Wonderland

❄B19❄ What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

Chapter Nineteen

Brayden's POV

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

 

October 24

I sensed that Heather was still upset from what went on yesterday, so I took her out to breakfast at a café outside campus.

"I'm not so sad anymore," Heather tried to convince. She was sitting across from me, a plate of croissant and chocolate-covered strawberries in front of her. The café had a nice '80s vibe to it. They were playing some John Travolta song—I think it was a song from Grease, but I couldn't be too sure.

"You can lie all you want, Heather, but in the end, you aren't fooling me. You're like an open book," I pointed out.

She scowled. "I'm not sure how I feel about that."

"Just eat. I know you'll be working your ass off again later today."

"I can't help it. I really need to pass these midterms."

"And you will. I think you got them. Why don't you just come hang out with Berkeley and I tonight?"

"Tonight? I thought your date was on Friday?"

"She messaged me this morning before you woke up. She wants to hang out with me today, apparently."

"I don't want to intrude," Heather said.

"It's a casual hang out. I'm pretty sure she'll be bringing her friends."

"Where does she want to meet?"

"Uh..." I pulled out my phone and clicked into Berkeley's texts. "At some house..."

"So, a party, huh?" She shook her head. "I'm going to focus on my studies, Brayden."

"It'll help you take off some stress. Come on, I'm not one for parties, either, but this is how you go out and meet new people."

"Maybe I don't want to meet new people. Maybe I just want to be alone, studying. I'm not going, Brayden. But you go and have a nice time. I think you and Berkeley look adorable together." She smiled at me, but for some reason, it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Heather, what happened yesterday with your dad—just forget about it. He's not worth your time and energy. He doesn't deserve you," I said, realizing that her dad's visit yesterday had affected her more than I thought.

"It's hard not to. I tried so hard to make him love me, and it was all for nothing." She sniffled, but made no show of crying. "Thanks for the breakfast, Brayden."

"You haven't even touched it," I said. I had already finished the banana bread in front of me, and was now trying to finish my hot chocolate.

"I am now," she said, stuffing a strawberry into her mouth.

I smirked. "Yeah, I can see."

She blushed.

"Hey, what do you call a sad strawberry?" I said, leaning into the table towards her.

She cocked her head to the side, confused.

I grinned. "A blueberry. Get it?" I burst out laughing at my lame joke. I picked it up from a joke book I had read a few years ago.

It took me a few seconds to realize that Heather wasn't laughing along with me. "You don't get it?" I said.

"No, I do. I just...I have a terrible sense of humor. I'm sorry," she apologized.