Like I Love You

"Ain't nobody love you like I love you
You're a good girl and that's what makes me trust ya
Late at night, I talk to you
You will know the difference when I touch you
Yeah, you know I can make ya happy
I could change your life
If you give me that chance
To be your man
I won't let you down baby
If you give me that chance
To be your man" Like I Love You by Justin Timberlake

I woke up before Trevor on Saturday and raided his refrigerator. Or I tried to. He had nothing of substance. I finally found instant coffee, but there was no creamer. I should have known better. I made sure my kitchen was stocked with the basics for my house guests. I should have gone shopping for Trevor too.

I groaned and closed the refrigerator. My stomach ignored, I took a shower and set up my make-up and hair supplies on the counter of the sink and got ready for our day.

We were going out to shop for party supplies. We stayed up the night before approving the final guest list and sending out the e-vites. Trevor didn't bat an eye when I said Jake. I didn't say a thing when he invited Amber. He did ask about Sammy when I told him to invite her. I told him about the talk we had. He nodded and said, "About time."

"You knew?" I asked, surprised. He nodded.

"How?"

"I asked." Trevor said, smugly.

I kicked him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, over his groan.

"It wouldn't have mattered. You're stubborn, you have to do everything your way, even if it means the hard way." Trevor said.

I had no rebuttal for that, so I said nothing.

 I didn't realize how much work Trevor already put into the party until I saw the invitations. They were cute, 30 second videos featuring us as bobble heads inviting everyone to our party over what was the opening theme to MTV's show Super Sweet Sixteen. It was so funny and basically informed me that the party was gonna be like all the previous parties I had with Trevor: over the top and childish.

I finished brushing out my hair when I heard Trevor finally thumping around in his room. I already started my make-up when he finally appeared in the doorway of the bathroom.

"Good morning." He said, tiredly.

"Is it a good morning? Without coffee or eggs or freaking cereal?" I said, sarcastically, looking him over briefly. He looked cute all wrinkled and sleepily in boxer shorts and a t-shirt.

"If you can wait, I'll treat you to breakfast." He said, moving past me to turn on the shower.

"No I can't. You break the fast for a reason. Can you drive without fuel? No. I need energy: food or coffee." I explained to him.

He gave me a lopsided grin. "Conserve some of your energy. You don't need all that make-up and hair crap. Go natural."

"It takes more hair and make-up crap to look natural, but you wouldn't understand that-" I began to educate him. I got distracted when he removed his shirt. Trevor does not work out, but he's naturally lean. No bulging muscles, but he has a nice, toned body. I got distracted studying him. He grinned before jumping in the shower.

"Fine… Save energy and be quiet!" He called out, before throwing out his boxers.

I bit my lip and concentrated on my make-up. I was conserving my energy by not jumping in the shower with him. I wasn't sure what I would do after getting in the shower too... Attack him or attack him.

After quickly finishing my make-up and pulling my hair back, I returned to Trevor's room and threw on jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt. I knew I would be trying on outfits, so I kept it simple. I literally had no idea what I wanted to wear to my party. Besides it being at the Night Hotel in Dallas on December 13th, I had no idea what all Trevor planned. I waited in the living room to avoid any more run-ins with a half-dressed Trevor.

I checked my messages and saw I had a text from Jake.

Jake: So you're having your party on the same night my dad is getting married?

Oh fuck. I completely forgot about that.

Me: OMG. That's a huge coincidence. My birthday is the 3rd, Trevor's is the 10th. It just worked out that way...

Jake: Ok. I'll try to make it. What are you doing on your actual birthday?

Me: I don't know... Maybe dinner?..

Jake: Maybe let me know?...

Me: Of course :-)

When Trevor finally emerged, dressed in jeans and a vintage shirt under a button down, we hit the road. True to his words, the first place we stopped was IHOP for breakfast. We both had omelets, holiday pancakes, and coffee before heading to mall.

We went into Spencer's first and brought a few adult party games. We got Dirty minds, fool around dice, and Who's The Biggest Pervert Drinking Game. When Trevor informed me he planned to have Truth or Dare and Musical chairs too, I finally saw Trevor's vision for our party: A kid birthday party with an adult twist!

It was perfect! I was getting more excited for the party! I even brought myself and Trevor party hats. Mine was a tiara that read: Birthday Bitch. His was a trucker hat that said: It’s My Mother Fucking Birthday!

I took a selfie of us wearing our hats and posing with rock star faces, tongues sticking out and all and posted it on Facebook with the caption:

Let the countdown begin…

Now that I saw the vision for the party, I knew what look I wanted for my party. I wanted long, Kim Kardashian waves in my hair, full makeup, and a feminine, but sexy poofy, pink dress.

“Pink?” Trevor groaned, dramatically, as we walked into a department store.

“Yes! Come on! It would look so cute!” I said, excitedly. "And it fits the theme!"

“Yeah, for a GIRL.”

“Bruno Mars wore pink on SNL.” I told him.

“I don’t wanna look like Bruno Mars.”

“You couldn’t pull it off anyway.”

“I know. I’m too good looking.”

I snickered at him. “Right…”

“Bruno Mars is not that great looking.”

“When did you become the judge of good looking guys?” I said in mock horror.

“Shut up Lily. I’m straight enough to acknowledge another man’s attractiveness.”

“Keep telling yourself that.” I teased him. “Besides, Bruno Mars has swag. He doesn’t have to be great looking.”

“You keep telling yourself that.” Trevor threw back at me.

I stuck my tongue out at him before making my way through the racks of dresses. Trevor was absolutely no help. If anything, he hindered my search with his distracting commentary and his repeated questioning if I was ready. He moaned and groaned when I didn’t find anything at the first store, so I sent him away to the food court as I kept searching.

I was in the dressing room at my 4th shop when I got a call from Trevor.

“Where are you?” he asked.

“Dressing room.”

“What store?”

“Some boutique by the ice rink.”

"Wanna go ice skating?" He asked me.

"No! I wanna find my dress!" I exclaimed.

I got off the phone and removed the last disaster of a dress. I sighed, frustrated. Maybe pink wasn’t working for me…

I put the dresses away and walked out. Trevor was waiting with a pretzel for me.

"Cinnamon sugar or salt?"

"Salt." I said, snatching the salted pretzel from him. I took a bite before groaning.

"No dress?"

I shook my head, defeated.

"One more store then we'll call it a day?" He compromised.

I nodded.

We went into DEB. This time, Trevor picked out every pink dress in my size. I vetoed a lot of them, but I saw a few I would at least try on. I tried two pink dresses before I found the dress I wanted. I came out the dressing room and modeled it for Trevor. He just stood there, staring at me, an unreadable expression on his face.

"I know it's extra poofy and promy, but I love it! It's short, but I could do stockings or boots for my bad ankle. And it's not really a true pink, so you could wear peach or tan and still match-"

"Lily." He stopped me.

"Yeah?" I said, looking him in the eye.

"I would wear pepto pink if it meant you wearing that dress."

I grinned. "Well, I guess it's a good thing you picked out this one and not a pepto pink."

Trevor smiled back at me. "I picked that out?"

I rolled my eyes and went back into the dressing room.

Trevor was over shopping, but he promised he'd pick up something appropriate for himself. After calling Rocky and her texting that she and her family were at the movies, we planned to go back to Trevor's apartment. I made him go grocery shopping first. We talked as we made broccoli beef and rice together.

"I'm thinking of having a dinner on my actual birthday, maybe a happy hour somewhere. Hopefully after a few drinks I'd be open to talking to Amber." I said, over the sounds of sizzling steak in the skillet and classic rock playing from Trevor's phone.

"No. Talk to her before your b-day. Rocky has something planned for Wednesday." Trevor said.

I turned to him. "What? Who's all included?" I asked.

"It's a surprise, but just y'all girls." Trevor told me, as he cut up some broccoli. "What?" He asked, when he looked up and saw me frowning.

"Nothing." I said, walking over to him. I made him curl up his fingers up so he didn't chop his fingers off.

"Our party is on the same night Jake's dad is getting married. I'll doubt he'll make it, but he was wondering if I was doing anything Wednesday." I explained.

"Believe me, you don't wanna miss what Rocky has planned for him." Trevor said.

I mixed brown sugar, soy sauce, water, ginger and flour together in a bowl before I responded to him.

"Jake is a good person. You shouldn't make him out to be a bad guy and me as a victim. It wasn't like that."

"Agree to disagree on that one." Trevor said, stiffly. "Ready for this?" He asked, motioning to the vegetables. I nodded, and he dumped them in the skillet.

"Just stir it." I instructed him. When he did, I started again. "Jake is just-"

"Lily, I get that you wanna be his friend but you're not going to get me to change my opinion on him." Trevor cut me off.

I sighed. "Fine. I just don't want any more issues between you two. Jake wasn't comfortable with our friendship, but he never talked negatively about you-"

Trevor chuckled. "No, he just made you feel bad about being yourself."

"Even you have made comments about the way I act with guys. Don't act like it was completely unwarranted because it was towards you." I argued.

Trevor took a break from stirring to look at me.

"The way you act was never the problem. Anyone who really knows you knows how loyal you are. I just hate how you're loyal to guys who don't deserve it; That don't deserve you." Trevor told me.

I mulled that over as I added the sauce. Trevor started stirring again and we finished cooking without anything else said between us.

Trevor turned off his music and we sat down with our plates and water and ate in front of the TV.

"You know what my greatest fear is?" I asked Trevor when we finished eating.

Trevor grinned. "Karaoke?"

"I'm serious!" I smiled.

"Me too!" He laughed. I laughed with him.

"Ok, my second biggest fear?"

"What is it?" Trevor asked.

"That you have this perfect view of me and if we get together you're gonna be so disappointed." I admitted.

"Lily, I know you're not perfect. I can list the things wrong with you, if you want..." He teased.

"No, I got it..." I smirked.

"I also know how you deserved to be treated. Even if we never get together, I'm not gonna be ok with anyone who treats you less than what you deserve. " Trevor finished.

"Do you feel like you deserved my loyalty?" I asked him after a beat.

"Maybe not the whole time, but I do now. You already have my loyalty. My greatest fear is that you'll never give me a chance to show you."

I smiled at him. "I already see it T-Rev."

The rest of the evening was much lighter. We spent it on cleaning up the kitchen before returning to Trevor's bedroom. We laid together, both playing on Facebook, looking at the people who said they were coming to the party and finalizing plans.

I put my phone away and laid against Trevor's chest. "Did I thank you for the birthday party?" I yawned.

"Don't thank me yet." Trevor smiled.

"I already know it's gonna be amazing." I said, dreamily, closing my eyes.

I fell asleep before he replied.

--------

Sunday we got dressed and headed over to Rocky's house. On the drive over, I got a call from my dad. He was asking if Cam told me the news about the engagement. I said yes, excitedly, leaving out the point that I helped him propose.

"Cameron said you wanted to host an engagement party. Let's plan it for when you all come home for the holidays."

I made a face. "Sounds great dad." I lied. It sounded awful. 'Let's' meant him planning an engagement party filled with Cam's old classmates or dad's business associates. Not how I would plan it at all, but whatever. He could have it. I was picking my battles.

I got off the phone a little after that. Trevor smiled at me. "What sounds 'great'?" He asked, knowingly as we pulled into Rocky's driveway.

"Planning Cam's engagement party with my dad." I said, sarcastically.

Trevor laughed as we made our way into the house. Rocky's family was gathered, getting ready to hit the road.

"Don't be a stranger, ya hear?" Mama Smith said, bringing me in a hug.

"I won't." I said, hugging her back.

"Remember, you are a grown woman." She emphasized, looking over a Trevor. "Make smart decisions or I will come back up here!" She threatened.

I nodded. "I will, I promise."

After saying goodbye to everyone, Trevor drove me home.

"What are you going to do for the rest of the day?" Trevor asked me.

"Make smart decisions." I smiled, hugging him before hopping out the car.

When I went inside, I pulled out my phone. I waited for the phone to pick up before I said, "Hey, wanna work out together?"