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Normal

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Chapter 28: Normal (Ronan's POV)

We were both lying on the couch, her on top of me while I twirled a strand of her hair around my finger and she held herself off from falling back asleep. "London." 

She lifted her chin, resting it on my chest to look at me. "Hmm?" 

I hesitated, staring at her. "What are you going to do about the store? I mean... you'll open it back up, right?" 

She paused in thought before nodding. "Eventually. Why?" 

I shook my head. "Nothing." I leaned forward, kissing her forehead. 

She frowned, pinning me with her gaze. "Why did you ask? Tell me." 

I sighed, "Some of the people have been asking my mom whenever she's out. How you're doing, where you're staying. Everyone's worried about you, rightfully so. You haven't really left the house in an entire month." 

"I went grocery shopping with you." 

"And you didn't talk to anyone or let anyone see you." 

She huffed, rolling her eyes. 

"And that's totally fine, London. You don't have to talk to anyone until you want to. But maybe show your face just once? Everybody was there, right? At the... funeral," I exhaled, "everybody came, everybody helped out." 

"And I am grateful for that, but I... People talk here, Ronan. If I don't open the store, they'll have something to say. If I do, they'll still have something to say." 

"Well then, it's a good thing you don't run that store just for them. You run it because you like it and your parents made that place what it is and then you worked hard and brought it to where it is today. I just think people miss seeing you around with a smile on your face." 

She stared at me and then put her cheek back down on my chest. "How can I be smiling after what happened to me?" 

I grabbed her waist and pulled her higher up, bringing her face closer to mine. Her eyes flickered between mine. "London, I believe in you, okay? You're the strongest person I've ever met. That's how I know that when the time comes, you will pull yourself together. But I have to try to push you a little now." 

"Because it's been a month?" 

"Because a month is a long time to give up everything and isolate yourself. What happened was absolutely horrible, I know. But we have to move forward." 

"Why does everyone always say that?" She chuckled dryly, "Even when mom... We don't always have to rush forward, Ronan." 

"I'm not asking you to rush, babe. You'll do it when you're ready, I know. But I have to push you towards it." 

She held my gaze. "And here I thought you're only here to be a moral support pillow." 

"That too," I nodded. "But I want you to come out stronger and that won't happen if you lock yourself in the house like this. You don't have to re-open the store now if you don't want to. But you should start going out sometimes." 

She traced my eyebrow, the bridge of my nose, my jaw, all with one finger while listening to me. 

"I'll take you out." 

Her eyes shot up from my lips and met mine. 

"Let's go today." 

"Where?" 

"To the beach. To the park. To Black Marina. Anywhere." 

She thought for a minute before nodding softly. "I'll go out but I don't want to see too many people today." 

"The beach it is," I nodded, taking her free hand and locking our fingers together. 

"What are we going to do?" she asked, smiling softly as she leaned in. 

"Have a picnic," I mumbled, staring at her. 

"Thank you," she said suddenly. 

"For what?" I tucked her hair behind her ear. 

"For being here." 

"I'll always be here." 

Her lips came down on mine slowly, softly. I moved one hand under her shirt, resting it on her lower back while she the side of my face in one hand, the other sitting on my chest. I kissed her a little faster, pulling her into me even more. 

We'd been kissing for a while, both of us taking all the time in the world to tease and then pull away. My hold tightened on her waist but then she straddled me and sat up, breaking the kiss while letting out an amused chuckle. 

I groaned, staring up at the ceiling, my head resting on the arm of the couch. She stared down at me, refusing to come back down to kiss me and when I tried sitting up, she only pushed me back down, laughing. I rolled my eyes before grabbing her waist and thrusting my hips up, making her fall forward. She laughed, bracing herself by placing her hands on the arm of the couch, either side of my head, staring down at me. 

"I love you," I reminded her. 

"I know. I love you," she smiled. 

I leaned up to kiss her and she let out a fake sigh, sitting back up. I ground my teeth, fisting her shirt. "You—" I began pulling her forward but she grabbed my hands, stopping me. She's so done for it. I hate being teased by her. I grabbed her hips and rolled us over safely until she was under me. I grabbed her wrists as I straddled her, leaning down and pinning them over her head. She stared at me while I brought my lips closer to her. "Not so teasing now, are you?" I asked, lifting a brow. 

She just smiled in amusement before I smashed my lips against hers, kissing her in earnest. I felt her hips roll up into mine and my hold on her wrists tightened automatically in response. She'll be the death of me. She knows exactly what she's doing. I let go of her wrists, my hands trailing down, stopping at the hem of her shirt but instead of slipping my hand under like I do, I grabbed it, pulling away to look at her. 

She glanced at my hands then back at me. 

"No?" I asked, shaking my head softly. 

She was breathing quickly from the kiss and so was I. She began sitting up and I moved back to make room. "I'm..." she thought for a minute, "not saying no today." My eyebrows twitched to shoot up. She grabbed the hem of her shirt and hesitated, looking at me. She let out a huff and then began taking it off but before she could pull it over her head, the doorbell rang. 

We both groaned, glancing at it. "It's probably Nonna," she mumbled. I sat on the couch, pulling a pillow into my lap while she stood up, fixing her hair quickly. "Okay?" she asked. I leaned up, fixing a few pieces before nodding. She went to answer the door and I could hear Nonna from here asking how she was, if she felt any better, if she'd be going anywhere. 

Nonna walked in, waving at me quickly while still talking to London. Nonna stopped talking, analyzing me. "Cosa stavi facendo?" she questioned. What were you doing? 

"Qualcosa di importante," I muttered. Something important. 

London's eyes widened as she sent me a glare before turning to Nonna. 

"Come? Come faccio ad avere un cattivo tempismo? Sempre," Nonna sighed. How? How do I get bad timing? Always. 

"Nonna, ti—" She didn't let London finish. 

"Andrò. Ciao!" I'll go. Bye. 

We watched as she left, the door closing behind her. "Something important?" London asked in disbelief, folding her arms across her chest. 

"Why?" I grabbed the back of her thighs, pulling her down to straddle me. She held onto my shoulders, staring at me. "Isn't it important?" 

She smiled and began leaning in, stopping right as our lips brushed together. "Let's go to the beach," she whispered before climbing off of me, leaving me even more frustrated.

I packed the picnic basket, taking some snacks and some brand new strawberries that were in the fridge. I debated taking wine but I didn't think having her drink at a time like this was a good idea, so I took iced tea and two wine glasses instead. Then I went upstairs and into her room. I've been staying with her in her room this past month, but I use the guest bathroom just so there's no delay if we both need to shower or freshen up at the same time. So, I went into her room, grabbed my clothes while she was still in the bathroom, and then went to the guest room to change. 

When I got back downstairs, she was grabbing picnic blankets. I snuck up behind her, pulling her hair over her shoulders and running my fingers through it. She silently continued putting everything together while I rested my chin on her shoulder, hooking my arms around her. "What are you thinking about?" I whispered. 

"I was just thinking maybe I should have taken Dad to the beach more often. We used to go with my mom sometimes but he never went after that. It would have been fun." 

"Hmm," I agreed. 

She turned to me, handing me the food basket while she held onto the basket with the blankets. "Let's go?" 

I nodded. We turned all the lights off and left, her locking up the door and dropping the keys in the food basket. 

"Do you think a lot of people will be there?" she questioned as we walked, hands locked together, rocking them back and forth. 

I shook my head, "I doubt it. People don't even go that often in the summer and it's pretty chilly out. Maybe one or two?" 

She nodded softly and we continued walking. 

I watched her as we walked. I want more than anything for her life to go back to normal. As close to normal as possible. Things will never go back to the way they were, she lost such an important person and a part of herself too. But I want things to be as best as they can for her, there's nothing I want more than that.

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Chapter 28

The lyrics for the song 'Say you won't let go' by James Arthur actually fit them so perfectly.

"I'm so in love with you, and I hope you know. Darling your love is more than worth its weight in gold" 

<3

There are like a ton of songs in my playlist that fit them perfectly