Spring

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Sage Gibson

Part of me doesn't want to believe last night actually happened. A huge part of me is terrified that I've ruined a great friendship, and shit maybe two considering Aria is his sister.

Another part of me has butterflies in my stomach as I wake up to him using my stomach as a pillow and hugging me around the waist like a teddy bear.

I don't know what time it is. I don't know if I want to know. I slept peacefully last night. I had a clear head and I didn't dream. I didn't even wake up at any time during the night.

I grab my phone from the side table where it lays next to Marc's. I take it off the charger and unlock it. I have a message from Jamie that he sent at three in the morning. It must've been when he just got home from the party.

It's a picture. A selfie of him, Jordan, and I. We're all grinning widely. I don't focus on any of that. Marc's next to me, so technically also in the picture but he isn't looking at the camera. He's looking at me.

I get the fluttering back in my stomach and smile.

I can't try to ignore how scared I am of this whole thing, but Marc makes me think it's worth it. He's worth it.

I reach down and run my fingers through his hair. He sucks in a deep breath but doesn't stir.

I stay awake for another hour. It's only seven, and it's eight when he finally wakes up. I feel bad, but I was starting to feel too trapped. When I shifted only slightly, he woke up.

"What?" Marc blinks his eyes rapidly, looking around. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. I'm sorry, I was trying to move."

"Oh." He immediately moves over, lying next to me so that I have space to move around. "What time is it?"

"Eight." He groans in response and I laugh.

He buries his head in the pillow. I smile fondly, reaching over and tracing my fingers against the back of his neck.

"Was last night a dream?" I ask in a whisper because I'm genuinely afraid that it was.

Marc rolls onto his back and looks at me. I'm sitting with my legs crossed by his side. His eyes are soft and his lips pull into a gentle smile. One of his hands reaches up and traces the side of my face.

"God, I hope not."

I smile too. Leaning down, I kiss him. He's quick to react and his hands hold my face while I lean over and kiss him. It's soft and I don't make it anything more. I like this.

"Oh, good, so it wasn't a dream." I grin as I pull back. He smiles too.

I want to kiss him and not stop. I want his hands to hold my face for the rest of eternity. Or my hips, or my neck. I don't care I just want him to hold me.

"Of course it wasn't." He assures, tracing the outlines of my face in a way that makes me feel pretty. "I like you, and I want you to be my boyfriend."

I smile. "I'm your boyfriend then."

"Good." He hums.