#letitbelabeled

24. There must be at least 20 of them

As I walked out of the bathroom, I saw Cristiano at the end of the room, lying comfortably in bed, eyes locked on the phone with sounds effect echoed in our bed room. 

“What are you doing, babe?” I asked as I dried my hair with my towel in front of the mirror, giving him my back.

“Hmm?”

“What are you doing?” I repeated the question. I waited for three seconds and no answers from him. I turned my body facing him; his plump lips puckered still not moving.

I sighed, walking closer to him and peek on the screen, which I can’t really see clearly.

“Babe”

“Yes? 

“Who’s Henry Austen?”

“The one who I introduced to you when you pick me up last time, the blonde one” I answered; I looked at his reflection in the mirror, still not moving but looking a bit more stern than before.  

“Sergi dos Santos?”

“Who?!” I quickly put my moisturizer in the drawer and turned facing him, “Why are you asking?”

“Who’s Sergi dos Santos?”

“Cristiano!”

“What?!” He finally put down my phone on the bed, and raised his head, reading me skeptically.

“What’s wrong?”

He sighed, turning his face away from me, and I know that’s what he does when he’s bothered with something. We have been dating for 1,5 years now and I definitely know when Cristiano is upset, and what makes him upset.  I had to admit that it is not unlikely to see Cristiano jealous, sometimes he even asked about who are my classmates and if they’re handsome just to make sure.

“Is something wrong, babe?” I asked again, calming down my tone this time.

“Would you mind answering my question? Who is Sergio dos Santos?”

“My high school friend…and now can you please explain why?” I crossed my hand in my chest. I no longer can be patient with this act. Of course he did not look satisfied with my tone.

He got up from the bed, resting his muscular body on the headboards and took a deep breath, “Okay, before I explain anything, how many guys are there in your classes?”

He did not look amuse when I snorted, “Well, there are 7 classes in a week, and there are approximately 50 to 52 people in one class, I think half of them are men”

“Oh my God! There must be at least 20 of them!” he shouted, did not look pleased at all.

“Oh my God, Cristiano Ronaldo, just spill it!”

It took 10 seconds of silence before the sound of him taking a deep breath broke the silence, “Do you know the ‘sherlock’ application?”

I tried my best to resist the laugh that about to burst. Actually my friend was talking about this application earlier in the day, it’s the application that can track people who stalked your instagram account and sorting it down based on how often they opened your instagram account, “No, I don’t know, what about it?”

“It’s an app”

“And?”

“And it can tell you who stalked you on instagram”

“And?”

The defeated look on his face made me want to just jump on him and shower him with kisses, Cristiano must log on the app with my account and saw who stalked me. “Henry Austen and Sergi dos Santos were on your top ten. Why would they stalked you? Imagine if all the boys in your class too!”

I put a surprise look on my face, those two are my friends and I don’t see a reason why he needs to be jealous over them. “Well, sometimes when I saw them or when we hung out on break time in cafeteria, I asked them to like my picture, and don’t worry all the boys in my class are not interested in me. Even if they’re, they won’t have the guts since they know who my boyfriend is” I let a small laugh, “Please Ronnie, they’re nothing compared to you” Walking across the room, I sat beside him and hold his hand, “you know you’re being unreasonably jealous now, right?”

“Yeah…”

I giggled and ruffling his hair with my hand before stroking his cheeks. “Are one of them my number one stalker?”

“No”

“Then who?”

He snickered before answering my question, “Me”

100.  They couldn’t believe it was finally over.

“What’s up with you today? You’re smiling ear to ear like an idiot”

 “Shut up!” silly Erik Durm smiled widely like a donkey, hands still on the wheel as we drove our way to his parents’ house. His wearing a navy blue sweater I gave him for Christmas, which made me a bit happy today.

“Okay, so remind me why are we making our long way to your parents’ today?”

“Because my mum won a gold medal in cooking competition 

“Gold medal?” 

“Well, I don’t exactly know” he shrugged, “at least she got the first place and we promised her to celebrate her achievement.” I was about to say something and he cut me off again, “Of course I know you must have something to do today, I know, but I know over a fact that you are a very good friend that you’re willing to do a lot to make me happy and that is why I take you too!” he beamed as he shoot a quick glance at me. 

Right, of course, I am his best friend, just best friend. Erik and I have been friends since forever, middle school to be exact. I was a transfer student in the last year of middle school, and he was this kind, enthusiastic little guy who’s so kind to befriend me. 

His family is like my very own family, his hilarious little brothers, his mum and dad who are so kind, caring, loving and very supportive of their sons. They’re there whenever Erik had an away games, and of course they wanted me to tag along and gave our fully support to him.

People said that a boy and a girl can not be just friends, and I can’t deny that since I am as well, recognized that I have developed a feelings for him, Erik, my best friend. I don’t think he ever acknowledged my feelings, since I tried to hide those as deep as possible. It broke my heart too, watching his then girlfriend kissing him whenever she wanted or her taking care of my Erik since she is the girlfriend of Erik Durm, his best friend like me. 

I cried myself to sleep when he got injured, trying to fake a smile when I visited him in the hospital or in his place, trying to entertain him to forget about his pain. And he was always there too, whenever I got in trouble, he’d come as fast as he could to my place just to make sure I’m okay. Although he always notices whenever I hide things from him, fortunately he still hasn’t found out about my feelings. I never wished we shared the mutual feelings, I’m thankful enough to have him as my best friend, I only wish this feelings to be gone soon and made our relationship to be just full of joy and love as a friend.

Suddenly I felt a slight pain in my left ear, Erik was pulling my ear. “Erik!!!!”

“What are you thinking? Why are you so quiet? Get yourself together we’re almost there!”

“Let me go, Erik. God, what’s gotten into you? Sugar rush? Are you drunk?” Erik laughed as he let my ear go, I rubbed it quickly and crossed my arms on my chest.

“Come on, don’t be mad.” We’re already at his parents’ driveway, I could see some of his family members from the window, and they’re really celebrating something. “Let’s go”

I sighed before I unbuckle myself, Erik’s already waiting for me so he could lock the car door. I exhaled deeply, before entering the house after Erik.

“ERRRIIIK!” His little cousin run towards the door and just crashed to Erik’s leg, hugging them tightly. He picked the little boy up on one arm and kissed his rosy cheek.

“(y/n)!” I turned myself and saw his mother with her arms open, “I missed you!”

“Hi! I missed you too! Congratulations!”

“For what?” She withdraws herself, looking confused, I saw her and Erik exchange glance, “oh! Thank you my dear, you’re such a sweetheart” she pulled me back into another hug.

“Okay guys I need a moment here please!” Erik’s voice broke the excite moment, everyone in the room now turning themselves facing him. He took a deep breath, looking at me with his silly crooked smile that I like.

“Okay, um… Since I’ve got my mum, dad and my sister’s permission to do this, it’s only one left now…”

“Whoo! Erik!” I think it’s one of his uncles’ shout broke the silence; Erik shrugged it of with a smile. He looked at his mum and dad for a second before turning back to me.

“Oh well, (y/n), I want to be honest with you…” he said that I replied with just a confused look. “I had a major depression in  high school” “WHAT?”

“Yeah, like you know… feelings of worthlessness, sometimes even suicidal thoughts”

“What? Erik! How can I not notice that, Erik? Oh my God, I’m such a horrible friend” My eyes felt like it burns, I want to cry so bad, Erik’s mum put her arm around my shoulder to sooth me down. I looked at him with a troubled gaze, looking for more explanation.

“Of course. You probably never picked up on it because I couldn’t help but smile when I was around you. You’re the reason I made it trough. My family, they couldn’t believe it was finally over because of you, and that is why…”

I gasped at the moment Erik reach to the back of his jeans and got down on one knee, there was no fancy box, but there is indeed a ring on his right hand and he’s bending on one knee!

“(y/n), like John Legend said, you’re my muse, my own reflection, my rhythm and blues, you have helped me through anything I have been trough since God knows when, and I’d like it to be forever, or at least as long as I’m alive. So….will you do me the honor of marrying me? I know that this is so sudden, I will not protest if you need time to think or whatever your decision is… I will accept that all my heart” he put his left hand on his heart, crossing his chest, and he looked down.

I was still speechless; everything happened in a flash, I really don’t know how to react. I do have feelings for him, but…

“Yes, I will” But thinking of it again, Erik is the only one who can endure me, all with my rollercoaster sensitive emotion, he’d been trough a lot because of me, and he’s still here. So I have no reason to say no.

He beamed as he stood up, he asked for my right hand and put a ring on my ring finger. He pulled me for a small kiss on my lips; it’s actually our first kiss.