Hiraeth

ᴀᴘᴘʀᴏᴠᴀʟ

Standing outside Heavens classroom, waiting for her class to end. My shoes tapping against the floor nervously, holding a white rose. Few girls around me giving me confused looks at the sight.

Already forgotten about the looks when I hear the bell ring, a moment later students start to pile out of there classrooms, few by few.

A smile instantly forming that I tried to conceal, when she stepped out of the room, smiling slightly at something that Kim said, with Laura to her side. Even know it was a small smile, I melted out the sight. I can't even stop smiling anymore at the sight of her.

Laura taps Heaven shoulder when she notices me staring at Heaven. Laura nodding her head in my direction, Heaven following her gaze. As we both lock eyes. My heart practically leaping out as she holds my gaze, her smile widening as she sees me.

Yeah, you can tell I have a major crush on her.

"Good morning," I greet them, approaching them. Her friends looked at her with smug smiles, wiggling there eyebrows at her.

"Don't you two have classes to attend to?" She ushers her friends to there classes but does it in a friendly way. Kim and Laura leave rather slowly but not before eyeing Heaven teasingly. "Okay Cay," she turns to me, clapping her hands that she's now listening to me and there out of sight.

"Well um..." I look around and still noticing everyone's envy gazes, feeling slightly overwhelmed and annoyed by it. Taking Heavens hand and interlocking it with mine, guiding her to a more deserted spot only leaving just us at the corner. "I brought you these." I pull out the white roses that were hidden behind me back. She stares at them in surprise, glancing at me, like unsure if I actually brought her the roses. After seeing my rather shy smile, she takes them.

"I- thank you Cay. That's so sweet of you to do." She thanks still looking at them. "Not that I don't love them but what made you gift them to me?" She brings her gaze back to me waiting for my answer.

"You told me you feel as if you have nothing to live for so I bought you those," I point to the roses. "And I will continue to bring them, I guess to show you how you have something to live for." I explain. "I remember you telling me how much you favor white roses so now you have something to look forward too," staring into her enchanting green eyes. "And I will continue gifting you them every time I see you ." She smiles back at me. "And I would be completely devastated if something happened to you and you couldn't receive the roses."

"That's-" she breaths out staring at the floor for a second. "This is the most genuine thing someone has ever done for me Cay." Heaven slowly walking up to me. "I'm in this dark world you seem like the only light here." She hugs me. "You don't even know how much you've done for me." I quickly hug her back. "And for that I will be eternally grateful."

"I just want you to know that your not alone, and I will always be there to remind you that your not because you are a major factor in my life and until my last breath I will continue to tell you that." I say tucking a loose strand that was covering her face behind her ear.

"And until my last breath I will always be there to hear anything that comes out of your mouth whether it's something completely ridiculous or even if you want to say something so crazy that'll give me an aching headache after because it's what brightens my day just hearing you talk." I stare into her dazzling eyes in amazement, my heart racing at her words.

As the both of us basically handing our hearts over to each other and not even knowing it. The only thing I know is the connection I'm feeling with Heaven is a once in a life time. And I'll gladly do anything to make time stop, scared for what the future holds but I'm begging for her to be in it for the rest of my life, because a life without Heaven is a life I don't want to live.

An idea suddenly popping into my head.

"What are you doing tonight?" I ask suddenly. Twirling a strand of her soft hair around my fingers. Still looking at her softly.

"Hudson and I are going to the arcade later this evening." Bingo.

You got this Caden. I repeat in my head for the tenth time or was it thirty? Standing outside Heavens front door, slightly scared to knock on the door. Okay Caden you can do this. But what if he says no? After a few minutes of debating in my head, I finally grew the courage to knock on the door. The door opens after a few long second, a maid appearing.

"Hello."

"Hello ma'am, I'm here to see Mr Carter." I say. She nods her head in understanding, opening the door wider for me to enter.

"You can sit here while I bring Mr Carter." She points to a chair in the sitting room. "And what was your name sir?"

"Caden." I answer with a polite smile. She nods walking away. I rub my legs as I anxiously wait for Alvaro to arrive.

"It's wonderful to see you again Caden." A voice said making me rise to my feet. Alvaro Carter standing by the door, smiling at me.

"Me too," I point to a Steelers jersey that's laying in the couch. "Steelers fan?" I ask.

"Uh duh there the best." He says sassily like there's no room for argument. "And I cannot believe my own daughter goes for the Chargers!" He exclaims making me let out a laugh. "You a Steelers fan?"

"Since I was seven," I smirk proudly. "I'm actually hoping to be drafted after college." I tell. I've always wanted to be a football player since I was a child, it was my secret career path I always wanted.

"That's big! Are you on a team right now? Aren't you the captain of the tennis team though?" He ask unsurely.

"I've always been on the tennis team since middle school but never actually finding joy in it just good at the sport." He nods understandgly. "It's just something my parents had me do, I didn't particularly enjoy playing. After moving out I knew I was old enough to make my own decision and luckily my new football coach has me as new team captain."

"Well I'm glad I can get to experience you growth and without a doubt I believe you'll make it there." He smiled proudly at me. And I felt a sense of comfort in my smile.

"Thank you, your words truly mean a lot. Well I came here to tell you something." Now feeling super nervous. "I like Heaven, she means so much to me and a huge impact in my life," he listens to every word that's coming out of my mouth like he knows what I'm going to say next. I don't even know what I'm going to say next. "And I would really, really love to take her on a date." I say with a pleading tone.

Silently Alvaro walks over to the couch, sitting down. My heart sinks when he stays silent. "Caden I value my daughters happiness more than anything but it's obvious she's lacking in that department right now and if you are asking me this with bad intentions, but from when the times Ive talked to you, you don't seem to come with any harm towards my daughter." He looks at me, quietly asking for confirmation from his statement.

"Yes of course, I would be caught dead before hurting her." I confirms his theory. "She means a lot to me and I know you mean a lot to her and out of respect I thought before I asked her out, I would like to confirm with you that it was alright."

"My daughter is her own person and she can go out with whoever she wants but I do appreciate you coming here and asking me, not many guys would do that. So for that I do respect you for going out of your way to ask me this." He meets my gaze slightly narrowing his eyes at me. "And if your true to yours words I give you the go to take her out on a date." He nods. "I like you Caden you seem like a genuine person, you rarely find those now a days."

"Thank you so much sir, I promise I won't jeopardize anything." I reassure. Thinking of thousands of ideas of what to do for our date. Geez Caden you haven't even asked her out yet. What if she only thinks of me as a friends? What if she-

"Enough with this formal talk," Alvaro shakes his head. "And remember Caden call me Alvaro none of that sir bullshit." He reminds. "So..." he turns on the tv. "Wanna watch the game?