Chasing After You | 18+ | ✓

17: mirabelle

I'm going to do it.

I'm going to tell Henry how I feel about him.

"Emily, are you sure I should do this?" I ask as I sit on my bed working on an article for work that's due in the morning while Emily looks through my clothes.

"Dude, if you were pretty much having sex with your clothes on, I'd say there's a pretty good chance that he likes you as well." She replies with a grin over her shoulder. My cheeks flush at the memory of Henry's body pressed up against mine. I can't deny that it felt pretty fucking amazing. And kissing him? God it was better than anything else I could have imagined. Even our previous kisses were nothing compared to the club.

It was enough to make me forget about my parents, Bailey, the conversation I had with Uncle Chris, and that stupid stupid kiss with Quinn. Well until Henry's mom called him.

Then everything came rushing back.

"I know, I know. But how much of it was real and how much of it was for the cameras?" I fidget with my hands in my lap. It's a valid question, pictures of Henry and I at the club were all over the internet yesterday.

She throws a shirt directly at my face and I duck, laughing lightly. "What was that for?"

"Because you're literally questioning something that is so freaking obvious."

I groan loudly, rubbing my face as Emily laughs. "Okay, it's not so obvious. What if Henry doesn't actually like me?"

"Mirabelle, this pity party is not cute. You have him right where you want him. I've seen how he looks at you. Why not turn this little fake arrangement you have going on into a permanent one? Henry is definitely into you."

It's a lot more complicated that that.

If he says no, then how am I supposed to face him after that?

And more than that, with everything going on in my life with my parents and Bailey, should I even be focused on a guy right now?

Henry's not just some guy though. He's the guy.

And Quinn kissed me and my idiot self kissed him back. I don't know how I feel, but I do know it's nothing compared to how Henry makes me feel. I know I can't sit around and wait forever for Henry to see me.

Basically I'm an idiot.

So I'm cutting out part of the equation by deciding to tell Henry. Could it change everything and not for the better? Absolutely.

"Em, I feel like an idiot." I pull my hair over my shoulder, playing with the ends nervously. I don't know what to think. I glance back at my computer screen before shutting it. I'm not getting any work done right now. I can just work on it in the morning after my run.

Emily pauses and turns around to face me. "You're Mirabelle Walker and any guy would be lucky to have you. I think you should tell Henry. You've only been in love with him for forever. So what if he doesn't like you? It's his loss and you should go out with Quinn then."

She has a point. It is his loss if he doesn't like me.

Plus I probably should talk to Quinn at some point to clear the air. I feel bad that I've pretty much been avoiding him but at the club it didn't look like he was too bummed about it based on the girl he was with on the couch.

I suck in a short breath, "Fine. I'll go talk to him." I stand up and walk out of my room to go knock on Henry's door. My stomach actually hurts right now. This is a terrible idea. I tap my foot anxiously as I wait for it to open so I can ruin my life. I go to knock again so I can tell Emily that I tried to tell him, he just didn't answer, but right before I can, the door opens.