Love Aint Always Pretty

Neskinchennyy

Translation: endless

Origin: Ukrainian

10

NICK'S POV

EIGHT YEARS AGO

The night when I stayed behind to watch over Tracy was the best thing that happened to me.

I met a very beautiful girl named Catherine and we have been hanging out a lot since then. I even thanked my mom about that night. Hilarious, I know.

I showed Catherine around town every day and she wouldn't complain about it. I took her to this cheap market in town and she bought a few stuff for herself and a bracelet for me that matches her bracelet as well. It was cute. I've never tried having couple things, we weren't officially a couple yet though. I would take her out for a little joyride by a borrowed car that Alec got from a mechanic shop. I took her to some ice cream parlour cos she loves ice cream so much.

"Strawberry. Definitely strawberry." She says to me.

"Alright. One strawberry and one chocolate please." I said to the ice cream seller who was checking Catherine out.

She takes the cone and starts licking the ice cream. Catherine is the only thing I always think of everyday when we're not together. I always get happy when Catherine is happy. I love watching her do some stuff that is cute and how she is just purely happy. She makes me happy over the littlest things she do.

"Hmm, why are you looking at me like that?" She asks me while we were walking on the streets, hand in hand. Another couple thing that I haven't done with my ex, Hazel.

"Cos you're pretty." I was being honest.

I love how she shies away when I tell her she is beautiful and how she argues with me about it.

"You're a smooth talker." She smiles.

I just laughed at her.

We would visit the town carnival a lot at night cos she likes it, she doesn't whine about how ugly or rusty the rides are, she forces me to ride one after the other. She constantly visits my house every weekend along with Jenna and I love how my mom likes her. They get along pretty well cos my mom loves baking and so does Catherine. I hope her parents will like me just like how my mom likes her for me. "She's a very beautiful and a kind girl, Nick." Mom says to me while I was helping her out with the groceries.

"I know mom."

"And she makes you happy."

"She's my happiness." I smiled.

My mom cups my cheeks. "You're madly in love with her, son."

I just nod. "I think I am."

There were days when we took Tracy and Jenna around town with us since they want to tag along. The four of us would just go to the park, or watch movies together, then we'd have pizza right away. I usually help her sneak out of her room in the middle of the night when all the lights in their mansion are off just to go night swimming with Alec and his girl.

"Cannonball!!" I ran towards the river while holding Catherine's hand.

We ran together hand in hand and jumped off together to the water. We made a big splash but I quickly helped her up to get some air. Catherine doesn't really know how to swim so I always have to watch out for her. But I always love watching out for her when we go swimming cos I can always pull my body close to her.

Her arms hanging over my shoulders while wrapping around my neck. We faced each other while I was busy holding her and floating at the same time. I smiled at her, she still looks so beautiful with wet hair. "God you're beautiful." I say.

She smiles sheepishly. "I always hear that from other guys but you're the only one who I like hearing it from."

I bite my lip. "I love you Catherine."

I finally said it and I could tell that she was a little bit surprised by my confession. Tonight was the perfect night and I couldn't hold it anymore.

"Do you mean that?" She asked.

I nod.

"I love you. I do." I answered right away.

She just stared at me.

"I always feel so happy when I'm with you. I know I'm just a poor man and I don't have a lot of money with me." I said to her.

"I don't need no money just to make me happy Nick. They're just material stuff. They will eventually get destroyed or lost in time." She says to me.

"I can't buy you all those expensive things you need or want but I can love you with all my heart. With all of me. With all that I've got." I looked into her eyes.

"I've been waiting to hear that." She giggles so cutely.

I smiled and finally moved in closer to her. Her lips pressing on my lips making everything all perfect. Her lips were so soft. The softest lips I've kissed. She kisses me back and I feel her tongue coaxing with my tongue. I feel her fingers tugging on my hair while my hands were busy holding her body.

"I love you Nick." She says right away after we kissed.

She rests her forehead on my forehead and we were both trying to catch our breath from that blissful kiss.

"I love you Catherine."

We were like modern Romeo and Juliet.

My friend Alec seemed to like her for me as well but he warned me about the Forsters. I am fully aware of how capable they are when it comes to protecting their family. I know how sheltered and highly guarded Catherine is but I just couldn't stop myself not to see her and she says she wants to see me all the time too. I even had my hopes up now that I can see it that we can make it through this cos she loves me and I love her.

I know Mr. & Mrs. Forster doesn't like their kids to be interacting with poor people like us. They always make it clear that there is a hue borderline between their kids and the town's kids, we were not allowed to interact with their precious angels. I would remember how they hated Martin when he became friends with us and how they blamed us cos he died. God, he died cos of cancer and it was clearly not our fault. "Summer is about to end soon, you're going back to the city." I tell her, while her head was lying down on my lap.

"I don't wanna go." She says.

She pulls herself up and moved closer to me. "Tell me to stay then I will."

I smiled at her while I push her hair off her face. "You belong to the city."

All of a sudden she hugged me. "I belong with you. I want to go to the same high school with you. Graduate with you."

I smile at her cos I know that's not going to happen at all.

"What are you planning up to take in college?" I asked her to change the topic.

"Nursing. I wanna be a nurse." She says.

"Well you'll really look good as a nurse."

She smiles at me. "How about you?"

"I've been planning on applying for a scholarship in WSU. Engineering or maybe business."

"How about you take up hospitality business management? Maybe I can help you for your internship in my dad's company." She smiles.

I just smiled back at her. Catherine is nice and her heart is so pure but I just don't think her parents will like me. I don't think they will even let me have my internship there. They haven't even met me yet and I'm most definitely sure they won't approve of me for Catherine.

"Do you love me Nick?" She asked.

I nod. "Of course. So much."

"Then let me help you in college. We can go to the same institution. I can find a university who offers nursing and business. We can move in together after we graduate high school." She seems to be so happy telling me that.

I could imagine her and I already living together in one house. We'll be so happy. We'll be so free. We'll be together every minute of everyday. We'll sleep in one bed. We'll do grocery shopping together. We'll play. We'll tease each other. We'll study together or help each other out for an exam. We can do everything we want to do just like married couples. She'll cook for me. She loves to cook even though she's rich. She says it's her hobby, cooking and baking. I think we won't starve if we move in together in college.

"Isn't it going to be exciting?" She asks.

I nod. "Yes. It is. But your parents?"

"They will eventually say yes to that. I love you. You mean the world to me Nick and I wouldn't wanna lose you."

"And I would do anything for you. We'll go to the same university together then. We'll live in one house. We'll be together and I just hope you won't get bored of me on the long run." I say to her while I was hugging her close.

She laughs so happily. "Never ever."

I love it when she's laughing. I love it that she's seeing her future with me like how I see my future with her in it and only her. Only Catherine. It makes me forget the reality and the possibility that in a few days from now her parents will surely find out about us being together and I'm sure they won't like it. I'm sure they'll be against us. They'll say we're too young to be together but I'm hoping we'll make it. I'm sure we'll make it.

"I'm so happy and so exited already. I just can't wait!" She says.

"Me too."

She holds my cheeks. "What's wrong? Why do you look sad?"

I smile at her as I hold her hand and gave it a quick kiss on her knuckles. "Nothing."

She smiles so sweetly at me.

"I love you, only you." I said to her.

"And I love you too Nick."

"My love for you is endless Catherine. I don't want you to forget that." I brush my thumb on her cheek.

She nods and kisses me. "I won't. You're the best boyfriend."

I lean forward to her and kissed her back even longer. I love kissing Catherine. I love her lips. I don't get tired of kissing Catherine at all. I love it every time her lips are pressing on mine cos it makes me feel that she's my only source of happiness. I love how she smiles in the middle of our kisses and it'll make me smile too. She makes my heart race. She makes me feel so carefree.

She's my future.

SFTC:

Only You - Matthew Perryman Jones☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐