The Girl on the Bus (REWRITE/ON HOLD)

26

CHAPTER 26
-BLAKE-

It had been a week since Wyatt and Brynn brought their daughter into the world. Van and I had been visiting them everyday after school. People had been spreading rumors about the two of them that Van and I quickly squalled.

Prom was right around the corner and neither of us had talked about going. Hell, I didn't even know if Van wanted to go. I was trying my damndest to find a way to ask her to go with me without making a scene. I knew that would just embarrass her more than anything.

"Well, what about just a note in her locker?" Wyatt asks from the other end of the phone

"I don't know man, I don't want her to think it was last minute, but I don't want to embarrass her either."

"So just ask her on the way back to your house. You live in the same house Blake, don't make it any harder than it has to be."

"I could take her to the cabin this weekend? We would have some time to be by ourselves without my father interfering." I suggest as I look through pre-made bouquets in the store.

"He still doesn't approve?"

"I don't know what the hell he is thinking. Van has never given him a reason not to trust her. He never lets me make my own choices."

"You know Brynn's parents have never accepted me, even now that Brynn just had their grandchild, my baby, they still don't. If anything they hate me even more."

I grab the bouquet of roses and head to the the cashier as I listen to Wyatt on the other line.

"They haven't even come to visit her in the hospital yet. I can't help but feel guilty about it. Brynn fought her parents and told them she wasn't going to leave me unless I gave her a reason" he says with a mirthless chuckle.

"Wyatt, man, I know you're trying to help, but I don't understand what this has to do with anything"

Wyatt laughs and continues, as I make my way to my car.

"My point is, that despite the constant fight and battle with her parents she fought for me, and it meant the world to me. I knew she loved me for me, and not because of my dads resources or his contacts. Sometimes people just need to know that they are cared enough about to be worth the pain and worth your love."

I pull into the driveway listening to him, and see Van through the kitchen window. As I put the car in park, she notices me, and flashes me a cheeky grin and a small wave.

I smile back at her and admit to Wyatt the truth that I've been afraid of saying out loud.

"She is worth it. I love her. The whole world could be against me and I wouldn't care as long as I had her by my side."

There's a silence on the other line and for a second I thought the call had dropped.

"Have you told her yet?"

I let out a rough breath and respond.

"No, but I'm going to. In fact I'm gonna do it this weekend."

"Its about damn time"

We laugh with each other for another minute before saying our goodbyes. When I hang up the phone, I see that I had missed 5 calls from my father.

Shit

I shove my phone in my pocket and grab the bouquet of roses off the passenger seat and let out the breath I didn't realize I had been holding in before getting out of my car and heading inside.

Van greets me at the door, and he face lights up when she sees the roses in my hand.

"Are those for me?" She asks in a giddy tone.

She's in such good mood, I haven't seen her like this in months.

"Of course they are." I answer as I hand the roses to her, and plant a kiss to her cheek.

A pink hue blushes her cheeks and she rushes into the kitchen and puts the flowers in a vase with some water. I follow closely behind her and watch as she meticulously pulls the extra leaves off the roses and arranges the bouquet to look like something out of a magazine.

I approach her from behind and wrap my arms around her waist, nestling my face into her neck. Van laughs and settles her arms on mine.

"You're awful happy today" Van says as she turns around in my arms, and laces her hands behind my neck.

"I enjoy seeing you happy and smiling" I admit as my hands settle on her hips.

She trails her nails down my neck and twines her fingers in my hair.

"Well you make me happy" She whispers against my lips.

I smile at her and press our lips together in a searing kiss. She returns it in kind and tightens her grip on me. My hands slide up her body, and I can't help but pull her closer, so out bodies are perfectly aligned.

"I think the activities y'all are planning to do are best served in private" a voice says interrupting us.

We jump apart from each other and a deep blush overtakes Van's cheeks. I turn to see Peggy walking in holding a bag of groceries, with a smirk on her face.

"Sorry Peggy"

She chuckles and waves us off as she begins to unpack.

"Don't be sorry Blake, I was young once too. Now get out of the kitchen I have a dinner to make"

I grab Vans hand and pull her out of the kitchen with a quick farewell to Peggy.

"I cannot believe that just happened" she says in a whisper as we make our way to my room.

"I can" I retort with a cheeky smirk as I shut the door behind us.

"You're ridiculous Blakey" Van says with a smile as she flops on my bed and grabs the remote.

"Anything you wanna watch?" she asks as I climb in next her, and wrap my good arm around her.

"You pick, I'll watch anything"

She smiles and switches the tv to Netflix, before searching for 'The Hunger Games'

"Have you seen this?"

I shake my head and pull her closer to me as she lays her head on my shoulder.

We had just gotten through the meadow song when the front door to the house slammed shut and my dads voice bellowed down the hallway as his footsteps echoed outside my door.

"Blake! Open the damn door!"

I roll my eyes before getting out of bed and opening my bedroom door to reveal a red faced version of my father.

"What's up?"

He gives me an incredulous look before he glares at Van sitting in my bed.

"I just got off the phone with your coach."

Oh shit

"You weren't planning on telling me you got kicked off the team?"