Three Entangled Hearts

Chapter 5 - If Only

The weather seems to reflect my emotions today. Rain buckets down, pinging against the windows of the school.

"God, when will this day end." Annie mutters under her breath.

"You okay?" I ask, as I close my locker door.

"Didn't get much sleep because I was up late finishing that stupid assignment for history, but then when I handed it in earlier, my teacher told me to redo it, as it didn't have enough facts." Annie explains.

"Ugh, that sucks! Sorry, Annie. Do you want some help tonight redoing it?" I offer, as we walk the length of the hallway, turning to face a long set of stairs.

"Nah, I think I'll be okay, but if I call you, it's so you can try to keep my sane." Annie laughs, as we enter a classroom.

"Can do." I smile as we take our seats. My smile falters when Ty walks into the classroom, and he notices my instant change.

"Hey." He says, sliding down into the desk next to mine.

"Hi, how has your day been?" Annie asks, and the continue to discuss their days, whilst I zone out.

My arms lay crossed on the desk, my head resting against my makeshift pillow. I doubt I can deal with Ty today, and the sadness that comes along, with knowing I won't ever get to be with him.

My eyes flutter closed, as I try to listen to the teacher, who is now lecturing about diseases that can be picked up if you aren't hygienic.

I try my best to stay awake, but ultimately fail, snuggling the top of my head into my inner elbow.

♡♡♡

"Did you take any notes about the upcoming assessment? Cause I forgot every think she said the minute she said it." I hear Ty ask, before a bell rings out.

"What?" I ask groggily, sitting up.

"Did you sleep through the whole thing?" Ty laughs, as I gather my unused notebooks and pens, shoving them in my bag.

"Maybe." I reply, as Annie passes my her notebook.

"Here's everything we covered today." She smiles sweetly.

"You are a life saver, whatever did I do to deserve you?" I ask, hugging her tightly.

"Well, you're pretty great, too. Just so you know." Annie replies, as she packs away her stuff, before talking to someone of the newspaper.

"How did you not notice I was asleep?" I ask Ty playfully.

"I don't know, I was being a good student and was sitting on the edge of my seat, writing down everything she said."

"Oh really?" Annie laughs when she turns back around.

"Can we be sure that the whole page of 'notes' is not just scribbles and little doodles?" She asks, smiling.

"Okay, maybe the page is 50/50." Ty admits as we walk over to the lockers. I try to avoid looking him in the eyes, keeping Annie between us mostly.

Once we have finished packing away our books into our lockers, Ty asks, "Annie, can I steal Jess away just for a minute?"

"Yeah sure, do you want me to wait, or-"

"No it's okay, you go ahead. If you need any help with that assignment though, call me." I say, as I follow Ty, not completely sure where we are going.

He leads me out onto the empty baseball field, rain falling ever so lightly against the grass.

Ty is the first one to speak, "Sorry, just wanted us to be able to talk alone."

"What do you want to talk about?" I ask, feigning confusement, but I assume he has noticed how I have been distancing myself from him.

"You've just been acting odd lately. Like you don't want to be around me. You've been doing your best to avoid me when Annie isn't around, and when she is, you seem to hide behind her. Obviously not literally, but figuratively, you are using her to keep distance between us, and I want to know why." Ty sighs, running a hand through his hair.

"I just- I don't know-" I try to explain, but no explanation, other than that I like him, works to explain why.

I take a deep breath, looking up into his eyes, that pierce through mine. I glance at his lips, and the next thought I have is the most stupid ridiculous thing I have ever thought up.

But I follow my gut, reach up to Ty, placing my hand in his cheek, and pressing my lips against his. The kiss is short, and for a moment he doesn't do anything.

And then Ty wraps his arms around my waist pulling me close, and kissing me. The heat of the moment has my hands in his hair, his lips against mine with a passion.

I think this could be the end of me. This kiss. If I just melted into his arms, I would not be suprised.

And then he stops, his breath hot against my cheek, he lets go of me, and steps away.

His eyes shine guilt and regret, and I can tell mine are hurt and misery.

"I shouldn't have- we can't- I'm sorry, I should go." Ty speaks, quickly walking off, leaving me to cry, while rain plummets down, mixing with my tears till I don't know which is which.

I walk aimlessly around the school grounds, until I reach the car park, and spot Gabe's car. I quickly jog to the car, tapping gently on the window. Gabe rolls down the window, laughing when he sees how I absolutely drenched, and probably look similar to a sewerage rat.

"Oh my god, Jess you're going to freeze, get in the car." Gabe exclaims, as I open the passengers door, jumping in.

Gabe helps me take of my soaked jumper and scarf, and passes me a dry coat to borrow.

"What the hell were you doing out in the rain?" He asks, as I glance out the window, wanting to see Ty, wishing that he had come back. But all I see is an almost empty school parking lot.

"Something stupid." I sigh.