"Okay, I need help. What one should I go with?" Aurelia asked hopefully as she walked into Belly's bedroom, holding up two outfits. Belly and Taylor were fixing their makeup. Aurelia stood in Belly's bedroom, holding up two outfits. She turned to Belly and Taylor, who were fixing their makeup in front of the mirror, seeking their input.

"Okay, I need help. Which one should I go with?" Aurelia asked, hopeful for their fashion advice.

Belly turned around, a thoughtful expression on her face as she inspected the two outfits Aurelia held up. "Hmm, let's see." She walks over to Aurelia, studying the first outfit: a denim blouse that ties in the front with a floral skirt. "Super cute." She said, smiling.

"Yeah, really pretty." Taylor adds. She looks at the second outfit: a white crop top with floral shorts and a pink floral sweater. "I love both. But first one I think would be really nice for tonight."

"Okay, I like that. Good idea." Aurelia replies, nodding in agreement. "Thanks." She grins. "Oh, are we wearing the flower crowns tonight or not?"

"Ooh, we should!" Taylor grinned.

"Yeah, but your mom just got those for a fun thing for my birthday dinner" Belly said, glancing at Aurelia and then back at Taylor. "Isn't it weird if we wear them out of the house?" She asked nervously.

"No." Taylor argues, putting hers on and placing Belly's on. "It's hot." She assured her.

"She's not wrong." Aurelia admits with a smile. "Okay, I'll go change real quick so we can get going."

****

(aurelia's outfit for this part of the chapter)

Aurelia decided on going with the second outfit and once she finished getting dressed, she checked her makeup and put her flower crown on. She then left with the others, texting Harvey to let him know she was on her way there. She had texted him earlier to let him know she decided on going after all and he said he was glad she was coming and that he couldn't wait to see her.

She felt really excited and happy, but also a little nervous. It was her first real party. She was nervous about messing something up or saying the wrong thing or something. The other party she went to at the beach didn't go well and she was only there for a few minutes. She was really looking forward to it, and she knew Belly and Taylor were excited about it too. They had fun picking out their outfits, getting ready, and taking selfies. When they got to the house, the party was already in full swing. 

They could hear the loud music playing, people were talking and playing beer pong outside. Once they got inside, they saw a boy had swung down the staircase and cheered with his friends. He was clearly drunk. Aurelia was sure everyone here was drunk or at least tipsy. She hadn't tried drinking before, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to tonight. She noticed a table set up to the side with cakes and cupcakes and other things on it. Some even having the number sixteen on it and she assumed it was for Belly though it could be for someone else. If it was for Belly then she thought that was really sweet.

"Belly, you came!" Nicole's voice is heard as she approached them, a smile on her face and a cup in hand.

"Hey, Nicole. You look so pretty." Belly replied, hugging the dark-skinned girl.

"Oh, me? Look at you. Oh my goodness. Are those real flowers?" Nicole questioned, smiling while noticing the flower crowns.

"Yes." Belly responded, smiling back at her.

"Incredible. Well, we have to show Gigi." Nicole tells her, grinning when she saw Aurelia. "Hey, Aurelia! You look so great too. So glad you're here. Oh, by the way, Harvey is out back." She added, pointing towards the sliding door.

Aurelia smiled, a slight blush dusting her cheeks at the fact Nicole knew she wanted to find Harvey. She figured Belly had probably told Nicole about her and Harvey, she didn't care. But she felt giddy and and excited to see him again. "Thanks. It's great to see you again." She hugged the girl, glad she seemed friendly and nice. She wasn't that close with Nicole, she only knew of her because Conrad was her escort for the Deb Ball last year. She was glad to see her and she did seem nice and sweet.

"Of course. No problem." Nicole replied as she smiled at her.

Aurelia slipped through the crowd and made her way towards the backyard. The cool night air greeted her when she got outside. She looked around for Harvey and found him talking to his friends, leaning against a fence. His hands are in his pocket and his hair is pushed back. He looked really handsome and his eyes were glinting in the lights. She was nervous and excited to see him.

He notices her approaching and his face brightens when he sees her, his smile widening. He quickly pushes himself off the fence, excusing himself from his friends. He strides over to Aurelia with a smile that lights up his face, his eyes shining with happiness at seeing her. "Hey, you made it!" Harvey greeted her warmly, pulling her into a hug.

"Yeah, we decided to go after all." Aurelia admitted, hugging him back while ignoring the butterflies in her stomach.

"I'm glad you did. You look beautiful, by the way." Harvey complimented once they pulled away from the hug. His eyes trail up and down her body appreciatingly, and he can't help but stare a little. He always found her attractive, but she looked even more so now.

Aurelia felt her face heat up and her heart flutter, her stomach doing a flip. She smiles brightly, feeling very flattered and happy at the compliment. "Thank you." She replies, her eyes shining. "You look handsome."

Harvey grins at this, his heart skipping a beat. "Thank you." He tells her, feeling very happy and flattered. He felt really good knowing she found him attractive. "Um, you want a drink? There are a lot of options."

Aurelia thought about it, hesitating for a moment. She didn't know if she wanted to drink alcohol or not, but she also didn't want to make him think she was weird or a loser. She also didn't want to come off as boring and not fun. She didn't want to ruin the party, but she was still nervous and didn't feel like trying to drink alcohol yet. Noticing she was nervous, Harvey reassured her it was fine if she didn't want to drink and that he didn't expect her to. He would never think she was weird or boring for not drinking, he knew she didn't want to do anything that made her uncomfortable. Her heart warmed at that and she thanked him, relieved he didn't care.

They spent the next hour together. Aurelia met some of Harvey's friends and they were all really nice and cool. They seemed like they liked her too and were friendly towards her. Aurelia was happy, she was glad everything was going good. She felt like she was dreaming when Harvey introduced her as his girlfriend, his arm around her waist. It made her heart race, her stomach fluttering and she couldn't keep the smile off her face. She felt really happy and giddy. It felt so right and good. She was surprised and shocked, but she was also so incredibly happy. She had always hoped he liked her, but she was also nervous he didn't feel the same.

When Harvey asked her to go somewhere more private to talk, she felt worried and a little scared. She didn't know what to expect. They to a quieter part of the backyard where they could be alone. They were now sitting on a bench close to each other their legs brushing against one another. Her heart skipped a beat when he took her hand and intertwined their fingers, holding her hand in his. His thumb traced circles on her hand, making her feel warm and fuzzy. She had a good idea what he was going to say, and she hoped and prayed it was what she was hoping for.

"So, I'm not really sure how to start this. Or how to ask." Harvey confessed, sounding nervous.

"It's okay." Aurelia reassured him, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

"Okay. I-I guess I'll just go ahead and say it. You're the most incredible, sweet, kind, caring, funny, beautiful, smart girl I've ever met. I could go on and on about how incredible you are. You're so amazing, you make me so happy, and you're one of the best people I've ever met. Being with you feels like a dream and I feel like the luckiest person on Earth. I know I introduced you as my girlfriend to my friends and I hope it's not too soon or too forward, but...It just felt so right and natural. I want you to be my girlfriend." Harvey confesses, pouring his heart out to her. "Will you be my girlfriend, Aurelia?" He never hesitated as he poured his heart out to her, his eyes filled with sincerity and hope. His voice was gentle, and every word seemed to come from a place of deep feeling and honesty.

Aurelia felt her heart pound in her chest, her face lighting up. Her face was bright red, she's sure of it and butterflies were fluttering in her stomach. She couldn't believe this was actually happening. She was overjoyed and her heart felt like it could burst out of her chest. "Yes!" She finally blurts out, nodding her head vigorously. "I-I mean," She blushes darkly, embarrassed by her sudden outburst. "Yes, I'd love to." She tells him, her voice much calmer. "I wanna be your girlfriend. I want you to be my boyfriend." She admits. "I-I've wanted to be with you for a long time."

"Really?" Harvey questioned, his eyes shining as his face lit up.

"Yeah." Aurelia responds shyly. "I've had a crush on you since we were kids." She confesses. She was feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness as she continued. "I never thought I'd have the chance to be with you like this. You've always been so amazing, and I'm so happy that you feel the same way about me."

Harvey was beaming, his eyes bright and a big grin was on his face. He felt ecstatic and overjoyed. "That's great, cause I've liked you since then too." He admits, his eyes softening as his smile turns fond and loving. "Just been too scared and worried that you wouldn't feel the same."

"I can't believe we've both liked each other this whole time." Aurelia said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "We've both wasted a lot of time."

"I don't think it was a waste." Harvey disagrees, squeezing her hand. "I think we've become close, we've had fun and learned more about each other. We're closer than before, I know a lot about you, and I've gotten to spend time with you. We've both grown and changed. I think it's helped us grow. Now we're in a better place and we're stronger."

Aurelia felt like melting under his warm, reassuring words. She looked at him, feeling a deep sense of contentment and understanding. "You're right," she said, her voice steady with a newfound confidence. "We've definitely grown and learned a lot. And now that we're here, together, it feels like everything is falling into place."

Harvey nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. "I wouldn't change a thing. I'm just so grateful that we're finally here, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for us."

They sat together in comfortable silence for a moment, their hands still intertwined. The world seemed to pause around them as they shared this intimate connection, enjoying the peacefulness and the joy of being with each other. Harvey smiled softly, leaning closer and kissing her forehead. He then cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. Aurelia closed her eyes, kissing him back. Her heart was pounding and she felt dizzy with happiness and excitement. As their lips met, a surge of warmth and joy flowed through both of them. The kiss was tender and filled with a deep affection that had been building up for so long. Aurelia felt her heart swell with happiness, and she melted into the moment, savoring the closeness and the sense of finally being where she was meant to be.

When they finally pulled away, their faces were flushed, and their smiles were brighter than ever. Harvey and Aurelia gazed at each other, their expressions full of love and happiness. The world around them seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of them in their own perfect bubble. They shared a tender smile, savoring the magical moment they had created together.

"So," Harvey said softly, breaking the comfortable silence. "Do you wanna stay here a lil bit longer or head back inside? Either way,