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"I have so else I want to show you" He reaches down and pulls out a folder from his backpack and then sets it in between us on the table "It’sportfolio"

"Okay" I slowly flip it open and see a nice, neat stack of Owen’s writing sanments is stapled on the left side of the folder, check marks by the ones he’d coht up"

"I ah the papers until he finally finds what he wants and pulls it out "Read this one"

I take the paper from him, notice the typed words but don’t really see them "What’s it about?"

"You"

"Oh" I’ so tender, so sweet I don’t knohat’s happened to rab the paper and pull it directly in front of me so I can read it

Pink and soft

Damp and warm

My pretty little rose

Is my home

I cradle her close

Give her exactly what she needs

And when I’m finished

I’m the one who’s pleased

My entire body is war to God, he’s terrible

In the absolute, most wonderful way a terrible person can be

"Owen" I study the words before ood, huh? I’ one, but I caht it was close Not perfect rhyh, you know?"

I reain On the surface, the words are see hoht after practice Can you believe it?" I can hear the pride in his voice and I read his words yet again, lingering on the part where he calls his little rose his hoood" I finally feel brave enough to look up at his stretched out in front of hiht so" He sure out what it’s about yet?"

"Of course I have I’rows "I’ to think you’re my muse, Chels My inspiration"

My cheeks turn as pink as the rose lying before ure what this is about, too? And s "It’s kind of fun, writing about such … personal things"

I want to both slug him and kiss him

He sits up, pulls another sheet of paper out of the folder, and then slides it across the table toward o"

She’s shy She’s pink She belongs to no one

I voin her over withas she opens only forher over the edge

Until I’ve completely destroyed her

Petals scattered everywhere, her beauty wrecked

All by

To n soabout what’s happening between us, thethe them "One could be in whatever format we preferred And the other one had to rhyme I don’t knohich one I like better I think they’re both pretty fking awesoo?" I study him

"Uh, yeah" He finally has the decency to look sheepish "That night you came over to help me and we had Chinese for dinner"

"But we hadn’t even …" Kissed? Touched? Nothing had really happened between us at that point

"I have a very vivid irin fades His eyes darken, and this cloak of intensity see o, I feel like that poem you just read describes it perfectly Maybe I can predict the future, I don’t know I sound like I’hts What is happening between us? Only a few days ago I was devastated, thinking he wanted us to be just friends Now he’s writing poetry about our blosso at me like he wants to tear my clothes off and have his ith ht, Chels Maybe we can do a few rin is back, infectious and so cute I can’t help but smile back at him

"Fine I’ll come over" I try to sound all put out, but we both know I’o over to his house and spend tiht if you’re lucky," he murmurs and I blink at him, shocked, yet not at his words

"What did you say?" I want him to repeat it Confir" He puts on an innocent look, one that is so full of it, I want to reach out and smack him Then pull hilish? I have a test tomorrow"

How can I say no? After all, I’irlfriend

His rose