I'm not in love with you... Right?

Captured My Heart

                            Matteo

★Two weeks later★

     We'd taken 2 more tests, and each time I didn't do so bad I often got C's, but that's not bad at all, compared to how I used to do. I was put back on the team officially as Co-captain, thanks to the extra credits Daphne always makes me do whenever I didn't meet her expectations ( meaning to say we always do extra credits ) She certainly doesn't need it, she's an amazing student, but she's always my partner and always gives me all the credit, she was working harder than me to put me back on the team and I was the football player.
   I slowly grew to like eating outside with her, and sometimes, she sat at my table, trying her best to ignore the stares from Britney.
    She'd scheduled the meeting, and it took place next week Tuesday. She was amazing honestly.
    She showed me some more of her paintings, a collection of them being tears and bruises, from her parents. It made my blood boil, but I managed to cool it. She started showing more of herself to me, although she still froze up around my friends and other people.
     We couldn't always have study dates now that I was back on the team and I had to practice, but we still had our breaks at the school's garden.

“ So, secret for a secret. Why does he want you back after 17 years? ” she asks

“ I dunno ” I answered truthfully “ My turn. Has it ever crossed your mind that your adoptive parents planned your real parents deaths ” I was expecting her to yell at me, and scold me, because my theory wasn't based off of facts, but instead, her eyes glazed and she became really quiet, she then replied

“ Yes. Yes it has ” she didn't really talk much after that, and I hated myself for it, break ended, and after school I drove Daph home, and she didn't beg me to stay to study. I went for training till sunset, before returning home.

   I got home and I heard suddenly disrupted sniffles.

“ Mom? ”

“ Y-yes, Baby? ” she answered, trying hard not reveal she'd been crying even though she clearly had been. And like the coward I was, I played along, because it's what I do. I run away from my problems, all of them, just like my father. My thoughts consumed me and I just needed to get away.

“ I-I'm going to Daph's ” I said, then left, heaving a sigh, then got in the car and headed to the one person who always managed to make me happy, even when it shouldn't be possible.

    I got to her house and opened the gate with my fingerprint. I made my way upstairs and opened her door, only to find her with drenched almost Auburn hair falling into her bare shoulders, she was without her glasses and those innocent silver blue eyes seemed to pull me in. She was  in nothing but a towel that stopped a little bit above her knees.

“ I-I d-d-didn't know... I- you were- ” I stuttered as I quickly averted my wide eyes, flustered and blushing. No, I wasn't blushing, I was on fire. She ran into her closet and said

“ There's something called knocking you know! ”

“ I-I know, I-I-I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd be in-in a t-t-towel ”  I said, my eyes squeezed shut. After 10 minutes or so, she came out in a pink tank top and sky blue shorts.

“ Not your usual attire ” I said as she dried her hair.

“ No, because I wasn't expecting anyone, make it quick ” she wanted me to leave. Guilt from the question I'd asked creeped into my heart.

“ Daph? ”

“ What? ” She spat out almost angry.

“ I'm sorry ” I told her and began to leave, she wasn't in the mood, and I couldn't blame her, I was probably becoming a nuisance at this point, I relied too much on her, I needed her more than I would have liked to admit. Then small, fragile arms wrapped around my lower torso. I blinked dumbfounded and looked down at her.

“ Daphne? Why are you crying? ”

“ I-I thought we were friends ” she said in a small voice

“ We are ” I assured her, if only she knew that to me, she was so much more, but I was a coward, I couldn't tell her. And it'd only make things more complicated for her, I'd destroy her peace of mind, and she'd have to pick between me and her parents.

“ So-so why have you been ignoring me? ” The question struck me pick lightning, I wasn't a nuisance? Did she actually enjoy my company so much that she missed it? No way, no one ever did. This nerd... Her tears soaked into my T-shirt.

“ Because I was a coward. I thought you'd be mad at me, because of the question I'd asked. I thought I messed it up again, like I do with every other girl. And I might be a jock, but I'm not very strong, I'm the type to run away from my problems, so instead of facing you, I ignored you and occupied myself with practice. I'm sorry, I know it's selfish of me to think I could just slip back into your life like nothing happened, and it's even more selfish of me to ask you to forgive me, but I'm not quite sure I could live without you, so, I'm sorry ”

“ So this is how you get all the girls at school to fall for you ” She said with a small smile “ I knew I wasn't the problem ” she continued. Regular Daphne was back. How could someone switch emotions so seamlessly?

This nerd... She captured my heart. Something I didn't even think was there.