You Stole My Heart

BONUS CHAPTER

After three hours of peaceful scenery and kind-of painful riding, we stop for a picnic lunch amidst the wildflowers.

That sounds really poetic, I know, but it's true. All around us are just hundreds and thousands of lilac wildflowers.

Carley sighs contentedly and leans back after we stuffed ourselves full of the vegetarian food. Our guide is a little whiles away, tending to the horses.
"Sarah would really love this." She says. Then glances at me languidly, her brown eyes hooded. "Although, I don't really think I'd want her here right now." I smile, and lean down next to her.

"I think she's too preoccupied right now with the latest development in her love life," I laugh, trying to hide my concern. She really has had the worst luck with guys lately.

"Think this one'll be better than Caleb?" Carley cocks her head to the side, causing rays of sunshine to bounce off her ginger curls. She gave up on the pigtails at some point and just let her hair down, strands now flying everywhere in the breeze. I reach over and catch one.

"I hope so. She deserves so much more than Zac." I never told anyone this, but back in freshman year, before I started hanging out with Carley and Sarah, Zac befriended me, only to ditch me the minute he made the football team. I guess I never really forgave him for that, leaving me alone and friendless in a strange place, all because he was suddenly "cool". I never did have any respect for people who compromised themselves for attention, status or whatever.

"I like it when you play with my hair," Carley says, then looks away shyly. She harley ever does that. Lying down on my back, I cover my face with my hands.
"Why is this so hard?"

Carley

"What?" I ask, confused by his sudden change in demeanor.

"Timing could not have been more wrong," he groans. As suddenly as he lay down he's sitting up again, his hands on my shoulders, his eyes staring intently at me, searching my face.

"Carley, I'm leaving for Europe after graduation, and you're leaving to go do volunteer work in Africa or something, we'll be worlds apart. You gotta admit, red, this is one hell of a time to be in love."

I gasp, de he just say...

"Yes, I love you, I love you more than I ever thought possible, I love you so much it physically hurts sometimes. And I know that 99% of the time high school relationships don't last and that we're young and there's still so much that could happen in our lives, but I love you. I've loved you since freshman year, Carley, and I'm terrified of what's gonna happen after high school."

I swallow, my lips unable to form words...hell, my mind can't even come up with a coherent thought.
"Bla-" I try to start with his name, but he crashes his lips to mine instead, effectively shutting me up.
It's the sweetest,most passionate, kiss I've ever experienced.

"That was so not how I planned to tell you," he whispers, his forehead pressing against mine, keeping us close. "I had it all planned out, we were going to go out on this romantic horse ride, and I was gonna say something romantic and you would swoon, and then-"

"Me? Swoon?" I raise an eyebrow indignantly. "I don't swoon, not even for the man I love." His jaw drops at the significance of my statement. His shock doesn't last long, though, because pretty soon we're kissing again.

"We can worry about the future some other time, okay? Right now, we're together, and that's what matters." I murmur between kisses.
"Hey, I think we should head out aga-do you two need a minute?" The guide calls, suddenly embarrassed. I'm not actually surprised, what we were doing was kinda blush-worthy.

"No, we're good. Sorry man," Blake calls back before we get back onto our horses.

As we ride out, I feel like jumping up and down for joy. I've never been in love before, never said "I love you" to anyone but my family and Sarah. It's a wonderfully indescribable feeling.

By the time we get back home the sun's beginning to set.

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I reach for it, having forgotten about it all day.
It's from Sarah.

Big news!!!
Sleepover my place, bring Blake!!!
Xoxo

I guess her date with Shane went well.

*********************************************************************
Hey guys!!!

We hope you enjoyed this extra-special bonus chapter and really got to understand Blake and Carley's personalities, and how much they care about each other-and Sarah!!
This was a spontaneous idea and we felt like you guys deserved to see from both their perspectives, which is why we kinds switched POVs halfway through, and then back again. It just seemed like those things needed to be told by Blake, and the others by Carley.
Did that make any sense?
Oh well.
We're sorry we got you guys all hyped up about finding out what went down between Zac and Sarah in the Micky Mouse Penthouse, and then threw this at you...prolonging the suspense.
(Not really, hehehe)

Thanks for all the support so far, we really appreciate it!!!
Lots of love
(Next chapter up soon!!!)
Xoxo
Storm and Snow 💋