"Um, hi" I said nervously.

Um hi? Way to fucking terrify her Juliette, now she'll leave you alone forever.

Idiot.

"Hi Juliette! It's so nice to talk to you, I didn't even know you existed, but whatever" she shrugged, her perky voice echoing in my ears.

"Yeah, it's not like you spoke to me in the ice cream shop a few months ago or anything" I replied quickly, hoping that I sounded slightly more confident.

"Oh that was you? I didn't realise, I just thought I was talking to one of the people from the homeless centre down the street" she said, looking at her pink nails as if they were the most interesting things on earth.

I rolled my eyes "I'm surprised you couldn't tell the difference between me and your kind" I blinked innocently as her jaw dropped. "Of course I shouldn't be surprised at your idiocy, I'm used to it actually"

"You bitch" she was now seething with anger, I'm guessing nobody actually spoke to her like that before. "I tried to be nice-"

I snorted.

She glared at me before continuing "I attempted to be civil, and it's clear that's not happening between us, so I will make this short and sweet. Levi is mine. Back off. I know you think you've won this but you haven't. Listen to my warning Juliette or you will regret it. I don't give second chances sweetheart"

Looking back now, this would have been the perfect moment to shut up and nod, but of course I had to prove that she did not have the upper hand, going with a "Levi is my boyfriend. I'm sorry to burst your bubble sweetheart but you and Levi were over since the day he cheated on you". For the second time that day, I wished that I had not spoke a word, I wished that I had shut up.

I immediately clamped my lips together and braced myself for the worst.

"Don't you fucking dare talk about that day as if it is your fondest memory. Levi and I may have had a momentary lapse in judgement, but we are meant to be. He's known me all his life, he's been in love with me for half of it. He's known you for a few months sweetheart. You have nothing, nothing on the history we share. Keep that in mind" and with that, she stomped and turned back her friends. Her face was slightly pink and I didn't know if it was from her excessive makeup or just from frustration but either way it was daunting.

I let out a deep breath, and shut my eyes. Allowing my mind and body to fixate on my heartbeat that was slowly decreasing in speed. As I listened to my heartbeat I allowed my mind to wonder over the events of today. Allowing myself to think about what had been haunting me throughout the entire day.

Levi cheated on Katherine.

He cheated on his girlfriend.

So what is to stop him from doing it again?

What's to say that he won't find another girl, a girl who's prettier, smarter, more sarcastic, more funny? Someone who's just a better person overall.

There are loads of amazing girls in this school. What's to say that he won't find one and decide that she's better than me?

What's to say that he won't cheat on me?

"Juliette, are you okay?" I was snapped out of my daze when I realised that Eliza was stood beside my desk, almost in the exact same position Katherine was when she confronted me. "The bell went five minutes ago and you're still here".

My breathing rate increased as I shook my head "I think I'm having another existential crisis" I said weakly as she looked down at me, a pitying look on her face.

"Poor girl, only two days of dating and you're already contemplating every decision of your life" she said, I think jokingly but I took it seriously.

"Levi cheated on Katherine. I kinda was mean to Blake about it but he was right. Can I trust him?" I asked quietly

"Levi likes you. He likes you more than you know, Juliette." She said, attempting to calm my nerves.

"He also liked Katherine, what happened to that?" I asked

"He fell in love with Katherine when he was in eighth grade, no fourteen year old knows what love is. But he's eighteen know, he knows what it feels like to actually like someone. And he likes you." she advised, taking a seat besides me.

"But it doesn't change what he did" I replied

She sighed, fixing her hair slightly before turning to me. "Why are you sabotaging your relationship, Juliette? This morning you didn't want people to find out about you, now your scared of him cheating. Juliette you need to realise that Levi is a good person who has made some mistakes. If you're so worried about the entire cheating fiasco then talk to him about it. Don't hold back and create a barrier between the two of you"

I nodded, realising she was right. I could be worrying about this through the rest of our relationship, or I could talk to him about it.

"Okay, but not today, I'm too tired right now" I said to her "I'm just gonna go home"

She rolled her eyes "procrastinate any longer and you'll be speaking to Levi at his grave"

"Whatever, are you coming home?" I asked her as she smiled sheepishly.

"It's February 14th, our two year anniversary" She said "We're going to dinner"

"Technically you guys have been dating for a few months considering you broke up" I noted

"Shut up"

I ended up walking home alone that day. It was pretty dark by the time I got home, almost pitch black actually, considering it was still pretty early. When I got to the doorstep, I realised that aunt Jen's car was not in the driveway. She was probably out running some extra errands. I had no idea when she would be home, it could have been ten minutes, it could have been three hours. Eliza on the other hand, I knew she wouldn't be home until around curfew which was ten on school nights, midnight on weekends. I was planning on cuddling up in front of the TV and watching a movie.

I walked into the living room, turning the lights on and kicking my converses off. I looked outside to see fairy lights scattered across the garden, strung up on the trees and the grass. I put my shoes back on and left the living room, carefully entering the garden. When I did, I noticed there was a blanket layed across the floor, a picnic basket laying carefully on the blanket. There was a large screen carefully hanging on the trees, a projector facing it.

I squinted slightly, mentally planning on making an appointment with the opticians for a pair of glasses, as I began attempting to figure out who had done this, and why they had done this.

"Hey book girl" I heard Levi's voice echo in the garden, I spun around, attempting to locate the voice. Before I knew it, I felt a presence behind me, slowly moving my hair to one side of my neck and wrapping his arms around me. I gasped, realising that it was Levi. "Happy valentines day" he whispered.

I turned around to see him with a grin across his face, I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck. Not for too long though, feeling my breathing rate increase from the proximity between us. "You did this for me?" I asked.

"Of course" he said "I wanted this date to be perfect"

"It already is" I whispered, going onto my tip toes and hesitantly pressing my lips against his. He was shocked at first which was pretty surprising considering he loved kissing. When he adjusted to the kiss, he bent down slightly, causing me to arch my back, wrapping my arms around his neck for support. His arms found my waist, and I was pretty sure I was having heart palpitations. I had to repeatedly pull away from the kiss in order to grab air, but I found my lips attracted to his almost immediately after I pulled back. His lips were like a drug and I was the addict.

Nothing felt more perfect.

He gave me a long kiss before pulling back slightly. He was breathing extremely heavily when he pulled away, but there was a huge grin on his lips. "You've never kissed me before"

I raised an eyebrow, my heartbeat still not steady from the kiss "I've kissed you loads of times"

He shook his head "I've kissed you loads of times. You kissed back. You've never kissed me first"

"I-I just-" I genuinely had no idea how to respond to it.

"I should do stuff like this more often" he whispered, taking my hand slightly and seating me down on the blanket.

I sat down on the blanket, laughing at the fact that he decided to make it black. I gasped when I saw chocolate covered strawberries, grabbing one and taking a huge bite out of it.

Levi watched me as I immediately blushed. "How are you so perfect?" He asked me

I swallowed the strawberry before looking into his eyes, scoffing. "I'm nowhere near perfect. Quite the opposite actually"

"I think you're the most perfect person I have ever met in my entire life" He said quietly to me.

"Katherine" I whispered as he recoiled in surprise.

"Katherine?"

"This is killing me on the inside, and I know this is our first date and I know you wanted it to be perfect but I just need to get this off of my chest. You cheated on Katherine. Why?" My voice wavered at the end.

"Is this what has been worrying you the entire day?" He asked

I nodded. "I'm sorry"

He shook his head. "It's okay. You want to know, I'd be worried if you didn't. I didn't mean to cheat on Katherine I swear. I know you all think I'm the bad guy, but I didn't mean to be"

"What happened?" I asked

"I'd been tired of going out with Katherine for a few months. She was possessive, and cruel and she wasn't the girl I fell in love with. But I didn't want to break her heart and end the relationship. I didn't want to hurt her. I knew she felt the same way, I knew she was getting tired of the relationship. So when I heard one of her best friends talking about how she cheated with me by sleeping with what's his name. I lost it. I knew I shouldn't have, but my immediate reaction was to cheat on her. I then found out that it wasn't true, that she didn't cheat on me. Whilst I'm not disappointed that we broke up, I'm am disappointed that we left it on such terrible terms" he said to me as I felt like my mind suddenly cleared up. Like a huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders.

I hugged him for a few seconds, pulling back not long after. "I'm sorry I brought it up"

He wiped the tear that slipped down my cheek "hey" he whispered "if you didn't bring it up, then you wouldn't have been at peace throughout the entire date. I'm glad you did"

"You got bored of Katherine, what if you get bored of me?" I asked.

I hated being so insecure.

"Because you're different to Katherine" he whispered sweetly.

"She keeps reminding me that she's better than me" I replied.

"She reminds everybody that she's better than them. She's not. I fell out of love with Katherine because she wasn't the same girl I fell in love with. She wasn't sweet, she wasn't quiet, she wasn't nice. She was loud, rude, bitchy, possessive and I couldn't handle that." He started

"I just-" I began, before getting interrupted.

"But you, you're perfect. You're the funniest person I had ever met, your sarcasm is overwhelmingly endearing. You're so sweet, you never disregard anybody's feelings. Katherine was no less than bullying you a few months ago and here you are still backing her up. Why? Because you're a good person. And you're beautiful. I meant what I said the first day we met in the library. You are the most beautiful girl I have ever laid eyes on, and it's still a wonder that people think Katherine is hotter than you. My only regret now is that I wish I met you in eighth grade, and not Katherine" he ended, as my cheeks and neck burned.

I leaned forward, kissing his cheek. "Thank you for just being an amazing person" I said to him.

He pouted childishly "I think I deserve more than a kiss on the cheek"

I laughed, shaking my head in disbelief "you do, but not right now, I'm starving"

He chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief before handing me the bowl of chocolate strawberries. "When did you do all this?" I asked, grabbing another strawberry.

"At lunch and during the free periods, I'm sorry I left you alone" he apologised.

I laughed "how can you set up the perfect date and still end up apologising to me?"

He smiled "I can't help it, you're just so perfect"

"I'm not" I disagreed "What's the projector for?" I asked, allowing my curiosity to get the better of me.

"We" he began, leaning forwards and clicking the projector on. "Are watching If I stay, it looks totally girly and chick flick-y but Eliza told me you liked this movie, so I'm watching it with you"

I smiled, surprised at his actions, before leaning forwards and pecking his lips. "You're amazing"

He smirked "I know"

Written: 4/11/15
Posted: 11/03/16