Young Hearts: A teenage romance short story

14 | Second Ending

Daniel disappeared immediately after seeing us from his angle, which James intended to make it look like we actually kissed, leaving Charlotte alone on the dance floor and at the verge of crying. I learned that he tried to break up with her but she refused saying she is okay with anything just not ending what she assumed was the perfect relationship. She needed her head hit or something.

I didn't get angry when James gave me a peck. I was utterly shocked, but I understood what he was trying to do. He's not someone who would go out of his way to annoy anybody. But I knew... I just knew, that he heard how Daniel spoke to me that day and he didn't like it.

All we got from Daniel were  hostility, anger, and sarcasm. He didn't avoid Jason and Jane but whenever I was around with them, he made me feel like an outsider. The more he did that, the more James came to my rescue.

I told James I could handle it but he said he couldn't just sit around watching Daniel treat me like that.

Daniel eventually got tired of his actions and just ignored us. He did look upset every time James and I were together but he stopped kicking a fuss. Not long after, he had his blank face back on. To me, it signified that he was trying to get over it once again.

James and I denied we were dating. We would tell students who asked that we were best friends. When they asked about the 'kiss' we would say we wanted to make someone jealous and nothing intimate about it. They bought it.

*****

Fast forward to five months after, James and I went to the back of the building to talk early in the morning.

"So this is it, huh?" he says with a little shaky voice. He exhaled heavily.

"Uh-huh," I nodded. We were both quiet and just awkwardly smiling. But I thought I should keep this direct and clear. "So what happens now?"

"We go back to being friends," he said with a little hesitancy.

"That was a good run, I had fun with you, James," I held his hand. I was so comfortable with him.

His presence, his warmth, his humour, and protection made me feel at home with him.

He smiled and looked up to the sky. I was about to let him go when he suddenly gripped my hand and pulled me to his chest. "Thank you, Caitlin. I am trying to be a better person because of you. I hope I changed somehow."

I nodded, I couldn't speak because he was choking me with his tight hug.

When he let me go I inhaled air as much as I could, to which we both chuckled.

"You're not gonna avoid me?" I asked. He shook his head.

"No angry or sad faces?" He shook his head again. "Pinky swear?" He took my pinky with his.

"You are an amazing person, James. Had I been in a different situation... Nah, not important." I smiled. "I guess, it's not the right time for this." I sighed.

"Are you saying there could be a right time for us?"

"Maybe? Who knows.."

"I should talk to the gods again," he grinned.

"This running joke is getting lamer by the second," I shook my head with a smile on my face.

"This is what will happen," he exhaled once again. "We will just spend less time together, like the early days.. when I was still chasing you.. I will bother you less, and I will try to not get involved too much in your life. I will stand tall after this defeat and show you how much I've grown."

I laughed at his last sentence. "I didn't know why you wanted to do this even though it would end like this but it made me happy."

"Happier than when you were with Daniel?" He teased.