"Was it real? Was it just as real for you as it was for me?"
"I've never once lied about my feelings for you."
★✩★✩★
Two weeks, two teens, and one conversation was all it took for these teens to develop a connection. It grew until it was broken by s...
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"And that summer, she never let her leg hair grow!"
"It's not my fault that you liked to tease me that way," I mumbled under my breath as my dad showed Josh and Lilith the photos of my childhood.
"But, he is right. You rarely did shave. And then you kept it up after Dad told you about it. It's so you to prove something to someone, even if it's a tad bit out of the ordinary for you."
"No one asked you, Brads."
Brads had came home for my small visit. It's been a while since we had last seen each other. I had missed my brother.
"It was worse than my legs! Or Josh's!"
The four of them burst out into laughter after looking at Josh's leg. I pouted as I grabbed my drink. My cheeks were heated at the retelling of the summer I hadn't shaved.
My father liked to say that I was becoming a girl. I hated girls. Detested being a girl because girls were too girly. They depended on doing things a boy didn't define what a girl was. I didn't like it so I didn't shave to show that I didn't care for that binary.
But after he said I was a girl, I started my period and became hormonal. I didn't talk to him for a week after that, angry that I was falling into what I hated. My mother was angry with me for not talking to him, even if my grandfather talked to me about it, but he never teased me again.
"So, how has my girl been? She hasn't been going too crazy? Going to parties? Living the college life up?" Dad asked.
"No, she doesn't even go. She's always in the dorms before we get checked, at least an hour or two before. She never skips class and always goes to work. She's the best kind of person I know. Responsible." Lilith praised me.
"And since she's with Ph-"
"What's this?" Brads pushed my phone towards me, letting me know that I was getting a text.
Which was from Philip. He was asking about our first date details. My family had yet to know about my love life since Gage. Now that I was able to not be pain-filled at his name, I was able to think about the future without him.
"He's just a guy. I'm going on a date with him."
"Oh, I hope he doesn't think he can get handsy. I'll go and kick his ass if need be."
"I don't doubt it," I laughed.
******
"Bella, come here."
I followed Brads outside. The railing of our father's apartment was cold to the touch but I leaned against it. The apartment was overheating me, everyone's body was near and the warmth of it all had my cheeks flushed.
It had been a while since I felt happy.
"Since Mom left, I had yet to see you genuinely smile. Even when Gage was here, your smile was worn down. Now, you smile as if you mean it. I'm glad. I hope you're doing well." Brads wrapped his arm around my shoulders before I turned to give him a full hug.
