Unrequited love

Seventy-one || Damon

Hopping up, she comes up to me to fist bump me before giving Brylan a hug to thank her. Usually I'm not a fan of kids older than six since they tend to have their mind made up by then. I can't just give them an iPad or cradle them and call it a day. They require genuine conversations which is why I never really liked kids. What do you even talk about to them? You'd need to filter everything you say.

'Your sister is so sweet,' I look back at Brylan but she just laughs as she reorganizes her beads, picking each one off her bedsheets.

'That's because she thinks your the hottest person she's ever seen.' She's honest.

'Is that a genetic assumption or-,' I raise my eyebrows but she throws a bead at me which only makes me laugh.

Continuing to pick up the rest of her beads and hair accessories she gets off the bed so I decide to help by picking up the one she threw at me. Standing behind her I hold my hand out so she can take it but instead she opens the box for me to put it in. Purposely putting it with the wrong color she sarcastically punches me before moving it back to its correct compartment.

'What school are you planning to go to?' She turns around so she's looking up at me. I don't make an attempt to move away so that there's more space between us.

'I specifically want to study econometrics since I think I'd be good at being a risk analyst since I've been doing that in game for years on court. It's just my backup of basketball doesn't work out.' I hum as if being the captain wasn't incredibly stressful on me. 'I had to make decisions without having much time to think on them so at least I'll study something I'm good at- and I'm alright at math too so the university wasn't slow at looking into my request.'

'You're not 'alright' at math, you where always really good.' She reassures me but I know it's true. I never really payed attention or gave shit in class but I still needed to focus or I'd lose my spot on the team.

Math was one of the very few subjects that I could pass without any effort. I never found it difficult, if anything it wasn't hard at all. The majority of it is just numbered patterns and thinking into things in a way it doesn't assume you would. It was easy, I did it everyday at training.

'Where specifically do you want to go?' She asks again. 'Did you hear from the schools you wanted to go to?'

It hits me that I subconsciously avoided her question. I still haven't told her about the acceptance letters.

'Uh yes actually. University of Florida, UCLA, Berkeley and Duke all got back to me.' I clear my throat, I should've told her sooner. 'I want to go to UCLA though since I feel like I'd fit in with the types of people there- also they gave me the highest scholarship, seventy five percent.'

'Holy shit!' She covers her mouth. 'Wait that's really fucking good? What!'

Cupping my face she smiles at me and god is it fucking contagious. 'Why didn't you tell me before?'

'Well...a lot of reasons mainly because UCLA is in Los Angeles.' I gently move her hands from my face. 'Thirty one hour drive.'

'Oh.' She frowns. 'Well...I made that promise remember? If you got into the schools-,'

'Don't stress it, I don't care.' I lie. 'It's fine.'

'But-,'

'Hush,' I laugh.

In all honesty I had already mentally prepared the fact that I won't be near anyone. Everyone is disappearing slowly and it's been getting to me lately. Though I don't express it, it worries me.

'Thirty hours is a little far.' She bites the inside of her cheek.

'It's fine.' I force a smile before jokingly face palming her face. 'Summer just started so there's no point in being sad about something that's only relevant in a couple months...I'll still be here for a while.'

Turning away from her I walk over to her bed before dropping onto it. Laying flat on my back in an attempt to not look at her she follows. I'm really going to miss hanging out with her like this.

'Let's go to that beach.' She breaks the silence.

Confused on what she's talking about I pause before turning to look at her when I remember. My original idea to win her over was to take her to the fireflies beach. I knew she liked them but I ended up getting grounded so I couldn't go. Not that she would've gone at the time since she quite literally hated me.

'I thought you didn't want to go?'

'I didn't want to go because I was thinking about Katie. It genuinely seemed like a good way to spend time, though I didn't admit it,' she hums. 'I want to spend as much time as I can with you...I love being around you,'

Sitting up I look down at her. 'You love being around me?'

'Yes I do. You're funny,' she reaches up to gently knuckle my forehead. 'Maybe it is genetic...the attraction thingy you mentioned before, it's simply my DNA to be attracted to you because you're probably one of the more attractive people I've met,'

'I'm obsessed with you.' I lean in but instead of kissing her I go to hug her. Surprising her I wrap my hands around her before pulling her into my lap so I can rest my face on her chest.

She makes me so happy it physically hurts sometimes. I'm just upset it took me this long to see that in her.

'I can't tell if you're trying to be cute or you want to feel my boobs.' She rests her chin on my head as she plays with my hair.

'A little bit of both,' my voice comes out muffled.

'Well, I love you Damon.' She kisses to top of my head before running her fingers through my hair.

'I love you too.'