Were You Expecting Flowers? ✔️

31

If I'm lost why do I feel found?
Pull me under let me drown
'Cause who needs air?
When you're mine, you're safe and sound
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I DIDN'T even go back to our dorm. Somehow I found my way into the dense trees. The dark lonely place was strangely exactly what I needed. It was a close resemblance to the Isle and it somehow felt right and wrong at the same time.

I sat myself down on the forest floor against the trunk of a tree. Sighing heavily, I closed my eyes. I reached down, then realized I didn't bring my knife. A wave of panic coursed through my veins. I desperately needed the reassurance.

Suddenly I heard quick footsteps, then saw a flash of red and white beneath the trees.

My instincts kicked in. I leaped up and started running away from the one person I was longing for.

"Brae?"

Yep. It was his voice.

"Brae!"

Suddenly I didn't even feel like I was running. My feet just charged in front of each other like there was no end. I could hear the leaves crunching under his feet as he ran after me.

"Brae?" He was breathing heavily, "Can you stop, please? This is getting kind of ridiculous..."

I gradually came to a halt, face downcast, unable to face him. I heard him stop close behind me. Even though I couldn't see him, his image was stuck in my head.

"Brae?" I heard him say again. He was short on breath.

"W-why'd you follow me?" I asked quietly.

"I was just worried. You looked upset." He answered truthfully, stepping in front of me, "Was... was it something I said?"

I stared down at his boots, bewildered that he had came after me like this.

I swallowed hard. "Maybe." I breathed.

"What did I say?" He stood awkwardly in front of me, hands at his sides.

I let the wind fill in the silence.

"I'm not sure if this is related at all, but..." He bit his lip, carefully considering his next words, "Jane... you know she's just a friend, right?"

I looked up at him, mildly shocked at his statement.

"I just feel drawn to her cause I see a little bit of myself in her." He told me, looking worried, "She's the kind of person who lets people push them around... like me. I just wanted to get to know her cause I understand how it's like..." He blinked at me. "I know that doesn't exactly make things better, sorry..."

If my body wasn't in shock, I would've reminded him not to apologize.

He shifted his hands behind his back, looked away and continued shyly. "I really like you, Brae."

It felt like I was just punched in the stomach in the best possible way. Butterflies and butterflies and more butterflies.

"B-but, when Evie and I showed up at your door-"

"I said Jane cause I got all nervous." He flustered, "Sorry."

"Oh..." I gulped. "Really? Like- are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Oh." I said again.

He stared at me curiously. "Was... was that bothering you?" He asked breathlessly.

I staggered back a little when I noticed how close we were standing. "Yeah it was." I replied, mustering up all the courage I had in me.

"Why?"

I scratched the back of my neck and looked down to the ground, feeling fizzy of sappiness.

"I maybe might possibly like you too."

I dragged my eyes back up to his face, my face heating up almost instantly. I could tell he was trying to hide his relief. The edges of his mouth twitched up and there was a hint of playfulness in his eyes.

"Oh." He peeped, then all of a sudden he couldn't hold it back anymore and slowly broke into a perky smile.

There was a moment of silence when we just stared at each other, making small, shy movements like Where do I put my hands? to keep our excitement in. I couldn't help but beam slightly, letting a tiny smile take over my features. The situation had become funnier than we had intended.

"Well, that sure is nice." He joked, casually tapping his chin with his finger.

I burst out laughing and he joined in. All the uneasiness was shaken off as we laughed and laughed. It was the kind of laugh that left tears in your eyes and pain in your stomach. The kind of laugh that made you feel good about yourself. The kind of laugh that shook your soul with joy.

His smile was contagious.

I covered my face with my hands to hide the embarrassment of what had just happened.

I liked him.

A lot.

There was a sudden urge to scream it from the rooftops and hold it in at the same time. How I felt at moment was surreal. Someone pinch me please.

"I'm glad that was sorted out." He grinned, "You alright?"

My face was still hidden behind my hands, bashful. "Yeah." I said, my voice muffled into my sleeves, "...Yeah I'm alright."

It was true this time. In fact, I was more than alright.

"I feel kinda stupid." He admitted, "Jay has been trying to get me to talk to you for days now, but I've never had the guts to."

I giggled a little.

He stared at me for a second, a familiar expression of wonder on his face, then stepped closer to me. I felt my breath quicken, tilting my head up slightly to meet his eyes. He looked down at me with a soft, timid smile. The awkwardness made his movements more genuine. I felt his arms sneak around me, then pulling me close into a hug.

The feeling of being held smug against his chest was not entirely unknown. It felt like the time he had kept me warm in his arms in his mom's closet, but with a fresh new layer of bubbly sensations and exhilaration.

I let myself go limp in my favorite embrace.

"You wouldn't mind going to cotillion with me, right?" He mumbled, hopeful, his fingers tracing light circles on my back.

I laughed. "Sure thing, dalmatian boy."

He squeezed me even tighter. And we stayed that way for god knows how long.

Who needs reassurance from a knife when all you need is this?

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You know what's funny? I didn't even mention his name once in this chapter and you already know who he is. It's one of my favorite parts of writing. Your imagination fills in all the blanks. I'm only writing half of what you're envisioning inside your head and I find that very magical.