Raya's POV
Sitting on the bench, the only thing is roaming around my head is my past.
I have a hard time to get it out of my brain.
Especially today. My birthdays used to be so special to me.
Four years back (18 years old)
"Will you go out with me?" A guy asked. A guy that I had a crush on since forever.
My heart dropped.
Am I dreaming? Is he asking me out?
"Raya…I like you." Adrien confessed. "Go out with me." He stares, waiting for an answer. "Will you?"
I'm so nervous that I can't say anything.
"Y-yes." I finally uttered.
My heart won't stop racing.
"Then we'll meet at the beach, at 5?"
"Ok." I answer nervously.
I've never been this nervous my entire life.
The beach is not very far from where I live, If I take the bus it takes about 15 minutes.
As soon as the college was over I ran to my house, took a shower and started going through my dresses.
"Ugh, I don't have any good dresses, what will I wear?" I keep looking around. "He likes blue, I should wear a blue dress."
After going through every single clothing I have I finally found a dress.
"Not so perfect but it'll work. Ok now, I need to do my hair…should I put on some make up? I should, just a little bit."
After getting ready I kept staring at myself, trying to see if I over done it.
I never get this ready.
Ok, it's 4:30. I should get going.
I sat in the bus.
My heart will explode today. I hope it's not a dream.
Can you believe your crush asking you out?
I still can't believe it.
I had a crush on him for almost three years.
Why?
I don't know. It just happend.
Finally the bus arrived and I walked to the beach and sat down on a big rock, waiting for him. I got here too soon, it's better that I wait for him than him waiting for me.
Before coming here I told my mom that I was going on a date with my crush. She was happy, she even gave me tips, haha.
I look around trying to find him, it's already 5:15.
Oh, here he is, he looks attractive as always.
I hope I don't faint.
"Hey, sorry I was late…" He says.
"It's ok…I also got here just now." I lied so he doesn't feel bad about being late.
"Oh, that's good. I thought you might be waiting. Uh…should we walk?"
"Uh…yeah." I get up and fix my dress and keep fixing my hair.
I can't make eye contact.
We start walking.
"Oh…" He looks at me. "You look beautiful in this dress."
"Thanks…" I keep tucking my hair behind my ear.
"We should go there, it's cozy inside and we can also talk comfortably."
"Ok." I agree.
We walk there, it's a café.
We sat and after ordering he looked at me.
"Do you like the beach?" He asks.
"Yes. Do you?"
"Yes…I like swimming, it's on of my hobbies. How about you?"
"I like to paint, whenever i'm free I paint whatever's on my mind."
"That's cool, I would like to see your paintings someday."
"I will show it you, they're are not that good though."
"You made them, they're definitely beautiful."
Oh no, my cheeks are heating, i'm blushing. I hope he doesn't notice.
"Raya, I want to know more about you."
My eyes locked onto his for a moment.
A few hours later
After our date he walked me to my house. Which is almost a half an hour away from the beach.
"Oh we're already here." He said.
"I didn't even realize."
"It felt like we talked for just a few minutes." He steps closer. "It was not enough."
I'm definitely going to faint.
"Can I…?" He moves his face closer to me a few inches away from my lips.
I nod.
He places a soft kiss on my lips.
Moving back, he smiles. "Good night…" He moves close again this time his lips almost touching my ear. "Dream about me." He whispers.
(At home)
Ahhhhh!
We kissed?
Oh my…
Bedroom door opens
"What's wrong why are you jumping on the bed?" Asks mom.
"Mom…" I come down and hold both of her hands. "He likes me."
"Oh…" She looks disappointed. "You scared me for a moment."
"And…I had my first kiss." I say almost blushing, a smile on my face that doesn't want to disappear.
"Oh! You did?" She smiles. "Raya, Is he really a nice guy?"
"Mom, you know him."
"Well, I just met him a few times and only in your college." She holds my hand and sits on the edge of the bed, I take a seat beside her. "I don't want you to get hurt, you deserve the world sweetheart. If you like him, I trust your choice."
"Are you gonna cry mom?"
"No. I don't cry." She caresses my cheek. "Invite him tomorrow, i'll tell your dad."
"Really?" I say excitingly. "But…dad will get angry."
"No, he won't. Once I tell him that you like him, he won't say anything but you know that he's protective he'll ask him every little detail about his life." Mom chuckles.
"I know…"
"Ok…sleep now. Good night."
"Good night."
I don't think that I'll be able to sleep tonight.
Next day (Afternoon)
"So…you like my daughter?" Dad asks. A serious expression on his face as he stares Adrien up and down.
We're in the living room, Adrien is sitting on the couch in front of my dad and i'm sitting with my mom.
"Yes." Adrien answers, looking a bit nervous.
"Why?"
"Huh?" He immediately looks at me then back at my dad. "Well, I just think she's perfect for me."
"And you..? are you perfect for her?"
"Dad…!" I whisper as I look at dad.
"I'll try my best to be perfect for her." Adrien answers.
"He is perfect, dad." I say.
After a rain of questions
"You two are still young, so I hope you know what you're doing." Dad says. "I brought her up like a princess and I hope you also treat her like one."
"Yes, I definitely will." Adrien assured.
"Stay here for dinner." Dad smiles slightly.
"Thanks-"
"And!"
We all look at Dad.
"Don't get too close to her, just hold hands. That's it." He whispers but we can hear him clearly.
"Uh-haha…" Adrien nervously chuckles.
"I'm serious." Dad says.
"Oh, ok…I'll keep that in mind." Adrien smiles, again nervously.
Months passed, we hang out everyday and he comes at my home to eat every other day. I can't meet his parents because they live in Australia but I did talk to them on facetime.
Adrien's parents got divorced when he moved out from Australia. His biological mom left his dad because he cheated on her with another woman, that's now his step-mother. Adrien lives here with his Aunt.
He's gone through a lot.
Today was my birthday, Adrien gifted me a necklace with his initial. He even surprised me with a birthday party.
Today was special. I was with my loved ones, I will remember this day.
And that's how we got really close. On my 19th birthday he gave me earrings, which were expensive. On my 20th birthday he gave me a beautiful dress. On my 21st birthday he gave me a wallet, he forgot my birthday that so he gave the gift ond day late, I didn't complain. That month he started his job (he graduated 2 months ago), he didn't have time but still remembered to buy me a gift.
On his birthday's I would always bake his favourite cake, buy him the best gift and make sure to decorate the whole place by myself.
(Year 2023)
I graduated and immediately started looking for jobs.
A month later
I got the job and tomorrow is my birthday I want to make it way special.
"Raya?" Adrien calls me from the kitchen.
I'm at his house, he's trying to make something for me.
"Yes?" I say going to him and sitting on the counter top.
"Babe, I tried to make this batter buy I don't know why it's so watery."
"Well, it could be because you put too much water in it."
He looks at me then at the batter and sighs.
"You could add more flour to fix it."
"Hmm…that's true."
I dip my finger in the melted chocolate and taste it. "Did you add sugar in this?"
"I mistakenly did and I didn't know how to fix it."
"Try adding dark chocolate."
He looks at me then stops.
"What? did you forget something?"
"Yeah…" He steps closer and stands in front of me, his hands on the counter top, trapping me in. "I forgot that I could eat you instead."
"What?" I chuckle.
"You are as sweet as a chocolate cake." He moves his head closer.
"Here you go with your cheesy lines."
"Oh come on, that's not cheesy, that's the truth."
Suddenly he nips my neck.
"Ow…" I put my hands on his chest.
He kisses the same spot.
"It tickles." I giggle.
"Really…?" He says playfully.
"Yeah."
He immediately starts kissing me all over the neck.
"Hey…" I chuckle.
I feel his hand under my shirt, my heart skips a beat. "Adrien.."
He stops and looks at me. "Raya…I can't wait anymore."
"I-"
"We've been together for a long time, don't you think we should take this step now…?"
"Adrien, I don't think that i'm ready yet-"
"You don't trust me?"
"No it's not that, i'm just scared i've never done this before…"
"Everything has it's first time."
I look up at him.
"Raya, I want you to be completely mine." His lips getting closer to mine.
"Can we…do this tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow…?"
"I'll prepare myself and if we take this step than I want it to be tomorrow."
He softly chuckles. "Then i'll make sure to make your birthday special, way more special than ever."
"Thanks…"
He smiles and hugs me.
Next day
It's almost evening. Adrien told me that he'll call me. I'm outside the hotel waiting, his friend told me that he planned a surprise in this hotel, I didn't want to be late so I got here really early.
Should I just go? no, it'll ruin his surprise.
Two hours later
Adrien finally dropped a message, he said he'd call me.
Adrien<3: Raya, it'll take a little longer. I'll call you once it's done.
Me: Ok ♥️
I can wait.
When I went to his house this morning I saw a ring on his table.
I can't stop thinking about it since then.
1 hour later
It's almost 10.
Maybe he's also nervous…?
I take out my phone to call him.
…His phone is turned off? or did he run out of battery?
I go inside the hotel. "Excuse can you tell me in which room Adrien Parker is staying in?"
"I'm sorry we can't give you that information."
"I'm his girlfriend."
"Oh…" She starts checking. "Are you Raya Gray?"
"Yes."
After a several minutes of confirming my identity she finally gave me the key.
I take the elevator and message him.
As the door opens I slowly make my way there.
Should I…?
It's ok, don't be nervous.
I slide the card, I breath out and open the door.
The whole room is decorated with roses.
I close the door behind me. I see a table with a cake on it and a box of ring, a smile appears on my face.
Suddenly I hear someone laughing.
The room is so big. Where is he?
"I told you, it'll look good on your hand-"
My heart dropped, he walked out from the living room with another woman in his arms.
"Raya…?"
I was speechless.
"I…let me explain." He takes a step closer.
My body suddenly feels weak.
"For how l-long…"
"It's- I wanted to explain it to you—"
"It's been a year, he loves me and he wanted to break up with you for a long time."
She has the ring on her hand. The ring that I thought would belong to me.
"All this…was not for me?" My voice trembling as I try to hold my tears in. "The cake you made…" I look at the cake again.
It had 'for my Nia' written on it.
"Was not for me." My eyes get teary.
"Raya, I didn't know how to tell you. I love her." He holds her hand. "I was-"
I turn around and open the door.
"Raya-"
"Don't. I don't want your explanation. It's over, I know." I walks out of there.
A year?
If he loves her why did he say that to me yesterday. 'I want you to be completely mine.' Why?
Why- I start crying, my tears falling down, I can't stop them.
I fall on the ground, crying, hoping I would wake up from this bad dream.
You told me everyday how much you liked me.
Maybe you never loved me. You just liked me. Was I the only one in love?
After a long while
I got up and walked to the elevator, wiping my tears off.
My body still feels weak.
I enter the elevator.
Was he just acting to love me the entire year?
A month later
My job started today, I didn't know how I would do my work and if I will be able to live like before.
A week later after my birthday, I found out that he was not only dating one girl, he had multiple. I never knew that he was a playboy. One of the girl that dated him told me that they were together for almost 6 years, when she was 15 and he was 16 and she told me that she saw me with him and later broke up with him.
I wonder how many girls did he go out with while dating me?
After I finished my work, I was walking to my house when I saw Adrien standing there.
I glanced at him and looked away.
"Raya!"
I didn't listen neither did I stop.
"Listen to me."
I stopped.