The Accidental Wife (Emily and Julian)

"Hello co-captain!" I love this version of Rosic. I love it when she is bubbly and playful. It makes me feel like the world is such a beautiful place and maybe it is not as bad as people think. But maybe it's bad for them because they don't have someone like Rosie in their life. To be honest, it's hard to find somebody as beautiful as her because she is simply one of a kind. "Hey beautiful," I say, giving her a quick hug. Fall outfits look amazing on her. She is wearing a maroon long sleeved dress with a beige jacket on. I love everything about her outfit. No, scratch that. I love everything about Rosalie Leia Kensington. "When do you have practice today?" she asks as we both sit on the grass in one of the campus gardens. It's already noon. She had a class at ten, but I have just arrived because I have a class at twelve-thirty. I now know her schedule by heart. She has another class today at one and I afterwards, she usually gets a takeout. "From seven,"

"I want to give you something," she says as she hands me the gift bag she has with her. I thought it was for somebody else. The fact that Rosie got me a gift makes my heart dance in my chest. "I know this is small, but I wanted to get you something since you're now the co-captain." Why does she look nervous? She could give me a used pen and I would love it.

I dig my hand inside the bag and take out what looks like a hoodie. I unfold it and chuckle when I see the whole thing. It's a blue and white hoodie with my number on it. That's not the best part. "Best co-captain ever" is written in bold across the chest. "I'm in love with this, cupcake," I say, pulling her for a side hug again.

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"There's something else in the bag." She looks at me with those glittering blue eyes of hers. They are going to be the death of me without even knowing.

I look inside the bag and find a perfume bottle. My favorite perfume. How did

she know? Does she know its scent?

"I called Naomi and asked her to tell me what your favorite perfume is," she answers my thoughts. I love how considerate she is. She didn't want to get me anything. She wanted to make sure that she would get me something I would love. "Aren't you the best?" I playfully poke her cute little nose.

"I am." She grins, flipping her hair and I chuckle at how ridiculously cute she

is.

"I just love how modest you are," I sarcastically say as I place the hoodie in the gift bag. "Do you have any plans for tonight?"

"Other than watching the new episodes of my favorite TV show while eating dinner? Nothing," she replies before taking a sip from her water bottle.

I can get us some pasta from this Italian diner, and we can have dinner together." I don't think I'm being subtle. I'm trying everything in my power to spend more time with her and get her to like me. I want her to get used to me and to stop seeing me as the irritating guy she couldn't stand.

"Just thought you should know, the TV show I plan on watching is a girly one and I'm not giving it up," she warns me.

"I can live with that." I grin. I check the time and let out a heavy sigh, knowing that I have to head to class. "I gotta head to class, but I will see you tonight." I kiss her cheek before standing up and walking away. I've tried to stop myself from kissing her on the cheeks before, but it seems like my attempts are all doomed to failure. It's so hard to do that when she has the most kissable cheeks on earth.

Whenever my eyes land on her, joy instantly fills me. She is like a drug that takes my mind off of every negative thing. I sometimes find myself thinking about her when I'm alone in my bed. No, I don't think about her in a sexual way. I usually wonder what it feels like to have her cuddled up against me. I wonder if her skin feels as soft and delicate as it looks. I wonder if she would fit in my embrace. She probably would. I can't imagine holding anyone but her. DOB

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Maybe if I'm lucky enough, one day she will be mine. I'm willing to wait for this day because I think there's nothing else I can do but that.

***

oday's practice,

I'm seething. The coach has exhausted the hell out of us i preparing us for the upcoming game. Our opponent isn't a team to underestimate, so we need to prepare well for the game.

I think I can drink two gallons of water, but what I care more about is showering. I cannot just meet Rosie looking like that. I always try to look my best when I meet her. After showering, I head back to the lockers to finish getting dressed. I put on some of the perfume she got me and double-check that my hair looks good.

"Aren't you heading home, dude? Why do you care so much about how you look?" Dave, one of my teammates, says.

"He's probably not heading home. I think he's heading to meet this girl we've been seeing him with," Aaron, another teammate, tells him with a smirk. I have seen her on the news before."

"Isn't she Rosie Kensington?" Karl wonders. "I think

"Yes, this i is Rosie Kensington and she's off limits," I tell them in a stern tone. I'm not going to let them turn her into a boys-locker room talk. She is so much better than that. "If you're not together, I would actually like to shoot my shot. The girl is super attractive," Karl says. Knox tenses beside me because he knows how much I like her. "I said she's off limits." I'm trying to have control over myself.

"I don't want a fling, man. I want to ask her out as in take her on a date," Karl clarifies his desires.

"You I can't," I simply say.

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"And why is that? You do realize that I don't need your permission ask her out?" He is pushing it. He doesn't know what he's talking about. can't because we're dating," I blurt.

"You

"Woah... sorry, man. I didn't know," he says, raising her hands in surrender.

"When did this happen though? You've never been the one to date," Dave

comments.

"Looks like she's the exception. We want to meet her, man," a sophomore called Nash, says.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"Maybe you could bring her to the next outing?" Aaron suggests. "She can meet our girlfriends."

"I will check with her, but I should go. Can't keep her waiting." I quickly walk out of the locker room as I hear them hollering how whipped I have become. "What are you going to do?" Knox asks. He walked out with me.

"I don't how I'm going to talk to her about that, but I know that I need to do it fast," I reply, rubbing my forehead.

I'm not sure what I have just gotten myself into, but all that I'm worried about now is Rosie's reaction.