Art Class With My Enemy

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

"Let me get this straight. You're telling me that your feelings of hatred toward Gage have suddenly changed into feelings of love, but you can't do anything about that because you think he still hates you, which is why you broke an amazing kiss and ran away from his house?" Harlow said, shortening my long speech that I had just given.

"Basically," I replied, changing into one of her shirts and out of my stained t-shirt.

Harlow gave me a stern look. "Dakota, you need to tell him how you feel—"

"I can't!" I cut in.

"Yes you can. What's the worst that could happen?"

I gaped at her. "Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that he could reject me? That sounds pretty bad," I answered seriously.

"You're not even going to try to tell him because you're afraid of getting rejected? That's the worst thing that could come out of this?"

I nodded. "Yeah, he could reject my feelings and hurt me."

She shook her head slowly as she sat up straight. "If you think not telling him how you feel is best, then you're a complete idiot," she stated.

"What?" I replied, sitting up straight myself.

"The worst thing that could happen isn't that he could reject you. The worst thing that could happen is that you don't end up telling him how you feel, which leaves an empty feeling in your heart when Gage goes away to college. Who cares how young we are, love is love. If you don't tell him that you love him, you'll probably be more heartbroken than if he rejected you," Harlow explained, seeming a little angrier than I expected.

I was speechless for a moment, until I said, "Either way he's better off without me. You think once I tell him I love him that he'll kiss me and everything will be fine? That we won't fight anymore? That my sister won't get in the way again?" I let out a humorless laugh and added, "And that's if he loves me back, which I know he doesn't. Sure, maybe he did years ago, but I know that he hates me now."

"You know, I wonder why Jackie stole your boyfriends. Maybe it's because you didn't have enough confidence in yourself to end her stupid games," Harlow retorted.

I scoffed and got off her bed. "Right, I don't have enough confidence in myself," I stated sarcastically. "You're probably right though. After all, I am pretty screwed up from everything that happened with Zack, aren't I?"

Harlow's frustrated expression formed into a concerned one as she got off her bed as well. "Kody, I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that you don't give yourself enough credit. You don't see why Gage still loves you, even after all these years."

I paused, taking a moment to think everything over. Maybe Harlow was right about everything. Maybe Gage didn't hate me anymore and he wouldn't reject me if I told him I loved him. Thinking back about my earlier kiss with him, I realized I should have just faced him instead of running away. I guess it's better to know whether he returns my feelings or not sooner rather than later.

"I'll do it," I admitted quietly.

"What?" Harlow asked, probably disbelieving I agreed to take her advice.

"I'll take your advice and tell him the next time I see him. Or at least I'll tell him that I like him a lot rather than scare him with the 'L' word," I told her.

She grinned and hugged me. "That's great, Kody! Oh, you two will be such a cute couple and—"

"Whoa there, I haven't told him yet, alright?" I laughed. "Anyway, I appreciate your advice and all, but I think I'm going to head home and think for a while."