Love's Never Too Late

Chapter 4

I jolt awake, my stomach still as jittery as yesterday. I still can't comprehend how brilliant it all was, it's almost as if the heaviness in my chest has completely lifted and I feel clear almost. I can still smell the stale alcohol, but it doesn't bother me nearly as much as yesterday.

With a genuine smile I couldn't remove even if I tried stuck on my face, I sit up and get out of bed. The cold nip at my skin like bugs trying to suck by blood, but a warmth spreading from the left side of my heart keeps me warm. I grab an aero blue t-shirt from my bedpost and pull it on as well as my simple black skinny jeans. The shirt itches a little bit, but it's a vibrant colour yet calming so it'll look nice.

I tie the frayed shoelaces on my black and white converse, even though the white isn't very visible anymore due to mud, and I grab my jet black hoodie. The sleeves are slightly too short and end two thirds of the way down my forearm and there's a small hole on the inside of the left pocket, but it's the only hoodie I've managed to keep in decent condition.

I pick up my schoolbag from the corner of my diminutive, scrubby room and put it on my back and walk out to be immediately confronted by my beast of a mother.

" You look smiley, " she observes while narrowing her eyes and furrowing her eyebrows down at me. I just nod gently without moving my head too much and instantly wipe the smile off my face.

" What would a miserable kid like you have to be happy about? " she says while tipping her head back slightly so she can look down her nose at me. I prefer not to speak to her in answer for fear that I'll stutter and seem puny, so I just shrug.

" When someone talks to you, you answer, " she grabs my shirt collar and puts her face just millimetres in front of mine. I can smell the beer that she forever reeks of and I'm forced to look straight into her striking blue eyes that would be beautiful but they're so menacing. A few locks of her tangled mousy-brown hair falls against my temple and makes my skin itch lightly.

" I'll repeat, " she spits out at me and I feel her saliva land on my face in little flecks, " what would a kid like you have to be happy about. "

" N-nothing, " I stutter in reply while fighting the urge to put my arms in front of my face as defence, I learnt that makes everything worse very quickly.

" Exactly, " she says releasing me, " you have nothing to be happy about, you're a miserable idiot. " she says staring straight in my eyes and I resist the need to look away.

She turns to walk away after pushing my right shoulder just hard enough that I stumble backwards, crashing into the wall. I wince slightly and prop myself back up and shake my hands gently to get the fear that replaced the butterflies out my stomach. I look down the hallway and stare at her back with a mixture of fear and hatred. At least this means the school didn't tell her about what I did to Shane, if they had I would be getting hit right now. I breathe in relief because that situation could've been a million times worse.

" No, she will not ruin today. You're gonna see Tommy again and it'll all be great, " I mutter strictly to myself and walk in the opposite direction of that bull and slip out the bland front door silently.

I half walk-half jog to school as I desperately want to talk to Tommy before classes and my mum slowed me down, every few seconds I switch from speed walking to a few hop steps to pick up my pace slightly. As I get closer to school I get a mixture of happiness and distress in my emotions. I'll get to see Tommy again and hopefully he'll play his cello again for me, but on the downside, I'll probably get insulted again by at least one person and what if Tommy hears about art yesterday and decides he doesn't like me anymore?

None of this matters, I mentally push the erratic thoughts away and they make my cheeks flush with nerves. I'm going to tell him I like him, not just like, I love him more than I've ever loved anyone before.

I see the now familiar shaggy hair as I turn a corner and my stomach goes so tense I feel like I'll be sick, but I need to get it over with. I walk jittery up to him and smile enthusiastically, " Hey! "

He turns round from looking at his phone and I see him lift up the corners of his mouth, " Hey! "

" So, I-I, u-uh I-I've been m-meaning t-to m-aunt tell you s-something, " I mutter quietly and look down. stuttering much more than normal. I groan internally in frustration at myself, I need to speak properly or it'll ruin the whole thing.

I quickly look back up and straight into his eyes and it's an intense moment, I can see every shade change in his hazelnut eyes and I blurt out, " I love you. "

He stares at me for a second and I go bright red and look away quickly immediately regretting my decision, I literally just met this guy.

" I-I love you too, " and I see a small grin appear on his face, " almost as much as I love myself. "

I start laughing and the butterflies seem to fly out my stomach, and I jump up on him and throw my arms round my neck. I hold him tightly I become concerned for his breathing, but his own grip round me seems sufficient. I pull away after the best human interaction I've ever received and I feel like my heart is leaping so high it's almost touching the sun.

He smiles the most real smile I've ever seen, his eyes twinkling and his cheeks covering half his eyes in delight. He bends down, and everything seems to be happening in slow motion. He puts his lips against mine, and we kiss. It lasts for what seems like forever and I want it to last for all of eternity, it's wonderful.

We are interrupted by the sound of the school bell and we both pull away and giggle.

" I guess we should go to class, " he says with his smile forever stuck on his face.

" I guess we s-should, " I beam back.

(( I kinda like this chapter, the mother freaks even me out a bit because I could never imagine my parents doing that to me but it works with the story

As usual, tell me if I made any grammatical errors and whatnot and comment what you think will happen next! What will be the terrible thing that happens to Tommy ( mentioned in description ) be? ))