After moving from family to family all her life, Vina Lee thought things would be better once the Clark family adopted her. But when Ben and his family move in with them and they finally settle in an area, things start getting more complicated... an...
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CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO ❥ EMBARRASSMENT
Vina finally pulls out her paper crane after they break away from their hug. She's settled right next to him, arms touching. She'd be lying if she said it was unintentional. "It's a little rough looking now, but-" she holds it out for Tyler. "-I got bored while waiting for you and Taylor to get to the party. You want it?"
Heck yeah. Play it off like she didn't go through the struggle to make it for him. Cranes are not the easiest to fold, but it was worth it. They symbolize a number of things, but the one he needs in particular right now is healing. She hopes it could rub some good fortune on him but one never knows.
"You did this?"
She proudly confirms with a nod of her head, watching as he took it. "Mhmm! Isn't it cute? I even drew a little heart on its wing."
Yes, she did that. Don't judge her. Like before: an origami heart is too obvious. Doesn't mean she couldn't draw a smaller one on it.
"Kinda reminds me of the cranes in Mr. Thomas' classroom."
Vina tilts her head, almost touching Tyler's shoulder as she observes the folded paper in his palm. Now that he mentions it, he does have quite a bit of them scattered around the class. She noticed them during their first week and got so used to seeing them to the point where they blended in the background. "I forgot about that. I guess I must've taken inspiration from him."
Tyler also tilts his head, but it's slight enough to the point it grazes Vina's. "Can you do others too?"
She notices right away that he's hovering right above her. She gulps down the saliva building up in her mouth, feeling her cheeks heat up. "Origami? Ehh, somewhat... not really. It was my first time today. I was fucking up on this one fold for Lily's heart so I had to keep redoing it. And of course, while I was struggling, Aiden kept throwin paper airplanes at my head."
He hums and lets his head rest on her's as she rambles on. He asks her to show him and she ends up grabbing the packet of papers that so happened to be on the bedside table. She carefully rips the last page off after making sure it wasn't something needed.
He moves his head to lay on her shoulder as he watches.
They haven't slept since yesterday and even while she's talking, she feels drowsy from her lack of sleep and all of her crying. It was way past midnight—probably around two or three in the morning by now.
Besides feeling tired, she also feels excited that he asked and talks through the process. "....and then—" She didn't even notice he fell asleep until she held up the finished product, noting the change in his breathing. She leans forward slightly, just enough to see if his eyes were open or not. "Oh, okay."
She smiles, nestling her cheek into his hair. She'll enjoy the time she has of just him and her. Her eyes fall onto the cranes in their hands. There's a comforting assurance she feels even though she convinces herself of the opposite. Usually, Tyler isn't one to be so physical in such an intimate way. It gives her a mixed sense that he may see her as more than a friend, but he's also in a vulnerable state physically and mentally. Going through death isn't easy even if it was in a different dimension. She can't imagine how much it must've hurt.
