NOT A COINCIDENCE

CHAPTER 45: ALL'S WELL

ANDRIANNA'S P.O.V.

"It was that bad? Why didn't you call me? I would have come or atleast sent someone to help." Brian says in shock when I tell him about last night's events.

"It was under control Brian. I would have called if it wasn't."

"I am glad that you're here for him." He says giving me a smile.

"Me too." I say returning the smile.

"Okay so now I am going to sleep all day." Brian says rubbing his eyes.

He just came in from the agency this morning, and the sleeplessness and tiredness is evident on his face.

"Did you have something to eat this morning?"

"Yeah, don't worry. I ate in the agency. Bye." He says yawning and walking inside his room.

I think I should get some work done as Xavier was sleeping when I checked a while ago.

So I retire to my room and get started. After 3 hours and checking on Xavier 2-3 times in between, I finally closed my laptop and put it aside. Right that moment, I hear a soft knock on my door.

"Yes?" I say and see Xavier walking in.

"Hey why did you come, you could have called. You must be weak after the fever. How are you feeling?" I say sitting up straight.

"Like I have been run over by a train." He says walking towards my side while rubbing his eyes.

He just woke up and had a pretty high fever last night. But he still manages to look so handsome right now..... he doesn't even have to try!

"Yeah, you had a bad fever last night so this only normal." I say standing up from the bed.

"Where are you going?"

"I'll be back in a second." I say exiting the room and going straight to the kitchen.

After grabbing the energy drink from the fridge and walk back to the room.

"Here. You should have plenty of fluids today." I say handing him over the bottle.

"Oh." He says taking it and taking a sip.

"So did you want to talk about something?" I ask curious of why he came straight to my room the moment he woke up.

"Uh, I wanted to say thank you. For what you did for me last night. Not only last night actually but also for everything that you did since you came to Toronto."

"Oh, you really don't need to." I say waving my hand but he grabs it mid-air.

Clasping it in his hand, he starts rubbing small circles on it while keeping his eyes there.

"Please let me. And I also wanted to apologize. I don't remember clearly what all stupid things I said last night. But I remember a few."

"You don't have to apologize for anything Xavier."

"I have to. I shouldn't have said those things to you. Believe me, I am really really glad that you're here. I---"

"I believe you." I cut him off before he says further.

"Please Andrianna, I really didn't me----. Wait what? You are not mad?" He asks surprised.

"Nope."

"Oh okay. So about the other things I said.... I made you uncomfortable didn't I?"I was about to say that he didn't but he was not finished.

"I know things have changed A lot in these past years. I mean things can change in a few months even and we are talking about 6 whole years. A person is bound to move on. And one should actually. You can't dwell on the past. You have to think about the future. And in the course you meet new people. Like you met Jack." He rambles on non-stop and he is still not finished.

He lifts his eyes to look at me again.

"And that's great. He seems like a nice guy. I have not met him but I can tell considering you went on a second date with him, the guy must be something." He lets out a chuckle and then averts his eyes.

"What I am trying to say here is that I know things are not the same. You are way ahead of me and me, well I am still 6 years behind. You don't have to stay here because of me Andrianna. I think you should go back to New York." My eyes widen at this.

These are the thoughts that have been running around in his head?

"Okay stop right there." I raise my hand to stop him from speaking any further.

"First off, it is my decision what I want to do. I am here because I want to. Secondly get it out of your head that there was something between me and Jack. It meant nothing. And thridly...."

I take a pause before continuing.

"What makes you think that I was able to move on? What makes you think that I am 6 years ahead? And what makes you think that I'll ever be able to forget you?" I ask suddenly feeling a lump in my throat.

"What? What are you trying to say Anna?" He asks shocked.

He knows very well what I am saying, but he just can't admit it. Why? That's it. This is it.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

"I love you." I breathe out and open my eyes after a second to look at his expression.

"I---Andrianna----. Are you sure? I mean do you---do you really mean that?" He stutters.

"You are really going to ask that to a girl who has been waiting for you for almost 7 years now?!" I raise my voice in frustration.

But the very next second something unexpected happened. Something that I had waited for so long. Something that I had lost hope that it would ever happen.

I felt two hands grab my face and the very next second I felt him kiss me.

It was a gentle kiss and I didn't waste a second to kiss him back.He pulls away for a second and stares in my eyes.

"I love you too. I love you so damn much Andrianna Buffet." He whispers stroking my left cheek.

"You took way too long to say that Xavier Black. But knowing you, I knew I would be the first to say that." We both chuckle at that and he connects his forehead with mine.

"I know I am an idiot. I should ha---"

"Ugh, stop talking!" I groan and pull him by his collar, kissing him again.

This one was a more demanding kiss. It felt like we were conveying all our feelings, all that love and longing through it. He slides his hand from my neck to my hair while his other hand slips around my waist and pulls me close. I bring my hands around his neck move even closer if that was even possible and then slip one hand into those soft dark brown locks that I have liked the moment I saw him. I fist my hand in his hair earning a groan from him. Neither of us want this much awaited moment to end.

"OH OH OH! MY EYES! MY EYES!" I hear a squeal that makes us both jump in surprise.

We see Brian at the door with his hand covering his eyes.

"Ugh! Why would you come without knocking?! And why are you awake just yet? It's not even been 2 hours since you hit the bed!" Xavier says frustratingly.

"Well, I did knock! I just came in to tell Andrianna that I have to leave again for some emergency and then was going to come to inform you. But look at this. This saved me a trip to your room!" He says gesturing between us two.

Well now that I know he is leaving, I notice that he is already in his work clothes.

"Okay. Brian take care." I say trying to close this conversation as soon as possible.

"Yeah, bye lovebirds. Don't do something that I wouldn't do!" He shouts over his shoulder while walking away.

I turn my gaze towards Xavier who is giving me his ever so heartwarming smile that makes me wanna take a picture.

"What?" I chuckle as he continues to look at me without saying anything.

"Nothing." He shakes his head while giving me his heartwarming smile.

"Come on, let's get you something to eat."

°°°°°°°°°°°

It's been 3 days since that kiss. 3 most wonderful days in after forever. I feel like I am going to burst with happiness. It's ecstatic. I can't express the feeling. I don't have words. I imagined this for a long time but I think I had lost hope that it would ever happen with me.

For the past days, Xavier is showing me around Toronto. And today he is taking me to a carnival. I stand in front of the mirror with a simple A-line dress with white sneakers. I curl the last of my hair and leave them open. Grabbing my phone from the table I exit the room to see Xavier sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone. He is wearing a grey hoodie with a black jean and white sneakers. As if sensing my presence, he lifts his eyes from the phone and looks at me.

Suddenly I feel conscious about how I look and nervously tuck a hair strand behind my ear. Why am I nervous? This is not like me! He stands up and walks over to me.

"These naughty strands have always been distracting." He says twirling my hair strand on his finger and gently tucking it behind my ear.

"Haha really?" Just hearing that somewhat reduces the nervousness.

"Oh yes. Now ready to go?"

"Yes." I smile.

He takes my hand and together we walk out of the house.

°°°°°°°°°°°

"How did you like Toronto so far?" Xavier asks as we drive out of his driveway.

"Well, I am going to ask my parents why we didn't shift with you guys all these years ago!" I say in all the seriousness that I could muster.

I turned my face to look at him and found him looking at me. 1...2....3 and we burst out laughing.

"That would have been great actually." He says after our laughing stops.

I take a glance at him and smile at the thought.

"Yeah, that would have been great."

----------------

"This is the Nathan Philips Square." Xavier says as we reach our destination.

"Wow." I breathe out as I look around the beautiful place.

It has the Toronto sign, lighted up with multi-colored lights.

"How come we didn't come here on the first day?" I ask turning to look at him.

"Well, the best things are for last Anna." He says slipping his arm around my waist and pulling me closer.

He rests his chin on my shoulder and I lean back.

"I don't want you to go back." He whispers after a moment of silence.

"Xavier, you were the one who insisted that I should get back to work. And you were the one who got the tickets." I say turning around in his arms.

He tighten his hold on my waist and touches his forehead to mine.

"I know." He breathes out.

"I know, it's just that I know it's the right thing to do. Your work needs you, but I just don't want us to part just yet. I mean we have been through so many ups and downs. Well mostly downs, and yet we are here. Together. I don't want to risk it anymore."

"Xavier, where are you going with this?" I ask pulling away from him a little, so that I can look at him properly.

He gives me a small smile and brings my hand to his lips. Placing a soft kiss on my knuckles he holds my hand and what he does next makes me gasp. With his other hand, he takes out a small box from his pocket and gently places it in my palm. I move my eyes back and forth at him and the box in surprise when he gives me a small nod. My eyes widen at what he is doing, and I freeze on the spot.

"Andrianna." He calls out which breaks my trance and I focus my attention on the small ring box in my hand.

Giving him one last glance, I slowly open the box, to find a .........candy?

I take the candy out confused and look at Xavier who starts laughing while holding his stomach.
He did not just do that!

"What the hell." I stomp my foot in frustration and put the candy back in the box in frustration.

I throw the stupid box at him which he catches as it hits his chest. I turn around to walk away from him but I feel him grab my hand and turn me around. And before I could even register.... he slips a ring in my finger.

I gasp as I eye the ring on my finger. I look up at Xavier who slowly gets down on one knee while holding my hand. I feel tears in my eyes but I quickly blink them away as I don't want to have a blurry memory of this moment. Without thinking, I too get down on one knee and now we are at eye level.

"I can't believe this is actually happening." I whisper.

"Okay I don't know how to do this." He chuckles which makes me smile too.

"Andrianna. I know this might seem rushed as it's only been three days since we confessed our feelings to each other." That makes me shake my head.

Because, we didn't need words to express how we felt about each other. We knew it in Paris. We knew it when he was leaving for Toronto 7 years ago. We knew it when we met again after 5 months and 6 years.

"Earlier I used to think that it wouldn't work out between us. Because I used to believe that no one deserves a life like that. I mean I have to go on missions, some really risky ones. I may not return for days, weeks or even months. I thought it wouldn't be fair to you. But now? I can't imagine not having you in my life." He says looking deep in my eyes.

And those green orbs have nothing but sincerity in them.

"Usually, people go on dates and then enter that girlfriend-boyfriend phase. But I feel like we are way past that point. Besides what's the point in asking that when I know that I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else but you." He takes a pause, while I try to keep the unshed tears in.

I blink away the tears, but one traitorous one rolls down my cheek. Xavier smiles a little and wipes it away and cups my cheek.

"So, if you, Andrianna Buffet, agree with what I just said...."

"Will you marry me?"I can't express how I felt after hearing that question.

I know that he is waiting for my answer, but all I can think about is that it's really happening!! He just proposed to me! Wait! I am not dreaming am I?

I feel him give a gentle squeeze to my hand which makes me focus my attention on him again.

No. I am not dreaming. He is really here. In front of me. On his knees. And there's a ring on my finger!

"Andr----" I don't let him finish and leap to engulf him in a tight hug.

"I love you so much. Of course I would." I say in between my sobs.

Why the hell am I sobbing?!

"Hey hey. I love you too but why are you crying?" He says pulls away from the hug and tucking my hair behind my ears.

I just shake my head, not being able to get over the lump in my throat.

"I think you should really stop now. You really look like Tomato girl right now."

Okay, that immediately makes me stop. I look up at him, and in normal situations, I would have asked him not to call me that. But right now all that escaped my lips, was a chuckle.

"Shut up Batman." I hit his chest and hug him again.

All of a sudden I realize we were not the only people in the place when I hear clapping and whistling all around me.

Okay, this is embarrassing.

I want to run away from this place right now. But Xavier had other plans, and he just wraps his arms around me in a tight embrace. I breathe in his scent which surprisingly gives me a feeling of comfort and calms me down.

"I still can't believe it." I whisper in his ear.

I feel him let out a small chuckle and place a soft kiss on my neck. After a while, I pull away from him slowly and stare in those green eyes. I knew these eyes will be death of me one day. Placing my hands on his jaw, I pull his face towards me. He slips his hand around my waist and other in my hair as we close the distance between us.

And that was my last night in Toronto.