How did I know?
Maybe the sheer lack of luck in my life hinted at it?
Yeah, that's probably it.
I sigh and sink to the bench. I might as well get in a few moments of this view before I go anyway.
It does look particularly gorgeous tonight...
A cool wind blows around the lake, bristling through the leaves and swaying the ankle-height grass at my feet gently.
I inhale the fresh yet slightly salty air and exhale loudly.
A shiver runs through me and at last I stand, unable to delay returning to the car any longer.
Casting one last, longing look at the lake, I wrap my arms around myself and look down at my feet.
I take only a few steps before a bump into something solid.
Two hands grip my forearms as I stumble back.
My eyes shoot up to look at the blue-green eyes that stare back at me.
Soft brown-blonde hair tousled by the wind sweeps across his forehead and he half smiles, knocking away my breath and any coherence I once had.
My lips stay slightly parted as I stare into the big orbs of utter perfection.
I exhale silently, my knees becoming rubbery.
Jason...
"Lauren..." He whispers, his eyes staying on mine.
The softness of his husky voice sends a delighted shiver across my skin and a light blushing to my cheeks.
As if he detects my shiver, Jason rubs his big hands up and down my forearms.
"What're you doing here?" He says, dragging his eyes down to my pyjamas.
I blush brighter. "I was hoping to um, talk to you?" I gulp as it comes out as more of a question.
His smile falters and he steps back, looking down at his own feet. "Yeah, I wanted to talk to you, too."
This makes me gulp even harder. "You did?" I squeak nervously.
He nods once inhaling swiftly through the thin line of his lips. "Do you need a ride home?" He says, gesturing down the hill, "I could put the heaters on?"
I reach back with my nervous hands, trying to find something to do with them. I settle for pulling my pants a little higher, "my mom drove me..." I say as it gets a little awkward.
"Oh."
I gulp and shuffle on my feet, my fingers hitched into the waistband of my Bonds pyjama pants. "So, um, I wanted to apologise, for um, not telling you..." I stammer out, my voice quiet.
He nods once, looking up at me questionably. "Why didn't you? Really, I mean, not because of the pity." He says, his voice never wavering.
I gulp a little again, "my dad didn't want me to tell... And I guess I didn't want to admit it because then it made it.... Real." I choke out the last word, looking anywhere but at him.
"Lauren." He draws my eyes to quickly glance, but I don't linger with my eyes on him. "It's okay to be scared."
I find myself scoffing. "Scared? God, Jason, I'm not SCARED... I'm terrified." The tears that burn the back of my eyes spill over to dribble dully down my cheeks.
He sighs and steps close, grabbing my forearm to gently tug me into his chest. What should be awkward - my nose crushing against his collarbone, tears staining his blue shirt and shaky arms that wrap around his waist as I sob - isn't awkward at all. It's oddly comforting.
