Chasing you | ✓

Chapter 14 - Flower

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SIX MONTHS AGO

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The day when things started changing was right before Easter.

I remember that detail because of the flowers. 

Cade stood by the flower section of the supermarket, next to the vegetables, and it was all yellow. It was as if he was standing in a sunny field, daffodils growing brightly yellow and wild all around him. 

Seeing him there brought a large smile to my face. As I made my way toward him, he raised a hand and poked at a flower. His touch was so delicate in the way he caressed the silky petals, while seemingly lost in thought.

I ran up to him and threw my arms around his neck from behind.

"Guess who!"

Cade jumped in surprise, turning around in my arms. He laughed cautiously, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Hey, Allie," he said softly. "You scared the shit out of me."

"Sorry," I giggled, letting him go. "You here shopping?"

"Yeah, mom's here somewhere."

"Mine, too."

Cade bit his lip, nodding. Then his face broke into a wide smile, one that lit up his whole face. I returned his smile: it was impossible not to when he smiled like that. 

His eyes flickered down to my mouth and back up, so quickly that I barely noticed it happen. His eyes searched my face, as if expecting me to say something.

Before I could ask what was up, Cade reached a hand up to my face. He caught the strand of hair that had fallen into my eyes and gently tucked it behind my ear.

I stilled at the movement. Something about the gesture felt strangely intimate.

When he realized what he'd just done, he pulled a self-conscious hand through his hair and a light shade of pink crept onto his cheeks.

"Uh, sorry. That was weird."

A warmth spread inside me. "No, don't worry about it."

He smiled and did a quick glance around the store. Then, carefully, he stole a flower from one of the Easter bouquets. It looked like a tiny daisy, so delicate between his fingers. 

"Cade!" I hissed, trying not to laugh. "You can't do that!"

He stepped closer to me and gently placed the flower behind my ear.

"There," he whispered. "Don't say I never gave you anything."

Then he raised an eyebrow at me and left.

I watched as he rejoined his mom and she immediately started nagging him about something.

As if sensing my gaze, he glanced over his shoulder. He raised his hand in a wave, sheepish smile on his face. I returned his wave, but for some reason I couldn't stop looking at him. Something had felt different, sparked by a thoughtless touch, and I couldn't get it out of my head.

I pulled the flower from my ear, twirling between my fingers. I wanted to keep it but I was worried that someone would bust me for stealing it, so I put it back among the bouquets.

But I still couldn't shake the strange feeling that lingered, not even as I picked up the raspberry jam and strolled back to mom's cart. 

There had been something different in the way he looked at me. 

On the ride home, I wondered for the first time if Cade and I would ever be more than just friends.

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~A/N~

Yeees this was a short one but the next one is much longer! And a lot of fun, if you ask me... Stay tuned <3

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