I cleared my throat and grabbed my drink. He leaned forward.
"So you really are getting married to him?".
I shrugged. "Yeah, i am. Wasn't that what you wanted?".
He scoffed and leaned back. " I don't think you could handle what I really want,Princess".
I rolled my eyes, "Do you flirt with every girl you meet?".
"Only you". He smiles.
I stood up."Okay, let's go. I don't have an appetite anymore".
"I do. Can you guess what I want?" He asked as we walked out the door.
"Will, I swear I'm going to kill you if you don't stop talking".
"I don't think so. Since you're so in love with Willem". He smirked at me.
"What?! That's ridiculous " I sputtered.
"I know, right? Just what do you like in him?". He said and stretched out the keyholder and clicked on the button.
We started in the direction of the car.
"For one, Willem's nice. And considerate and oh my god, I see what you did".
He shrugged and raised his hands.
"All those words are synonyms of boring, Princess".
When we got into the car, I gasped.
"Isn't tomorrow Willem's birthday?".
He shrugged. "I think so".
I rolled my eyes at him.
"You guys share a body and you don't even like each other?".
"You know you're the only one who treats me like a person, you know? Other people just call me Willem's alter." He said as he started up the car.
"Even his friends?" I asked.
"Apart from them, yeah".
"Do they know your true identity?". I reached for my seatbelt.
He stared ahead for a while. His eyes spaced out.
"Dammit, Princess. I'll have to see you later".
He was dissociating.
Willem drove us home and retired to his room, avoiding my gaze. Did I do something wrong?
I went to my room and began to plan a birthday party for him.
I didn't know if they knew his identity or how close he was with them. I stalked his pinstagram and messaged his friends.
I also noticed there were pictures of them taken in this apartment meaning I could invite them over.
Gosh I hope I wasn't doing too much?
Then, I booked an art room for tomorrow. I have to stay out of trouble so no partying out. His friend, Nat, was the one most interested in the idea of a surprise party for him.
He agreed to invite their other mutual friends and I went ahead to plan and order the things we were going to need.
Damn! I am so competent!
Just as I was drifting off to sleep, I got a notification for a follow request.
The next morning, I woke up early to make breakfast for the both of us.
Just as I was dishing my plate, Willem walked out of his room.
"Uh hi, Soraya". He frowned. "Why did you get up so early to cook? I could've done it".
He tried to grab the plate from me. I moved away from his reach.
"Today's your birthday! Let me do all the work" I argued as he tried to speak.
"So? Doesn't mean I don't have to raise a finger?".
I whirled around so fast trying to see his facial expression that I walked right into him.
He had an amused expression.
"Thank you though for cooking for me" he smiled and my breath got caught in my throat.
How could he look so beautiful?
"Well,just wait till you find out what I have planned out for you today". I smiled and created a considerable amount of distance between us.
"Really? Like what?" He asked as we sat down to eat.
"Well, I can only tell you about one activity. We're going to am art room." I wiggled my brows.
"An art room?" His brows furrowed slightly.
"What? You don't like it? Shit, I thought since you loved painting when you were little, you probably still did. I should've known. I'll call them right now to cancel" I grabbed my phone off the counter but Willem grabbed my wrist.
" Will you just relax? I do not hate the idea of painting. I still do so you don't have to panic".
I breathed out in relief. "Really?"
He nodded."I'm just surprised you knew I paint".
"Well, I went on a little cyber stalking spree so I have a very vague idea on your interests from years ago".
He laughed. "That's cute. Considering I myself stalked you, it isn't weird at all".
"Okay so we have two hours to get ready to leave " I dropped into the chair and began eating.
"I'm sorry" he cleared his throat.
"Uh?" I asked,puzzled. "What are you sorry for?".
"We planned on eating out yesterday but we couldn't do that".
"Oh!" I realized." Well, you really don't have to apologize,Willem".
"I know but it's not fair on you that you have to deal with me."
I gaped.
"You really think that? That I'm putting up with you?".
He shrugged. " I know how tiring it has to be-".
I shook my head. "It's not your fault you have DID, Willem. I know it doesn't happen on it's own. You probably went through something terrible for it to be this way for you. So don't you ever say I am putting up with you because I'm not ".
He held my gaze before nodding.
"Don't tell me you were feeling this way when we came back yesterday? Was that why you couldn't bother to look at me?".
Willem squeezed my fingers that was on the table.
"I just thought you'd finally see how tiring it was to be around me and also leave".
My heart squeezed. How had he been treated for him to think like this?
"You have to know, Willem. I am never leaving you, okay? I agreed to this marriage because of you. If it was someone else, I wouldn't have."
His lips twitched."Really".
"Yes"I rolled my eyes on hearing the smile in his voice. "Don't get to cocky though".
"Are you done eating?" He glance down at my plate. "Let me show you something".
I stood up and put my plates in the sink. He grabbed my hands and led me to the room next to his.
"Don't tell me you have bodies in there." I turned to him when I felt the nervousness coming from him.
"Not quite" he said pushing the door open.
As we walked inside, I gasped. This place was an art gallery.
Different portraits hung around the room.
"OMG! This is beautiful! You painted all this?".
He nodded.
"You're so talented, Willem-" I stopped when I caught a glimpse of a portrait at the corner of the room.
The tears dropped from my eyes without me realizing until Willem wiped them off.