The Shy One

Chapter 41

"I'm gonna marry you one day," Atticus remarked, grasping my hand. I was ecstatic when he suggested we go stargazing in the back of his mom's truck. It sounded like something straight out of an 80s from com.

"Slow down, cowboy, we're still in high school," I remarked with a small chuckle. A small breeze flew across the open field, twisting Atticus's hair lightly. He brushed the remaining hairs off of his forehead and turned to me.

"I'm serious!" he replied. I laughed again as he cupped my face, "you are who I want to spend the rest of my life with," he smiled and kissed the bridge of my nose every so lightly. A butterfly of a kiss, "I'm never gonna leave."

I smiled ad held his hand on my face, "Thank you."

And at that moment, I knew I was in love.

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"You do realize you don't have to help him, right?" Cole said with a large frown. When Atticus's mother reached out to me to help pack Atticus's things from her house and her ex-husband's house, I wanted to say no, but she looked so alone. So in need of help. 

So of course, I agreed. She was an angel, after all.

"I'm helping his mother. He might not even be there,"  I remark, slipping on one of Cole's hoodies. He had bought five in the past week and I had managed to wear every single one. 

I gotta mark my territory somehow, ya know. And I'm not exactly the tallest.

"I still want to go with you," he responded. I sighed and turned to him. He had gotten clingier and clingier these past few weeks. With the court case and the incident with my father, I was not feeling like myself for a while, but Cole had taken it to a new extreme. He was at my house all the time. Not that I minded. But it felt like he was putting his life on hold for me, and I didn't like it.

"No, go home. Help Myah. She's gonna give birth any day now, right? And none of your family ever seems to be home," I remake, handing him a stack of his clean laundry.

"Are you sure?" he asks. I nod and kiss his cheek, slapping his thing playfully.

"I'm sure. This is something I need to do alone. Well, with Atticus's mom," I say, grabbing a pair of shoes and getting ready.

Cole let out a strained grunt and stood up, staring down at me, "As you wish,"

"don't sound so sour," I lecture, putting my hair in a ponytail, "We can hang out again in a few days. b there for Myah. She needs you more than I do. Plus I need to get actual sleep," I give him a pointed glare and he smirks before embracing me.

"Okay, I'll head out then. I love you," he kisses me gently and I hug him back.

"I love you too. Drive safe!" I remark.

And soon enough, Cole was gone, and I was on my way to Atticus's mother's house. it was pretty far away. Further than his Dad's at least.

After the long drive, I ended up at the small house Atticus's mother had bought. it had two bedrooms, one bathroom. A small kitchen. She had sent me pictures to help me find it.

I knocked on the door and she opened it gently, ready for me. 

"Isabella! Thank you so much for coming! Atticus is packing the rest of his things from his father's house. I don't know when he'll be home," I walk inside the quaint house to find it homey. None of the furniture matched, and many of the shelves were empty. It looked as empty as I felt.

"what do you need help with?" I ask. She thinks for a moment, ushering m down a short hallway.

"can you put his clean clothes in, "she opens a quaint closer and takes out a wrinkled duffel bag, "here?"