Another chuckle ensues. “Look, here’s some real advice, since your head is so far up in the clouds. Either man up and tell her everything you’re feeling or suck it up and forget about it.” My heart beats that much faster at the idea. He hangs up before I can reply, and my music picks up from where it left off. I scoff at the guy I’ve started to become sort of friends with, and I regret everything thus far.
I see the familiar street names.
Left.
Right.
Left again, till you hit a fence.
I park in my usual spot as the night sky shines above me, my mind already mapping all the constellations. I take out my portable telescope and slam the trunk. I walk into the field I’ve visited hundreds of times over the years. Finding the old willow tree, I set up the telescope, my hands flowing with ease as I adjust everything so I can have a direct view of the cluster of stars near and dear to my heart.
As I peek through the lens, a flash lights up thenight sky, and with it, a flashback.
“Freckles, I’m gonna catch you!” I exclaimed, trying to keep up with her as I surged ahead in our race. She stuck her tongue out playfully, urging me on. In the end, she won, but before she could boast about her win, I gently tackled her to the ground, and we both dissolved into laughter. As we laid side by side, our eyes met and our hands naturally found each other.Locking our fingers together, I brought them to my lips, planting a delicate kiss on her soft skin, causing a slight blush to creep across her cheeks. I adored how I could make her blush so easily.
“I beat you,” she teased, but I wasn’t listening, I was getting lost in her eyes, not caring about the outcome of the race whatsoever.“The sun’s setting,” she said nervously, looking over to Ms. Kate, but I got up, wrapping my hands around her.
“Hey, I’m here. I won’t let anything happen, okay?” I reassured, hoping my words and gentle touch eased her nerves. When I asked if she wanted to stay, she hesitated briefly before nodding.
“I feel safe when you’re with me,” she admitted, and my heart burst with happiness.
Taking a deep breath, we laid back down, looking up at the night sky, and then we started naming the constellations and the stars we learned about in school.
Suddenly, a bright streak lit up the sky—a shooting star. Her gasp drew my attention. “Liam, did you see that?”she exclaimed. “It was a shooting star!” I nodded. “Well, we have to wish for something. Dad told me that when you see a shooting star, you always make a wish.”
“One, two, three,” we counted in unison, closing our eyes. In that moment, my heart wished for something I’d longed for.
I wish you would love me back someday in the future,I thought, silently sharing my deepest desire, speaking the words with my heart.
“Done,” she said, opening her eyes while I was already looking at her.
Intertwining our fingers again, I leaned in to kiss her temple, whispering, “Me too, Freckles.”
I pull at the strands at the base of my neck in frustration, bringing me back to the present. I scoff at how much I cared about her,loved her, even. Then for her to end our friendship without even giving me a chance to prove her wrong. She left like we were nothing, and even came back like it’s nothing. A ding comes from my phone and I grab it; it’s probably Mom wondering where I went off to. Seeing the social media logo, I hold down, thinking it’s another batch of likes on the official page for InkedAcademia. I hesitate a bit, seeing Mom’s handle instead, a new photo of her and the bane of my existence.
Bianca’ssmiling so hard you can’t even see her blue eyes, and for some reason, my heart starts beating so fast. I force my smile to drop and chuck my phone down on the ground, wanting to calm myself, trying not to rile myself up again at the reaction of my treacherous heart.
God, what’s wrong with me? How could she do that? Be there like nothing’s wrong. Go along with it all when I’m broken over everything.
We’re broken.
I sigh at that, and my conversation with Chase comes back to my head.
Either man up and tell her everything you’re feeling or suck it up and forget about it.
I know this. My brain knows this.
I can pass astronomical science principles in my sleep. I’ve passed every mathematical theory class in the aerospace curriculum and then some. But when it comes to Bianca—basic philosophical truths have different answers, and everything I know to be true blurs together. It’s like I can’t stop myself from throwing out my brain and letting my heart guide all my actions.
Mom once told me that I had the biggest heart she had ever seen in someone, and that it would be both a blessing and a curse. She told me to protect it, but how can I do that when all I want to do is give it to someone who doesn’t want it?
Someone whom I, unfortunately, still love with everything I’ve got.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
BIANCA
Sounds of barking and meowing come through the door as I glance through the window, seeing all the little guys. My heart fills that much more when one of the vet assistants comes out holding a precious little chihuahua, whispering the words, “You’ll be better soon.”
