Thanks to everyone who left such kind comments. I really appriacte it! And special thanks to my beta reader Tutourgirl23 who did an amazing job.
I hope the pace of the story is ok. I just realised time goes really slow in my Bluebell universe.
II.
She kept standing in the hallway for some time, still holding the Oreos in her hand. Just when her feet started to tingle due to the cold she snapped out of her daze, but still her mind was blank. She tried hard to think because that's what she always did. Thinking, analyzing, deciding but this time it was as if there was nothing in her head except a vacuum of nothingness. The first coherent thought she was able to form – or at least something quite similar to a coherent thought - was, that she felt as if someone had sucked her brain out of her head. She laughed at this because that sounded like Wade and she wondered whether he had snatched her brain. Giggling she walked back into her room where her eyes fell on the unmade bed and she smiled. Her thoughts drifted to what happened there just a while ago and a funny feeling spread in her stomach. She went to the bed, laid down and smelled the mixture of him and her. She closed her eyes and the images of him came back unbidden. She felt exhausted in a good way and thought, who needs thoughts when she has images? And again this half-crazy giggle escaped her because she sounded like Wade again, and thought that he definitely had her brain snatched away. She felt asleep.
When she woke up the next day she felt a warm unknown glow inside her. Slowly her memories came back and pictures flooded her mind. She had actually spent the night with him. She couldn't stop smiling. She wondered whether he felt the same, whether he thought of the night as she did. And weirdly it had felt intimate not at all as she would have thought a one night stand would feel. She frowned. Had it been a one night stand? Did he think that it was a one night stand? Did he think that she thought it had been a one night stand? It's that why he left? And then she remembered that there had been something else right before he left. George! Oh my god! Abruptly she sat in her bed. That had been real, right? George. Him being at her door, saying that the wedding was off? And he had kissed her. Unconsciously her fingers touched her lips and lingered there. A huge grin spread over her face. What kind of weird joke was that? Just when she decided to let it go he turns up. Oh my god. Everyone will hate her but him. And Wade? Oh god no. He will hate her too, and now for real.
She let her self fell straight back on to her bed. She wished she knew what to do. But she had no clue. Surely, she was meant to be with George, right? He said so himself. And didn't he call off the wedding? Declared his love. Well, not his love but something quite close, no? Her thoughts went in circles. She loved George. And Wade, well Wade was Wade. And the night was, and here her thoughts usually stopped for a while because images came flooding back and a strange feeling located in her stomach. Well, technically not in her stomach, but at least in the region, rose. To prevent herself from freaking out completely she stood up, got dressed and just before she went outside she saw her reflection in the mirror and caught herself saying, "Look at you. It must have been special."
XxxxxoxxxxX
When he woke up the next day his first thought was a feeling, a warm undefined glow in his stomach. Just when he opened his eyes and saw his old couch he remembered. He swallowed hard blinked several times and closed his eyes again.
"Idiot, damn stupid idiot", his mind was blank and he kept on murmuring to himself his little rhyme to keep it this way.
He went over to Lavon's house, stopped midway, started again, stopped and finally reached the kitchen door by changing his little rhyme to "Idiot damn stupid idiot just on step after the other". And all he allowed himself to think was "Fool, you damn fool."
Outside the door to the kitchen of the main house he braved himself and entered. But no one was there. A short hysterical laugh escaped his mouth, his hand waved and his shoulders relaxed. Just when he turned to the coffee maker the door opened and he heard her light steps. Involuntarily he turned around an unfamiliar burning in his chest spread and caught her staring at him.
"Hey." her voice was just above a whisper.
"Hey" He averted his eyes and fixed them on a spot right behind her but forced them again to meet hers.
"Want some real coffee?" His voice was hoarse and he tried again with a little more force "Want some" He asked holding his coffee cup up.
"No hmm, yes …but"
"Here you go."
"Are we good?"
"Are we…yes," he said shaking his head. Realizing then that he had to nod he started over by saying, "Perfectly fine just like Sylvester and Tweety," And tried a smile. "All's rosy and peachy."
He had to go. He felt trapped. But he could not. It was his fault. He was a stupid damn fool. Perhaps he could try to hate her later, but for now he had to what he did not know.
"So what's up? Any plans for today?" He cringed inwardly. From all the things he could have come up with this was the worst.
"Nope, not yet" She looked at him expectantly. He starred at her in disbelief. Just then, when he opened his mouth to say something, her phone rang and her eyes light up looking at it. "Sorry," she gave him an apologetic smile and turned away. Seeing her step outside he took a sip of coffee.
Right. Make a fool out of yourself. Please. He gulped down his coffee, stepped outside, nodded in her direction and went to his car. He drove aimlessly.
XxxxxoxxxxX
When she heard his voice she had to close her eyes because she felt giddy. She couldn't stop grinning. She opened them again when she heard the creaking which the second floorboard of the veranda always made. She looked right into Wade's eyes who nodded to her. And there was this feeling again right in her stomach or the region or whatever. She gave him her half smile and he returned it.
Just when the silence on the telephone lasted she realized that George must have asked something.
"Sorry?"
"Hey, I just asked you whether you would like to go to Mobile. Grab a coffee and spend some time together. Talk."
"In Mobile?"
"Well…" his voice sounded small now. "I just thought it might be better. Easier for everyone…. For us."
"Oh. Sure. No need to alert wolfs right."
After some silence, she asked tentatively, "Shall we meet there?"
"No, no my god no. I am going to pick you up. Ok? Give me an hour, ok? I will be at your place at noon."
"Yeah. That's sound perfect. See you."
"See you and Zoe?"
"Hmm?"
"I am glad."
"Me too."
"Then see you in a bit."
After she hung up she felt a little lost. It was Sunday. She still had an hour or so. She should probably just go and relax. She could go back to her house and pamper herself to relax.
Just when she entered her bedroom her eyes fell on the still messed up bed and something drew her there. She sat down and buried her nose in the sheets. After lying down for some minutes and thinking almost nothing she bolted up right and said to herself "Zoe, that so wrong. Just leave it, ok." She then started to change the bedding with probably a little bit more force than was strictly necessary. Afterwards she brought it straight to the washing machine, packed it all in and started quickly before she could change her mind.
When she passed the mirror in her bedroom again and saw her reflection, she looked annoyed at it. Great. Now you look completely deranged and messy. Though she took a long bath (as long as possible to still be ready when he would pick her up) and tried to arrange herself and her clothes as casual and beautiful as possible.
When she came home that night she felt as if she would walk on clouds. All seemed so surreal. It had felt so good. They had talked and laughed. The time had just flown. Well, even if they hadn't kissed still there was this feeling, this connection between them. And smiling to herself she thought strictly spoken he had kissed her when he had brought her to her door. Content and ridiculously silly smiling she went to her bathroom to get ready for bed. Just when she was about to crawl into her bed did she hear the engine of Wade's car murmuring softly and then dying. For a moment, her heart beat stopped. But then she forced herself to think of the wonderful day she had spent with George and closed her eyes trying to fall asleep.