A/N: Phew, it's been a while... again. I dunno what keeps keeping me away from this site, but I don't like it! I got a few days off of work, though, so I managed to type this up (it's been sitting in my notebook for a while, sadly). Ch 8's slowly in the progress, too. It's way easier to write because it's the climax, though.
Hm... as for other notes or whatever, I don't think I really have anything else to say. Oh, well, I guess I can say sorry for my lazy proofreading skills, or just lack thereof. I reread a couple chapters over the weekend (don't even remember which weekend, lol) and was kinda surprised at how many errors there are. Meh. At least they're nothing too crucial, but I'll definitely skim through and fix some soon.
Thanks for putting up with me! Here's chapter seven of WTSHW! (Eh, sorry for some swears when this story's literally had like one. Oh well though, that's why it's rated T!)
Reviews are awesoooome, and thanks to my favorites and followers!
I told him not to forget me, but to push me aside.
I told him not to forget when we were young, all the times I'd push him into the mud puddles and laugh at him when he cried.
I didn't want him to forget when we were ten years old and he kissed me under the crochety old pecan tree at my uncle's farm.
And I reminded him about the dark times before my twelfth birthday, how he held and comforted me and kept me at least somewhat happy.
There were so many times I relied on him and had to in order to keep my sanity, and I felt nauseous knowing that we wouldn't be together anymore – and that I was the one putting an end to it.
But unfortunately… in order to keep my sanity this time around, I had to.
I wanted to at least try to start over for real now. No ties to the city, to anyone or anything outside the town's gates. It was a fresh, new beginning. Johnny was just a hindrance.
It would just be me, myself, and I, and maybe Raeger if I got gutsy and lucky.
Until then… well, I'd just have to play it by my own selfish ear.
…
It'd only been a few hours since I talked to Johnny, but I felt… fine.
I had my fifteen minute cry after the call, and then I went through the house and boxed up all of our old pictures, which took me about an hour. It felt empty in my house, but I wasn't sad.
I did still feel like one of those stereotypical girls who want to change their whole image after a heartbreak, though.
That wasn't to say I was going to cut my hair or anything dumb like that, but I was itching for something out of the ordinary.
…So after mulling it over for a bit, I decided to get a horse. Next on my agenda was originally a chicken, but the ones up for sale looked kinda funny, and the big guy just spoke to me.
Chestnut. That was his name. He was a beautiful dark brown with eyes that were almost black. I actually bought him from Elise after my disappointment at the trade depot, and to my surprise she really wasn't as prissy or high and mighty as I'd imagined. It'd be pretty cool if we started getting along.
But what did I do now? My animals were all brushed and fed and had their grazing time. I was honestly a little bored.
Did I… could I go see Raeger? He would cheer me up, no doubt.
I didn't know what day it was, so if it was actually Wednesday and he had the day off, it'd be news to me. I didn't feel like checking the calendar, though, because I knew I'd be disappointed at how little into winter we were.
It was such a horrible season, winter. It was snowy and slippery everywhere and you always had to watch where you stepped. Even in the city there would be piles of snow that you could easily trip over and then pound your head into some hard concrete sidewalk – and it doesn't feel good, contrary to what you might think.
And it was cold. So, so, so cold. The first winter I spent without my parents was chillier than normal, and I couldn't even snuggle up to them. The wind whipped around in the blizzard outside while I struggled to keep warm with my only blanket at the orphanage.
Winter was just a season of loss. It was unforgiving, and I would never forgive it, either.
…But those thoughts didn't really matter anymore. I had no ties to life outside Oak Tree, so if I kept thinking about my past, it'd just bring me down and I'd end up sad and alone like I was when I first moved in here.
I guessed I could go visit Eda since she was just a few hundred yards away, and I knew she wouldn't scold or pester me for my decision.
But for some reason, my female mind really wanted to let Raeger know as soon as possible just how available I'd suddenly become.
Eda would help, though. I just knew it. Maybe it was because not too long ago I mentioned a hypothetical situation (that wasn't so hypothetical) where I liked another guy. What she said kinda caught me off guard, and that was where all my newfound confidence came from, probably.
"The heart is selfish, but you must follow it."
And… that was what I intended to do, more or less. They say girls are more beautiful after breakups, right? So all I needed to do was show Raeger that.
I didn't need fancy dresses or anything, just… sex appeal? How the heck did I even go about that?
As much as I wanted to finally go on a mall trip with Lillie, there were a bunch of things wrong with doing that, the least of them being my crush on Raeger. But I definitely did need some new clothes if I wanted any chance of success here.
But on the other hand, Johnny worked at my favorite place to shop in the city… If only there were some clothing stores in town. Could I make my own?
Well, regardless, all I wanted to do right now was see Raeger and have a nice, long chat. I just needed to talk to someone, particularly someone who wouldn't judge or scold me for my decision – because he actually had been encouraging me to end it for a while anyway.
I changed into some real clothes and started on my way.
As I walked, I realized it was kind of amazing, in a way, how easily I was already forgetting about Johnny. It was funny but also unnerving: if eighteen years of friendship and affection could be pushed away so quickly and effortlessly… who was to say the same thing couldn't happen if Raeger and I ever got together? What if another guy just happened to swoop in and steal my heart?
I sighed.
Just a few months ago, I was existing back in the city, with Johnny as my only rock. But now – now I was living, and even though Raeger was pretty much my only support (sorry, Hanako), he already felt more reliable.
Could I count on him forever, though? If he stole me from Johnny, could someone else take me from him just as easily?
At some point, I just told myself to calm down, shut up, and stop thinking so much. It'd already gotten me into trouble on several occasions.
It took about ten minutes after my mind went blank to reach the restaurant. I hesitated before opening the door. I couldn't hear anything on the other side, but that didn't mean there wasn't anyone else in there.
Besides, I was remembering the first time we really met, when I knocked and he basically told me to go away.
He was awkward and clumsy and talked too much, and I couldn't believe he had a girlfriend. I wondered how anyone could even like him outside of his looks because he was just so weird.
But here I was, freshly single and lonely, just about ready to confess my undying love for him, when I really couldn't stand him at first. We'd definitely come a long way since then.
I liked his voice, how soft it was when he gave me advice and how loud and clear it was when he was mad. It was mid-range in pitch for a guy, but when he was serious it got much deeper. Then when he laughed or made fun of me, his voice fluctuated, like he had no control over it.
I liked his posture when he stood tall and lean, like he was proving his worth, that he could protect those he cared about now that he was older. His back looked strong and muscular, but not so much that he was some sort of freakish bodybuilder or anything.
His hair was soft and messy and fun to play with, his eyes were beautiful and spoke volumes on their own, and… just his whole demeanor, everything about him – I couldn't find anything I disliked.
Oh, wait, there was one thing. Well, two.
He didn't belong to me. And there was absolutely no way he returned my feelings.
Yet I still wanted to try taking him from Lillie. He wasn't happy with her – or at least probably not as happy as he could be, with me.
I was seriously starting to creep myself out, though, being all stalker-ish and whatnot. So with those thoughts pushed back, I took in a deep breath and opened the door.
Raeger wasn't the only person inside, though I don't know if I was thankful for that or not.
I guess my face must have told him enough when he saw me because his immediately dropped into a frown and he made that pitiful expression with his eyes.
"Annie…"
Well, shoot. I really wanted to tell him without him suspecting it. And did I really look that depressed? I thought I was okay.
I tried my best to smile and shook my head. "It's… I'm fine, really."
He wasn't buying it.
I sighed. I made my way in and sat at the counter, watching him watch me from across it. There weren't too many other people inside, just a couple girls and one man seated alone at the other counter alongside the wall.
"I knew we couldn't go back to how we were before, and we definitely couldn't pretend to, and… I don't even really feel guilty."
I fiddled with my fingers on the countertop. "Does that make me selfish?"
I already knew the answer to it, but still, it felt like an hour passed before Raeger talked.
"Of course it does."
I didn't want it so bluntly, though!
I reached across to smack his arm. "Quit!" I bit my lip and turned my head. "I'm serious."
"I know. So am I."
I narrowed my eyes. Really? He was going to make fun of me at a time like this?
"Honestly," he started, "I'm surprised you made the call. I thought he did."
I was about to send him a nasty reply but he kept going.
"Sometimes… you just have to ignore your head and go with your heart." He took a while to phrase his next words, though. "The heart wants what it wants, and even if it's selfish, there's nothing you can do about it."
I cracked a smile at that. He took so long and sounded so awkward while trying to help me, and it wasn't even like I was upset. If he kept this up, I'd end up getting the impression that he liked me back – after all, it kinda sounded like he was telling himself that.
"Thanks, Raeger." I grinned up at him, giddy from my thoughts.
He nodded, though he left for a few seconds to refill the lone man's drink. Did he just get dumped, too? Well, anyway, Raeger came back, but then he busied himself with dishes. I didn't know whether to try and start up another subject or just leave, so I sat there for a few minutes in my own awkward silence.
"So… why'd you do it, anyway?"
"Wh-what?" He was only now asking this? I cleared my throat. "Do I need a reason?"
He chuckled. "Usually, two people break up for a reason, yeah. Especially in a relationship of that length."
I scoffed. Hardly. Breakups happened all the time without reasons – just look at my parents. Especially in a relationship of that length.
"Was it what I said?"
Jeez, Raeger, please stop guessing why we broke up. I shook my head. "Not entirely. A lot of it was my own choice, I promise."
"Really?" he asked skeptically. "You're pretty naïve and gullible, and you tend to just go along with whatever someone tells you, so I wouldn't be surprised if you went on a whim and – "
"That's not it, okay?"
He was right, though. He was so right. Sometimes I couldn't think for myself, yeah, and sometimes I got led astray by the things people said to me, but this time… well, this time was at least a little different. I'd have liked to think so, anyway.
"Really," I said. "I broke up with Johnny because… because I saw how happy you and Lillie are together, and I knew that we weren't like that, and that we would never be, so… y'know." I shrugged.
In a little bout of hope, I figured if I brought up Lillie as nonchalantly as possible, then maybe I'd get some insight into their relationship. Plus, it really was one of the reasons why I ended it.
He just smiled, though. "Yeah."
My resolve pretty much shattered.
There wasn't any trace of sadness or guilt or anything but happiness in that smile.
He still liked Lillie.
No, he still loved Lillie.
…Could I still do this? Would I really be able to successfully steal someone from a happy relationship? And without feeling guilty at all?
I kept telling myself it was for Raeger's happiness as well, but… wasn't it just for mine?
I gulped the lump in my throat down. "H-how long have you two been together?"
My question seemed to catch him off guard. He flinched a little. "Um… two and… a half years?"
It sounded like he was asking me when I had no idea; Lillie just mentioned they'd been with each other a long time. Eighteen years was a long time. And if a lengthy relationship like that could end, then surely there was still hope – well, hope for me, probably not them. I bit my lip.
"So why'd you really do it?"
My eyes widened as I stared at him. How did he do that? How could he so easily tell that I was lying, and see what I was feeling? Was he some sort of telepath? Well… it'd be better if he wasn't, so he woudn't know about my feelings towards him. But then again, wouldn't that be nice?
In any case, I really had to answer honestly this time, otherwise he'd just see through me again and the questions would never end. I took a deep breath.
"There's someone else I like."
He'd been facing away from me, cooking or something, but he almost instantly turned around, nearly dropping the freshly prepared plates of food. I had to stifle my laugh, both because he'd get mad and I'd lose my grasp on the situation and current mood.
Did it really surprise him that much?
"Just… just hold that thought for a few, all right?"
I nodded and he wasted no time bringing the hot plates to the two girls at the other end of the restaurant. I'd seen both of them in here before several times. I wondered if they had something for Raeger – after all, it was pretty obvious they didn't live in town, and it looked like they'd been here a while, judging by all the glasses around them. How nice it would be to go out drinking with a girlfriend once a week. I never really had that luxury.
I narrowed my eyes at them as they smiled and giggled obnoxiously the closer Raeger got. They were very obviously drunk, and totally wasted at that.
If I were dating Raeger, no way would that fly with me. Just how did Lillie deal with knowing that so many girls wanted to be with Raeger all the time? Did she just ignore it? I couldn't.
It was kinda funny, considering I wasn't ever like this with Johnny, but I was oddly… possessive when it came to Raeger. And he wasn't even mine.
But was I supposed to be like this? Jealous and selfish? Was this how relationships worked? I mean, heck, I was in the midst of my attempt to split up a long-term relationship just for my own happiness.
Well, no, not really. I still could say it was for Raeger's happiness, too. Since he wasn't as happy as he could be, it was pretty much up to me, right?
I really had to stop second-guessing myself all the time. If I wanted an actual restart of my life, then I couldn't keep bringing up issues of the past anymore, especially Johnny.
I was aiming for Raeger now. And without missing a beat after delivering those nasty girls' food, he came back to me. I smiled, swallowing my thoughts.
Completely unexpectedly, though, he actually sat right next to me at the counter instead of standing behind it like usual.
I didn't mind, per se, but… it would sure impede my speech.
"Sorry," he whispered. "I don't want those girls coming over here and trying to hit on me while I'm talking to you."
My face felt very hot. He was really being very considerate, wasn't he? Keeping two drunk girls at bay just for my sake… Now I really didn't mind him sitting next to me. I fidgeted in my seat like a schoolgirl with a secret, though.
"So tell me about him."
"Ah! Wh-what?" That caught me way off guard, having him so close to my ear.
Raeger chuckled. "This guy you like. He has to be pretty special if he made you break it off with your boytoy."
I should've been upset at the way he referred to Johnny, but he wasn't mine anymore, so I couldn't really get mad at it. Besides, I was too hung up on how fervently he was asking me so many questions. Was he… jealous? I grinned inwardly, though I was feeling much more nervous now.
"Is he from town or in the city? Have you known him long? What's he like? Do you have a picture of him?"
I laughed out loud after he was finally done pestering me, covering my mouth. I was just glad those girls didn't look over here.
"What?" he asked angrily, though it was still in that jealous tone.
I shook my head and smiled. "Nothing. It's just… the way you're asking all these questions, you sound like a mom trying to find out who her daughter li – "
"H-hey! I am very much a man!" he countered loudly. "I doubt I have to prove it to you, but… jeez."
My eyes widened and I felt my face heat up. I turned my head. "Way to make it awkward, Raeger."
"S-sorry," he said, defeated.
He definitely didn't have to prove he was a man to me. I was already way too aware of that fact – and in fact, this was probably one of the perfect opportunities to make him aware of me, too.
Raeger may have been the same person on the surface, but I could tell that there was something going on. Could I take that as a chance? Was there some hope for me already…? The mood was kinda good, despite all the people around. They were all too drunk to notice, though, it seemed, and it wasn't like Lillie would be coming back any time soon…
I cleared my throat nervously, fiddling with my fingers. "Do you really wanna know? …Erm, what the guy I like is like, I mean."
He turned back towards me and nodded. He looked a little eager, but I wasn't sure if that made me more comfortable or nervous.
I took in several deep breaths and let them out just as quickly. Well, here went nothing.
"He lives here in town, actually right above where he works. We're pretty good friends, I'd like to believe, anyway. We don't see each other every day, but it's enough to at least keep me satisfied – I mean, I'd much rather be with him all the time, of course, but sometimes that can't happen and it's fine."
His face looked pretty blank for the most part, which meant he didn't really understand my subtlety. I was talking too much, anyway, so that probably didn't help, either. I sighed inwardly. While I did want him to be aware of how I felt, I didn't feel like I really had the guts or lack of conscience to tell him outright. So I continued.
"He's a good cook and an even better listener. We've only had one real fight, and even then it was just an argument over something stupid. I don't think he knows how I feel because he's really dense and awkward, but I can't just come out and tell him, either. We're friends, and if he finds out I like him… things will just be uncomfortable."
He didn't seem to get it quite yet, only further proving my point, and honestly, I was starting to get a little annoyed.
When you're a girl, everything has to be done sneakily. Fighting, gossiping, talking, all that. If you don't carefully think through what you're doing and saying at all times, it's going to come back and bite you.
Unfortunately, I wasn't very much of a girl, so I'd experienced the bite several times already, but now I thought it was safe to say I'd learned my lesson. That wasn't to say I clearly thought things through despite my overthinking at times, but I was ready to try.
If I wanted Raeger to like me, I had to make him aware of me, and especially of my feelings. Just not quite so sneakily. Like I said, he was pretty dense. I inhaled a shaky breath. This was the last push.
"I'm just afraid of what it'd do to our friendship." Kind of a lie, but Lillie was included in it, too, so not entirely. "And besides… he's already got a girlfriend."
I closed my eyes and gulped. I said those last few words so quickly and quietly that I wasn't sure if he even heard me, but there was no way I was repeating them.
I opened one eye to sneak a peek. The gears in his head finally started moving, I could tell. It probably didn't take very long for it all to click after that.
And then he turned bright red.
I averted my gaze in embarrassment. I actually didn't mean to confess so bluntly (and I didn't think it was so blunt), but once I started talking and Raeger got all friends… jeez, I was in pretty deep.
"Is… is that so?" he asked after a while. He cleared his throat, sounding pretty awkward. "Well, you know, Annie, I… this guy, I mean, you already said it yourself, you two are pretty close, so you must know him pretty well, right? And you know, he'd be absolutely crazy not to like you, I mean – "
"Can you say that again?"
He blinked in confusion. "Y-you must know him we – "
"No, the other thing."
"…He'd be crazy not to like you?"
I tried so hard to hide my smirk. Finally! "And why's that?"
I had him right where I wanted him: flustered, confused, and stuck. After so much time passed with just me being embarrassed and nervous, he was finally feeling it too now!
Ha! Just try and get out of this one, Rae –
"Excuse me!"
I nearly jumped out of my seat. I'd already forgotten those other girls were here, too caught up in my sneak attack and happiness. Did they just hear all of that…? I mean, it didn't really matter because they were plastered, anyway, but still.
Raeger pretty much instantly transformed into his professional self. His face lost its red hue and his smile was sincere. "Yes?"
I didn't turn around when Raeger did. I wasn't going to give those impolite customers the upper hand and acknowledge them. They knew exactly what they were doing.
"Sorry to bother you, but… my friend here, you see, she couldn't help but notice you from across the restaurant. She thinks you're really hot and – "
"Amy!" what I assumed to be the other girl's shrill voice chided. They were annoying – they totally read the atmosphere around me and Raeger and were now trying to invade it. Those… those… bitches!
Raeger just chuckled though, unable to every say anything mean to anyone. "Sorry, ladies. I'm taken."
And there it was, just totally, nonchalantly dismissing their feelings.
And mine.
I hung my head. I criticized them, but I was really no better than them.
They saw him talking happily with a girl and thought it was okay to barge in, and I saw him with his totally awesome and pretty girlfriend and thought it was okay to get between them.
Sure, they'd just subtly called him out and asked for a date sometime, maybe, but I'd just confessed my feelings for him – and as far as I could tell, he knew that was it, too. He was just too nice to reject me right now because I'd just been through a breakup literally hours ago.
I wasn't any better than those girls. In fact, I was worse. I was scum.
I only ever cared about myself.
I didn't want to hear those girls flirt with Raeger even though he had a girlfriend, even though that was completely what I was doing in the first place. I didn't want to hear Raeger turn them down, because he was really trying to turn me down as well. Everything here suddenly had a different meaning behind it, and I didn't want anything to do with it.
The stool skidded across the tile as I stood up. "I'm going home."
I really shouldn't have even said hat, because I felt all three pairs of eyes (that other man wasn't there anymore) watch me leave. I felt sick.
What made it even worse was that I'd almost accepted myself for being this way, and actually encouraged my behavior.
You can't steal somebody's boyfriend; you can't flirt with him and try to make him like you behind her back. Who does that?
…Annie did. I did.
And I really, utterly, indescribably hated myself for it.
"Annie!"
No. That couldn't have been Raeger's voice. He'd never like someone as horrible as me, let alone chase after me in that cliché way. Why would he?
"Hey! Annie!"
Okay, so maybe it was Raeger. All I had to do was keep walking and pick up the pace, though, and he'd forget about me and be happy with –
"Damn it, Annie! Would you wait a second?!"
He was squeezing my arm now, tightly, so I couldn't ignore him anymore. I didn't dare turn around, though, because I knew facing him would only make my gut feel worse. He sounded so mad. Did I make him mad?
I gulped. "What?"
I didn't want to sound threatening or scared, but it kinda sounded like a mixture of those two, anyway.
He sighed. "Will you turn around?"
"No."
"Ugh." He sounded frustrated now. "All right, whatever, just… what was that back there?"
I shrugged, and I felt even more awful noticing the amount of effort it took. "I'm not feeling too great, so I thought I'd just – "
"Not that, you idiot! What was that… that confession?!"
"…Oh." So he really did catch on? Well, crap. I felt more sick while my face heated up, but my sadness and anger were quickly replaced my embarrassment.
"So I'm the guy you like, huh? Is that it?"
I managed a small nod. My palms were sweaty and my stomach felt like it was going to drop into my bladder. I felt nauseous all over.
He heaved a deep sigh and slowly let go of my arm. I couldn't see him but based on how well I knew him, he was probably running a hand through his hair in exhaustion. Sorry, Raeger.
"Jeez, Annie." His voice was gentler now. "I'm not the brightest guy around, you know. It probably took more time beating around the bush than it would for me to have heard it and given you an answer."
I frowned and closed my eyes. That meant he was planning to reject me. I kind of knew it anyway, but still. I gulped.
"Annie, can we… go somewhere to talk about this?"
As awful as I felt, and as much as I just wanted to say no and forget about this whole ordeal, I really couldn't turn him down after hearing him call my name so many times in such a nice tone. Besides, I guess I didn't particularly feel like going back home feeling like this. I was all out of sorts. A nice, long talk with Raeger might have been exactly what I needed.
…
After Raeger dismissed the two girls and locked up the restaurant, he led me to his room upstairs. Honestly, I would've preferred a bench outside, but it was way too cold to sit out there.
And it wasn't all too bad, since I got to sit on Raeger's bed with him.
"So…"
As soon as we were alone, though, it got awkward again.
"So… you, uh, like me." He cleared his throat.
I nodded. He'd said that at least ten different times now, so I was growing more accustomed to it.
"Come on, you haven't said a word to me since we were outside. What's wrong, Annie?"
What's wrong? Really? I sighed.
"Well, for starters, you have a girlfriend."
He nodded. "Go on."
"Uh… okay." He was being weird. This wasn't a therapy session. "Anyway, I like Lillie a lot, and I know you do, too, and I would never want to do anything to hurt her… but… I, um, want to be your girlfriend – for both our sakes, really – but you really don't even see me as a girl, plus – "
"W-wait a sec," he said abruptly. "I don't see you as a girl?"
Was that really the only thing he gathered from that rant? I was glad he got something, at least, but he couldn't have elaborated on the fact that I wanted to be his girlfriend?
I shook my head, though. I felt embarrassed, but my insides were calming down a lot already. Being with Raeger helped immensely. "Well, I mean… you know, tonight's the only night I've seen you get any sort of flustered around me."
And that was only because I'd told him how I felt so he just became aware of me. I guess, in a way, that did count as him treating me like a girl, but still, it wasn't the same.
He took a while to respond, but before he did, he grabbed my hand.
"A-ah! What are you – "
"Do you feel that?"
Before any weird implications could come to mind, my eyes traced my arm down to where my hand was. He kept it positioned right over his heart.
Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump.
Heat rushed up to my cheeks. No way. I gulped. "It's… it's beating really fast."
He gave me my hand back and nodded, then ran a hand through his hair. "I've always been aware of your being a girl, Annie, since the day we first met, actually."
I closed my eyes and swallowed the lump in my throat. There was no way this was really happening. This was a dream, right? If it really wasn't, then did it mean…?
"My heart probably doesn't beat as fast as yours does when we're together, but… it's not like I'm completely oblivious to your presence."
I nodded slowly. He was right. His heartbeat wasn't nearly as fast or forceful as mine, but just the fact that he was telling me all this, and with such a tender voice…
Maybe there really was hope after all.
"But I'm dating Lillie."
And of course he had to go and crush every ounce of it.
"I know."
I opened my eyes now. His expression was blank. I couldn't decipher anything.
"I have an obligation… a duty to Lillie. We've been together for a long time, so it's not easy to just drop something like that. She'll always be with me, one way or another."
But…?
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't make promises I can't keep, Annie, so I'm not going to tell you we can be together."
Come on! But…?
"But… maybe one day, given the right circumstances, our paths will cross – "
"All right, jeez." I laughed to cut him off, all traces of the sober tone gone suddenly. "I already like you. You don't have to act all cool to impress me."
His blank expression went away, his face lighting up like a tomato. "What?"
I laughed again, then sighed. I got up from the bed. "I'm gonna head home. Sorry for all the trouble today."
"It's nothing, really." He rubbed the back of his neck, signaling that he was nervous as well. I smiled. Just this much was fine for now.
"Goodnight, Raeger."
He nodded. "Goodnight, Annie."
I made it down the stairs and outside without much issue, but there was one thing I just couldn't quite figure out.
Did Raeger reject my confession… or accept it?
~CGA
