Between Us

☆ part forty five ☆

The hallways were loud, a cacophony of voices, locker doors slamming, and the echo of footsteps that bounced off the tiled floors. It was the usual chaos of the school between classes, but my head was louder. My thoughts had been running on a loop since last night, tumbling over one another like a runaway train I couldn't stop. Walking next to Lark, I couldn't hold them in any longer. The words started spilling out, faster and faster, as I tried to make sense of what had happened. "...and he just got so weird," I said, gesturing with my hands, my voice a mix of frustration and confusion. "He was like, I just don't want you bringing her around for your own sake. What does that even mean? Like, what does he think is going to happen? Does he think my mom is going to... I don't know, majorly freak out or something? Because she's not! She's my mum!" Lark glanced at me, her expression calm but curious as I kept going, unable to stop. "And the way he was talking," I continued, practically tripping over my words in my rush, "it was all like, I understand what you're going through. But if he really understood, wouldn't he get it? Wouldn't he understand that I—" I stopped short, catching myself before I said something too vulnerable. My cheeks flushed, but I pushed on, my voice quieter now. "That I... love you? And that I want you around? That I want to bring you to my house and just be normal?" My hands were trembling slightly, the weight of everything I'd been holding in pressing down on me. "It's like he's trying to protect me from something, but I don't even know what he thinks is going to happen—"

"Blondie." Lark's voice cut through the whirlwind of my rambling, firm yet gentle. I felt her hands on my shoulders, grounding me in an instant. The touch was steady, reassuring, and when I looked into her eyes, it was like all the noise in my head quieted, leaving only the two of us. "Take a breath," she said softly, her voice like an anchor pulling me back to solid ground. I blinked at her, the tension in my chest loosening as I followed her instruction. I inhaled deeply, holding the air in my lungs for a moment before letting it out in a long, slow exhale. Her hands stayed on my shoulders, her thumbs brushing lightly against my shirt as if to remind me she was still there.

I felt my cheeks heat with embarrassment as I realized how worked up I'd gotten. "Sorry," I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper. Lark's lips quirked into a soft smile, and she leaned in, pressing a kiss to the side of my head. The gesture was so simple yet so full of affection that it made my heart ache in the best way.

"Nothing to be sorry for," she murmured as she let her hands drop from my shoulders, slipping one of them into mine instead. Her fingers intertwined with mine, warm and steady, and the knot in my chest eased a little more. We started walking again, the chaotic hallway feeling a little less overwhelming now that I wasn't drowning in my own thoughts. Lark was quiet for a moment, her gaze focused ahead as if she were carefully considering her words. "Your dad seems fine with us," she said finally, her tone thoughtful. "I just think he's trying to figure out how your mom's going to react. You know, with her being... heavily religious and all." She shrugged slightly, her voice calm but not dismissive. "He might just be worried about how she'll take it. Maybe he's just trying to protect you from that, in his own way."

Her words made sense, but they didn't make me feel any better. I rolled my eyes, the frustration creeping back in. "She's my mum," I said, my voice sharper than I intended. "Her faith isn't going to get in the way of that. She loves me. That's not going to change just because of who I'm dating." I expected Lark to agree, to match my confidence, but when I glanced over at her, there was something in her eyes I didn't expect. A flicker of sadness, so brief that I almost missed it, like a shadow passing across her face.

Before I could ask about it, she gave me a soft smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Don't worry about that right now, blondie," she said, her voice lightening as she squeezed my hand. "We can deal with that another time." Her words were meant to comfort me, but they left me with a strange feeling in my chest, like there was something unsaid lingering between us. Still, I didn't push. I trusted her, and if she didn't want to talk about it, I wouldn't make her. "Just focus on our date tonight, okay?" she added, her smile brightening as she nudged me playfully with her shoulder.

Her attempt to shift the mood worked, and I couldn't help but smile back at her, the warmth in her voice chasing away some of the lingering heaviness in my chest. "Okay," I said softly, squeezing her hand in return. The thought of our date later was enough to push my worries aside, at least for now. With Lark by my side, everything felt a little more manageable, even if the world outside didn't always understand us. "So," I started, glancing up at her with a teasing grin. "You're really not going to tell me where we're going tonight?"

Lark's lips twitched, fighting a smile. "Nope," she said simply, keeping her gaze ahead like she wasn't at all tempted to give in.

I nudged her side with my elbow, trying to coax some kind of hint out of her. "Not even a little clue? Come on, Lark. You know I hate surprises."

"Exactly why I'm keeping it a surprise," she shot back, her tone playful.

I let out an exaggerated groan, but it only made her chuckle. "Fine, then. I'll just guess," I declared, lifting my chin in mock determination.

She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, her smirk widening. "Good luck with that."

"Okay," I said, pretending to think hard. "Is it... dinner somewhere fancy?"

"Nope," she replied without hesitation.

"A movie?"

"Nope."

I narrowed my eyes at her, trying to read her expression for any tells. "A concert?"

She shook her head, her grin growing as I continued to throw out ideas. "Sophie, you're not going to guess it."

"Bowling?"

"No."

"Mini golf?"

She snorted, finally looking at me with an amused glint in her eyes. "Seriously, blondie?"

I crossed my arms, pouting dramatically. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Yup," she said, completely unbothered.

I gave her a pointed look. "You're not going to give me anything?"

"Nope. All you need to know is that you'll like it." She paused, her expression softening. "Hopefully."

Her sudden shift from playful to sincere tugged at something in my chest. I smiled softly, my heart melting at the effort she was putting into whatever she had planned. "Of course I'll love it," I said, squeezing her hand gently. "Whatever it is. Because you're there."

She rolled her eyes, but the slight pink in her cheeks gave her away. "You're so stupid," she muttered, though her tone was light and teasing.

I grinned at her, leaning closer. "Yeah, but you love me for it."

Her steps slowed for a moment, and she turned to me fully, her eyes crinkling at the corners as her smile grew. "I do," she said, her voice soft and affectionate. Then, with a dramatic sigh, she added, "Unfortunately." Before I could respond, she leaned in and kissed me—a quick, sweet press of her lips to mine that left me a little breathless. The bell rang in the distance, snapping us both out of the moment. Lark pulled back, still smiling, and gave my hand one last squeeze before letting go. "I'll see you later, soph," she said, already stepping away. I watched her retreating figure as she disappeared into the crowd, my heart still fluttering in my chest. Whatever tonight held, I knew it would be perfect, because it was with her.