in my bones. Things had the potential of getting really complicated, but I couldn’t care less about that.

This felt right.

Chapter Sixteen

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