You say you're fine, I know you better than that

-Taylor Swift

"Let me drive you home." I whispered to her. She hadn't let go of me ever since we made up, as if she was afraid I'd go away. I was still angry, but I somewhat understood her, and I appreciated her for trying.

"Why?" She mumbled. "Are you trying to get rid of me? Why do you want me to leave? I don't want to leave. Please Theo, I'm sorry. I'll keep saying that for the rest of my life, please just don't make me go. I love you."

I smiled softly and pulled her head away from my neck, making her whine. "I'm not asking you to leave me, angel. I'll never allow you to leave me. But your Uncle must be worried. It's late. Or do you want to stay over? That's cool too, but tell him."

Her phone rang the exact moment. She unwrapped one arm from my neck to pull her phone out of her back pocket. I grabbed that hand and placed it around my neck again, reaching behind her to take the phone out. She giggled softly. That made me happy.

"Hello? Yes, Uncle Mase?"

I heard him speak from the other side, though I couldn't make out the words.

"Yeah, I'll be home in a few. I'm with Theo right now."

Her eyes flickered over to me a few seconds later. "I-I don't really know. Let me ask him." She covered the speaker of her phone and whispered to me, "Do you have any plans?" When I shook my head, she continued. "My Uncle wants to have you over for dinner."

I gave her a thumbs up, making her smile. Her smile made me smile.

"He'll come." Then she shook her head. "Please do not embarrass me. Bye."

"So you get to listen to all my embarrassing stories from my family, and I can't listen to yours?" I raised an eyebrow at her, pretending to be hurt.

"You can't." She shook her head dramatically. "They're way embarrassing than yours."

I chuckled, kissing her forehead, intertwining our fingers together. She looked down at our joined hands and smiled. We walked outside together, her head resting on my chest. We stopped short when I saw Scott, Dean, and even Tobias sulking in the corridor.

"Uh, guys, is everything okay?" I asked.

Three pair of eyes whipped towards us. Three pair of shocked eyes.

Tobias was the first one to overcome his shock. "Oh thank fuck. The mood of this flat was starting to depress me." He grabbed his leather jacket from the couch and picked up his car keys. "I'm gonna go cheer myself up. You both," He pointed a slender finger at Mia and I. "Behave."

Mia clicked her tongue at him. He clicked his tongue back at her.

"Do not ever fight." Scott mumbled, shaking his head. "Ugh that awful goddamn smell of bear is choking me. Fuck it, I'll see you both later."

Dean was the last one to look at us and smile. "You know you both reminded me of Bridget and my first fight."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why?"

He shrugged. "Same scenario. Anyway, she was worried. Please call her. I'll be on my way."

When he left, Mia turned around and coiled her arms around me, pulling me down. I straightened up, making her groan at the height difference, but it turned into a soft giggle when I grabbed her waist and lifted her up.

"I missed you." She mumbled.

"I missed you more. Please don't ever do that to me, angel. Don't ever do that."

"I won't. I'm sorry."

We stayed like that for a while, after which we left for her house. I'd already met her Uncle twice so I wasn't freaking out that much. But at the same time I was kind of nervous because he was probably the closest person she had to her parents, and that was a big deal. I needed him to like me, I needed him to approve of our relationship.

"He already likes you. He's the one who asked me to run after you. He's the one who asked me to let go of my past and live in my present." She murmured to me and clasped my hand tighter. "Stop freaking out."

"I can't. Fuck I've never done this before I don't know what to do. Should I buy a gift? Or flowers, maybe? Or wine? Or-"

"Theo," She chuckled. "He wants to have you over dinner, informally. It's casual. My Uncle's not the one to give that 'treat her right or I will hurt you' speech. He's cool. He trusts me to make decisions for myself. He knows I'm capable enough to look after myself."

"That's wonderful, angel. But, fuck, what the fuck do I do? What if I mess up? What if I say something-"

"Just be yourself." She said simply. "Be the Theo I fell in love with, and it'll all be okay."

I tried so hard to not smile, but I couldn't. It was still hard to believe she loved me. It sometimes felt too surreal, too good to be true. Every time she told me she loved me, my heart stopped for a second, after which it would beat thrice its speed. The fact that she indeed loved me made me feel like I was soaring in the sky, as if I was the happiest and luckiest guy alive. She was everything I could've ever wished for, and more.

She skipped towards the front door, not giving me a chance to prepare myself. I looked down at my loose t-shirt and ripped jeans, and I panicked. I wasn't dressed well to meet her Uncle. Fuck, I should've thought this through. I didn't look fucking decent and-

"Theo!" Mia groaned. "Stop thinking so much."

Before I could reply the door swung open and my mouth shut. Mia's Uncle was a short man, probably shorter than her, with a round face and soft light brown eyes. His hair was still jet black, curling at the sides, a light stubble on his jaw. He was wearing a loose t-shirt and pants, and I released a relieved sigh because that was a sign of a casual dinner. If he'd have worn a suit, I don't know what I would've done.

"Hello, hello come in." He stepped to the side to let us come in.

"Good evening, sir." I said.

"Mason. It's Mason for you." He pointed a finger at me and smiled. I smiled back.

"Did you-" Mia turned around abruptly and looked at her Uncle, her eyes sparkling. "Why do I smell chocolate chip cookies?"

He grinned. "Cause I made 'em."

Mia grinned back, and hopped off to the kitchen. Leaving me alone. I dreaded the next few minutes until she was back. I looked towards the way she'd gone, hoping she would somehow magically appear. I was alone with her Uncle right now and I didn't know what to say because I was fucking nervous and I didn't want to mess it up.

"Sit, sit. Don't stand."

I sat down like an obedient child.

He laughed. "You don't have to be so tense, Theo. I'm not going do do anything to you. Relax. I'm happy she has you. From what she's told me about you, I like you. I respect your relationship with her. So chill out."

I released a deep breath I hadn't known I'd been holding. Mia came back with two cookies in her hand, giving me one. "Damn, that's good!"

Mason smiled. "Okay I like you more now."

Mia set the plates as he went over to the kitchen to make sure everything was okay. We sat down at the dinner table, I gave Mia a smile as she winked at me. I was about to take the first bite of the delicious looking lasagna, when Mason asked me, "Amelia tells me you play football."

The fork fell down from my hand onto the plate. "Fu-shit. I'm so sorry."

Mia coughed and glared at him. "Not now." She said through gritted teeth, hoping I wouldn't hear, but I did hear her.

"It's-it's okay, Mia." I cleared my throat. "We can't hide this forever."

"Is everything okay?" Mason looked between the two of us.

I took a deep breath and looked at him. "I do play, or at least, I used to, I don't know about now. I was kicked off the team."

One of his eyebrows raised. "Kicked off, why?"

"Because I punched a guy. I nearly killed him." Mia squeezed my hand beneath the table, and gave me a reassuring smile.

The other eyebrow raised as well. "Why?"

"He disrespected her." I motioned towards my girlfriend. "I don't take that lightly."

Mason looked at her, as if confirming, then looked back at me. "And they kicked you off the team because you defended someone?"

"The board doesn't know the reason." Mia cut in. "The-the person complained, we haven't gone to the board yet."

"You hit him for her?" Mason asked. I nodded. "Go to the board, tell them what happened, they'll listen."

"He has proof, Uncle Mase." She replied. "And he's-"

The doorbell rung. Mia looked confused. "Were you expecting someone?"

"No. I'll go check who it is."

I turned to look at her when he left. Her hand was still in mine, and I lifted it up to brush my lips across it. "I love you."

"I love you." She whispered back, and moved forward to press her lips to mine.

"Amelia! Someone's here to see you!"

She looked more confused than ever. "I'll be back."

I took a bite of the lasagna, my mind still wandering around whether I'll be able to play anymore or not. I don't regret hitting that motherfucker, he deserved it. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't play anymore. Football had always been my escape from everything, it was hard to think that was over.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I heard a shout. Mia's shout.

I got up and rushed out. I knew who it was. Her voice told me who it was. And I was furious.

"I wanted to ask you out." I heard him reply. My blood boiled. He was gonna know he'd messed with the wrong person. I'd make sure he knew what's mine remained mine. And she was mine.

"Go away."

When I saw him standing outside, I felt myself smirk at how bad his face looked. And then his eyes met mine, and they hardened. I pulled Mia back by her waist, coiling my hands around her, pushing her hair to the other side, and lowering my head so that my chin touched her shoulder.

His eyes hardened more. "What is he doing here?"

"You-"

"I'm having dinner with my girlfriend and her Uncle." I replied back to him. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"You don't understand, do you?" He spat out. "I already got you off the team. So I suggest you drop that attitude."

It was that moment when I saw him holding a red rose in his hand. I looked down, taking in his two piece suit, designer shoes. "You can't do anything else. I don't have anything to lose now. I could still punch the living shit out of you and you won't be able to do anything."

"Theo," Mia said quietly.

"But I'm not going to do that because she's here. And unlike you, I do respect her." I finished.

"I have more respect for her than you ever will." He seethed out. "And that is why I came here to ask her out properly. I came here to ask for her Uncle's permission and-"

"If you're the guy who disrespected my niece, you don't have my permission." Mason stepped in. "And she doesn't want to go out with you. So I suggest you leave."

His eyes froze on my girlfriend, and they developed a pleading look. "Amelia, love, please, give me another chance. He'll never be able to make you feel like I did. Amelia, don't you remember us? There's never going be anyone like us. We had dreams together, we'd wanted to do so many things together. I won't ever leave you, I promise. Love, please-"

"Go, Noah." She whispered. "Please, just go."

"He's nothing like me!" He shouted. "What do you see in him that I don't have? I'll give you the world, everything. If he's forcing you to stay with him-"

Before I could say anything, her eyes hardened. "Fuck off, Noah. I mean it. One word about him and I'll kick you in the balls again."

I wanted to turn her around and kiss the fuck out of her when she said that.

But that stupid asshole butted his fucking nose again. "Why the fuck didn't you ever fight for me like that?" He screamed, his eyes developing a maddened look as if he was unstable. Mia flinched at his outburst. She was hurting inside, and I wanted to kill this motherfucker.

"Noah, leave." Mason said forcefully.

"I love you, Amelia. You'll always be mine."

Mason made a move to close the door. He stepped his foot inside. Mia grabbed my hand to stop me from choking his neck. The door managed to shut close, and Mason locked it.

"And I will have you, one way or another. I'm not afraid to kill. So you will come back to me, I will make sure of that, even if it means killing him."

*