Cold Water

TWENTY EIGHT

                 ♡BRANDON♡

  The next day, I spent most of it in my room, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts about Athalia.

  I was still basking in the afterglow of our perfect day together, replaying every moment and savouring the memories.

  I sat by my desk, idly sketching and trying to focus on my art, but my thoughts kept drifting back to her.

  The way she looked in that sundress, the sound of her laughter, and the feel of her kiss–all of it–was running through my head on a loop.

I kept looking at my phone, half–expecting another message from her, but it stayed quiet.

  Part of me was anxious, wondering if I should reach out again or if I was overthinking things.

  I found myself replaying our conversations and trying to analyze every little detail, hoping to make sense of what I felt and what she might feel.

  I decided to put my thoughts on paper, sketching a new piece inspired by our time together.

  As I worked, I tried to channel all my emotions and thoughts about Athalia into the drawing.

  It was a way for me to process everything and express how much she meant to me.

  The day seemed to drag on, and I found myself glancing at the clock every few minutes.

  I was eager to hear from her again and to see her soon. As the evening approached, I felt a mix of anticipation and nervousness, wondering how our next meeting would unfold and what the future might hold for us.

As the day wore on and the shadows grew longer, I found myself increasingly restless.

My thoughts were consumed by Athalia, and I decided it was time to reach out to her.

I wanted to let her know how much I was thinking about her and how much our day together meant to me.

I picked up my phone and stared at the message screen, trying to find the right words. I decided to keep it simple and sincere, just like I felt.

"Hey Athalia, I just wanted to say I've been thinking about yesterday a lot. It was such a special day, and I'm really glad we had that time together. How's your day going?"

  I hesitated for a moment before hitting send, feeling a mix of hope and anxiety.

  As soon as the message was on its way, I set my phone down and tried to distract myself with some music, waiting for her reply.

  The minutes ticked by slowly, and I found myself checking my phone frequently, hoping to see her name pop up. Each buzz or ping made my heart race a little faster.

  I paced around my room, trying to keep myself occupied while I waited for a response.

  My phone felt like it was taunting me, each minute stretching longer than the last.

  Finally, after what felt like an eternity, it buzzed with a new message. I grabbed it quickly, eager to see what Athalia had said.

"Hey, Brandon. I've been thinking about yesterday too. It was really special for me as well. My day's been good, just catching up on some work. How about you?"

  A smile spread across my face as I read her message. I felt a sense of relief and happiness knowing she felt the same way. I quickly typed back:

"I've been good, just trying to keep busy as well."

  I hit send and then placed my phone down, trying to stay patient. The excitement of our conversation was a welcome distraction from my earlier overthinking.

  After our conversation, I tossed my phone aside, lying back on my bed. I couldn't help but think about the kiss.

  It had caught me off guard, but in the best way possible. Still, the more I thought about it, the more my mind began to wander.

  Would it be awkward when we saw each other tomorrow at school? I mean, it wasn't just a peck on the cheek anymore. It was a kiss on the lips.

  Something about that felt bigger, more real, and now I wasn't sure how she'd feel about it.

  What if it was just in the moment for her? Or what if it meant more to her than it did to me? Or the other way round?

   I kept replaying the way her eyes looked into mine before she kissed me.

  The way she'd hesitated, almost like she was giving me the chance to back away. But I didn't. I didn't want to.

  I sighed, running my hands through my hair. I didn't want things to be weird between us, but I wasn't sure how to act tomorrow. Should I bring it up? Or just pretend like it was no big deal? My stomach twisted at the thought of it being awkward.

  As much as I wanted to relax, I couldn't shake the nerves. I liked her–a lot. But what if things moved too fast? What if she thought differently now?

I guess I'd just have to wait and see.

~~~~~~~

After tossing and turning in bed for what felt like forever, I decided to get up. The uncertainty was gnawing at me.

  I needed to talk to someone about all these confusing feelings, and there was only one person I could think of.

   Aunt Dina.

  I found her downstairs in the living room, watching some show with a cup of tea in her hand. She glanced up when she heard me approach, her eyebrows raising slightly in surprise.

"Hey, kid. Everything okay?" she asked, her voice gentle, but with that usual hint of curiosity.

  I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling awkward. "Uh, yeah. Kind of. I just... needed some advice."

  Dina patted the spot on the couch next to her. "Come sit. What's on your mind?"

  I sank into the couch, taking a deep breath before speaking. "It's about Athalia. We've been hanging out a lot, and yesterday... she kissed me." I hesitated, my words stumbling out, but I pushed forward.

  "Like, on the lips. And now I don't know if things will be weird tomorrow at school. I don't want to ruin whatever we've got going on, but I'm starting to feel like maybe... I like her more than just as a friend. But I don't know if she feels the same or if it was just a moment thing."

  Aunt Dina set her tea down and turned to face me fully. She had that wise look on her face, the one she always had when she was about to give advice.

  "Brandon, it's normal to feel confused, especially when things like this happen," she began. "But from what you've told me about Athalia, it seems like she really cares about you. A kiss on the lips isn't something casual, especially when you're both trying to figure things out. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to be honest with yourself and with her. You don't have to figure everything out right now, but if you feel something, it's okay to acknowledge it."

  She gave me a soft smile. "If she kissed you, it's likely she feels something too. Just take things slow, talk to her, and see where it goes. But don't overthink it. Let it happen naturally."

  Her words eased some of the tension I'd been carrying. I nodded, feeling a little more sure of myself.

"Thanks, Aunt Dina. That helps... a lot."

She patted my shoulder, smiling warmly. "Anytime. Just remember, whatever happens, you'll figure it out."

  I got up to head back to my room, feeling a little lighter. Aunt Dina was right-maybe I didn't need to have all the answers right now. I just needed to be open and honest.

♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♡♡♡