𝘚𝘐𝘚𝘛𝘌𝘙| 𝘈𝘥𝘢𝘮 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴

16. This Feeling

The choice our Nona had given us was still looming in my head a week later. This was something I had considered at one time, but I loved Scooter and my mother, too much to just up and leave.

And now here I was, in the same situation, just with new weights holding me down.

Julie was my best friend, and I couldn't just leave her.

I liked all of my fellow cheerleaders, and even the coach was nice.

All of the ducks were tolerant of me, if not my friends.

I still considered some of Varsity my friends.

And Adam. Sweet Adam.

There was something about him I couldn't explain. Something growing in the pit of my stomach, a flurry of butterflies maybe, enticing me to want to scream with pure excitement or puke each any every one of their delicate wings out into the grass.

Adam was a feeling I couldn't get out of my system, and one I didn't want to. Ever.

Could I really leave him?

My face soured. This decision making was killing me. I dropped my head on the desk in front me.

"You okay?" Chrissy asked, dropping her head to be level with mine.

"Yeah, I'm just thinking." I mumbled, sighing.

She nodded slightly, nonverbally answering me.

My head sat up, falling into my hand held to keep it propped up. I at least wanted to look like I was paying attention in this class.

My eyes focused on the chalkboard ahead on me, but my mind wandered. Back to Adam.

His smile was always a gift to see. Not the regular smile he gave everyone else, but the soft, goofy smile he'd give me. You could see it in his eyes. He was truly happy when he gave me that smile.

The bliss of witnessing his gentle smile was something I cherished.

Adam was one of my closest friends. I trusted him, I cared for him.

I craved his presence. I craved his voice. I craved his smile.

My mind fell back to Julie's words at our sleepover.

Was there a possibility that Adam could've liked me?

But that wasn't the real question.

What I really needed to know, was did I like him?

The dismissal bell rang through the halls and into the classrooms, startling me out of my own head.

As everyone piled outside of the classroom, I took a moment to gather my thoughts, and my books.

"Hey, you wanna hang out after school today? Maybe we could check out the mall." Chrissy's brown skin glowed as she smiled at me.

"Yeah, sure!" I smiled back, happy she invited me.

I liked Chrissy. She was incredibly sweet, but also very shy. I hadn't hung out with her much outside of school and cheer practice.