Chapter 13

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~~~~~350 VOTES FOR CHAPTER 14~~~~~

James's eyes widen slightly and his brow furrows. "Are you sure?" he asks quietly. A group of teachers walk past us; James and I hold our breaths until they pass.

"Yes," I whisper. He searches my face for another second and then relaxes, allowing a smile to grace his plump lips.

"I'm glad I can share this with you," James says sincerely and entwines his right hand in my left, my hand dwarfed in his. He brings them up to his face and kisses the back of my hand softly. We're safe in the dim doorway of the classroom set back into a small alcove in the wall, and the school year has technically ended, but I automatically send a nervous glance down the hallway.

"I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow at the earliest so I need to clean my house a little bit," James says sheepishly. "I'll pick you up at five thirty, okay?" I nod. He gently lets go of my hand and raises his arms so his hands are anchored against the wall on either side of me before leaning down and kissing me softly. My heart skips a beat as a wave of intense emotion courses through me, seemingly anchored in both my chest and where my lips touch his.

James pulls back, his grey-blue eyes aflame, and whispers, "See you tonight." He turns and saunters off down the hall, leaving me a trembling mess in the doorway. I take a deep breath, leaning my head against the frame and closing my eyes, trying to calm my heart—it feels like it's going to smash through my ribcage. Presently I recover my composure and walk downstairs to the door leading out to the student parking lot before remembering that Rachel took my car home. With a groan, I turn around and cross the school to the front doors, where I need to exit in order to walk home.

Surprisingly, I don't feel much of anything as I walk through my high school for the last time. I thought I would be more sentimental, more emotional, perhaps shed a tear or two, but all I can think of is the bad memories the drab décor inspires. I was cornered by Seth Thompson by those lockers sophomore year; I had a memorable breakdown at the foot of that staircase. It's like I see ghosts of my former self flitting around the hallway, unaware of the future and just trying to live through the present.

I shake my head to dispel the image and stride confidently out the doors. It's only about a two or three mile walk home from school—nothing too bad. To make the trek more bearable, I plug in my earbuds and listen to a playlist suggested by Spotify for walking. By the time I get home, I've discovered some new favorite music and am essentially a bundle of nervous energy.

I only have an hour until James comes to pick me up, so I use the time to tidy what I can and pack a small bag for myself to take to his house. I decide to take my makeup, my toothbrush, and a few changes of clothes—something tells me that he'll have everything else I might need, and I probably won't spend too much time in "big girl" clothes. Finally, I wrap up my phone charger and earbuds and stick them in the side pocket of my bag. The house is pretty clean, but I spend some time organizing my room, putting things away in the kitchen, and making sure the living room is tidy. It's not like anyone is going to be in the house, but it makes me feel more comfortable.

The doorbell rings at five fifteen. My heart skips a beat; I walk over to the door and open it with a smile. James is a welcome sight, even though it's only been about two hours since I saw him last. 

"Ready to go?" James asks me gently. I nod and sling my bag over my shoulder before locking the front door. He smiles and leads me down the front steps to his car. I slide in the passenger side, my stomach twisting in knots of anxiousness.

"Are you nervous?" he asks after a minute of silence.

I look down at my lap. "Yeah, a little," I admit.

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