Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 121095 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121095 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
The moisture in Chelsea’s eyes swells and morphs into soggy tears, and the sight of her looking so overwhelmed chokes me up, too.
“I’ve always hoped our paths would cross again one day and I’d get the chance to show you this medal and explain how hard I looked for you after Bloomington. How much I pined for you, Chelsea. I truly believed back then, and still believe now, that what I experienced that magical day in Bloomington was nothing short of fate.” My Adam’s apple bobs. “At least for me, as crazy as it sounds, it was love at first sight.”
Chelsea palms her forehead, as everyone in the room reacts loudly.
“Randomly, this medal has ‘Rushmore Engineering’ printed across it. And I feel like that’s a sign from the universe, because not only is being with you a once-in-a-lifetime rush, you’re also the only face that’s ever been on my own personal Mount Rushmore.” With that, I hand the microphone to the DJ and stride with purpose through the applauding crowd toward my woman. When I reach her, I finally do the one thing I’ve been dreaming about for so fucking long: I kiss my girlfriend, Chelsea Parker, Chelsea the Mathlete, without holding back, with all the passion and love I’m feeling for her, in front of the whole world.
When we break apart, I ceremoniously slip the medal over Chelsea’s neck, making her laugh. And with my gaze locked with hers, I solemnly declare, “Chelsea Rowan Parker, this medal hereby makes you: Luca’s girlfriend.”
“Open it to the bookmarked page,” Chelsea instructs, pointing at the diary she’s just handed me—the one marked on its spine with the year we first met.
After receiving an enthusiastic stream of hugs and congratulations downstairs from well-wishers about our newly revealed relationship, followed by Chelsea and me briefly explaining our first meeting in Bloomington to Chelsea’s parents and brothers—oops, I definitely let the last remaining cat out of the bag when I pulled out that medal tonight—Chelsea excitedly grabbed my hand and led me upstairs to her teenage bedroom. Not to fuck me in her teenage bed like last night, unfortunately. Hopefully, that bit of fun is coming later. But, instead, to look at something in this particular diary.
I open the diary as she’s instructed, and the bookmark stashed between its pages makes me gasp. It’s a dried red rose, its stem tied with a ribbon the colors of the University of Chicago.
I look up, feeling flabbergasted and emotional at the sight of the old, dried red rose, and Chelsea looks as emotional as I feel.
“I kept it for the same reason you kept the medal,” she says softly. She touches the medal around her neck. “Because meeting you was a once-in-a-lifetime rush for me, a feeling I’d never had before. And one I never had again, until I saw you again at training camp.”
I shut the diary and kiss her tenderly. “Thank you for showing me this. It means the world to know we both felt the same thing back then.”
“Well, if you like the dried rose, my diary entry about you is gonna blow your damned mind.”
I furrow my brow. “You said you didn’t write anything about me.”
“I lied because I didn’t want to scare you off. Teenage Chelsea was intense.” Chuckling, she touches the medal around her neck again. “I’m not too worried about scaring you off now, though. I think you can handle Teenage Chelsea’s most intimate thoughts.”
I’m practically vibrating with excitement by now. Barely breathing, I open the diary to the bookmarked page again and eagerly begin reading Teenage Chelsea’s swirling, girlish script.
OMG!!! I feel intoxicated! Drunk and high, even though I don’t have anything in my bloodstream except cookies ’n cream ice cream and a million butterflies!!!!!
I look up. “Teenage Chelsea was a fan of exclamation points.”
“Not usually. Only after meeting Teenage Luca.”
Snickering, I look back down.
I’ve never swooned like this in my life. WHO AM I RIGHT NOW? TONIGHT WAS MAGICAL!!!!!!! No, HE was magical!!!!!!!
“Wow, exclamation points and all caps? I’m honored.”
“She was out of her mind. You were my first kiss, Luca. You made me feel things I’d never felt before.”
“You had the exact same effect on me. I could have kissed a million girls before you, and that night still would have felt like a first for me.”
“You didn’t?”
“Almost, but not quite.”
We share a chuckle before my gaze returns to the diary.
I don’t believe in love at first sight like my parents always talk about. I don’t think that’s scientifically possible, sorry, no matter what they say about it happening to them. But if I did believe in it, which I don’t, then I’m sure I’d say I experienced it tonight with Romeo Montague. Would a rose by any other name smell just as sweet? Why yes, it definitely would! I know this for a fact now. Thank you, Romeo, for the best night of my life!! This Juliet will never forget you, as long as she lives!!!!!!