They shared a smule that felt like coming home–all those years of missed signals and unspoken feelings finally aligning between puzzle clicking into place.
Spending the afternoon wandering themagh shops felt moral, like they were making up for all the normal teenage apperieren they’d never had together: Jayden formd himself boying her everything that made her eyes light up–a soft cashmere scarf, delicate clore earrings, a vintage leather journal she’d been running bet fingers over,
“Jesus, look at all this,” he said with a grin, hefiling the collection of hags. “I think I went completely overboard.”
Arianna laughed, bouncing on her toes with genuine delight. “Are you kidding? This is amazing! Thank you, my permall shopping fairy-
Seeing her like this–animated and bright and so fucking alive–male his chest feel to small for his heart. But it also made inmething schedap made
him
This was who she’d been before. Before high school, before his father’s deathy, before everything went to bell. She’d always been fragile physically, but her spirit had been unbreakable. Curious about everything quick to laugh, impossilde to dim
When had she lost that light? And how had he been too selfish and blind to notice it happening?
“Hey,” Arjanna said softly, noticing the st
shadow that had crossed his face, “Where’d you go just now?”
“Nowhere,” he lied, forcing the smile back. Just thinking about how much I missed this version of you.”
They stopped at a little bakery, and Jayden found himself staring at the display case, trying to remember what kind of sweets she used to lowe
“Arianna, do you want to-
Excuse me, sar?
A teenage employee had appeared beside them, looking genuinely concerned and a little freaked out.
you talking to someone?”
Jayden blinked, confused by the question. “Yeah, my girlfriend.”
The kid’s expression get even weirder, like he thought Jayden might be having some kind of episode
“But there’s nobody here with you, man.”
What the fuck? Jayden whipped around to where Arianna had been standing literally two seconds ago, and-
She was gone.
Ice shot through his veins. “Where did she-
Then he spotted her across the store, examining a display of colorful macarons
“She’s right there,” he said, painting her out with relief flooding through him so fast it made him dizzy.
The employee followed his gaze, squinted for a long moment, then just shrugged and walked away like he’d given up trying to figure out what the crazy customer was talking abou
When Arianna wandered back over, Jayden tried to make the whole thing sound funny instead of deeply unsettling
“Weird.”
she said with an easy laugh. “Maybe I’m just really good at being invisible when I want to be
But something about the interaction let his feeling like ice water was running through his veins. Like there was some crucial detail he was missing
They grabbed groceries on the way home, and Jayden threw himself into cooking–partly because he wanted to take care of her, and partly because he needed something to do with his hands to stop them from shaking.
When he finished preparing lunch, he went to call her and found her curled up on his coach, fast asleep in a patch of afternoon sunlight.
12:01
Almost in Love with You Before That Cruel Summer Took Everything
She looked so peaceful lying there, so solid and real wouldn’t dissolve under his fingers.
present that he had to fight
ich out and rouch her
The kid was just enthused, he told himself formly. People miss things, come out. It does mean anything
Ariama stated awake as he was setting the table, drawn by the smell of food.
“Holy shit.” she said, padding into the kitchen barefoot. “You can actually cord? I’m seriously impressed.
“I contain maltitudes,” he said, pulling out her chair with exaggerated chivalry.
But as they ate, he couldn’t stop himself from studying her face, memorizing every detail like he was.
“Okay, spill,” Arianna said finally, setting down her fork “You’re staring at
The word choice made his blood freeze.
“I can read you like an open book, Jayden,” she continued gently. “Talk to me
as álfraid the might disappear if he looked inay
like I’m about to evaporate. What’s wrong?
He set down his own fork, his appetite completely gone. The question that had been clawing at his chest all day finally forced its way out
“Are you going to leave me again?”
The vulnerability in his voice was naked, raw. He sounded like the scared eighteen year–old boy who’d watched her walk away from that enthouse
Something soft and heartbroken flickered across her face.
“You read my diary,” she said quietly, reaching across the table to cover his hand with hers. “You know how I felt about you then. How I still feel now.” Her touch was warm, real, grounding. He turned his hand over to capture her fingers.
“I spent ten years believing you were gone furever,” she whispered, her eyes bright with shed tears. “Ten years thinking I’d never get to tell you that I loved you. That I’d always loved you.”
The words hit him like a physical blow, stealing the air from his lungs.
“Now that I have you back.” she continued, squeezing his hand tighter, “I’m not going anywhere. We’ve already lost too much time, don’t you think? Let’s not waste any more.
–
His heart was hammering so hard he was sure she could hear it
“Is that…” His voice came out rough and wondering: “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?
Ananna’s cheeks flushed pink, but her gaze stayed steady on his. “I think I might be asking you to be my boyfriend Jayden Hiddleston
The smile that spread across his face felt like sunrise,
“Well then,” he said, bringing her hand to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles, “I guess I accept your proposal.”
Chapter 15
