Echoing Breaths |✔️ (Unspoken words book 2)

45. Moving On

"Okay," I whispered, eyes turning glassy with tears. "I love you, dad."

Lips curling into a genuine smile, dad pulled me in his embrace, securing his familiar arms around me. "I love you too, my golden star."

~

The engine to Cayden's car died in front of Heaven's house. I peeked out of the window and spotted her sitting on the porch steps in white jeans and a wine red tank top, her long mocha brown hair flowing down by the length of her arms. She was staring up at the sky, calm but lost.

Bree told me she'd wait for me outside of her house. She was not here yet. She was probably a huge mess too. Whatever it was, to me it was a good enough excuse to not leave the car. Yet.

Before Heaven's eyes landed on me, I rapidly sunk down in my seat and draped my arm over my eyes. A groan escaped my mouth as a bundle of nerves wrecked me, anxiety crawling up my throat. My fingers were twitching around my hold on the coffee cup dad put my tomato soup in.

"Hey." I felt Cayden's hand tickle my stomach, lightly.

My heart immediately racing by the cute gesture, I gently peered at him.

He was smiling. "You got this."

I swallowed thickly, twice.

He drew small circles on my stomach with his forefinger and excitement glinted in his eyes. "Be quick so we can binge SpongeBob later today." 

Not a single living being on this planet had an idea of how much I wished I could just sit cuddled up with Cayden in his bed under a blanket and watch SpongeBob for the rest of my life. But life was a bitch and I knew I needed to do this. I wanted to do this. For myself.

"I'll get you two Oreo McFlurries," he added, amusingly.

"Thank you." I grinned. I was in desperate need of my addiction crunched and mixed in cold ice cream. It was a balm to my soul.

Cayden reached for my free hand and kissed the back of my fingers.
All of them. One by one. No. Forget the Oreo ice cream. This - Cayden's lips pressed to my fingers, was the best balm to my soul.

I sat up and hugged him tightly. Cayden's arms crossed my back and he held me close in his embrace.

"Just breathe, okay?" He mumbled and I breathed against his shoulder till I felt I had somewhat control over myself.

"Here. Take this. I made you hot chocolate," I lied after we pulled apart.

Cayden's face lit up. "Thanks, Maya."

I wonder if his heart did a happy dance in his chest when I said his name because mine definitely did when he said mine.

He happily took it in his hands. I jumped out of the car, letting him drive away before the warm aroma of tomato soup entered his nostrils.

Bree got out of her car a few feet away and smiled at me. Fear, guilt, panic, and anxiousness were combined together into an unsteady smile. Her outfit was cute though. Blue denim shorts and a ocean blue top that complemented her champagne blonde waves pulled back into a ponytail.

I half-jogged to her and we exchanged a wobbly smile.

"You ready for this?"