High Hopes|✔

Chapter 12

L E V I ' S P O V

I rubbed my hands together and afterward, blew a cold breath in my palms that were sweating immensely.

Just do it you fucking pussy.

Ophelia just went back to her room after I had one of the maids wrap her wrist after giving it the proper treatment.

I had been outside Ophelia's door for a whole minute now and made no move to knock just as yet.

I lifted my arm to knock but then I retreated it as I rubbed the light stubble on my chin.

I hesitantly placed my ear on the door, listening for any movement on the other side but was met with complete and utter silence.

I quickly removed my ear and straightened up when I saw a maid walk past me as she sent me a nervous smile as she watched my actions.

I cleared my throat and tugged my suit jacket a little closer as she looked at me weirdly before speed-walking down the hall.

Looking down at my attire, I wondered if Ophelia would find this stance intimidating.

Maybe I should have changed into something more casual.

Tugging a hand through my hair, I pivoted, but paused when I saw the door swing open with Ophelia standing on the other side wearing a plain white tee and a pair of leggings. It was clear that she already took a bath judging from the tiny water droplets that were dripping from her curly hair.

I sucked in a deep long breath as I tried to maintain eye contact with her.

"O-Oh, hello." She fidgeted under my gaze. Her wrist was now wrapped up as she opened the door, her hand still resting on the door knob. "Would you um--- l-like to come in?" I could tell that she was still cautious about me coming in but she was just trying to be polite.

I gave her a nod as I entered the bedroom. She hadn't changed anything about it. Everything was still in place and the bed was made, but judging by the wrinkles in the centre and the book facing flat down, I had just interrupted her reading.

I walked over to the book as she played with her fingers, eyes settled on the floor.

To Kill a Mockingbird.

"Sorry for interrupting your reading, it's a great book." For once I was glad that she wasn't looking at me to see the amount of nervousness that was evident in my features.

"I-It's okay. Um, did you need something? I-I mean— you d-don't have to need anything to c-come in here of course, I-I'm just cur—" I let out a deep chuckle as she tried to justify everything she said which resulted in a blush forming on her cheeks and her tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I— was just wondering," I cleared my throat for the umpteenth time today. "I-I'll be home early tomorrow."

Stop fucking stuttering, you prick.

"And I was saying that we could, you know, go out." I belt out, feeling a drop of sweat drip down my forehead.

The confusion was evident on her face. She probably thought that I was referring to the lunch dates that we would have every once in a while, which I never really directly came to her room and ask.

"As a date, I mean." I added on.

Her face turned as bright as a tomato before she looked to her left and to her right before replying, "M-Me?"

I frowned, "Yeah," I said slowly. "Who else?" It was simply unsatisfying that Ophelia didn't really see what everyone else saw in her.

She was kind, beautiful, smart and anyone would be lucky to have the privilege of being in her presence.