End S1

After breakfast, Grace and I decide to go out shopping as an official couple. Which made me super giddy, but I also feel like I need to not to scare her and play it cool.

"Wait here, I'm going to try on these." Grace says holding up a few outfits

"Okay" I say with my thumbs up.

As soon as she turns the corner into the dressing room area. I quickly straighten my shirt and pop a strip of gum.

"How's this one?" She walks out with a blue crop top.

In a panic, shallow the gum too quickly.

"It's cute." I cough "Do you need another….. blue shirt?" I say straining to look normal.

"Are you okay?!" Grace rushes over to me.

"I'm fine" I cough one last time, clearing my throat. "I swear"

"That didn't look like you were fine though," Grace says, ushering me to take a seat.

Taking a seat to make her happy, "So, about the top, do you really want it?"

"I don't know, I don't have a crop top in blue," She says walking back to the changing room.

"Please don't die while I get changed," Grace yells over the dressing stall.

After a few minutes, she comes out.

"Yeah, maybe you're right" Grace says, holding them in her hand.

"Wait wait, don't go off and whine and cry later" I tease.

She giggles "I won't, I just had a thought that today I want to do what you want to do"

Grace drops off the clothes in a discard pile by the dressing room.

"Me? You already know that answer" I say escorting her out.

"Yeah, but there has to be something you want to do. We can't keep doing things I want to do" Grace says grabbing my hand.

"I'll have to think about it but for now let's walk around a bit more" I say, giving her hand a squeeze.

Grace graced me with a beautiful smile that melts my heart. We spend the rest of the afternoon walking and talking, hand in hand. It felt like a fairy tale and I can tell she was calming down too.

"I'm glad you can relax with me again" I say squeezing her hand.

"Oh goodness, you knew?" Grace says, touches her face.

"Ugh yeah, I would be the worst best friend/boyfriend in the world" I say, placing my hand on her face.

She laughs squeezing my hand "Thank you. I'm scared about how people are going to react to me now" Grace says, looking down as if ashamed.

I freeze, hurt to think my angel could be damaged by an insignificant brat.

I grab her shoulders, "It'll all brush over. Remember when I fell into a trash can and everyone was talking about it until Kevin peed on himself while laughing. Everyone has a short attention span. Braaaad is a dick, whoever believes him has noodles for brains," I say almost shaking her.

Grace begins to laugh "I forgot about that. That was one of your best moments"

She looks up at me "Thank you".

After walking around some more we head home. I dropped her off and headed home.

"Mom" I say, closing the door behind me.

Only silence follows me as an inch farther into the house.

"Guess she already left" I say, heading to the kitchen to cook up some ramen.

My phone begins to buzz in my pocket.

"I guess it's mom" I say, juggling a few packs of ramen and reaching for my phone.

Caller ID shows up to be Grace. I quickly drop everything but my phone and pick up.

"Hello!" I say ten octaves higher.

I hear her laugh on the other end, which makes my heart melt.

"Hey… are you okay?" Grace says, in a teasing voice.

"I was just surprised you called" I say clearing my throat.

"Oh, I guess I don't call enough," Grace says in a whisper.

"It's fine, as long as I see you the next day. So…Why are you calling? Need anything? everything okay?" I say quickly.

"I'm fine, I just wanted to talk to you. Plus, I was wondering if you want to head to the movies tomorrow?" Grace says.

"I'm definitely calm! Give me a second, I need to check on my ramen." Putting the phone down, checking on my unopened bag of ramen and squealing a little.

Wow! She's taking the initiative. Usually, we just stay home when I come over.

I quickly pick up the phone and try to sound as calm as possible. "I would love to! What movie? What time? Do I need to bring gifts?"

"Woah, woah cowboy! Slow down!" she laughs, "It wouldn't be exactly a movie date, my parents are coming."

My heart breaks in a million pieces, Crap!

"That's fine. The more the merrier" I say, rolling my eyes.

She laughs again "Cool. Just come over in the afternoon and we can decide on a movie everyone would like to watch"

"Cool cool cool" I say bobbing my head.

***

Afternoon comes around and now It's time for me to act as a perfect boyfriend in front of her parents. Her mom wants us to be together but what about her dad.

Taking a deep breath in. I knock on their door.

The door slowly opens "Weird? Did you just knock on our door?" Stella says, elbowing me.

"Yes, I did. I'll like to introduce myself as Grace's boyfriend, not the kid next door." I say, straightening my shirt.

Stella burst out laughing, "You are the cutest! Ima call your mom and tell her all about this. Mr. Boyfriend! You are soo cute, you think I wouldn't have noticed?" Stella wiggles her eyebrows.

"Yeah... I guess" I say face heating up.

She laughs even more hysterically "I'm definitely going to tell your mom!"

Stella, still laughing at me, opens the front door wider and ushers me in. My face still red from the embarrassment. Grace's dad greets me and so does Grace.

Grace's dad congratulates us while Stella is still cracking up in the background. Apparently, everyone has been betting when we'll get together and her dad won the bet.

We headed out to the movies, it felt nice and natural. After the movie was over, we played at the arcade for a while. Grace and I even got away from her parents for a little while to just hang out with each other. We then headed back home where mom was waiting. We all ate dinner together.

"This is great! We hoped for so long that you all will merge the family and have beautiful children together," Mom says, laughing hysterically clapping her hands.

Rolling my eyes, I take a sip of water.

"Plus, it took longer than expected! We almost thought it'll never happen, and we'll have to die without being merged," Stella says, looking at mom.

Spitting out water "You guys are psychos…. You know that, right?!" I say, wiping my mouth.

"We'll accept that," Mom says, giving Stella a look.

"But it's amazing that the best of the best are together" Grace's dad says with a gentle smile.

Grace squeezes my hand and I squeeze back. I don't care what they say. I have been waiting so long and patiently for this.