Tongue-Tied (Boyxboy)

Chapter Twenty

JESSE'S POV

I got out of my car frowning, trying to figure out how Doug had managed to guilt me into a fourth date even after I'd tried to break it off with him. All in all, the date hadn't been horrible. I mean, if Todd really isn't interested than maybe Doug wouldn't be a bad choice. If I got over Todd, I could see myself being interested in Doug. He was a bit smaller than what I usually find attractive, but his confidence made him seem bigger. He was actually pretty attractive really.

Maybe I should give up on Todd, especially if he wasn't going to return my feelings. A flash of yellow pulled me out of my thoughts and I stopped short, staring at a small bunch of bright yellow flowers on my doorstep. Are they... Daffodils? I moved forward and picked them up, lifting them to my nose to smell them. I closed my eyes, mom used to put Daffodils all around the house when I was little when she was really happy, and she still does when she's in a particularly good mood. Daffodils instantly make me think of happy times.

Who could have put them there though? No one would drive all the way out here to put flowers on my doorstep unless... My eyes flickered up to Todd's window and I couldn't help the smile that came onto my face at the sight of him hiding in the shadow of his room watching me. Cute. He probably thought he was being really subtle and that I couldn't see him. Chuckling to myself I opened the front door and walked in.

"I see you got Todd's present." My mom said, leaning on the kitchen counter and grinning. Em giggled beside her from one of the higher stools and I walked over to kiss her on the forehead. She looked incredibly cute with her blonde curly hair and her feet dangling so far off the ground. I smiled, feeling better knowing without a doubt that it was Todd that had given me flowers.

"How romantic, huh? He stole them out of Mrs. Longridge's garden just for you, you know." Mom teased, laughing. I snorted, fondly imagining Todd sneaking into the older woman's garden just to get me some flowers. Mom picked up a glass and added some water to it, before placing it on the bench in front of me. I smiled at her and gently placed the Daffodils in it.

"Do you like them Jesse?" Em asked shyly, reaching out with a small hand to touch a petal. I nodded at her, smiling.

"Well, he's won me over. He's a keeper Jesse. I better get this one to bed. She just wanted to stay up to see your flowers." Mom grinned, coming around the counter to help Emily of her stool. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she took off and was almost halfway up the stairs before she turned around again.

"Night Jesse." Em said sweetly, blowing me a kiss. I pretended to catch it and blow it back.

"Goodnight Em." I replied and grinned when she turned and bolted up the rest of the stairs to her room. Mom huffed a laugh and shook her head.

"I'd love to know where she gets her energy from. I need some of it." She mumbled before kissing me on the head and heading up the stairs herself. I chuckled and sat down at the kitchen counter, smiling at the flowers. Yeah there's no way I'm getting over Todd any time soon.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out, checking the caller ID to see if it was someone I could be bothered talking to right now when I just wanted to bask in the fact that I had received flowers off Todd. What a sweetheart. Seeing that it was Julian, I picked up, confused as to what he wanted at this time of night.

"Hello." I said.

"Hello love monkey. How'd your date go?" Sebastian teasingly answered and I snorted, listening to Julian in the background asking for his phone back.

"It was alright. I have another one next Friday apparently." I replied as I stood up and carefully picked up the flowers before walking upstairs slowly.