WANT (Complete ✔️)

Chapter Sixty Six

Lia

Days go by like a thunderstorm in the night—terrifying yet peaceful. My heartache begins to slowly fade leaving only a sadness, a hollowness in my chest. I do my best at accepting what happened and realizing what I need for myself right now—healing.

And what better way of healing than doing what I love—my art. My art is a form of self-care for me. It helps me unwind. It's so immersing that sometimes I stay up all night designing. I've also completed reading almost twenty books and when I've been reading at night in my bed after a hot shower and cozied up in my pajamas, I've realized how much I missed that.

Of course, I used to read in bed when I was with Xavier but then I'd get distracted or he'd distract me that I'd push my book aside and lose myself in him. Not that I'm blaming him, I'm blaming myself because I began neglecting things that brought me happiness and peace before him. It was as if all the things I'd read in books were happening to me so those books felt insignificant compared to what Xavier was making me feel both emotionally and physically.

For the past month, I've been preparing for the design show which is tonight. The art department has hosted the graphic design art show in the university's museum—yeah, Lake Bellevue University has its own museum. My project has been fun and every body of work that I've created seems to demonstrate that. I spent all last night checking all my stuff and setting up my presentation in the museum.

The museum has been open all day for visitors, family, friends, and faculty members but tonight is just for the students and their friends.

Since it's a big night for me, I put a little effort into my outfit. Going for an untraditional school uniform with early 2000s elements. 

My gray skirt is short, frayed at the hem and I've tied a black belt to make it sit just above my hips. I've paired that with a cropped white shirt and a black cropped form-fitting long-sleeved cardigan. I've left a few buttons open on the shirt so that the necklace Xavier gifted me is showing. For my hair, I've straightened it and slid a black hair band on. I've kept my makeup soft and very basic and to tie everything together I'm wearing my Jadon Docs.

Mom and Elijah are here along with my girls and Zack, Viini, and Hudson. I laugh when I catch Blair snapping a million photos in front of the poster I made. She seems excited. Nolee and Zack are walking about the museum, checking out the other work. Mom is talking with my professor and of course, my brother is flirting with some girl. I'm so grateful to all of them for coming and supporting me.

But even with everyone that I love here with me...I feel incomplete.

He hasn't come yet.

He promised me he was going to be here.

Why isn't he here?

I'm standing by my artwork handing flyers with information about what my work is about and my card when he steps beside me. His scent alone makes my stomach flutter and I don't ignore the way my whole body sparks to life with shivers at his presence. It's like our souls are tethered together like the stars in the night sky. 

"This looks amazing." Xavier's voice washes a warmth over me like no other.

I close my eyes for a moment, fighting the smile that threatens to appear on my lips.

He came.

"Thank you." I quietly say.

I turn to look at him only to see him completely captivated by my work. His eyes are sparkling with adoration, he looks like he's seeing Blondel's Fall of Icarus—his favorite painting in the world. Bashfulness attacks me under his intense observation of my work. It's not the best but I did put my everything into it and the way he's looking at it...