Chapter Forty-Eight
Brayden's POV
Bigger Guts In Love
December 10
"You're so quiet this morning," I said, when Heather and I were grabbing breakfast together.
"Oh, I am?" she said, tilting her head up to look at me.
"You okay?"
"Definitely." She smiled, but it seemed forced. "You have another ten minutes before you have to get to class."
"What about you? Don't you have class, too?"
"Of course," she said.
"Well"—I stuffed the last piece of donut into my mouth before getting out of my seat and pulling her up—"We should get going then."
I held her hand as we walked to our classes. I wanted to walk her to her class first, but she refused. She walked me to my class instead. Standing a few ways from the building, behind bushes that offered us some privacy from the other students, she produced a slip of paper from the pocket of her jeans.
"What's this?" I wondered, taking it from her.
"For later," she said. And then she surprised me when she threw her arms around me and buried her face into my chest. "I love you. And I don't know if you feel the same, but I just wanted to tell you. You gave me love when no one else would and for that, I'm extremely grateful. You're the only thing I'm glad happened, and I wouldn't give anything to take it back. I'm glad we were physics partners, even if I did dislike you the beginning half of the quarter."
My breath caught in my throat. If it weren't for Heather holding me, I think I would've melted to the ground with joy. I chuckled and wrapped my arms around her, laying my cheek against the top of her head. "I'm glad we were physics partners, too, last year," I whispered. I could feel my heart swell. "I love you, too." I love you more than you think.
I heard her sniffle, and I held her a few ways from me to see her eyes glistening with tears. "Heather?"
"I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm acting so emotional," she laughed, wiping at her eyes with her fingers.
"You're emotional because you love me," I said, smugly.
"And if you love me, you'll forgive me, right?"
Her words caught me off guard. I frowned. "Forgive you for what?"
"Never mind," she said. "I'll see you later, okay?" There was something unreadable in her eyes. Something I couldn't quite make out. She didn't seem happy, contrary to her earlier mood.
"Of course. And then I can spend the night at your place again, right?"
Heather smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Sure, Brayden."
"You better be sure." I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, my lips lingering there longer than it should've been. I heard her breath hitch. I love how only I could do that to her. I've heard how her heart beats on the heart monitors whenever I was around. I don't ever bring it up around her, because I know it makes her uncomfortable and embarrassed, but I've noticed. "You're beautiful," I whispered. And I was telling the truth. She's the most beautiful person I've ever met. I felt her lips tug into a smile.
Feeling as if my heart would erupt if I stayed any longer near her, I pulled back and smiled. I felt as if I was on Cloud Nine. "I will see you after my classes, then!"
"Goodbye," she said, and when I went into the building and looked back behind me to see if she was still there, she wasn't anymore. She had disappeared like a ghost.
Still grinning like an idiot, though, I unfolded the piece of paper she gave me. She had written three simple words on it: HUB @ 4.
I bit down on my bottom lip to suppress myself from looking like a lovesick fool in the middle of the lecture hall.
I gotta give it to her, she has more guts when it comes to love then I ever will. She's finally stepping out of her comfort zone.