Heroine

Ch 22 - Friends?

When I woke up, I forgot where I was. For one blissful moment, I forgot I was in Shady Cove. I forgot magic was real. I forgot there were creatures that wanted to eat me. More importantly, I forgot I ever hit on Adam.

I felt around on my nightstand looking for my phone. I usually checked to see if there were any chapter updates on Wattpad when I woke up in the middle of the night.

"The fuck is my phone," I groaned and turned on my lamp.

I remembered where I was as warm light filled my chic-romantic room. I remembered I didn't have service or internet and my phone was all but useless. Along with the rest of my memories, the horrendous memory of Adam saying he wanted to be friends came too.

I didn't want to be that girl, but 'friend' was a four-letter word coming from him.

Girlfriend. Sweetheart. Everything. Those were preferred words.

But it all made too much sense. Guys like him didn't grow on trees. There was exactly one Adam. And there were a million idiot girls in the world.

I never stood a chance.

I heard my front door shut and footsteps run up my stairs. I rubbed my tired eyes to see none other than the subject of my thoughts coming into my room, wearing basketball shorts and a loose tank top showing off his ridiculous shoulders and arms. He was sweating like he just got done with a workout and looking so good I wanted to scoop my eyes out with a melonballer.

"Oh, good— you're up." He walked into my room looking determined.

I squinted at my clock.

"It's 2 in the morning," my groggy voice spoke.

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep." He picked up the stuffed cow from my bed and petted her head as he paced quickly back and forth. "I saw your light on. Figured you were up— Look, I'm really unhappy with how we left things earlier. You looked really fucking sad and I can't stop thinking about it."

I sat up in bed. "Oh. You don't have to—"

"Cause you're fucking amazing. Like the dopest chick ever. You should never be sad." He pointed at me with the stuffed cow. "Fuck anyone who makes you feel like you're not absolutely perfect, Rosie."

"It's no big—"

"I didn't see this coming—" He cut me off again. "And I see everything coming. But you being into me? Not part of the plan. Why on earth would— No. That's not the point." He itched his scar. "OK, let me start over— Hi. Good morning."

He began pacing again, moving my cow from one hand to the other.

"2 AM still counts as night to me." I swung my legs over the edge of the bed slowly.

Adam looked me up and down. From my messy bun to my button-up pajama set, and finally to my grumpy cat socks. A sad smile broke out on his face.

He sat down next to me and grabbed my hand in his, rubbing circles into my palm with his thumb. I could have sighed, his hand felt so good in mine.

"Rose, I am so sorry." His eyes searched mine.

"You don't have to be. Really." I forced a smile, wanting to jump off my balcony to get out of this conversation. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I hate seeing you sad," he said quietly. His gaze dropped to my lips before floating back up to my eyes. "I like making you smile."

I sighed. "Can we please just forget I ever said anything?"

His hand moved to brush some of my messy hair away from my face. His thumb ran down the side of my face and landed on my bottom lip.

"I don't want to forget." His voice was barely over a whisper.