to live for the hope of it all.

Chapter 11

September 23rd, 2023

"Oh, it's impossible to get you off my mind,
I think about a hundred thoughts and you are 99..."

Beckett

Just send it, Beckett.

Do it.

Message sent.

Fuck.

I peek through the curtains and watch as Bailey doesn't bother putting her book down, just angles her head so she can check the notification. But when she sees it, she goes back to her book, and my heart drops. Then her eyes go wide and she does a double take at her phone before closing her book and grabbing it, and my heart lifts again.

Yes. She didn't ignore me.

And then she looked up. Right at my window, and I dropped the curtain back into place before dropping to the floor.

God damn it.

Truth being said, I wasn't sure what I was nervous about.

Okay that's a lie, I definitely knew.

Bailey and I talked every day, on the way to school, in class at the end of the day, and whenever we are out with our families now, it was a big step for us.

But we hadn't crossed the territory of hanging out, just us, outside of our rides to school.

But I am really hoping that was about to change, we wouldn't be alone, Delilah is here too. Our mom decided to stay with Aunt Jenna since my Uncle Will was out of town for work, so that left me to babysit. And hopefully Bailey too, if she accepted my invitation.

Taking a chance, I pushed the curtain over to look at her. She had been sitting there earlier when I had gone downstairs to help unload groceries my mom had just bought, and when I came back upstairs an hour later around 7 when my mom left, she was in the same spot, reading a book with her brow furrowed like it always did when she was concentrating.

Now, she sat staring at her phone, thumb pressed to her bottom lip as she contemplated what to say, at least that's what I hoped she was doing.

After a second, both hands went to her phone to type something, and then her bedroom door opened and she dropped her phone on the desk. Grandpa Matt walked in, said something, and then left the room after smiling at her.

When Bailey turned back around, she was smiling and her face was flushed, then she picked up her phone and started typing again.

When my phone pinged from my nightstand, I ran not so gracefully to check it. Beau watched me from where he laid on my bed, but I was too distracted to analyze whether or not my dog was judging me right now.

Me: Delilah and I are about to watch a movie. Do you maybe want to join if you're not busy?

Bailey: Be there in 15.

Yes!

I quickly changed into a pair of sweatpants that were fresh from the dryer before changing my shirt out for a fresh one too, then I ran downstairs with Beau on my heel.

"Delilah! Bailey is coming too, want to help me with the popcorn?" I asked.

"She is?" My sister asked excitedly, hopping the couch and running to meet me in the kitchen.

"Yeah, she'll be here in a few. So let's get the snacks out, okay?"

"I like that you and Bailey are friends now," she said, smiling happily. I stopped what I was doing and leaned on the counter in front of where she sat.