Loveproof Heart

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

I fluffed my hair and sniffed at my reflection in the mirror, Mary had left the room after realising she still  had one of her shoes on but not the other.

I smiled...no, not good enough.  Smile again....no. Another...that's it that's the one. I may feel like I want to go hide in a corner and sulk right now. But I couldn't do that to Mary. Bring her down with me, I mean. 

I mean, come on, just because I feel like down right....shizzle....doesn't mean she has to too. I turned on my heel and slid across the linoleum floor with my batman socks. 

"Hey Mary, wanna watch Seven Pounds again?" I asked, trying to look happy, but from the look on her face she wasn't buying it. 

"Sure.."She stretched out the word and narrowed her left eye at me. I ignored her and kneeled down in front of my cabinet to get out the DVD.  Stupid Mary...often too smart for her own good. I pretended to be looking for the DVD but was blinded by the tears lining up in my lids.

"Are you sure you're not upset..?"She asked right behind me.".....Anymore....." She amended.

"Yeah." I let out breathily.

"Puh-lease. I can tell you're upset. Never lie to me Hailey." She told me, whilst she grabbed the the right DVD .

"How?" I didn't turn around.

"Because your eyes go all wide, it;s quiet adorable actually..." 

"Glad you like it....Oh shoot we forgot the popcorn....excuse me." I rushed out the door, and a couple of doors down so that Mary couldn't hear me if/when I broke down. Wetness rush down my cheeks and I raised my hand to roughly rub the back of it on my eyes. Which just made them go down faster.

My breathing started to come out in ragged gasps and it was getting harder to breath. I leaned against the wall, sliding down it slowly. 

Now look what he's done to me.

"Hailey....are you ok?" Speak of the Devil...

My sobs came out harsher, my shoulders shaking at a mile a minute. Heavy footsteps walked quickly towards me and I felt a body quickly slump down beside me on the wall. They quickly engulfed me in their arms and the musky smell of Chris hit me. 

Chris.

I dug my face into his chest, letting the tears flow freely. 

"Shhh." He cooed softly in my ear."Don't cry."

I lost track of time as the cascade of tears made it's way down my face, until finally they subsided.

"How long have I been crying?" I asked quietly after the hiccups from the crying stopped.

"A while." He answered simply, stroking my hair softly with his hand. I wonder if Mary came out during that? I really didn't know.

I lifted my face from his shir, looking down at it.

"Oh.....I made you shirt wet....." I told him dumbly, as I ran my fingers down his shirt. My voice still thick from the tears.

"It's ok." He said as he caught my hand, pulling it  up to his lips."Besides, you're more important than a shirt." Chris wrapped his other arm around my waist and pulled me close to his side. I grinned to myself, dropping my head into the crook of his shoulder and neck and cuddled close to him.

"I sure hope so." I joked as I sniffed.

"Trust me, you are."

I looked up. I smiled, looking into his eyes and noticed that they had the most happiness in them than I've ever noticed before. 

"I'm glad my life is more important than a shirt." 

"You're the most important thing to me in my life..."

Wow. My heart thumped heavily against my chest and I froze. Happiness swelled up inside me..No!  I will not let myself fall for him, but....no. I couldn't do this. Lead him on and fall for him. Then I leave and feel like I just want to die..

"I gotta go." I rushed out, quickly getting up.

"Why?" Chris asked looking up at me, trying to grab my right hand from my side. I pulled it away.

"I can't do this." I whispered to myself."I have to go and get the popcorn for me and Mary." I told him out loud, but from his face I could tell he had heard what I had just murmered to myself. 

"Let me come with you."

I looked into his sincere, concerned, hurt face for a second...

"Fine." I whispered, quickly rushing down the stairs to the kitchen with Chris on my heels. 

I took out the bag of popcorn from the shelf and stuffed it into the microwave, as it was the sort you bought at little corner shops where you could choose salt or sweet and stuff it in your microwave.

Keeping my eyes on the rotating bag of popcorn, I tried my hardest to ignore the boy standing behind me.

"Can I ask you a question?" He said soflty...

"....Sure." I said hesitantly not turning around.

"Why do you keep pulling away from me."

"No I don't." I lied. 

"Yes, you do. Like just now...."He said, his voice rising in volume."Look at me!" He said desperatley, grabbing my arm and turning me around. 

"Tell me...why?" He pleaded.

The microwave beeped and I turned around, grabbing a bowl and the popcorn and walking out.

I turned around at the door, at his miserable face,"I just can't love you....I can't" I whispered.

"Why?"

"Like I said before...me and werewolves don't get along.."

"At least give me a chance." He said, making his way over to me...

"I can't" 

"Why?!" He yelled.

My breathing came out heavily and my chest was rising up and down quickly.

"Just let me love you." He whispered in my ear. "Please...."

"Please..."

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