Secrets of Adeline (Book 2)

Chapter 39: We

As I walked home, the night sky lit from the moon, I twiddled my fingers at my side as I listen to the music echoing from my headphones. The wind picked up, the cold suddenly biting at my bare skin. Looking down at my feet as I walk, I continue on as dark grey clouds roll in.

Taking some time to myself, I sit on a bench beneath a street lamp. A few easy breaths later, sleepiness washed over me. Out of the corner of my eye, a shape formed. It appeared it was walking towards me. Turning my head, the footsteps grew louder. Blinking once, I realized it was Jake.

"Adeline?" He called to me. "Yeah, it's me." I assure him. "Hey." He breathed, sitting beside me. "Hey." I glance up at him with uncertainty. A bag slung over his shoulder, I noticed his football jersey hanging out of the side. "Here, your jersey is going to fall out." I reach behind him, carefully sliding the jersey back into his bag and securing the tie. "Thanks." He laughed nervously. "Of course." I shrug, returning to my spot. "So I have been thinking..." He started. "Yeah?" I ask. Before he finished his sentence, thunder echoed out, cutting him off. Suddenly, rain was falling from the sky as each water droplet splashed at us.

He flung up his hood, pulling down his sweatshirt sleeves. Trying to conceal my sudden shiver, he noticed anyways. "Here, I have an extra sweatshirt in my bag." He motioned to his bag, removing it from his shoulders. Pulling out a black sweatshirt with his football number on the back, he carefully handed it to me. "Oh, you don't have to. I'm okay." I smile politely. "Seriously, take it. It's fine." He insisted. I reluctantly took the sweatshirt, sliding it over my head. "There. How's that?" I raise an eyebrow at him as I flop the droopy sleeves. "You look amazing." He laughs jokingly. After a few moments of laughing, he reached his hands on each side of my head, nearly brushing my cheek before pulling up the hood. Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, I shake my head, concealing my smile. We stop for a few moments, just staring at each other. A water droplet hitting my nose, I return back to the moment, breaking the stare. "Um, we should get going." My voice shakes. "What's wrong?" He looked concerned. "Nothing. Nothing, it's fine." I insisted, avoiding his eyes.

His hand suddenly under my chin, he turned my head to face him. "What is it?" He asks suddenly. "What are you trying to do? With the whole sweatshirt thing and the hood and the looks... I just... I can't." I shake my head with denial. "Why can't you?" He breathes heavily. "I'm always so gullible and I believe you every time. I always fall for it and I don't want to get hurt again. I can't get hurt again." I blurt out quickly, rain pouring down on us both. His hands reaching out, they suddenly wrapped around mine. "Adeline. Calm down." He speaks calmingly. "You never actually even want to be with me, I don't understand what you want out of this, okay?" I say, sliding my hands from his quickly as I turn away from him to hide my twisted expression. His hand on my shoulder now, he speaks promisingly, "I have changed Adeline. You of all people would be the one to believe me. Please, just believe me." I stay silent for a moment, brushing away every thought coming to mind.

His hand still on my shoulder, he turns me to face him. My eyes on the ground, I ignore whatever expression he was making. With a jerking tug, he wrapped his arms around me securely. Caving in, I wrapped my arms around him as well. It was warm and it felt real. It felt like home.

"What are we to you then?" I speak in his shoulder. "I don't want to be 'just friends' or 'just best friends' okay? Not anymore." He speaks into my hood as he rests his head on mine. "Okay." I breath heavily. "Do you think we could be a we?" He gently spoke. "I think so. What do you think?" I say, not moving a muscle. "I think we can." He answers. Listening to his heartbeat, I pause for a moment. "Well then does that mean we are...?" I hesitate, at a loss of words. "Together, yes." He blushes as I pull away from his arms, looking at him as I analyze his look towards me. I had no idea what I was supposed to think. I never thought I'd find myself in that position.

And then he softly kissed me. I blanked out for a few moments after that. "Did that really just happen?" I ask him with uncertainty. It didn't feel real. "I can't believe we are finally together." He stares ahead in disbelief as we casually walk towards our street. "It doesn't seem real." I admit. Somehow, I trusted him. I didn't know for sure that he wasn't going to hurt me again, but I decided that sometimes you just need to take a leap of faith. So that's what I did.

I found myself on my front porch, staring into his eyes. "See ya, Jake." I smirk, unable to control what my expression was. He grins, shaking his head at the ground as if he were shy. It wasn't something I was used to him doing, but he did it. "See ya, Ads." He laughs comfortably. After that moment, it was just like old times. We were like friends again, only we were together. As he turned and began to descend the stairs, my hand shot out and tugged him towards me. I found myself wrapping my arms around him and burying my face in his chest. He squeezed me gently as he hugged me in return. There the feeling was again, the sense of being at home. In his arms, I felt secure. Safe, if you will.

We hugged for what felt like forever, just sitting there on my front porch as the rain thumped down, soaking us both. But it didn't matter, not to me. It almost made me forget how it used to be between us two. His heart pounding in his chest, we unlaced from each other as I entered my front door and shut it behind me as I watched him descend my stairs, smiling as we glance at each other through my door window.

After heading upstairs, I found myself curled up in my bed with a smile on my face. Jake and I were a we. He was mine and I was his. We.