This story was inspired after watching lise23's Chollie vid to The Only Exception by Paramore. Thanks to The Redora Fedora for the proofing. As always, the only thing I own is my idea and my computer. Hope you enjoy!
Chloe stared down at the small package in her hand. It felt so heavy, though the package probably weighed mere ounces. The meaning behind the package was what was weighing her down so. Gifts meant relationships. Relationships meant entanglements and heart ache.
Chloe sighed continuing to gaze unseeing upon the ornate wrapping paper. Her mind went unbidden through the past. A movie reel of her past loves and lost played through mind's eye. One after another clicked off in her head. Why had they all seemed to go from bad to worst? At best she had been overlooked and at worst they had ended up being psychopaths that had tried to kill her.
Each one had taken a piece of her. Each one had left a hole. Each time the wall around her heart thickened like a suit of armor. After Jimmy - her seemingly one shot at a normal relationship- the wall was complete. She would not be hurt again. To the outside world she would appear fine, but inside she was completely closed off to any attempts at love. It was obviously not meant for her.
She had actual functioned like that long enough that she was even believed it herself. The faintest of smiles graced her face as the movie in her head changed. There had been one recent exception to her rule about love. A chink in the armor had appeared. The crack was threatening to widen into a full blown chasm.
It had started out small like these things always do. A snarky comeback here, a witty reply there. She played it off as a working relationship at first. Saying it was nothing more than a moment of stress relief from what they had to deal with on a daily basis. Her crack had widened that night at watchtower. She came in expecting the place to be empty only to find the one person she instinctively knew would be there. Against all her better judgment she had gotten up agreeing to a round of target practice.
She had even convinced herself after that, what was happening between them didn't matter. She was not falling for him. She was just having fun. That was all. Didn't she deserve some fun?
She had come to realize that is was more than just fun. He was more than just another guy. He understood her completely, without judgment. He accepted her as is - flaws and all. She cared about him, not just as a teammate or even a friend. She truly cared for him. She loved him.
The sound of footsteps on the wooden porch brought her out of her reverie. As she glanced up at Oliver, she knew he was the only exception.