Benevolent

Three Words

Chapter 19

(You know the drill: I write angst and make up for it with fluff. XD)

Sayori's summer passed slower than she could have imagined.

Her mother had come back for a few weeks, looking as disheveled and weak as usual, before abruptly leaving yet again for who knows where.

It wouldn't have hurt so much if the woman hadn't pretended as if things were okay. As if Dev wasn't dead.

Natsuki had come to visit every so often after her mother left again, though it did very little to take Sayori's mind off the emerald eyed beauty she wanted to see so badly.

"Hey, Sayo!" Monika's heavenly voice came through the speaker of her phone.

"Hey, Moni! I miss you!" Sayori said for the millionth time.

"I know, I miss you too! It's so boring in xxx without you!" Monika was visiting her parents at one of their homes overseas.

(I'll let you guys imagine where her parents are all the time lmao)

"I wish I could be there with you... Or you were here with me..." Sayori admitted, laying back on her couch.

"Me too... Shit, gotta go. I'll talk to you later!" Monika huffed.

"Okay! I love you!" Sayori froze.

Holy fuck, did I just say that?!

She quickly hung up the phone, tossing her phone across the couch as if it were a burning pan.

Sayori let out a long groan as she buried her face in her hands.

"I cannot believe that just happened... That was way too fast. Way too fast! Oh, gosh, I probably freaked her out! I'm sooo stupid!" Sayori slapped the sides of her head in frustration.

She turned off her phone, too afraid to see if Monika would bring it up. She hoped she'd just forget or didn't hear.

Sayori turned on her television, deciding to distract her nerves by watching something as she became engrossed with whatever show was playing.

~~~

Did she just....

Monika was frozen, long after Sayori had hung up the phone which had dropped from her hand.

"She said.... She.... She lo-...." Monika laughed as she blushed deeply, a large smile stretching across her face.

Monika had finally heard the three words she was worried to say to Sayori, the three words that could change everything between them.

And Sayori had said it first. About her.

Monika sat on her bed, completely forgetting the reason she had to hang up with Sayori in the first place as the phrase repeated over and over in her mind.

"I love you!"

"Monika Everett Park!" her father's voice sounded from down the hall.

"C-Coming!" Oh right, her parents had wanted to see her.

"So, Monika dearest, make any new friends this year?" her mother asked, sitting firm and proper in her red leather chair.

"I heard you've started your own club, how is that going for you?" her father chimed in as well.

"Everything's fine. The girls in my club are very nice." Monika replied, remembering to keep her responses short with her parents.

"We're so glad you agreed to spend the summer with us, dear." her mother smiled, that fake celebrity smile Monika was so used to seeing.

"H-How has work been here?" Monika changed the subject, remembering how much her parents loved to talk about their precious business deals with the rich and famous.

~~~

Monika stepped off the plane, breathing in the familiar air of the town she called home.

She smiled, remembering that Sayori was waiting for her.

Monika had decided not to tell Sayori she had returned so she could surprise her girlfriend when they went back to school.

~~~

"Sayori Easton!" the teacher called yet again, snapping Sayori's head upright from its place on the desk.

She hadn't been able to focus at all today, her thoughts wandering back every time to Monika.

Monika hadn't so much as sent a text since the awkward goodbye Sayori gave her, which was starting to worry the blue eyed girl.

Had she scared Monika off? Was it too soon to tell her she loved her? The thoughts constantly plagued Sayori's mind.

"Y-Yes?" Sayori asked timidly.

The teacher sighed, repeating the question as Sayori yet again unintentionally tuned her out.

~~~

Stepping out of the school Sayori sighed, dragging her feet along in the direction she knew her house was.

"Sayori!" a familiar voice called, making Sayori freeze in place.

Her heart sped up as she looked up to meet the voice's owner.

"Monika!" Sayori ran at a sprint, jumping into Monika's open arms to give her a tight hug.

Suddenly, Sayori recalled the phone call, abruptly releasing her to step back.

"Hey, there's something I've been meaning to tell you..." Monika began, grabbing Sayori gently by the chin so she would face her.

Is this about the 'I love you' thing?! Is she going to break up with me now?!

Sayori gazed fearfully into Monika's kind emerald eyes, expecting the worst.

"I love you, too." Monika whispered, quickly pressing her lips against Sayori's.

Sayori's mind went blank, her body numb as she tried to process this.

Monika wasn't mad? More so she loved her?

"Y-You... You do?" Sayori asked after they pulled apart.

"So much." Monika smiled broadly at her.

"Really?!" Sayori asked eagerly, her heart pounding in her ears.

"Yes!" Monika laughed at Sayori's cute reaction.

"I-I love you too! I love you, Monika!" Sayori peppered kisses all over Monika's face, her arms wrapping firmly around her girlfriend's waist.

"I love you, Sayori." Monika said softly, planting a long, passionate kiss to Sayori's smiling lips.

"I just... I love you so much..." Sayori said, tearing up a bit.

"Hey, don't cry!" Monika said in a worried tone, wiping at Sayori's tears with her thumbs as her hands rested on her cheeks.

"I can't help it! I'm so happy!" Sayori giggled, her voice cracking a bit as a sob escaped her grinning lips.

She brought Monika in for another hug, crying into her shoulder as Monika rubbed gentle circles on her back.

"Come on, let me drive you home." Monika said, pulling away to look into Sayori's beautiful eyes.

"Yeah..." Sayori rubbed her wet eyes, swiping her tears away with the backs of her hands.

They climbed into Monika's car as Sayori felt like her heart would explode.

She loved Monika. And Monika loved her, too.