Page 143 of Fake As Puck
“I don’t want to keep hopping on planes anymore, West. I don’t want to keep pretending this is temporary or casual or just convenient. I want to figure out how to make this work like really work. I want to try.”
I take a moment to gather my nerves because I feel like I’m shaking. “I want to wake up next to you and fight with you about what to watch on Netflix. I want to be the person you call when you have good news and bad news and regular boring Tuesday news.”
West takes a step closer, and I can see something shifting in his expression.
“I want to love you,” I say, my voice breaking slightly. “Not fake love, not convenient love, not teenage obsession love. Real love. The kind that’s messy and complicated and worth fighting for.”
I can hear Tessa sniffling behind me, and when I glance over, Linda is dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.
“Are you done?” he asks quietly.
“Am I done what?”
“Are you done with your speech?”
“I... yes? I think so?”
“Good.”
He crosses the distance between us in three strides, takes my face in his hands, and kisses me.
Hard at first, like he’s been waiting forever to do it. Then softer, gentler, like he’s savoring it.
Like he’s saying yes to everything I just asked for.
When we break apart, I’m breathing hard, and my knees are shaky, and I can hear people clapping and cheering around us.
“So,” he says, his forehead pressed against mine. “This is real now? You’re my girlfriend?”
“So real,” I say, laughing because I’m crying and I don’t care who sees it. “This has been real for a long time.”
“Good,” he says, kissing me again. “Because I’ve been in love with you since I was seventeen, and I was starting to think I’d have to fake date you forever.”
I chuckle. “You’ve actually been in love with me since you were seventeen?”
He nods. “And I still haven’t had the courage to tell you or to truly ask you…”
He lowers down onto one knee, and I’m panicking. My heart races as I look around. I start jumping. I can’t help it. I’m like a bunny hopping around. Tessa is laughing so hard as she video tapes.
I realize I’m screaming.
He laughs, grabbing my hand. “Liv,” he says, trying to steady me.
I’m crying when I say, “I love you too. Really, truly, stupidly in love with you.”
“I love you so fucking much. Be mine forever.”
“Forever,” I nod.
He stands and kisses me. He lifts my feet off the ground and spins me around. I squeal, holding onto his neck.
“I’m glad,” he says. “Because my family’s going to expect you at Christmas now.” I stare at him as he continues, “Christmas,Easter, Fourth of July, random Tuesday dinners, all of it. You’re stuck with us now.”
“Am I?” I tease.
He kisses me. “Completely stuck.”
“Good,” I say, echoing him. “I happen to like your family.”
