impossible to miss their slight shift downward. I knew our time together was fast drawing to an end.
“ We have to go,” I asked.
He nodded. My heart paused for just one moment, and sadness came over me. I didn’t want it to end. Chaseyn began gathering the remnants of our intimate affair and placing them back inside the basket. I shivered slightly, as a cool breeze began to cut through the field. We stood slowly, and Chaseyn folded the blanket we had been sitting on. He wrapped the fleece blanket tight around my shoulders, and our eyes locked. Though I hadn’t been in this type of situation before, I recognized the moment from the hundreds of romantic movies I had watched over the years wondering if these things ever happened in real life.
Instead of loosening his grip, Chaseyn kept his left hand firmly in place on my shoulder. His right hand slid gently up to the side of my face. I closed my eyes and pressed my check lightly against his hand. He stroked it once with his thumb before tucking it under my chin. His thumb and forefinger held my face firmly in place, and we leaned toward each other. Our lips brushed gently once in exploration. Then, they locked together in a soft caress. The moist curves of his lips moved slowly beneath mine. My arms were wrapped tightly inside the blanket, and I struggled to free them so I could tangle my fingers in his raven waves. Before I could, the bell rang, snapping our attention back to reality. I knew I had to move quickly to make it to class on time, but my knees were weak.
Chaseyn guided me toward the school, but he seemed nearly as dazed as I was, so I wasn’t sure if I could trust his swift movements any more than my own. Just before we reached the school and the hoards of people pushing through the corridors on their way to class, Chaseyn turned me to face me.
“ I’ve never been scared of anyone, or anything, but me,” he confided. “Until now…you.”
With that, he walked away from the school. I stood there breathless, watching him move stealthily toward his car. I wasn’t sure where he was going or why, but I wanted to chase after him. I refrained. I knew that if there was any chance that my mom was going to let me off my sentence early, skipping class was not the best way to convince her I was on my best behavior. I managed to pull myself together and walk back into the building.
One week. That’s how long I had known Chaseyn, but already, I couldn’t picture my life without him.
Chapter 13 - Wonder
As far as I could tell, Chaseyn didn’t return to class. My mind raced with possibilities. At first, I worried that something bad may have happened to him, and then, my thoughts turned more personal. Perhaps, he was hoping to feel something more, different when we kissed. For me, it was like sipping from the sweetest nectar of the most sensuous blossom. I had hoped he had felt the same, immediate chemistry. I wondered if he was disappointed and needed to think of a way to let me down before facing me again.
I had trouble concentrating on my classes the rest of the day. Between fifth and sixth periods, I asked Addie to wait for me after school. I was fairly certain I would need a ride home. If Chaseyn was planning to cut me loose, at least I wouldn’t have to walk home. Addie would be there to comfort me.
All day, I couldn’t wait for the seconds to tick by, but when the last bell rang, letting us know we were free to leave, I could barely bring myself to stand. I didn’t want to keep Addie waiting, but I also didn’t want to face that harsh reality that Chaseyn had been wrong about his feelings for me. I sauntered slowly from the room, lagging behind everyone else.
“ You ready,” Addie said, coming up behind me quickly. A lump the size of an orange had filled the space in my throat so that I was unable to answer. I nodded my head and made an effort to smile. Addie knew better than to try to get
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