I decided to kill the spare time by getting lunch at the nearest restaurant. I wouldn't dare venture out too far, a fear of getting lost again.

       Sat in a corner booth, knees touching beneath the table, we chatted easily, Lexi at complete ease. I happily concluded that she had yet to put together what I was planning. I chose to enjoy her tranquillity before I had to ruin it.

      We interacted as we usually did, Lexi giggling as I told her about my odd encounters with Amir, until a group of teenagers walked through the small dinner's door. Lexi's sentence cutting short, she took on habits that I hadn't seen in a long time. A light blush painted her face, her gaze dropped to her plate, and her hair fell from behind her ear to cover her face.

      The four that appeared to be on a double date, were probably around our age, but they were so engrossed in their retelling of a party that they were blinded to anything or anyone around them. They hadn't even noticed Lexi and I. They hadn't spared a single glance in our direction. Which was completely fine; perfectly normal behavior. But I couldn't get past Lexi's strangeness.

      Only when the four were long out of sight did I frown. "Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?" I asked tentatively.

      Lexi snorted incredulously. "Of course not."

      "Then what caused you so much embarrassment?"

      "I'd like to think you've noticed that I'm shy by now," she defended, as if realising just how troubled I was. "You're being ridiculous."

      "Ridiculous?"

      "Yes." She answered without a beat of hesitation. "How could you ever think I would be embarrassed of you? I mean look at you."

      I frowned again. "What's that supposed to mean?"

      "Physically, emotionally and socially, you are basically a perfect human being."

      My brows shot into my hairline, my turn to think her statement ridiculous. "I highly disagree, but I still don't see how that belief would have to do with anything."

      Lexi offered me no explanation. She seemed incapable of wording her answer, but still she looked at me as though the answer was obvious. Staring blankly her way, I thought it was far from obvious. I remained clueless for many moments. My mind spun with ideas, until eventually I was struck by an idea. I was almost too embarrassed to speak it. I thought it completely absurd, but I couldn't think of anything else.

      "You think I'm too good for you?" I asked quietly.

      She remained silent for a moment longer, and I knew then that I was correct. I recoiled, in complete disbelief of her lack of self-worth. Maybe I wasn't as close to finishing my task as I had believed.

      "Everyone knows it," she said. "You are so out of my league, Jaxson. You excel at everything you do. You've been at school for less than two months and everyone already loves you. People stare at you in the halls, either in envy or with the desire to be with you. You could have any girl—"

      "I don't want any girl," I interrupted, not at all seeing her standpoint. "I want you."

      Lexi forced a smile, still staring down at her food. There was clearly more to it, but she made no move to speak.

      "What are you thinking? I want to hear what you have to say," I prodded.

      Removing her eyes from her plate in exasperation, shyly, Lexi met my eyes.

     "I know you'll think otherwise," she started timidly. "But I can't help but feel that everyone who sees us together wonders why you've chosen me or wonder what you see in me. I don't open up easily. You've put a lot of work into getting to know me. Why would you choose to be with someone so difficult?"

     "I can assure you that you're the only person that thinks that way. And you are far from difficult," I said steadfastly. "Everyone, except yourself, can see how much I've taken a liking to you."

      Her smiled remained force. She really didn't believe me? Baffled was an understatement.

      "You still can't see the extent of my feelings?" I asked bewildered. I spent every waking moment thinking about her, planning to be with her, planning to make her future better. "Lexi-Grace, I told you I loved you weeks ago."

      "It was an accident."

      "And you think that means I didn't mean it?"

      Again, she said nothing. I knew what she was thinking.

      "I accidently spoke my thoughts. That doesn't mean I didn't mean it. Because I very much did mean it," I affirmed. "And I still mean it now. I. Love. You." I spoke slowly, enunciating the three words she refused to believe.

      The words still didn't seem to convince her. She was trying to force an expression that could convince me that she believed, but I knew her too well to fall for it. I could repeat those three words over and over again and still she wouldn't believe. It almost made me angry. I had thought she was incapable of judgement, incapable of being unkind, but it seemed she was capable of hating one person and that was herself.

      "That is by far the most baffling thing that I have ever heard come out of your mouth. I really need you to understand this." I shifted in my seat, sitting straighter. "You just have to sit and listen. Alright?"

       Feebly, Lexi nodded.

       "I know you don't like cheesy, romance declarations, but you'll have to pardon me this one time, because I don't know how else to get through your thick head." I leaned forward, making sure that I had her undivided attention. "In my previous relationships, I have never come close to feeling the same way I feel when I'm with you; even from the start, when we were just friends. It may sound crazy, but the moment I first laid eyes on you, I felt something that I had never felt before. Not just because I thought you were beautiful, there was something about you that left me wanting more.

       You hold such a serenity, that I couldn't help but be intrigued. You may be thrown off because some people don't know you, but those who've had the pleasure of meeting the real you, hold you dearly. You exude a warm, caring, and down to earth personality. You are the most intelligent and most caring person I know. I've been trying to find flaws that might help me when I get overwhelmed with infatuation, but other than your self-loathing, I couldn't find any. You may think you have many flaws, but every trait you deem a weakness, I have fallen in love with. I love your quiet nature. Whether you sit with your head down with flaming cheeks or spit out more facts and stories that I can count, still I feel that little squeeze in my heart. I could listen to you speak for hours or I would be just as content to simply be by your side... Can't you see that any little thing you do makes a mess of me? I don't usually get nervous. I don't easily lose my words or blush, but you, breakdown all my walls. You are showing me parts of myself that even I didn't know existed.

         Every time you walk in the room, my breath stops. Every time we touch my heart skips a beat. You are constantly on my mind, Lexi. I can't see a book or look at the stars without thinking of you. I see the color pink or red and think of the blush that so often takes over your cheeks. I see you everywhere. I wish you could see the effect you have on me. I like to read now; I do all my homework and I know the stories of the constellations because of you. Does that not show you that I grasp at any chance to spend more time with you... Looking at you, I can't possibly imagine what led you to believe that I was too good for you. If anyone is underserving; I am underserving of you. I know you doubt my feelings. I know you think that I don't understand my feelings, that I am exaggerating my liking of you. But let me assure you that I am not. I am in every way possible, completely in love with you, Lexi-Grace. And I have never been surer of anything in my life."

       Though I started slightly offended, I finished with a soft tone. I released a breath and let my shoulders relax, as I waited for her response. I couldn't tell what Lexi was thinking. She watched me blankly for torturous long moments. I was ready to beg for an answer, until her lips started quivering. Tears falling from her watery eyes, I panicked. No. That wasn't the reaction I was looking for. That wasn't even in the array of reactions that I had imagined.

       "I'm sorry!" I was rattled, reaching over to take her hand in desperation. "I didn't mean to make you cry. Please don't cry. I'm sorry if I said something to offend you. I was only trying to help."

        Despite her warm tears, Lexi chuckled and shook her head. "There was nothing offending about that," she managed through a trembling voice. "It was just unexpected."

     "So... these are tears of joy?"

      Using the sleeve of her wool sweater to wipe her wet cheeks, she nodded and laughed at what was probably a ridiculous look on my face.

      "Is it really that much of a surprise to you that someone loves you?" My brows lowered and knit together.

      Huffing, her puffy eyes finally met mine. "That's not helping," she teased, voice still very much cracked.

     "Sorry, again. I will save any further love professions for another time." I laughed and looked around the restaurant. "Maybe in a less public area. If I'm reading the judgemental looks shot my way correctly, everyone believes that I've just broken up with you."

      Snorting with laughter, Lexi hid her face in her hands as though to hide from any curious over-lookers.

      "I'm taking the snort as a sign that you think the idea preposterous," I joked. "Looks like you've finally realized that my breaking up with you is highly unlikely. Perhaps I have gotten through your thick head."

      Laughing again, Lexi swatted my hand holding hers. "Shut up."

     I couldn't help but grin as I watched her with a bright smile. Despite the tears and jokes, I could tell that my speech had been successful. She was likely still processing it all, but we were on the right track, and I had never felt more accomplished. Suddenly, I was even more excited for tonight. My gut tingled with certainty that I would succeed.

      Relishing in my victories, Lexi words caught me off guard.

      "I love you too by the way," she hiccupped; eyes red but mirroring my happiness. "I hope you can believe that without a speech of my own, I couldn't deliver one in my current state."

      My heart stopped at the words and picked up again when I found utmost sincerity in brown eyes. Despite the topic of conversation, I was surprised by the proclamation. I had long feared that she would say it back, only because she felt she needed to. But with a single look, I knew that she meant it, or thought she meant it to the very least.

      Grinning madly as we exited the restaurant, I tried not to think of the near future. Though I had developed a certain sense of confidence, I didn't want to think of how quickly Lexi's grin would disappear in a few hours. Today would mark the first time that I saw Lexi livid.