Soul Breaker

Chapter 17

February 14th. The dreaded heart-throbbing holiday that has left me miserable more times than I can count. But this year would be different because I had Michael. It’s two weeks before Valentine’s Day and Rae and I have been coming up with ways to tell Michael the truth about myself. The plan was to get a romantic mood going on the 14th and then slowly talk about myself and tell him who I was…or am.

Rae and I were in the girl’s bathroom in school fixing up our hair. Well, Rae was fixing her hair; I was turning green and stuttering at every other word.

“Dee, no need to be so nervous,” Rae assured me, “He’s totally smitten. And frankly, I’m glad you decided to tell him. The only person who could’ve been hurt as a result would’ve not only been Michael, but you as well. I’ve seen the way you guys look at each other. That right there, is forever in his eyes. Wait, isn’t that a song?”

“B-but, w-what if he doesn’t want to see me again?” I said worriedly.

“You have got to have more faith in your boyfriend,” Rae said pointedly, “The only way he would hate you would be if he had heard that you are actually ‘Kandy’ and not ‘Dee’ from somebody else. But no one else knows besides you, me, and your family. And you’re going to tell him anyway so what’s with a little disappointment. At least he won’t hate you, just be a little surprised or…”

“Or what?!” I asked anxiously.

“Relax! I was just kidding. Look, he’ll love you no matter who you are. You have always been yourself around him. ‘What’s in a name,’ right?

“Right, ‘what’s in a name?’” Right when I said that, I heard a slight thump behind me in one of the stalls. I stared wide-eyed at Rae and she signaled for me to stay where I was. Rae slowly paced her way towards every stall and looked under them. There was nothing. She shrugged and said, “Must’ve been the birds outside. They love flying themselves into the window.”

And we left, not knowing that the person who overheard us was the last person we wanted to ever know our secret.

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“Hey, babe,” Michael said while sweeping me into a kiss in front of my locker. I sighed and let my lips linger over his for a moment. I felt his mouth pull into a smile and he touched his forehead to mine. He inhaled deep and pulled me into a romantic embrace, resting his chin on my head.

“You seem happy,” I said, basking in his fresh-out-of-the-shower scent.

“I am,” he mumbled into my hair and lowered his head to look into my eyes. Michael’s beautiful turquoise eyes gleamed joyfully and crinkled at the sides as he grinned.

“What?” I asked smiling, finding myself getting caught up in his jubilation.

“You, Dee. You are what makes me happy. Having you here with no interruptions, no problems, no guy trying to take you away, it’s just you and me.” I laughed.

“Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’? I don’t want you getting bored of me,” I joked. I felt Michael stiffen at what I said but relaxed and brushed a thumb against my cheek. He looked at me with such warmth and care that I felt safe, and Michael was the one I felt safe with.

“Don’t you dare disappear on me, girl. Never again.” He tightened his grip on me and I rested my head on his chest. I heard his heart beat so quickly in unison to mine and sighed deeply. This was what it’s like to be in love and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

“Don’t worry, I won’t,” I said into his chest. We stood like that for a moment and finally let go when someone cleared their throat. Pulling back, Riley was staring at us with an amused smirk plastered on his face.