What It Seems | Wattys 2023

Chapter 16

For the past thirty minutes or so, I've been chasing Baylor around the apartment. I was either jumping over the sectional couch multiple times, darting back and forth between rooms, or taking left and right or zigzagged turns around Baylor's figure. Baylor has taken numerous binders and folders and supplies that I needed for my homework assignments. He even took my book bag with my binders and folders and hid it in a high area that was beyond my reaching. At that, I was only left with a piece of notebook paper and an eraser.

"Give me back my phone!" I beseeched, demanding my phone to be placed back in my hands.

Baylor's laughter filled the apartment's silence along with my yelling.

Baylor believed it was hysterical to see me get upset or angry.

I attempted to jump over the sectional couch once again. I took it to an extreme because I was incredibly short compared to him. This time I wasn't so lucky this time - I didn't hit the carpeted floor with my bare feet. Instead, the front of my body did.

I groaned in pain as my body smacked into the hard floor and I lay there, listening to Baylor scurry around. He was trying his hardest not to laugh at my clumsiness, but quiet laughs escaped his lips anyway.

I turned onto my back and continued to rest there until the pain in my chest and chin disappeared.

"Are you okay?" he inquired, barely holding back a threatening laugh. I nodded. The pain around my chest and jaw vanished, but I felt sudden carpet burn around my jaw still.

"You took a hard fall," Baylor stated matter-of-factly.

"It's okay, you can laugh. I don't care," I said.

I managed to sit up and Baylor helped me stand up. I thanked him, and the urge of laughter seemed to disappear. It surprised me, really; it impressed me how much of a gentleman he's being right now.

"Here's your phone." Baylor tenderly placed it in my hand out of all seriousness. I thanked him once again and decided to do my homework later tonight. There wasn't that much anyway.

A thumb and an index finger were placed around my jaw and Baylor lifted my face a bit, scoping my skin out. He ran his thumb over the crevice of my chin.

"Carpet burn?" he asked. "Looks like it stings." Baylor placed his hand back down by his side and focused on my chin.

"Nah, it doesn't burn as badly as it did earlier," I acknowledged and pushed my phone into the back pocket of my jeans.

He's being sweet today. Just by the little gestures he's showing astonishes me.

I rolled down the back cushion and slammed tenderly onto the sofa. Baylor sat on the separated part of the sectional, and by appearance, I guess he was checking his phone. I done the same and responded to a few of Jo's texts.

Oh my God! Aiden wants to have a picnic at the park Saturday night, and then Sunday he wants to watch a movie at y'all's house!!!!!!

I typed back, joking: Where would I go Sunday??? ☹

The three motioning dots appeared above the typing box, signaling that Jo was typing back.

Jo: Your brother said if I wanted you with us then I could. Which I don't mind a bit. But it's your home and I'm not bossing you around. Lol.

Me: Lol, I was kidding but I prolly would've hung out with Baylor anyway

Jo: Get 'em, tiger ; ) HAHA you two should hang with us

Me: Might just do that, but I wouldn't want to intrude

A few nudges were felt at the heel of my foot. "Adalynne," Baylor called. I turned my head from my phone to look at him.