Escape World

you feel dean’s presence before he can utter his first word, heaving out an annoyed sigh. of course he has to ruin your peaceful shift. dean di laurentis doesn’t know tranquility and calmness; he’s bustle and hustle personified.

“courting the cowboy daddy? huh, princess, i expected you to read something with some more… substance,” the blond appears in front of you clad in a comfy grey hoodie, hair a little mussed, that usual teasing smirk on his pretty, stupid face. “now i know what the pretty librarian’s into, though.” then, he has the audacity to shoot a wink your way.

you feel caught. you slam your book shut and shove the book with the cringey cover of a half-naked guy with a cowboy hat in your bag. the undeniable heat of shame wavers over your cheeks. “what do you need, di laurentis? it’s friday night, if you haven’t noticed,” you bite out, gesturing around you, “aren’t you supposed to be tongue-deep into one of your puck bunnies right now?”

dean shrugs his shoulders before leaning on the mahogany desk like the two of you are best friends. his smell invades your nose. pine and something musky. “need to write an essay about the intergenerational justice problem of the climate crisis,” he tells you while simultaneously shrugging his backpack off his shoulders. “then i saw you, all lonely. figured you could use some of—” dean points at himself triumphantly, “that di laurentis special, ya know?”

a small smile creeps onto your face. you hope he did not see that. dean can be such a dork sometimes. you try to shift your attention to literally anything else but the cute guy in front of you.

“so, when am i seeing you at one of my games?” he asks nonchalantly as you type random words into the google search bar, trying to look busy.

“never.”

“aww, babe. you’re breaking my heart,” dean clutches his chest melodramatically. “i promise i’ll bring my a-game.”

“you have never invited me to one of your games, ever, dean.” you deadpan, pausing your typing. “and on top of that— what would i be doing there? i don’t even like hockey that much.”

dean huffs amusedly at your response. “i can tell you what you’d be doing there, alright,” he smiles with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “cheer me on. wear my jersey. rep me.” you can feel your stoic exterior starting to crack under dean’s attention. something in you would like that. really like that. but you’d never admit that. dean would never let you hear the end of it.

nevertheless, you still can’t help but retort with another sassy remark: “don’t you have anyone else you can torture on this fine friday night?”

a toothy grin graces dean’s delicate features. the little freckles on his nose more visible under the cozy, yellow light from the old desk lamp. “probably. but i choose you.” at the word “you”, he reaches his hand out to boop your nose. actually boop your nose. it’s so unexpected, but so dean. you don’t know how to act.

silence lingers in the air as you scrunch your brows, all confused and affected by dean’s simple touch, the curve of your ear reddening. “do— do that again and i’ll shove your hockey stick up your—”

while you spit out your halfhearted, catty insults dean can’t help but tilt his head back at the sound of your voice. how rapid you speak, how feisty you are. but you look more adorable than scary. he sighs, full of delight. he’d much rather spend his friday nights annoying you than attend a random college party surrounded by people he doesn’t care about.

“i love it when you talk dirty to me, baby.”

Days have passed since your big fight with Caleb. You have not uttered a single word or even glanced at him. You were completely done with him after that night. Since then, you did everything in your power to avoid him.

When you had to be downstairs with the rest of the cast, you stayed on the opposite side. If you saw him in one area, you avoided him like the plague. If he were to try and walk past you, you would go the extra mile to walk around whatever was in sight just to not be in close proximity. You wouldn't even look at him.

And Caleb could see all of that. And he fucking hated it.

He hated the way you avoided him. He hated how you couldn't even stand to look at him or even be somewhat near him. Each time, only breaking his heart at the fact that this was all because of him. One day he couldn't take it and blindsided you when you were sitting on one of the tanning beds near the pool.

"Y/n....I don't want things to be like this between us." His eyes tried to meet yours, but you wouldn't even give him the time of day. Your eyes staring straight forward, face emotionless.

"You made your bed, so hump in it." was all she said coldly. No feeling. It made Caleb's heart ache. He watched as she got up and walked away. He wanted to go after her so bad, but doing that would only make it worse. But one way or another, he was going to prove to you that in the end he wanted to walk out of this villa with you. Not Jaiden, and not anyone else.

*Later that night*

Caleb was trying to rack his brain on what he could do. He was going to do everything in his power to try and get you back. But where should he start? How can he even try if you don't even want to look at him, let alone be in the same room as him?

His head lifted as he heard approaching footsteps coming his way. It was Bryce and Trinity walking hand in hand. They both sat on the same couch next to him.

"How you doing Bro?" Bryce asked him, his hand automatically grabbing a hold of Trinity's. They could see the misery straight up on his face. And while Trinity was one to hold back on the bullshit, a part of her did feel bad Caleb.

"I fucked up so bad.." he whispered, his hands coming up to grasp at his hair in frustration. Caleb felt so empty. And he felt this way because he didn't have you.

"I was so fucking stupid, and didn't realize what I had until I brought Jaiden in." he told them, his eyes looking at the ground, ashamed of himself. He doesn't blame anyone but himself. This was all on him.

"I miss her so fucking much..." his voice slightly cracked. hands gripping his hair even tighter. He could feel Bryce place a hand on his shoulder, trying to give him a comforting squeeze. One he felt he didn't deserve.

"I know you thought you were doing what you think was best, but you and everyone in here knows, the moment you and Y/n went to the hideaway that you shouldn't have brought anyone else back after being in Casa. The amount of times you spoke about Y/n and thought about her, should have been the sign you needed man." Bryce was not going to sugar coat it. But he also wasn't going to be a dick. Caleb was beating himself up enough.

"I just don't know how I can prove to her that I regret what I did and that I do want her. She won't even look at me unless its with disgust." he said softly, not wanting to speak normally or else he knew he would break right then and there.

"Prove it then." Trinity answered. "You want to show her how sorry you are and that you want her back, then prove it to her."

"But how? She won't even be within ten feet of me." Caleb questioned.

"Well its not going to be easy Caleb. You did a fucked up thing, that doesn't just go away really fast. She's going to be affected by this for a while. But what you can do is put in the effort to try and prove it to her that you're sorry. She may reject you at first, and may not even give you a second to listen, but if you consistently put in the effort, then eventually, she's going to see it. It's just going to take time." She explained to him.

"I can do that." Caleb affirmed. He will do that. Anything to get you back, he was going to try even if she still rejected him in the end. Because he could not leave the villa without trying to get his girl back.

*The next day*

He started simple to test the waters. He had made you breakfast, but he knew better than to walk in there and give it to you considering what happened last time. So, he had decided to have Bryce take it to you while he went to give Trinity her plate.

When Bryce walked in, he made sure to give Trinity her plate first and a hug and a kiss. Then he walked over to Y/n.

"Here you go Y/n." he said cheerfully, setting the plate down in front of you. You gave him a kind smile and thanked him, "You didn't have to." she responded, grateful for his kind generosity.

"Enjoy." he smiled at her. He gave her a friendly hug and walked out of the room. But not entirely. He stood behind the door, starting between the crack that gave him a perfect view of you.

You ate the food slowly, savoring every bite while having a conversation with the girls.

"What's that Y/n?" Jen asked as she peaked at her plate, her eyes furrowing at what she saw. Y/n looked down and down a folded note that was hidden under the grapes. She picked it up and inspected it carefully. The girls all gathered around her, curious as to what it said.

"Open it!" They all encouraged her.

She opened the note slowly, and then her eyes finally found the written words:

'I know you don't want to see me, but I will give it my all to prove to you that I'm sorry for what I did. I know it will take some time, but I will use all the time that I have left to show you that I made a mistake and regret hurting you.

-C'

You read aloud to the girls. They awed at the words that were written but you weren't falling for it. Now now, and not anytime soon. Bryce watched as you looked at it a second longer and crumbled it up. You threw it in the trashcan, not giving it another thought.

"If he's sorry, he wouldn't have done what he did in the first place." was all you said as you sat back down and continued to get ready.

Bryce walked away from the door and made his way back down to the kitchen. Caleb was sitting on the island, waiting anxiously for his return. The moment he saw him, he got off and walked straight to Bryce.

"Well?" he asked, nervous for the outcome. All Bryce could do was give him a sympathetic look and shook his head no.

"She read it, but she threw it away." Caleb knew that this was going to be extremely difficult. He understood why you threw the note away, but this was not going to stop him even though it hurt that you didn't even acknowledge his attempt to try and communicate with you to make things right.

"I'm not giving up." he stated. Bryce dapped his shoulder, giving him the support he needed at that moment.

"Let's try a different approach..." Bryce suggested. They both went to sit down at 'Say Less' and started to brainstorm ideas on how to get you alone with him.

*Later that night*

Caleb knew he was going to have to be careful on how he did this. He knew that you weren't ready yet to talk to him. But he could at least try and let you know that he was not going to give up on you in a subtle way.

As the girls were all talking at the fire pit, Caleb waited until they were deep in conversation to pull all the boys aside. "Can you guys do me a favor?" he asked them all quietly, making sure that you and the girls could not hear him.

"What the hell are they up to?" Kayda said as she could see all of the guys huddled together, discussing something that seemed very private and secretive.

"I don't know, but I hope they aren't doing some stupid shit." Melanie said as you and the girls continued to stare intently at the boys.

Suddenly, their huddle broke apart, and the boys started to make their way over. Their steps in sync, and their eyes staring right at you.

"Beautiful, Y/n" Zach started off dramatically, your face immediately showing a 'what the fuck' expression. "Can you please walk with me for a moment."

You looked around, trying to figure out what was happening. The girls were just as confused as you. you took his arm that he offered to you, and he guided you up and started to lead you away. You looked back at the girls, trying to figure out what the hell is going on.

Zach led you to the dock, and you could see something, but what it was, you weren't sure since you couldn't see very clear yet. "What's going on Zach?" you asked him, your voice giving a sound of annoyance and nervousness.

"Just wanted to bring you here." was all he said. When you got closer to the end of the dock, you finally saw what was set up. On the floor was a giant heart made out of rose petals, and in the center, were the words 'I'm Sorry'.

"And last but not least" you turned to Zach who had a rose in his hand and was reaching out to give it to you. You look at it suspiciously, already knowing who was up to this. You didn't want to take it. You wanted to rip it apart if you were being honest. But before you could react negatively, you all of a sudden see all of the boys appear in your line of sight, minus Caleb. Each holding a rose in their hand.

"Take the damn rose Y/n." Zach finally said as you stood staring at it for a moment too long. You took it from him, apprehensively accepting the rose. Then next was Corbin, then Kc, Sincere, Carl, Dylan, Gal, and then last but not least Bryce. Aside from the final rose, you also notice he had an envelope in his hand.

"Why are you guys doing this?" you asked him, desperate for an answer. Your emotions are becoming hay wired. This was becoming overwhelming.

"Y/n, we all know he fucked up. But it's important that he realizes that and is trying to make things right." he started off. Your eyes roll automatically, not wanting to accept his answer. But Bryce continued on, not letting that stop him from continuing.

"But it takes a real man to own up to what he did and to try and prove that he is sorry for his actions." he finished. You stared at the now bundle of roses in your hand and the envelope that was addressed to you.

"You don't have to read it right now, that can be on your own time." he told you. You looked around the area, taking in what he did. You were confused. Your heart still hurt and was broken from what he did, and yet, a tiny, tiny, part of it was slightly open as you stared at the set up.

"I don't know what to do Bryce." You whispered helplessly, begging for him to help you figure out the answer.

"Yes, you do Y/n. You just need time to figure out what it is exactly you want." he told you and left it at that. He gave you a tight hug which you really needed at the moment. He left you alone, and you stood there on the dock for a good while, staring at the words on the floor, the roses in your hand and the envelope.

Caleb watched you from the top of the balcony, hidden from you, because he knew that if you saw him, you would throw everything away and not give his gesture another minute of your time. He could see you staring at the envelope intensely, he wanted you to open and read it so badly.

But you didn't. You stared at it for a while longer, before setting the roses down on the floor. Caleb's face began to sink in sadness. But a little bit of hope flickered in his eyes as he watched you at least walk away from the dock with the envelope still in your hand.

'That's a start..'

*Middle of the night*

You couldn't sleep.

Throughout the night, you were constantly tossing and turning. Your mind is not able to shut down and put you in that deep sleep. Finally, after giving up on trying to sleep, you quietly sneak out of bed, careful not to wake the others as you make your way down to the villa floor. Needing to be in the fresh air.

You made your way to one of the sun beds, lying down with your hoodie and sweats on since it could get chilly at night in Fiji and just stared at the sky.

So much was happening right now. You were stuck emotionally and mentally. There was no way you were going to forgive Caleb easily for what he did. You weren't even sure if you could. What he did was completely unforgivable.

But then why is your heart not closing him out completely?

Why is it that you still are allowing a tiny piece of him to stay within you?

You were starting to get a headache. You reached down to adjust your socks on your feet, and that's when you suddenly heard a voice that made you freeze.

"Can't sleep either?" you could hear the exhaustion in his voice. Immediately your body tensed and your guard went up. You didn't want to look up and come face to face with him. You couldn't trust yourself to do so considering your reaction could go two different ways.

Caleb knew you weren't going to speak right away, so he continued. "I can't sleep either." he mumbled, his hands digging into his pockets as a source of comfort.

"It's been hard to go to sleep the past couple of days." he said. Trying to find a way to get through the awkward silence. It was still quiet, and just when he was about to speak again, you finally spoke.

"I'm not sure why when you have Jaiden in your bed next to you." you said coldly, still not looking at him.

"I deserve that..." he said, and you continued to look anywhere but him.

"But Jaiden isn't you." he whispered. It was low, but you still heard it. You finally gathered the courage to look at him. Your face is neither happy nor upset, but stoic.

"Don't, Caleb." was all you answered. You didn't want to do this right now. So, you got up from the sun bed and began to walk away.

"Why didn't you read the letter Y/n?" he asked. His voice was slightly raised so he could make sure that you heard him. You paused in your steps, your eyes staring at the stairs that led to the rooms. You could hear him getting closer. So close, that you could feel his body heat directly behind you. Almost touching you.

"Why didn't you read the letter?" he asked again, only this time he let his emotions show as the pain in his voice became apparent. If he wanted to talk, fine, but you were going to have this conversation the way you wanted to have it.

"Because I'm not ready to read it yet." You said, finally looking at him in the eyes after what felt like months. Caleb was basically starved at not being able to see you or even talk to you. And although this was not how he wanted this conversation to go, he was desperate to have any kind of conversation with you even if it meant you would speak to him out of anger.

"I don't want to read it right now. Because I'm not ready to forgive you." you told him word for word. And although it hurt him so much, he knew that this was only a partial treatment that he deserved. He deserved worse treatment from you.

"What can I do to make you forgive me?" he asked pleadingly, his eyes trying to find yours again as you head flicked your head down due to your emotions starting to get the best of you.

"I don't want us to end like this Y/n. I don't want us to end at all." his voice slightly breaking just at the thought. "You should've thought of that before you brought her in here." you whispered back to him, your eyes still staring at your feet.

"You think I don't fucking know that!" he said, his emotions now getting the best of him as he laid it all out on the table.

"I know I fucked up Y/n. I fucked up so fucking bad, and I'm a moron. It shouldn't have taken me bringing her to realize that at the end that I still want to be with you." His voice finally broke, and when you finally looked up, you saw how much this truly affected him.

The disheveled hair, the bags under his eyes, but most importantly, the tears that began to fall. Caleb was crying. And he was crying in front of you, begging you for your forgiveness.

"Please don't do this right now Caleb." you begged, your voice becoming heavy, as you knew you were going to start crying as well.

"I don't know what else to do Y/n." his voice breaking down as he tried to maintain what was left of his composure.

"I can't let you go. I don't want to let you go. I know I fucked up, and I want to prove to you that I will do anything to earn your forgiveness." He explained as the tears continued to stream past his cheeks. You couldn't take it anymore, your own tears starting to shed.

"I can't do this right now Caleb please." You cried softly, your hands moving up to hide your face. As you turned to walk away, you suddenly felt him turn you back around gently. Caleb couldn't let you leave, not now, not when you were finally telling him how you felt.

"Y/n please, tell me what I can do. Tell me that this is fixable." He cried. Your own sobs mixing with his as that was all you could do. Just cry and cry and cry. "Please Y/n.." he begged, his knees hitting the floor and his arms wrapping around your waist to where he was not at eye level with you.

"Please let me fix this. Please tell me that one day you can forgive me." his hands squeeze your waist as he cried into your stomach. You place your hands on his shoulders, and gently push him away. He stares up at you, seeing the pain in your eyes that was all because of his doing.

"I don't know Caleb." was all you said as you continued to sob.

"I don't know if we can fix this." you finally stated. You slowly pull away from him, and Caleb wants more than anything to pull you back to him, to keep you in his arms forever. He watched as you turned around and walked away, your sobs still heard as you walked up the stairs.

All Caleb could do in that moment was still let his emotions out and cry right there on the floor where you left him.

*Two days later*

Since that night, Caleb has kept his distance from you.

You started to wonder if he was finally going to give up. If he was not going to try and talk to you again. The night after when you woke up, the girls could see how puffy your eyes were, and how exhausted you looked. They had pulled you in the dressing room where you explained what happened.

They understood where you were coming from, but they also acknowledged the fact that Caleb was doing everything in his power to get you back. It only made you more confused. Why your heart couldn't close him out one hundred percent, you weren't sure why.

When you had gone on with the day you didn't even see Caleb at all. He was nowhere in sight. And you weren't lying if you said that didn't make you worry.

Bryce could see your expression as you continued to try and discreetly look for him.

"He's in the speak easy...he's been in there since last night." he told you quietly as he sat with Trinity. You couldn't help but ask,

"Is he okay?" you looked at Bryce who gave you a solemn expression.

"He just needs to be alone right now Y/n. Its the least we can all do."

And flash forward to today and here you were. Still no Caleb in sight. You were starting to become worried, but you wouldn't let this sway you. You still felt the way you felt.

As you were getting ready, you noticed a folded paper on your mirror. You pulled it out of the mirror, your eyes looking around to see if anyone noticed. They didn't.

You opened up the note, recognizing the familiar hand writing.

'I remember when I first saw you, you literally took my breath away. You were so beautiful and I was so excited to get to know you.

I'm not giving up on you.

-C'

Your eyes read the note over and over. The sudden irregular pattern in your heart beat started to palpitate. Your hands closed the note, but only this time, you didn't throw it away. And Trinity immediately noticed that as she stood from the other end of the table, her eyes looking back at Bryce through the crack of the door and giving him a nod.

Bryce signaled back and made his way downstairs, finding Caleb's eyes and giving him a thumbs up.

'There's hope...'

*Couple days later*

Each day, you had gotten several notes from him throughout the entire day. A note in your breakfast plate,

'I remember the day when we had our first kiss, I was so nervous and you could tell. You let out this cute giggle, and since then I have wanted to make you do that everyday'

A note on your mirror.

'Everyday I can't help but look at you and tell myself how beautiful you are. I was so fucking happy when we were coupled up it was the best day of my life.'

A note on the sun bed.

'I remember making you laugh about a childhood memory that I told you about. Since then, I have only wanted to hear your laugh and be the reason for it.'

A note on the dock.

'This is where you told me off, and I was so scared but so proud of you for speaking up. You made me realize in that moment that you were the one person I did not want to lose.'

And then a note on your bed.

'Not to sound creepy, but when you fall asleep, I love staring at you. The way you looked so peaceful, and most importantly, the way you made me feel safe as I got to hold you in my arms made me fall for you even harder.'

You were so confused. You didn't know what to do at this point. While part of your heart was still closed off with Caleb, that tiny part in your heart started to grow.

He was starting to break you down. And the scary thing about it? You weren't upset about it. But that's what made you upset.

Why couldn't you close him out completely? After what he did, why couldn't you just turn the page? How is it that he was finding a way back to your heart?

You needed to talk to someone, and of course you knew just exactly who to pull.

"Help me Trinity." you begged as you both sat in 'Soul ties'.

"I don't know what to do. I'm so confused about what to feel right now about Caleb. And the gestures he continues to do are not helping me have clarity. Please help me." you begged once again, your eyes pleading with her out of frustration.

"What is your head telling you Y/n?" she asked you.

"To not forgive him for what he did." you replied automatically.

"Okay, now what is your heart telling you?" and you paused, you had to be honest with yourself as you reflected.

"My heart is allowing him to come back.....and I don't know why I'm letting it happen." you told her as the frustration in your voice became prevalent.

"Let's be real together Y/n, Caleb fucked up big time for what he did by bringing Jaiden in here. We can all agree with that. But we can also agree on the fact that he is taking accountability for his actions and showing you how sorry he is, right?" you nodded your head in response to her question.

"So, if your heart was completely closed off, then you wouldn't even be entertaining these gestures that he doing and would have shut it down and not let it happen again. But you haven't done that at all. Your heart is not one hundred percent closed off for a reason, and you know exactly why that is Y/n." You stared at her as she spoke to you. It was hitting you now that you finally understood what you meant.

"I....." you started, but you had to pause and take a breath.

"I..love him." you finally whispered out, too afraid to say it out loud cause then it would only solidify what you meant.

"I know you do, but you know that love is all about taking risks and testing the boundaries to see if it can truly be understood between two people. Your connection with Caleb was tested greatly, and if him bringing Jaiden in didn't hurt you at all, then it means you never had those feelings for him in the first place." she explained to you. It made sense with what she said. It was starting to hit you, you loved Caleb.

You loved Caleb.

"Fuck." you muttered, your heart heavy. "I really do love him." you admitted to her, her words sinking in.

"And Y/n," she said as she grabbed a hold of your hand and looked at you.

"We have no fucking doubt that he loves you too." she finished.

*Later that night*

You had looked yourself in the mirror, making sure to check for any imperfections. You were getting ready for the night with the girls. Just like any other night.

As you double checked your appearance, you walked away from the mirror and turned to see Trinity grinning at you.

"You look so beautiful." she complimented you. You smiled and thanked her while doing the same.

"Will you walk with me to go down there?" she asked you. You nodded your head, and you both walked out of the room.

"Is it okay if we go by the dock really quick? Bryce is there and I need to check something with him real quick." she explained to you. You agreed and let her take the lead. When you got there, it became apparent that Bryce was not there.

"I don't see him." you told her, your face scrunched up in confusion.

"What's that?" the gate to the dock was open, and out of curiosity, you couldn't help but walk with her to go see what was happening. When you got to the gate, your eyes suddenly go wide at the sight in front of you.

There were candles everywhere, and with the trail it led you to see a table that was surrounded by more candles and flowers with the beach serving as the background. Then your eyes landed on the figure that stood next to it, Caleb.

You turned around to look at Trinity who only gave you a mischievous smile. You tried to walk your way back up the steps, but she wouldn't let you.

"Turn your ass around, and go to him. I'm not letting my hard work go to waste." was all she said and walked away before closing the gate on you. You were in shock. You couldn't believe she tricked you, and you couldn't believe how gullible you were.

You turned back to look at him. He was dressed in his best pair of jeans, cowboy boots, and a black button up. But most of all, you could see the hope in his eyes, the nervousness and fear of possible rejection. You could just simply walk back up and enter the dock, but you didn't. You just stood there and stared.

Suddenly, he was right in front of you. A shy expression on his face.

"Hi.." he whispered.

"Hi.." you whispered back. Still unsure of whether to listen to your flight or fight mode.

"What is all of this?" you asked him, eyes still scanning the set up. You would be lying if you said this was ugly. But it was absolutely breathtaking.

"I remember you said that you always wanted a dinner date on the beach." he said. Your eyes cut to his, he remembered.

"You remembered that?" you asked him softly.

"I remember everything you tell me." he responded. He held his hand out for you to take.

"Will you please accompany me tonight?" he asked gently, his eyes silently begging for you to say yes. You hesitated, you wanted to run. But then you remembered what Trinity told you. To listen to your heart. So, you placed your hand in his.

"Okay." you answered him. Caleb couldn't help but smile at you, that handsome smile that made you fall for him in an instant.

He kept the date going smoothly, asking you questions he had already asked when you first met. It was a reset. A new start. And you were grateful that he chose to go this route because it would have been awkward to try and discuss events that happened after that night of the recoupling.

You had missed the way he made you laugh, the way he could keep a conversation going about anything and everything. How he would listen to you so intensely to hold onto every word that you spoke.

It was just like the beginning when you first met, and you didn't realize how much you missed this. How much you missed him. You watch as Caleb gets up from his chair and makes his way around, standing in front of you which makes you lean your head back to look up at him.

"Walk with me please?" he asked as he gestured for your hand. You let him take it, and you get up from your chair. He takes you away from the table and leads you towards the beach. He doesn't make you walk too far considering the heels you had on.

He stopped to where you had a perfect view of the ocean. His body directly behind yours as you both just stood in silence and watched the waves gently wash upon the shore.

"It's so peaceful here." you whispered aloud. Not directly talking to him, but you didn't mind if he responded back as if you did. He stayed silent, still letting you talk.

"I wish I could see this more everyday." a gust of wind slightly shook your body and caused you to shiver. He took that as a chance to move closer to you. His body heats you up, his chest to your back. But he didn't do anything else.

"Y/n.." he whispered, his voice soft, almost too quiet to hear. You turn to look at him. "Yes?" you asked him gently. You watched him take a deep breath, and pull something out of his back pocket. You recognized it instantly. It was the envelope he left you that he had yet to open.

"I have something I need to tell you, if that's okay with you?" he asked nervously, his fingers messing with the corners of the envelope. You nodded, afraid to speak at this moment.

You watched as he nervously opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. His hands were slightly shaking and you gave him a small smile of encouragement. He took a deep breath to compose himself, and then started to speak.

"I would be lying if I said that I am not afraid of leaving the villa without you. But the truth is, I'm terrified that this is the only time I will get with you and therefore, I want to be completely honest with you.

I fucked up big time that day at the recoupling. I thought I was making a choice that was sensible, but looking back, I realized how fucking stupid I was." he paused, his eye nervously glancing at you, afraid of your reaction, but you gestured to him to continue.

"That day was one of the worst days that in the end was my fault, because I ended up hurting you deeply. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness whatsoever. But I hope that my efforts and actions since then have proven to you that I am truly sorry for what I did.

I don't expect you to forgive me right away, or whatsoever if that is how you truly feel. But I can't leave this villa without telling you how you make me feel.

Y/n, I have never felt this way before. The way you make my heart beat irregularly just from staring at me, the way you make me smile just from being yourself, to the way you make me feel so safe to be around you.

Everyday that I have spent with you has been a privilege that I will never take for granted. I know I can be a complete idiot at times, and I hope that whenever that happens again that you beat my ass to knock some sense into me." you couldn't help but let out a chuckle which Caleb smiled in response.

"But the one thing I hope for is to never lose you. I came into the villa to find my person, and I know and believe one hundred percent that you are my person. I will do everything in power to prove to you everyday that you are my person. Because at the end of the day, I have grown to love you so very much Y/n. And I don't want to love anyone else but you." Your breath hitched as you listened to those words. He loved you. Caleb loves you. And you love him.

"So, please know that this is my promise to you, and I will dedicate myself to showing you that I truly love you everyday until you can say those words back." he finished reading the letter. Caleb was so nervous. This was it, either you would reject him completely or possibly give him that chance he so badly wanted.

"You love me?" you asked him, your eyes looking at his to make sure that you could tell that he meant it. You need to know.

"I do." he told you, stepping closer to you to where his chest was now touching yours.

"I need to hear you say it." you said quietly. You needed this affirmation otherwise you couldn't get yourself to truly accept it. His hand reached up to touch your cheek. He stared deep into your eyes and you could see the love. He did love you.

"I love you." He stated proudly. "I love you so much." he proclaimed.

"Caleb," you whispered as your heart continued to beat abnormally fast.

"I love you too." you told him. You watched as his eyes widened in response to your words. He couldn't believe them.

"You do?" he asked, the slight insecurity coming to light. Your hand grabbed onto his wrist that was still held to your cheek.

"I love you Caleb." you affirmed boldly.

And then suddenly you felt the impact of his lips slamming onto yours. You responded in the same manner. Both of you wrapping your arms around each other as you kissed.

This was never how you though you meet the love of your life. Not on a damn reality show. But here you both are. It only goes to show you that love can be formed in different ways, and while your story with Caleb was tested heavily, you were both able to overcome it and find each other again.

Because that's what you do when you truly love someone.

THE END

Three long grueling days.

That's how long it has been since the boys entered Casa. Since that night at the fire pit where you and the girls had to endure the mental and emotional torture of watching the boys act up with the new bombshells, you all tried your best to maintain the normalcy.

Keyword 'tried'.

You were practically numb since that night. You had shut down emotionally and the girls could tell immediately that you were not the same Y/n they knew and loved.

The morning after that night at the fire pit, Ariana had walked in to check in on y'all. She had you guys sit down and talk about what y'all's current thoughts were based on what was happening in Casa.

"So, my lovely ladies, how are we feeling about the boys being in Casa Amor right now?" she asked.

Trinity was the first to speak up.

"I think it was bullshit the way they did it. But at this point we can't dwell on it." She responded.

"I'm just ready to see some hot new singles after the bullshit I saw on that screen last night." Kenzie said. With the other girls agreeing with her.

Ariana then looked at you.

"Y/n, how are you feeling hun? I know its been a very emotional day for you and I'm sorry you had to experience this." she said.

You didn't want to answer. You really did not want to. But its not her fault that you were placed in this situation. And after all, this is still a reality show, and even though it came down to the cast having the power to eliminate others, it was also in the hands of America. And you were not ready to go home yet.

"I won't lie to you, I'm very heartbroken right now." You spoke softly.

"I don't really have anything else other than that to say, and that eventually I hope this heartbreak goes away soon. I just want to find happiness with someone who I have a great connection with and at the end chooses me." You ended the conversation with that answer. Not wanting to say anything further. You were grateful that Ariana did not push any further.

"Well, considering everything that went down, I just want to say that I don't think its fair that the boys get to have all the fun. So, with that being said, we have twelve bombshells currently on their way to enter the villa." she said. The girls screamed in excitement, they were waiting for this moment since day one of Casa. They were ready to explore with no shame just like the boys.

"Remember, Love Island is all about making connections. It's possible to have more than one, but there's always that one connection that is stronger than the others. Please make sure that you explore as much as possible, you'll have time to meet them for our villa pool party. At the end, you will decide the six boys that will get to stay and the six boys that will get to stay in the villa." The girls jumped with excitement, screaming their heads off. Although you weren't jumping up and down with excitement, you knew you were going to have to go into this with an open mind.

'If Caleb wants to explore, then I have every right to do the same.'

*Two Days Later*

You tried so hard to find another connection. You spoke to all the bombshells. You kissed them to see if there was any compatibility, you tried everything that you possibly could to try and form another connection. But you simply didn't have one.

You were frustrated. The problem was when you tried to find a connection, Caleb would pop up in the back of your head. And you tried so hard to push him at the back of your mind. But then the memories would come crawling back and take over. You decided right then and there that you had to be honest with yourself and realize that the only connection you had was with Caleb and no one else.

When the bombshells tried to get to know you more, you let yourself open up, but then you couldn't let it go any further.

"I'm really sorry, but I'm going to be honest and tell you that I still have my other connection with Caleb in the back of my head. I don't want to waste your time at all and want to be fair to you." You were grateful that they were understanding at least. But of course it only had you questioning why you couldn't just let go of Caleb.

'After everything he did, I still can't let him go.' you thought.

'How desperate can you be?'

'He's going to bring back someone else, and you know it.'

You needed to go find the girls. You couldn't be alone with these current thoughts right now. As you make your way over to the girls who were sitting in the 'Say Less' area, your phone suddenly pings.

"Oh shit." and other similar phrases were said throughout the villa as everyone waited for you to read the text.

"Islanders, tonight will be a recoupling. The boys will be returning from Casa Amor. Make sure to take this time to think about who it is that you want to couple up with."

"Fuckkkkk, are you fucking serious." Trinity complained.

Everyone was immediately on edge. You on the other hand, could feel yourself starting to panic. It was now hitting you that you were going to see Caleb tonight. A list of multiple scenarios started to play in your head. Enough to give a headache.

'What am I going to do?' you thought desperately. Hoping that something or someone can give you an answer at that moment.

"Come on y'all, let's go get ready, we have a lot to think about." Melanie reasoned with you and the girls. They all stood up and as a group you walked upstairs to the changing room.

"How are you feeling Y/n?" Aniya asked you.

You were currently decided which outfit to wear tonight, the many options becoming a bit difficult to decide.

"I'm okay," you started. Your hand coming up to grab a blue dress that caught your eye. You analyzed it but finished answering Aniya's question.

"I'm not 100%, but I'm okay. Just not sure what to do. I don't have a connection with any of the guys here, although I wish I could. But my heart is not in it. My heart still wants Caleb." you admitted and could feel the tears starting to form.

No. You were not going to cry right now. Not when you just did your makeup as well. You were going to get through tonight.

"So, do you think you're leaning most likely towards staying single?" she asked in return.

"It's the only justifiable and possible thing to do. I'm not going to string one of these boys along when the whole time, I'm going to be thinking about Caleb." Aniya nodded in understanding.

"As much as I want to say to pick one of the guys here, I get where you're coming from. Pick what your heart is telling you, and don't let yourself feel guilty for the choice you make. We can't help who we have feelings for." she finished the conversation and gave you a tight hug which you honestly needed.

You look back at your wardrobe and finally pick a dress to put on.

*At the fire pit*

You were all seated around the fire pit. Ariana was standing in front, and each minute that passed by only had you feeling sick. You were dreading the moment you would be called on to tell Ariana what you were going to do.

'What if he walks in with another girl?'

'What if everything between us was a lie?'

The thoughts were coming at you left and right, trying to take over your thought process. You take a couple of deep breaths to calm yourself. You could do this, and you were going to be okay.

The memory of watching Caleb and Jaiden kissed played in your head. Although looking at them made you sick to your stomach, you took into consideration that he told her that he still did have a connection with you. That he still thought of you and considered you. But then the image of them being in that damn private room only made your heart ache bad.

You were so busy weighing your options that you didn't notice that Trinity was up standing. Getting ready to make the big decision. You all stayed quiet and listened to her reasoning for either pairing up with one of the bombshells or deciding to stay single while potentially reuniting with Bryce.

"I am going to remain single and not pair up with one of these amazing boys. Although they deserve love, this is what my heart was telling me to do." She explained.

"Trinity, you have decided to remain single and loyal to Bryce. If Bryce walks in alone, then you guys will stay coupled up. If he walks in with someone else, then you will be single and vulnerable. Let's see what he decided." Ariana said.

You all watched with anticipation, you hoped that Bryce was going to walk in here alone. Him and Trinity were endgame. If he walked in here with someone else, then everyone, and even America would be shocked.

Suddenly, Bryce walks in and he's alone. Trinity spots him and screams in joy. Everyone smiled and cheered as they realized that they were going to remain a couple. You watch as they hug each other tight and pull each other in for a deep, long kiss.

'Who knows, that may or may not be me.'

When Bryce and Trinity finished talking to Ariana and sat down, you gulped when she turned to face you.

"Y/n, its your turn. Will you please stand up." she directed and gave you a soft smile.

You wiped the sweat that built up on your hands due to nerves away, slowly standing up from the couch.

"How do you feel hun?" Ariana asked, giving you an encouraging smile.

"Nervous as fuck..." was all you could get out at that moment. You could hear the light chuckles that came from everyone else.

"Before Casa, you were coupled up with Caleb. In fact, you were also in the hideaway together the night of and were voted to go in by America. How does that make you feel?" she asked.

It felt like you were being interrogated. The heat from the spotlight was making your skin heat up, and you could feel the fast pace of your heart speeding up.

"It felt nice that America voted for us to be in the hideaway. I think they see something that is very real between me and Caleb, and I hope that it means something and will give me the answers I am looking for." You answered honestly. Then she finally asked the magic question.

"Y/n, the choice is now yours. Would you like to couple up with someone here, or would you like to remain single." You took a deep breath. This was it, and it was now or never, and definitely no chance of going back on your decision.

"I have decided" you started off. The breath getting caught in your throat. You had to pause to get yourself together.

"You can do this Y/n" Trinity whispered from behind you. Encouraging you as much as she could.

"I have decided to remain single. As much as I tried to explore and find connections among these guys, I honestly could not find one. It wouldn't be fair to them to pick them and only lead them on. That's not a position I would ever want to be in for myself and I think these guys would say the same." You finally answered. Your breathing becomes uneven due to the nerves.

"Y/n, you have decided to remain single and loyal to Caleb. If Caleb walks in alone then you will remain a couple. If he walks in with someone else, then you will be single and vulnerable." she stated. All you could do was nod your head. Too scared to say anything else.

"Let's see what Caleb has decided." Those dreadful words were finally said. Your hands hold onto your arms so tight to keep yourself grounded in this moment.

'Please choose me Caleb'

'Prove me wrong'

You begged for a final time. You could hear the footsteps. This was it, now or never.

"Oh fuck." you heard Kenzie gasped. Your body froze when you saw him. Except he wasn't alone. He was walking with Jaiden, and he was holding her hand.

You couldn't breathe anymore, your heart felt like it was being stabbed. This was the worse fucking pain you could have ever felt. You thought him leaving you alone in the hideaway was bad, that watching him kiss Jaiden was terrible, but nothing compared to what you currently felt in this moment. So many emotions hitting you at once, pain, sadness, anger, heartbreak, rage, all of it.

Your eyes stayed watching them, his eyes not meeting anyone but the ground. You could see Jaiden trying to reassure him. They finally made it to Ariana, and after saying their hello's is when he finally locked eyes on you.

You hope he could see the pain in your eyes, the hurt, resentment, and rage. You wanted him to see exactly what he was doing to you.

"Caleb, as you can see, Y/n has decided to remain single. You walked in with Jaiden which means you are now coupled up with her. How do you feel right now?" You could feel everyone's eyes burning into your skin. They were waiting to see what was going to happen. Caleb takes a deep breath and could barely let out a sound. It was like a mumble.

"Speak. Up." you demanded. You were not going to break in front of everyone right now. But you damn well were going to demand some answers.

"Say that shit with your chest." Kayda said aloud.

"I won't lie, I feel very bad right now." he started. He watched you roll your eyes, and could see the way your jaw clenched. He was getting nervous. He knew he was going to need to be extremely careful with his words.

"As much as I loved being coupled with Y/n, I did also have a strong connection with Jaiden, and I felt that it was something that needed to be explored more." he answered.

You were shaking. You wanted to snap so bad, but you knew how that would only make you look in the end. And regardless, America was also watching this, so you were going to do your best maintain your composure.

"Y/n, how do you feel about what Caleb said?" Ariana asked you.

Your hands dropped from holding your stomach. It was no longer nerves that consumed you, but rage.

"I mean it is what it is. I should've known better from the day that I saw him kissing and having a grand time over in Casa." you started.

"It wasn't just all of that." Caleb tried to defend him. But you didn't let him speak anymore.

"Oh no, y'all had a fucking time." you started off coldly. The girls also commenting in your favor since they also saw what happened.

"I should've known better, when I was trying to stay open and go on other dates and explore with these nice guys here, that you were probably going to do some stupid shit like this. I was out here for three days, getting torn up by mosquitoes, constantly thinking of you, and being respectful towards you when I could've kissed them too but I fucking didn't. Should've known that once you could get your dick wet with the first girl you see that you would fold like that. Dry humping and everything." you vulgarly gestured and reenacted the moment you saw him and Jaiden making out and the way he moved her hips.

Everyone gasped. They couldn't believe what they were seeing and hearing from you. You have never acted like this or displayed yourself in a way like this. They didn't know whether they should be scared or worried for you or Caleb.

"I know you're hurt, and I'm sorry about that, but I did have you in the back of my mind. I thought of you everyday." He tried to reason.

"Oh shit." You heard Sincere gasp from the other side of the fire pit. Everyone could see you flipping him off as clear as day. Both fingers were in the air, pointed right at him.

"You clearly didn't think of me at all the moment you pulled that shit in the bed with her. But it is what it is." You finished.

"Caleb and Jaiden, please go have a seat with the others." Ariana said as it was time to move on. Trinity grabbed your hand and sat you down, immediately comforting you. The tears at the edge of your eyes. You could feel his eyes on you, but you didn't want to look at him. You couldn't anymore.

'I'm so fucking stupid to think that he would choose me.'

*The next day*

You were numb.

Your heart hurts so bad. You couldn't even sleep in the room like everyone else. You had slept in soul ties because you didn't want to look at him with her. You cried all night. The only source of comfort that night was your pillow. You were an emotional wreck.

When you got into the dressing room to get ready with the girls, you didn't even speak. You didn't want to talk at all. You just wanted to get ready and then be done with the day. If you could be alone you would.

Suddenly, the guys started coming in, bringing breakfasts to you and the girls. You saw him from the corner of your eye, he had two plates in his hands. He stopped at Jaiden first and gave her the plate. You could hear her thank him and hear the kiss that she left on him, whether it was his cheek or on his lips, it didn't matter. Then he started to make his way towards you.

"Don't come over here." you warned him. You did not want him near you whatsoever.

"I don't want it." you stated firmly, still trying to cover the swelling under your eyes from crying so much last night. Just as he was about to place the plate of food in front of you, you moved your hand so that it was under it and pushed it towards him. The food ultimately landed on his chest and the floor. The girls gasped in shock.

"I told you I don't want it." You state a final time. Not paying attention to his reaction and moving on with your routine. You could hear him picking up the food from the floor. You could hear the whispers from the girls, and quite frankly you didn't care what they thought. You were not going to put up with this.

When he finally walked away is when you felt like you could breathe again.

*Throughout the day*

You could see them talking and hanging out. The way he would smile at her, get close to her. It hurt so much watching this. The way he looked at her, was how he would look at you.

You stayed up on the balcony, away from everyone else. Not wanting to be bothered by anyone. You just wanted to be alone. You needed to be alone in order to come to terms with everything that happened. But deep down, you couldn't come to terms with it. This was killing you emotionally.

The sunglasses you had on hid the tears falling from your eyes.

'Why me? What is so wrong about me that I can't be loved the right way.'

You could hear them right below you, talking and laughing, like nothing happened last night. Did he not feel bad for anything that has happened? Was it all a lie? Did he truly only want to sleep with you?

These questions hurt so bad as they continued to pop up in your head. You couldn't stand hearing how happy they were with each other, so, you got up and walked away, trying your best to remain quiet as the sobs quietly broke through from your mouth.

*Later that night*

It was time to get dressed to go down and be with everyone in the villa. Although you didn't want to, you knew it would look bad if you didn't, and you did not want to give anyone the satisfaction that this was breaking you. Even though deep down it was.

"You can do this." you whispered to yourself. You chanted that in your head a couple more times to help you gain the confidence you needed.

"Don't let him get to you babe, you're strong as fuck, and you're not about to let him ruin your night." Trinity said from behind you, wanting to be with you in your time of need. You appreciated her so much for this. She truly was a great friend.

She grabbed your hand, and you both exited the room and walked down the stairs to get to the main area of the villa. You could see everyone surrounding the kitchen counter. You did your best to avoid seeing them.

Trinity made you stay with her the whole time, making sure that you were comfortable even though deep down, you just wanted to hide. As you were listening to her and Aniya talk, you suddenly felt a tap on your shoulder. It was Jaiden.

"Y/n, is it okay if I pull you for a quick chat?" she asked softly. You looked back at the girls who nodded their heads. Encouraging you to go talk to her. You turned back to look at her and nodded your head, signalling to go over to 'say less'.

The silence was a bit awkward. You didn't know what to say or if you should start the conversation, but luckily Jaiden decided to make the first move.

"I just wanted to say, I'm really sorry for how things went down last night with Caleb. If I was in your shows, I know I would react the same way, and I just hope that we can somehow get past this and get to know each other more." As much as the petty side of you wanted to scoff and roll your eyes at her words, you had to admit that this wasn't her fault. In the end this was all Caleb's doing.

"Can I ask you something?" you whispered, afraid that your voice would crack if you spoke normally. She gave you a small smile and said yes.

"Did Caleb ever say anything about me or our connection?" you finally bit the bullet and asked her. You needed to know this. Your heart needs to know this.

"He talked about you all the time." she admitted.

"He would always say how his connection with you was very strong and that it would take a lot to top it." She started explaining. You didn't react yet, you wanted to hear everything. You needed to hear everything.

"From the time he was there up until the night of the recoupling, he would always mention you. You were always on his mind everyday." you scoffed and sat yourself up straight.

"yeah right.." you mumbled.

"It's true, he thought of you and spoke of you everyday." she stated.

"No offense to you, then why did he make the choice he did." you asked.

"He told me that he wanted to continue to pursue the connection and test it to see which one was stronger." Now you were pissed. After everything, your connection with him was suddenly not strong enough.

"Thank you for telling me this, but I need to go do something right now." you finished the conversation and got up from your seat. You walked back over to the kitchen, your eyes scanning the area.

"Y/n, you okay?" Trinity asked, she could see that you were on a mission for something. You looked around more, ignoring her question until you look up and see Caleb and Sincere sitting across from each other at the dock, talking. You marched way over there.

Once he was in your line of sight, the sound of your heels stomping on the floor caused both boys to look up and turn to you.

"You are so fucking disrespectful you know that." you spat at him. Your rage finally starts to get the best of you. His eyes widened when he realized that you were talking to him and he got up from his seat quickly.

"Sincere, I don't know who you're looking at, but you better leave right now." you warned him. He didn't waste a single second and scurried off. It was just you and Caleb now, and you were ready.

"You're such a piece of shit." you told him rudely, your hands enclosed as fists by your sides.

"We can talk about why I'm a piece of shit." he said calmly. It only angered you more.

"Was it fucking worth it Caleb? Was it all fucking worth it?!" you looked at him with disgust.

Caleb couldn't blame you for how you were talking to him. He fucked up so bad. He fuck up the relationship with you. He felt like a piece of shit.

"No, it wasn't worth it." he replied back. He was so ashamed of himself. But you didn't care. You could give a fuck about he felt, but he sure was going to know how you felt.

"Why the fuck did you do it then? How could you leave me alone that night after what we did, how could you fucking bring her back after what has happened between us?" your voice so loud that you could hear the other stop talking from down below. They could hear everything you were saying.

"I wanted to test our connection." he started off, you scoffed at his answer.

"I told her that my connection is still strong with you, that it's going to be hard to top it." you cut him off.

"That's fucking bullshit and you know it. You are so fucking disrespectful. To watch you fucking kiss her, not even after twenty four hours of being with me in the hideaway and you fucking folded like a fucking pretzel." you spat.

"Y/n, I still told her though that I thought of you everyday. There wasn't a day where I didn't speak about you." he spoke as he got closer to you. He wanted you to understand so badly. He could see how his words were only doing more harm than good.

"Fuck you Caleb." you told him, the tears finally falling so he could see how hurt you truly were.

"You're fucked up, you're so fucked up, you were not respectful in the slightest." you cried out.

"Have some fucking respect, cause I told you what the fuck!" your hand gesturing at him. A cry escaped from your throat and you tried to walk away before you broke.

"Y/n, wait." Caleb had tried to stop you by grabbing your arm.

"Don't fucking touch me." you yelled at him. Caleb was shocked. He had never seen you like this, and he was starting to realize how bad his actions truly affected you.

"You were not even respectful in the slightest, the fucking slightest Caleb. There was no type of consideration for me or else you would not have done half of the shit you did." you told him.

"Y/n, I told her that I felt that I was disrespecting you-" he started.

"And kept doing it?" you cut him off. You didn't care how rude it was. Just like he didn't care about your feelings.

"So how bad did you really feel, cause you kept doing it and doing it, and then you fucking brought her back to rub that shit in my fucking face."

"I wasn't trying to rub shit in your face Y/n." he spoke over you, trying to get his words out.

"Maybe not intentionally, but you did it. You brought her back so stand on what the hell you did." you told him. You couldn't take it anymore. You broke at that moment. The sobs leave your body and out in the open.

"Did that night not mean anything to you?" You finally asked. "Am I just a fucking joke to you? Is that all you wanted from me?" you questioned him, trying to control your cries so you could get your answers.

Caleb's heart broke right then and there, he should've known better. After that night, he should have done better, because at the end of the day that night meant everything to him. He hated that he was the cause of your pain, the cause of your heartbreak. He never wanted to be the cause of this, and this was the worse pain unimaginable.

"It meant everything." he said softly, trying to keep control of emotions. "That night meant every fucking thing to me Y/n." he wanted you to believe him, and you wanted to as well, but his actions showed otherwise.

"It didn't take much for you to do what you did Caleb. It didn't take shit." you told him, the sobs are still leaving your body. He hated seeing you cry, he hated being the cause of you crying. He felt so fucking disgusted with himself in this moment. He now realizes what he did to you.

"You promised me, and you couldn't even keep it. I thought of you every step of the way, had you in the back of my mind every fucking day..." you started, wiping away some of the excess tears, but they still kept coming.

"Y/n please, just let me explain." but you shook your head.

"No Caleb. I'm fucking done." you finally said. You looked at him in the eye one last time, hoping he could see how much he broke you. You walked past him, headed towards the stairs.

"Y/n!" he called after you. "We can't just end it like this." he yelled out to you, trying to get you to listen. But you continued walking.

"You ended it when you walked in here with her."

Dean loves it when you're mean to him.

You get this special look on your face whenever you’re about to hurl a snarky remark at him—a glint in your eye, followed by a curled lip and topped off with a sharply arched eyebrow. Dean lives for it. You were already attractive, but for some reason, being mean made you even hotter in his eyes.

The two of you had met at one of the hockey house's epic parties. That night had started as usual: booming music, sticky floors, and a general sense of chaos. Dean was making the rounds, feeling tipsy and horny, when you walked in, stopping him in his tracks.

Yeah, Hannah and Garrett were also there, being disgustingly cute as usual. But all Dean could focus on was you, in your leather jacket and brown boots, looking like you'd rather be anywhere else instead of one of the hypest ragers at Briar. He strode across the room to you, instantly fascinated.

“Wellsy, I can’t believe you’ve been hiding one of your hot friends from me!” Dean exclaimed to Hannah, pouting exaggeratedly. He locked eyes with you, flashing the playful smirk that girls usually went crazy over. “Hey there, I’m Dean, and it’s an absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

You sharply rolled your eyes, completely unimpressed, and Dean felt his dick stir in his pants. “Oh, I know who you are. Tall, irritating, thinks he’s God’s gift to women.”

Hannah tried unsuccessfully to stifle a giggle. Garrett smirked. But Dean? He wasn’t fazed in the slightest. “Hopefully that’s your type,” he flirted, and you could practically smell the smugness (and expensive-ass cologne) radiating from him.

“Sure, if I’d just had a lobotomy, maybe,” you quipped, a mean glint in your eye.

Dean laughed heartily before breaking into a dimpled, ear-splitting grin. “Damn, you are mean.”

Hannah cleared her throat and said your name gently, reminding you and Dean that you weren’t the only ones in the room.

“Let’s go dance?” Hannah offered, linking arms with you. Right on cue, a Britney Spears song started playing—Toxic, one of your absolute faves.

“Garrett, I’ll see you later,” you said, flashing a friendly smile at Hannah’s boyfriend. Then, you turned to Dean, decidedly less cordial. “I’d say it was a pleasure meeting you, but I don’t like lying.”

Hannah shook her head amusedly, lightly tugging on your arm. You followed her to the living room-slash-dance floor, ready to dance, get sweaty, and hopefully erase any thoughts of Dean Di Laurentis and his stupid blue eyes and infuriating smirk from your mind.

• • •

From that moment on, Dean was hooked. Whenever you and Dean crossed paths—and that seemed to be happening quite often lately, to your chagrin and his delight—you ended up bantering. Some cosmic universal force seemed to always draw the two of you together, whether it was at a crowded football pregame at a frat house or at your favorite hole-in-the-wall pizza place where you and Hannah loved to satisfy your late-night cravings. You seemed totally immune to Dean’s charm, yet you hadn't told him to fuck off. He found you absolutely fascinating, like a riddle he was dying to solve.

Now it was the team's annual Halloween party, and Dean was chilling in the kitchen in an army green Top Gun-style jumpsuit, trying (and failing) to look like he wasn't waiting for a special someone to show up.

"She's coming over with Wellsy," Garrett said, snapping Dean out of his reverie.

Dean snorted. "Don't know who you're talking about, man."

Garrett said your name, the corners of his smile quirking up in amusement. "You know, the girl you're obsessed with?"

Dean rolled his eyes, his gaze fixated on the door, even as a bunch of beautiful women in revealing costumes cast flirty glances in an attempt to grab his attention.

"I am not obsessed with her," Dean insisted.

Garrett chuckled. "Sure, man."

Before Dean could fire off a retort to his pain-in-the-ass friend, the door swung open, and time seemed to stop as you and Hannah casually walked into the party. Hannah was dressed as Elton John, complete with sparkly pink square glasses and a Dodgers jersey—cute. And then there was you. Your costume was fairly simple: an all-black ensemble of a V-neck sweater, jeans, and a beanie (topped off with a plastic silver tiara), completing the look with a pair of dark shades perched on your nose.

You were the sexiest Louvre heist thief Dean had ever seen. 

"Have you come to steal my heart, princess?" he asked, those damn dimples popping out again as he flashed you a playful smile.

You responded with another one of your patented eye rolls. "I see you've decided to be a fuckboy for Halloween. But isn't the point of the holiday to not dress like yourself?" you snarked, crossing your arms. The movement pushed your boobs together in your sweater top, and Dean said a silent word of thanks to whoever knitted this garment.

Dean let out a faux gasp of horror. "I'm Maverick, baby. Don't tell me you've never seen the cinematic masterpiece that is Top Gun!"

"A 'cinematic masterpiece'?'" you repeated, your mouth twitching with amusement despite your best efforts.

"Hell yes! The acting, the music, the dogfight scenes? Tom fuckin' Cruise? It's one of the most iconic movies of all time, princess!" Dean insisted. He was so passionate and earnest about his love for this cheesy-looking 80s movie; it was kind of cute. It made your stomach churn a little to admit that, even to yourself.

"Well, okay, Maverick," you drawled, deciding to entertain him. "Why don't you make yourself useful and get me a drink?"

Dean smirked, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. "It would be my honor," he gallantly replied, prompting yet another eye roll from you.

• • •

You hated to admit it, but Hannah, once again, was right.

She’d invited you to another one of the hockey team’s stupid parties, promising you that you’d have a good time. (Maybe she also mentioned a certain blonde hockey player, but you’d ignored that). And yes, you were indeed enjoying yourself. After Dean gave you a Finnish Long Drink, you began to let loose, dancing with Hannah and a few other friends. You laughed, feeling completely light and happy, a fizzy buzz coursing through your body thanks to the grapefruit mixed cocktail in your system.

“May I have this dance, madamemoiselle?”

Dean. He’d disappeared after getting you a drink, occupying himself with a rotating cast of girls. Classic Di Laurentis. And yet, he found his way back to you, like a magnet attracted to its opposite pole.

You probably should’ve told him no. You’d already turned down a few guys who’d approached you, preferring to dance with your girls. And this wasn’t just any guy—it was Dean Di Laurentis, a guy that should come with his own warning label. But you were tipsy and Zombieboy by Lady Gaga was blasting, which sounded like as good a reason as any to bypass your better judgment.

You lowered your sunglasses and smirked at Dean. “Fuck it, let’s dance,” you replied casually. “But keep your hands away from my ass or I’ll make sure you can never hold a hockey stick again.”

Dean beamed, looking like he’d just won a mega million jackpot. He put his hands on your waist, pulling you close to him so your back was flush against his chest. You swayed your hips as Dean held you, losing yourself to the rhythm of the music.

After the song ended, you and Dean broke apart and looked at each other, chests heaving and skin glistening with a fresh layer of sweat. The air suddenly seemed charged with an electric energy, as if a storm was about to brew.

“Thanks for a surprisingly decent time,” you quipped. You took off your tiara, which had threatened to fall off your beanie multiple times tonight, and placed it atop Dean’s blonde locks. He should look ridiculous, but unfortunately he pulled off the headpiece, a perfect Prince Charming in a Top Gun jumpsuit. “See you around, Maverick.”

And then you were gone, disappearing into a sea of people, your ass looking absolutely perfect in those dark jeans. Dean hated to see you go—but he fuckin’ loved to watch you leave.

• • •

You weren't jealous, no matter what Hannah thought.

You stood next to the bar at Malone's during its weekly live music night, one hand at your hip while the other was gripping an unopened sparkling water. Meanwhile, Dean was dancing to an alt-rock band's cover of "Call Me Maybe" with a cute, redheaded young woman wearing a cropped Zeta sorority shirt. And you didn't care. As a matter of fact, it was a relief that he hadn't bothered you once tonight.

"You're staring at him again," Hannah singsonged, playfully hitting you in the shoulder with her rag.

You turned to Hannah, rolling your eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be working?"

Hannah chuckled. "Why don't you just go talk to him?"

You scoffed. "Because he's annoying," you mumbled, your face growing hot. "

Hannah's mouth twitched in amusement as she focused on sopping up a stain from the bar counter. "And yet you always seize the opportunity to talk to him whenever he gets close to you."

"Well, someone has to put him in his place," you replied, unable to look away from Dean and the Zeta girl. Something ugly and mean knotted in your stomach as you watched him run his hands down her sides, but that could just be a coincidence. Maybe you were hungry. Or tired. Anything but jealous that Dean was chatting up a girl who wasn't you.

After what seemed like an eternity, the song ended, and the band took a break. Dean and the Zeta went their separate ways, but not before she sent him one last flirtatious look. Then, as if sensing your presence, Dean instantly locked eyes with you, smirking lazily, and made his way over. Fuck.

Hannah opened her mouth to tease you again when a group of frat boys came up to the bar, pulling her attention away from you. You sighed, trying your best to keep your composure when Dean sidled up to you. He was wearing the same cologne as the night you'd first met, and you nearly smiled at the familiar scent. It was so musky and woodsy and him.

(What was going on with you?)

"You know, if you wanted a dance with me, you could've just asked," Dean murmured, somehow too close and yet not close enough.

So he had caught you staring. If ever there was a time for the ground to open up and swallow you whole, now would be perfect.

"Who said I wanted a dance with you?" you retorted, your voice impassive.

"Princess, I felt you burning a hole in the back of my head the entire time," Dean remarked, grinning from ear to ear. "It's okay if you're obsessed with me."

You wrinkled your nose, which only amused him more. "I'm not obsessed with you. Just fascinated by the way you always manage to find a girl as soon as you walk into a room. It's like your dick is a compass."

"And it led me to you, baby," Dean replied smoothly.

You pretended to gag. "You're insufferable, you know that?" you grumbled.

Dean laughed. "So I've been told by you many times. It never gets old."

This man was unbelievable.

"I know you're some kind of campus Casanova, but you're not my type," you said, crossing your arms as you glared at Dean.

Dean hummed in response. "Okay, fair. I'll leave you alone then. Maybe I'll hit up Mikayla again and ask for another dance."

Your eye twitched. "Go ahead," you said, casually shrugging your shoulders. You were fine, remember? You didn't care! "I hope you have a great time with someone who actually worships the ground you walk on."

Dean flashed a teasing smile at you. "Honestly, these days, pretty girls who love to argue with me are more my type. You have a good night, princess."

As Dean walked out of Malone's, you couldn't help but feel your stomach twist again. Was he joking about hooking up with Mikayla? Was he actually going to leave you alone now?

Hannah returned to your side, quirking an eyebrow in amusement.

"Don't even start," you warned. You didn't have the energy for another "I told you so" from Hannah right now.

• • •

You couldn't believe it, but you actually missed Dean's presence in your life.

Sure, he was busy with hockey, but he usually managed to pencil in time to be a flirtatious menace to you. But it had been days since he'd last teased you at Malone's. You ended up following him on Instagram, checking his stories (but not being the first one to click on them because you would rather die than be seen as too eager) to see what he was up to. There were random snaps from hockey practice, whatever songs he was listening to on Apple Music, and the occasional casual hangout pic with the boys. But one thing surprised you: no pics with random girls.

You figured Dean would be living his best fuckboy life with a different lady perched on his lap every night. The Fifth Line was usually popping off with stories about Dean's latest exploits, but it had been unusually quiet about him. You tried to distract yourself from thinking about Dean, and you even deleted your Instagram app so you wouldn't be tempted to check his account again. (That lasted for all of 10 minutes.)

"You're coming to the hockey game with me tonight," Hannah insisted, leaving no room for debate.

You grimaced. "Han, I'm not much of a hockey person. I'd rather just stay in the apartment and chill."

Hannah looked at you sympathetically. "I get it; you want to stay in bed and burrow. But it's been forever since we went out and had fun together. Just come with me, please?"

"Or maybe I could rewatch Before Sunrise for the millionth time instead?" you jokingly offered. Like Hannah, you adored Dirty Dancing, but your comfort movie of choice involved Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy roaming Vienna without a care in the world.

Hannah said your name pleadingly, looking up at you with big puppy eyes. "Please? I know Dean would want you there..."

You snorted. "Nah, Dean will have plenty of puck bunnies at the game screaming his name. I think his ego will be fine."

Hannah smiled, her eyes dancing mischievously with a secret you weren't privy to. "True, but Garrett told me he asked if you specifically would show up."

Your heart clenched at the thought. "Pretty girls who love to argue with me are more my type," he'd said that night at Malone's. And as it turned out, goofy 6'2" blonde hockey players who loved to annoy you had become your type.

"Okay, I'll go," you agreed. “But you’re gonna have to explain the rules of hockey to me.”

Hannah chuckled. “I think I only know slightly more than you do, but I’ll try my best.”

              • • •  

In your short time as a hockey watcher, one thing had become clear to you—Dean Di Laurentis was damn good.

You had to give credit to the other boys on the ice, especially Garrett, who looked so cool and calculated while doing whatever a captain did. But you found yourself transfixed by Dean; you’d never seen him so locked in before, and it was actually kind of hot. He was so quick on the ice and aggressive while playing defense. And when Dean set up an assist to Garrett to score the winning goal? That was just beautiful.

You leapt to your feet alongside Hannah, cheering at the top of your lungs. Garrett peered into the crowd, smiling softly at his girl. Dean looked up as well, giving a friendly nod to Hannah before noticing you, his eyes widening before he broke out into a huge grin that made your stomach do backflips.

You and Hannah waited by the entrance to the hockey arena, chatting idly until Garrett and Dean emerged from the locker room, still giddy from the high of upsetting the #2 team in the country. 

“Well, this was a pleasant surprise,” Dean murmured, eyeing you appreciatively in your Briar Hawks hoodie. 

You smirked. “Congrats, Di Laurentis. Pleasantly surprised by how competent you were out there.”

“Was that a…compliment?” Dean joked, his voice full of exaggerated awe. “This is the best night of my life!”

“C’mon, Wellsy, let’s leave these lovebirds alone,” Garrett teased, laughing as Hannah playfully shoved his shoulder. The two of them scurried off to Garrett’s Jeep, leaving you and Dean alone. 

You wrapped your arms around yourself, shivering despite the hoodie you had on.

"Wanna warm up in my car? I got heated seats," Dean offered, grinning crookedly.

Not even you could pass that up. You accepted Dean's offer, gamely following him to his car despite your nerves.

“Princess, you didn’t comment on how douchey and expensive my car is. Are you okay?” Dean joked after you both climbed into his BMW, adjusting your seat so you could be more comfortable.

You rolled your eyes, though there wasn’t a hint of malice behind the gesture. “I’d rather talk about why you’ve been avoiding me lately.”

Dean frowned. "Thought you wanted some space, so I backed off. Especially after you posted on your story about going on a date."

Oh yes, the date. A couple of nights ago, you'd tried the ultimate get-over-Dean strategy: focusing your energy on somebody else. Your friend Rhiannon had set you up with her twin brother, Declan, confident that the two of you would make a great match. And Declan was definitely appealing, with sparkling green eyes and a sharp wit, and he was very easy to talk to. In a different time, you could see yourself falling for him. But you had an annoying, Dean-shaped roadblock in your way, so you'd let Declan down gently at the end of the night. Thankfully, he was pretty chill and understanding about it. (If only all guys could be like that!)

Wait a minute. “How did you know I went on a date?” you asked, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

“Garrett told me,” Dean admitted, bashfully rubbing the back of his neck. You’d forgotten for a split second that Garrett followed you on Instagram. Of course, Garrett would see the photo you took of your delicious pasta (caption: “on a date with some penne alla vodka…kind of nervous…oh, there’s a guy here too”) and tell his buddy.

You awkwardly cleared your throat. "Anyway, the date went okay, but I probably won't go out with him again."

Dean's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Really? Why not?"

You sighed. "Because I like someone else. Unfortunately, he's irritating and flirty and, of course, owns a luxury car. I'm just shocked it isn't a Lambo."

A boyish grin spread across Dean's face. "BMWs are just better," he replied simply.

Dean suddenly grew serious. “Can I—would it be okay if I kissed you?” he asked, nervously fiddling with the gold chain around his neck. He looked leagues away from the smooth talker he usually was.

“Yes, please,” you enthusiastically replied. Dean grinned, climbing into the backseat, and you followed after him. He pulled you into his lap, holding your face with both hands as he kissed you deeply. You moaned before returning the kiss with equal fervor, relishing the feeling of his soft lips on yours.

You shifted your position in Dean’s lap, making him groan as you brushed against his hardening erection.

“Wow, someone sure is excited,” you quipped, snickering.

“Let me take you back to my room, princess,” Dean murmured, kissing below the shell of your ear.

You couldn’t think of anything you wanted to do more.

• • •

You and Dean raced up the stairs of the hockey house, itching to get your hands on each other. Dean locked his bedroom door and pinned you against it, leaving a trail of kisses down your neck while his free hand toyed with the waistband of your jeans. 

“Bet you’re soaked for me, princess,” Dean teased. 

You let out a breathy chuckle. “Why don’t you check for yourself?” 

Dean happily obliged, unbuttoning your jeans and letting them pool at your feet with lightning speed. He hummed appreciatively at your black undies before sliding a finger inside, smirking when he heard the squelch of your wetness soaking his digit. 

Dean brought his finger to his mouth, closing his eyes in bliss as he licked off your slick. “Fuck, baby, you’re delicious.” 

He slid his finger back into your wet heat, pumping it in and out before curling it just so and making you see stars behind your eyes. You put a hand over your mouth, cautious about making even the slightest sound. 

“C’mon, baby, I wanna hear all the pretty sounds you can make for me,” Dean purred, rubbing at your clit, causing your hips to buck up.

“B-But what about your teammates!” you protested, holding in a gasp. 

“‘s nothing they haven’t heard before,” Dean casually replied before adding in another finger, using both digits to pump into and scissor your pussy. You whimpered, feeling so good but also wanting—craving—more.

“What’s wrong, princess? You’re usually so good with your words,” Dean cracked, his voice dripping with lust. “Tell me what you need.”

“Need your mouth on me,” you whined.

Dean cupped a hand to his ear in response, his eyebrows knotted together in mock confusion. “What’s that? I couldn’t quite hear you.”

You were going to kill him. “Oh, you heard me, you absolute menace,” you grumbled. 

Dean pulled his fingers out of you before lifting you over his shoulder and gently laying you on your back atop his bed. A cynical part of you braced yourself for Dean to do the bare minimum, but he absolutely feasted on your pussy, licking at your folds and sucking on your clit like this was the first decent meal he'd had after a week stranded on a deserted island.

"You close?" Dean murmured, massaging your clit with two fingers while he continued passionately eating you out.

“Yes,” you replied, breath hitching. “Oh, god.”

“Actually, I’m Dean, but that works too,” he joked. Before you could offer a snarky reply, Dean buried his nose into your cunt, inhaling your natural scent. You let out a wanton moan, bucking your hips up again and grinding yourself against Dean’s face.

“Let yourself go, princess. Come on my face,” Dean encouraged you.

You cried out as you orgasmed, soaking Dean’s face with your arousal. Dean looked up at you, face and chin glistening, and flashed you a devilish smile.

“Baby, you are unreal,” Dean marveled, wiping a hand across his face and licking off your juices. “Holy shit.”

“Fuck. That was pretty good,” you admitted. “You’re annoyingly talented.”

A satisfied grin spread across Dean’s face. “To me, eating pussy is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Obviously I wanna make you feel good, but it’s really fuckin’ fun for me too.”

Your pussy throbbed at Dean’s words. You couldn’t help but wonder—if he was this good with his fingers and his mouth, what would his dick be like? The thought made you even hornier than you already were.

“Princess, I’m already hard again,” Dean confessed, palming himself through his jeans.

You playfully rolled your eyes. “Is that your way of saying you want to sleep with me?”

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” Dean asked, furrowing his brows together. “I would love to have sex but I won’t make a move unless you’re 100% down.”

You were pleasantly surprised at Dean’s thoughtfulness. “I am absolutely, completely, 100% down. But it’s hot that you asked for consent first.”

“Consent is sexy,” Dean agreed, looking at you tenderly. “Can’t make you feel good until I know you feel safe.”

Your chest felt warm with affection. The more you truly got to know Dean, the more you realized that he was a walking green flag.

You climbed into Dean’s lap, straddling him as you kissed his neck. Dean let out a throaty growl, looking one second away from ripping your clothes off like a rakish period romance love interest. He expertly unhooked your bra and tossed it to the side, gazing at your fully nude body with the reverence usually reserved for Renaissance art.

“You’re fuckin’ beautiful,” Dean praised, his blue eyes the size of dinner plates.

You smirked. “Pick your jaw up from the floor and get naked already.”

Dean’s pupils darkened with desire. “Damn, I love it when you’re mean to me,” he murmured, quickly stripping off his clothes and tossing them into a pile.

Dean let his hands roam over your body, caressing every curve and crease like he was trying to commit your body to memory just by touch. He cupped your breasts in both hands before sucking your nipples, eliciting a whine from you as you gripped Dean’s bedsheets.

You pouted when Dean pulled away from you, instantly missing his touch. Dean chuckled, opening his bedside drawer and pulling out a foil wrapper.

“Don’t pout, baby. Just getting some protection,” he assured you before ripping the wrapper open with his teeth. You gulped when you saw his dick pressed against his stomach, the tip flushed a bright red and already dripping with precum.

“You like what you see?” Dean murmured, smirking as he rolled the condom on.

You arched an eyebrow. “Less talk, more action, Di Laurentis,” you retorted, your face growing hot.

Dean tutted. “My impatient girl.” You spread your legs wide for him, watching as he gave his dick a few pumps before he slowly slid inside you. Both of you gasped, reveling in the sensation of his girthy cock stretching your walls.

“You’re so tight, princess,” Dean mumbled appreciatively, holding onto your shoulders as he thrusted into you with a steady pace.

You felt like your soul was being sucked out of your body in the best possible way. Dean must’ve wished on a star or made some other fantastical bargain because how was his dick game so good? He seemed to know all the right spots to hit that would drive you wild. You’d never been so vocal during sex before, and your noises only spurred Dean on more, his pace gradually increasing until you could hear his headboard banging against the wall.

“Come for me one more time,” Dean whispered into the shell of your ear, lightly nipping at your lobe before soothing the bite with a kiss.

You were already on the ski lift to your peak, but then Dean rubbed soft circles on your clit, which sent you into ecstasy. Your legs trembled as you came all over Dean’s cock. His orgasm wasn’t too far behind, and he moaned your name before spilling into the condom.

Dean pulled out, his chest heaving as he tied the used condom in a knot and tossed it into the wastebasket beside his bed. He turned to you, still shaking from the aftermath of an incredible round of sex, and put his arms around your waist.

He was so soft with you, leaving gentle kisses on your cheeks and holding you close until you came back down to Earth.

“You did so good for me,” Dean said, unknowingly activating the part of your lizard brain that thrived on praise. You hummed happily, burying your face into the crook of his neck.

“You want some water?” he offered. “And I can help you clean up. Or you can use my shower.”

“Dean Di Laurentis provides aftercare? You continue to prove yourself to be a decent human being,” you quipped, the corners of your mouth curling into a grin. “But seriously, thank you. I had fun—and I’d definitely do this again.”

Dean smiled fondly before rolling out of bed and getting dressed. “Pleasure was all mine, princess.”

• • •

“I can’t believe you, Dean. This was supposed to be a silly little 80s action film with a sprinkle of homoerotic friendship between Maverick and Goose. But this movie had the nerve to make me cry!” you sniffled as the end credits for Top Gun began to roll.

Dean grinned at you. “Isn’t it great?”

You and Dean had been a couple for a few weeks, and now that the hellish period of final exams had ended, he’d invited you over so you could finally experience one of his favorite movies. (Yeah, Hannah and Garrett and Logan and Tucker were there, too. But in Dean’s eyes, they were pretty much set dressing compared to you.)

You rolled your eyes. “Okay, fine, I did enjoy it. But it’s nowhere near the best film of all time, Di Laurentis.”

Dean shook his head in amusement. “Agree to disagree, princess.”

“You two are disgusting,” Garrett muttered, wrapping his arm around Hannah.

“Pot, meet kettle,” you retorted, shooting Garrett a pointed look. Hannah snorted, playfully nudging her boyfriend.

Dean kissed the top of your head, pulling you closer to his chest. This was nice: you, wearing your boyfriend’s jersey, relaxing in his grip while casually bantering with his friends. When you and Dean had first met, you wouldn’t have entertained this scenario in a million years. But now? You were glad you took a chance on the hockey player you’d initially written off. Your life genuinely felt better and brighter with Dean in it.

You heard the sharp ding! of an oven timer and Tucker leapt to his feet, scurrying into the kitchen. “All right, cookies are done!” Everyone nearly jumped in excitement; Tucker’s peanut butter chocolate chip cookies were the stuff of legends.

“I honestly might leave you for these cookies,” you joked to Dean, enjoying the way the chocolate chips melted in your mouth.

Logan snickered. “Dean, you got competition, dude.”

“They’re good cookies, but I guarantee they can’t do that tongue thing she likes,” Dean cheekily replied before popping another cookie into his mouth.

Tucker groaned. “Dude, not in front of my desserts!”

“You are impossible,” you muttered to Dean, though your words lacked any real heat.

“You still like me, though,” Dean countered, pecking your lips.