Challenge Accepted, Bad Boy (Complete)

Chapter 31 - That's Not Your Call To Make

Chapter 31 – That's Not Your Call To Make

"Hey mama."

"Hi, honey. How are you feeling after yesterday?"

She asked, taking out a few ingredients from the cupboard to cook lunch ahead of time. She had a doctor's appointment later in the afternoon which one of her colleagues agreed to take her to.

"A lot better."

I was already dressed for school, keeping it simple with a white blouse and black jeans, pairing it with a black blazer and black flats.

As usual, I wasn't wearing any makeup apart from a tinted moisturizer and my hair was left down, parted to the side.

I took a seat at the table and leaned over to grab a strawberry, adding some whipped cream on it and popping it into my mouth.

"So where were you last night?"

She switched the gas cooker on before turning to me, expectant of an answer.

"How do you know I was out? I thought you were asleep."

"I heard the front door open and assumed you had gone out for a while. But then I heard it again at around 3 in the morning."

Her voice didn't sound accusing, just curious.

"Hunter decided it was a good time to take me on a hike in the middle of the night."

"You were with him?!" She exclaimed, letting go of the pan and turning around fully to face me.

"Yeah. Sorry I didn't tell you. I was going to but you were asleep and I didn't want to wake you."

"No I'm not mad I'm just shocked. You've never been the most trusting person when it came to the male population and yet you were willing to go somewhere alone with him in the middle of the night?"

After contemplating on what she said, I realized it was true. After my father and Chase, I had sworn off men like a deadly disease yet last night when Hunter texted me, I agreed to go with him with no second thoughts.

"Mom..."

"Hmm?"

"I know this is going to sound like a really stupid question but... How do you know if you're in love with someone?"

I saw a look of shock appear on her face before she masked it with a nonchalant look. She was probably surprised to hear me asking that question. In all honesty, there was a huge part of me that already felt like I love him and there's no way I'd be able to get out of it now. But I wanted to make sure I wasn't mistaking it. I'd never really felt this way towards someone before – caring about them regardless of anything else, feeling jealous when he's with someone else because I want to be the one who has his undivided attention, thinking about him all the damn time, being completely consumed by him, feeling boundlessly happy whenever I'm with him.

"You'll know. When you care about them more than yourself and regardless of what happens between the two of you, you will always want to work it out because they are the only person who matters to you. Bottom line, you'll know for definite when you've fallen in love with him. Don't force it and don't look for it, just let it happen. Just please take care of yourself because I don't want to have to deal with a broken heart. I've already got one other life to be taking care of and he hasn't even entered this world yet."

Behind her joke, I could tell she was seriously concerned about me getting my heart broken.

"I need to get to school. I will see you when I get home if you are back from your appointment."