Stole His Heart.

Fragile bonds

The door knocked, and I opened it to find Wyatt standing there, his messy hair adding a touch of charm to his casual look. "Hey, morning! How was your morning hair battle?" he asked, a playful glint in his eyes.

I chuckled, running my fingers through my own hair. "Oh, you have no idea. It's like my hair has a mind of its own!" I replied, shaking my head.

We made jokes about morning struggles as we walked to school, and I couldn't help but feel at ease in his company. As we reached the school building, we reluctantly parted ways to our respective classes. I headed to biology, and Wyatt reminded me that we had science together later, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh, right. Because I totally forgot about our most exciting class of the day," I replied, matching his sarcasm with a grin. "See you later, then!"

During biology class, my fatigue got the better of me, and I dozed off. The sound of the bell jolted me awake, and I realized I was late for science. In my rush, I nearly tripped down the stairs, but luckily, Wyatt caught me just in time.

"I knew we had science together, and I was looking for you!" he said, trying to hide a smirk as he steadied me.

"Thank you, oh knight in shining armor. Now let's hurry to class before it decides to punish us for tardiness!" I said, grabbing his wrist and playfully pulling him along.

In the school lab, we were paired as partners, and as Wyatt mixed the chemicals, I read through the instructions. However, his mix-up resulted in a loud bang, and we burst into laughter at the unexpected outcome.

Wyatt feigned innocence, raising an eyebrow. "Whoops, I guess chemistry isn't my strong suit," he joked, earning another round of giggles from me.

Just as we were wiping away our tears of laughter, the teacher stepped in with a stern expression. "I hope you both find this amusing, because this experiment couldn't have gone more horribly wrong," the teacher scolded, trying to suppress a smile.

As class ended, Wyatt and I walked out together, and he tried to rub off the dust from his face. I quickly pulled out a napkin and, with a hint of lingering laughter, started cleaning his cheek. Our eyes met, and for a moment, the world seemed to slow down as we shared a wordless connection.

With the bell signaling our free period, Wyatt excused himself to wash his face, and I went outside to sit on a bench, blasting music through my earphones as I scrolled on my phone.

Wyatt soon joined me, taking an earphone out of my ear and replacing it with his own. We listened together, and soon enough, we found ourselves sharing stories about our funniest moments.

Wyatt's phone buzzed, and I could sense a change in his demeanor as he read the message. "Sorry, I have to take care of something urgent," he said, trying to hide the disappointment in his eyes.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but he assured me he'd be back. However, instead of believing him, I followed behind, curiosity gnawing at me.

As we approached the lockers, I watched Wyatt lean against one in front of a girl who appeared to be upset. They exchanged words, and she handed him some cash before hugging him tightly. My heart sank as I stood there, feeling a mix of shock and heartache.

I ran to the bathroom stalls, my emotions overwhelming me, and eventually decided to go home without notice. As I arrived, my brother, Alex, was taken aback by my tears and quickly pulled me into a comforting embrace.

"He was hugging her," I managed to choke out between sobs, unable to articulate my feelings coherently.

Alex held me close, offering a listening ear as I poured out my heart. He patiently listened, and as I calmed down, he reassured me that everything would be okay and that he was there for me.

Through the support of my brother and the conversations we had, I slowly started to piece together my emotions and thoughts. The rollercoaster of the day had left me feeling raw and vulnerable, but with Alex's understanding, I felt a glimmer of hope that things would eventually be sorted out.

As the tears continued to flow, Alex remained by my side, offering a steady presence that I desperately needed. He gently rubbed my back, providing comfort without pressuring me to speak until I was ready.

After some time, my sobs subsided, and I took a deep breath, trying to regain control of my emotions. "I'm sorry for bursting in like this," I said, my voice still shaky. "It's just... it's all so confusing,"

Alex pulled away slightly, his caring eyes locked onto mine. "It's okay, Nika. You don't need to apologize. You can take all the time you need to figure things out," he reassured me.

I nodded, wiping away the remaining tears. "It's just that I saw Wyatt hugging that girl, and it caught me off guard. I didn't expect it, and I don't know why it affected me so much," I confessed, feeling a mix of embarrassment and vulnerability.

Alex smiled gently, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "Sometimes, feelings can be unpredictable, and that's okay. Wyatt cares about you, and maybe there's a simple explanation for what you saw," he said, trying to offer some comfort.

"But what if there's more to it, Alex? What if... what if he has feelings for that girl?" I asked, my voice trembling with fear.

Alex sighed, his expression thoughtful. "It's possible, Nika. People's feelings can change, and we can't control that. But it's also possible that it's nothing romantic. Maybe they're just friends, or maybe there's some other explanation. The only way to find out is to talk to Wyatt about it," he suggested gently.

I took in his words, realizing that he was right. If I wanted clarity, I needed to communicate with Wyatt openly. But the fear of confronting my feelings and potential rejection held me back.

"I don't want to ruin what we have, Alex. Wyatt means so much to me, and I don't want to lose him," I confessed, my heart aching at the thought.

Alex placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "I understand, Nika, and I can see how much you care about him. But keeping these emotions bottled up won't make things any clearer. You deserve to know where you stand, and so does Wyatt," he said gently.

Taking a deep breath, I nodded, acknowledging the truth in his words. "You're right, as always, big brother," I said with a small smile, grateful for his wisdom and support.

Alex smiled back, pulling me into another comforting hug. "It's going to be alright, Nika. Whatever happens, I'll be here for you, every step of the way," he assured me.

In that moment, I felt a renewed sense of strength and determination. I knew that I couldn't avoid the conversation with Wyatt any longer. It was time to face my feelings and find the courage to talk to him honestly.

I received many texts from Wyatt that day, that I kept on ignoring as I gave myself space. although it made my heart ache, I knew that I would text him eventually, as I tried my best to avoid him.