XANDER’S POV
It’s been five complete days without seeing Aria, and I’m going crazy.
Five days of calling her phone and getting voicemail. Five days of driving past her house hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Five days of barely sleeping, barely eating, barely functioning.
But today is different. Today is her birthday, and her dad told me to come.
Now I’m sitting in my car outside their house, my hands shaking as I check my phone for the tenth time. It’s 2:58 PM.
I text Camile: “I’m here.”
She texts back immediately: “Give me two minutes.”
I get out of the car and walk up to the front door, carrying the bouquet of flowers I bought for Mrs. Carson and the small velvet box in my pocket that I hope will change everything.
The house looks quiet. No decorations, no cars in the driveway, no signs that a birthday party is happening. I know why. Aria doesn’t want to celebrate. She’s been too sad to care about her birthday.
That’s my fault, and I’m here to fix it.
Camile opens the door before I can knock.
“Are you ready for this?” she asks.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“She’s forgiven you, you know. She just needed time to process everything.”
“And now?”
“Now she’s ready to see you. But she doesn’t know you’re coming.”
“What did you tell her?”
“That I have a surprise for her. That it’s her favorite thing in the world.”
“Am I her favorite thing in the world?”
Camile smiles. “You’re about to find out.”
I follow her into the house, and immediately see Mr. Carson standing in the living room. He walks over and pats me on the back without saying anything, but I can see approval in his eyes.
Then Mrs. Carson appears from the kitchen. She looks at me for a moment, and I think she might ask me to leave. Instead, she walks over and hugs me.
I’m so surprised I almost drop the flowers.
“These are for you, ma’am,” I say, handing her the bouquet. “Thank you for letting me come. I promise to love her right.”
She smiles and hugs me again. “I know you will.”
Just then, I hear footsteps on the stairs.
“What’s the surprise, Camile?” Aria’s voice floats down. “I told you I don’t want a party.”
My heart starts racing. She sounds tired, sad. Not at all like the girl who used to light up when she saw me.
“It’s not a party,” Camile calls back. “It’s your favorite thing in the world.”
I can hear them coming down the stairs. Camile must have blindfolded her like she said she would, because Aria is moving slowly, carefully.
“Camile, this is silly. I don’t want any surprises.”
“Trust me on this one.”
They reach the bottom of the stairs and Camile guides Aria into the living room. When they stop in front of me, I drop to my knees.
Camile reaches around and unties the blindfold.
Aria blinks a few times, looking around the room at her parents, at Camile, and then her gaze drops to me.
She gasps, her hand flying to her mouth.
“Hi,” I say quietly.
She doesn’t say anything. She just stares at me with wide eyes.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her. “I’m sorry for the bet. I’m sorry for not telling you about it from the beginning. I’m sorry for letting my friends hurt you. I’m sorry for every moment of pain I’ve caused you.”
A tear rolls down her cheek.
“I know I messed up. I know I don’t deserve another chance. But I’m here to tell you that I love you. I’m completely, hopelessly, madly in love with you.”
More tears start falling.
“I love the way you scrunch your nose when you’re concentrating. I love the way you get excited about books. I love how you see the good in people even when they don’t deserve it. I love your laugh, your smile, the way you make me want to be a better person.”
“Xander…” she whispers.
“I love you, Aria. Not because of some stupid list, not because of some bet, not because of anything except the fact that you’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met.”
She’s crying harder now, but she’s not running away. She’s not telling me to leave.
“Can you forgive me?” I ask. “Please?”
She nods, and I feel like I can breathe again for the first time in five days.
Her parents and Camile start cheering, and even Mr. Carson is chuckling softly.
But I’m not done yet.
I reach into my pocket and pull out the small velvet box. Aria’s eyes widen when she sees it.
“Don’t worry,” I say quickly. “It’s not what you think.”
I open the box to reveal a delicate diamond necklace with a small heart pendant.
Camile gasps. “Oh my god, it’s beautiful.”
“Aria Carson,” I say, still on my knees, “will you please do me the favor of becoming my girlfriend? Officially this time. No bets, no games, no secrets. Just me, loving you exactly the way you deserve to be loved.”
Aria is staring at the necklace with tears streaming down her face.
“Yes, yes, yes!” Camile chants.
“Say yes!” Mrs. Carson adds.
“Go ahead, sweetheart,” Mr. Carson says gently.
Aria looks around at her family, at her best friend, at me kneeling in front of her with my heart in my hands.
“Yes,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll be your girlfriend, Xander Reed.”
Everyone erupts in cheers. Mrs. Carson is crying, Mr. Carson is grinning, and Camile is jumping up and down.
I stand up and cup Aria’s face in my hands.
“I love you,” I tell her.
“I love you too,” she says.
And then I kiss her, right there in her living room in front of her parents and her best friend. I kiss her like she’s the most precious thing in the world.
Because she is. She’s my world, my heart, my everything. And I’m never letting her go again.
THE END.
