Rule No. 1: No Romance (GirlxGirl WlW)

Chapter 36 - Finale

I can feel her gaze burning into my skin as she stares at me as I approach her. She's standing in front of my apartment's door, her arms crossed over her chest.

"You know the code, you could have waited inside," I sigh. opening the door but she doesn't say anything, closing it behind her as we both get inside. "Cat got your tongue?"

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why would you give up your position? When you explicitly told me you didn't want to leave? Why all of a sudden you're more than ok with leaving?"

"Louise... I didn't have a choice."

"Why didn't you fight? We could have done it together," she says, her voice cracking slightly.

"What's the point?" I ask, sighing as I take a step towards her. "I thought you'd be happy about this."

"How can I be happy knowing you're leaving because of me?" she asks, shaking her head.

"I knew that eventually there would be a price to pay, I was ready for it... and honestly in the grand scheme of things, it could have been much worse — I already have a proposal, so what if I have to leave?" I ask, taking another step forward. "You get an amazing job, and we don't need to worry about anything or anyone, Caleb, your dad."

She stares at me with teary eyes, her bottom lip trembling as she shakes her head. "I don't want that, don't you understand? How do you expect me to take your job when you know I'm not qualified, especially knowing I'm only getting it because my dad is a fucking asshole."

I reach out, grabbing her by the sides of her face and pulling her closer. "I'll help you."

"You shouldn't have to," she says, her voice wavering as she fights back the tears. "Esther, I'm not respected like you are, everyone will just view me as the kid that got their career handed out to them — they want and need you as their leader, not me."

"I'm not going to lie to you and tell you everything will be wonderful and easy, it's not. But I need you to be strong, and I know you are strong, and I know you can prove them wrong."

"You shouldn't have to be the one sacrificing."

"I'm not sacrificing anything," I say, shaking my head. "I'm choosing to do this."

"Why?"

"Because I want to," I say, leaning down slightly to meet her eyes. "Because I love you." My heart inside my chest feels like it's going to burst out. The words I've been holding in are out -- clear and loud. "I love you, Louise."

Her eyes widen slightly but only for a slight second before she takes a step closer, wrapping her arms around me and resting her forehead on my chest. "I love you," she whispers, her voice muffled by my shirt.

My hands move up to her hair, tangling my fingers in the white strands as I hold her close. I can feel her warm breath on my neck, her lips gently pressing against my skin as she mumbles something I can't make out.

"What did you say?" I ask, my voice low.

She cups my face with her hands, her eyes locked with mine as she leans in and presses her lips to mine. I close my eyes, savouring the moment, savouring her. She pulls away slightly, her eyes fluttering open as she looks at me. "Say it again?"

"What?" I ask, feeling my cheeks heat up.

"Tell me you love me," she says, her voice soft and sweet.

"I love you, Louise."

"Again."

"I love you."

"Again," she says, her lips brushing against mine as she speaks.