autumn breeze || dreamnotfound

chapter fourteen

I still hadn't remembered... oh how I would've liked to have remembered.

[1155 words]

Dream POV

The bell of the front door rang once more today. I looked up eagerly only to be met with an old lady with brown hair but gray roots. She wore a plum shirt, with forest green pants, and a brown jacket to pull it all together. I sighed and hung my head again as she reached a table of her friends, and sat down to start chatting.

'When is George coming,' I had been thinking of his text all morning. It bugged me. Was he just going to dump this on me and leave?

I checked George's contact to see if he had contacted me ever since but was only met with the message from last night, 'hi, I know it's midnight but I wanted to tell you that I like you like... more than a friend. If you don't like me back that's okay.. um goodnight<3'.

I wasn't even able to text him back since then. Was that why he was avoiding me? Did he think that I didn't like him back? Or was it the wrong number and he was scared that I did like him back? God, I hope I didn't send him mixed signals, I thought I was making it obvious. I like him so much more than just a friend, he's everything to me. Everything and more.

The bell rang but this time I didn't look up, my head kept down in fear that my hopes would be crushed again. That it wouldn't be George and that it would be some ratty old lady-

"Dream?" Said a hopeful bright voice that I recognized. My head snapped up and upon laying my eyes on the beautiful boy, they brightened, "someone's happy to see me," he grinned with a playful tone.

"God forbid I be happy to see the brit," I squinted my eyes and feigned disgust.

He started laughing and I found myself laughing alongside him. What could I say, it was contagious. From his messy dark coffee-brown hair to his toothy grin, he was perfect, and I loved all of it. Dare I say... I loved him. I was in love with him. With George. This man that I've known for what, a few weeks now at most? Maybe a few months? It doesn't matter, he's the love of my life, I'm sure of it.

"Hellooooo, Dreaaammmmm?"

"Huh? Oh, yea- yes?"

Suspiciously he made his way to the back of the counter and looked me deep into the eyes. He knew something was off. Maybe I could play it off, act like it was nothing.

"So," I started off, trying to change the subject.

'Oh god, don't start talking-'

"What was that text all about?" Against my own wishes, I continued.

He looked to be on the brink of laughter before he saw that I was serious and scrunched his eyebrows, "what text? Did I send you a-" He stopped talking once he opened his phone, and it showcased our private messages.

'He must not remember them. This is so awkward- what do I do? ' My mind was in scrambles. I wanted to tell him, but also failed to put what I felt in words.

I kept looking at his face as it went through a flurry of emotions. It turned almost ghostly white before his blood rushed to his cheeks to paint them a beautiful vermilion red. He looked beautiful, even when he was embarrassed.

He failed to meet my eyes for a good minute as his eyes kept searching the screen in hopes of... well, I don't know what he was looking for. Maybe proof that he didn't send what he did? That I had faked it? That I went through his phone and sent that to myself last night, in hopes of embarrassing him and being able to poke fun? I don't know, I just hoped he would look at me. I was growing nervous.

'He clearly sent it to me so... he must have meant to do it, right? ' my thoughts were interrupted as I felt two doe eyes look up, into my own grassy ones.

"I'm so sorry- I don't... please don't hate me?" George's tone was softer, almost as if he were about to cry. Like if his voice was to go any higher it would crack and he would crumble.

I reached my arms out, and I leaned in, giving him a hug. He tensed as I engulfed him, my hands going to his back, George relaxed against me and deepened the hug by wrapping his arms around my neck. His breathing started to shake and I heard quiet sobs.

I didn't mind when I felt the eyes of others on us as we walked to a nearby table because his knees were shaking, and he could no longer stand. I didn't mind when I could feel George's tears seeping through my sweater, and onto my shoulder. I didn't mind when we spent 15 minutes in the same position because he was "so comfortable, please, just a few more minutes."

The only thing I cared about was making sure George was happy and that I expressed my fondness for the boy that was gripping my sweater until his knuckles became white, and nails left indents on the blue fabric. When we finally separated, George's eyes were red, his nose and cheeks painted with a soft rose as he sniffled one last time and offered me a shy smile.

He had been sitting on my left lap, his legs turned to the right, in between mine, for the most comfortable position. Once he took notice of this, he stood up and cleared his throat, getting ready to speak before I cut him off.

"Listen, George, I know you said that you 'didn't mean' what you said but, even if you did mean it, I don't hate you. I could never hate you," my hand went to the back of my neck, eyes to the floor as I continued the sentence that could change everything. "In fact, I actually thought that I was being obvious that... I like you, George. I like like you."

His rose cheeks became a bright red, spreading from the top of his head all the way down to his neck, "I- Dream, I don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything. If you like me too, more than a friend, then meet me where we first met, in the library tonight at 8."

George nodded his head and made an excuse before quickly leaving the café and going somewhere. Probably his apartment. I really hoped he came to the library. In case he did come, I had some preparations to make. I quickly got back to work, waiting impatiently for my shift to end.

....

A/N

wowie, the second to last chapter- and we're getting somewhere finally<3

- lilo<3