(A/N: Apologies, my Lords and Ladies, for the late-ish update - BUT I am giving you MORE than usual! Yay! (I hope you don't mind - so look out for the *<><><><>* sign! :) )
Lynnette stared at the paintbrush in her hand, her mind trying desperately to stay afloat.
But God it hurt.
Why was Cody shutting her out? Why was he scowling at her all the time, as if she had done something absolutely revolting? It had been like this for days - no, weeks - and every morning his displeasure seemed to heighten.
She had talked to Danny about it, and he suggested that perhaps she was getting "too clingy." He said that all males hated it when a girl got "too clingy."
Oh, how that revelation rocked her world.
After three sets of tissue boxes and a long hour of blubbering in her new friend's shoulder, she had resolved. She would no longer be "clingy."
Well, apparently, her definition of clingy (rabid stalking, peeping, and writing anonymous love letters) and Danny's definition of clingy (conversations, physical contact, and over-enthusiastic greetings) were very different. Let's just say it took so much effort to rein in her habits that Daniel had to constantly prevent her from exercising them.
But she wanted to embrace the way she fit perfectly in Cody's arms! She wanted to melt at the sight of his grudging blush! She wanted to live and breath under the masculinity and strength of his utter manliness!
A whimper constricted Lynn's throat, and she became aware of the grip she held on her brush, the skin of her knuckles displaying a deathly white.
Death...That's what it felt like. She was slowly dying inside. Oh, if the world could know her pain! Cody was just 320.273 feet away, heroically winning scores, bravely running through the line of battle to reach the final end, his muscled form like a god of war, his piercing hazel gaze like a portal to the darkest, most enticing depths of his being.
God, how she wanted to run and burrow into the safety of his arms! To have him look at her with a softening gaze, to feel his large hands cup her cheeks, to—
She stopped.
What was she thinking? That would never happen. According to Daniel - who was extremely wise in these things - Cody had never enjoyed those moments. The times that he had protected her, cheered her, tipped a smile when she wasn't looking?
It was all a lie. He never liked her.
He hated her.
Utterly, absolutely despised her.
The paintbrush began to shake as wet, salty tears fell down onto the white paper. The drops sank in, scarring the perfect material with a series of abhorrent, grey blots.
Grey...like her life without Cody, like the hopelessness of her unrequited love.
"Lynnie! What's wrong?!"
The girl's head slowly lifted to find her blonde-haired model staring at her, his face contorted in surprise and sorrow. His hands came up, wiping away the tears that coursed down her cheeks. But they were not big enough. They were not calloused and hard, yet at the same time tender and soft...
They were not Cody's.
Lynn bit her lip as a whimper escaped her mouth, causing Daniel to pull her into a warm hug. But it was not enveloping like—
Shut it, Lynn.
Roughly wiping away her tears, she pushed away from Daniel, a few sniffles escaping before she croaked out:
YOU ARE READING
Romance Me
Romance"I'm so sorry, Lynn." His husky voice seemed to wrap around her, pulling stronger than any physical force. "I am. For eighteen years, I've been doing everything wrong. So please..." His other hand came up, its warmth encompassing Lynn's cheek as tho...
