Chance

Chapter 20:

Chapter 20:

~Hannah's POV~

I was sitting in the small boat beside of Garrett. He had his arm wrapped around me.

"Look how beautiful the stars are." I pointed out to him.

"I know." He said, then kissed me on the forehead.

"This is so peaceful, I love it." I pointed out, looking up at him smiling.

"I know, it's perfect. I'm so glad we got to do this."

"I'm sorry.... I know my mind's sort of been somewhere else lately..."

"Yeah, I noticed...What's been wrong, Babe?"

"Just the girl at the movies & then I had a dream... I lost... I just... I... I lost..."

"Lost what?"

"I lost.... You..."

"Lost me?"

"In a plane crash..."

"Oh, you lost me.... Like him."

I nodded looking down at my hands which were folded in my lap.

"It's okay, I understand..." He said comforting me, brushing my hair out of my eyes. "I can't imagine loosing someone like that & I can't imagine it coming back to haunt me..... Like that.... I love you." He then kissed me.
I smiled.

It felt good to have him be there for me. It felt good to just open up. I moved my hands from my lap to wrap my arm around his waist.

"I've missed you, Hannah." He whispered in my ear.

"I've missed you too, Garry." I said giggling. I had called him that a couple of times just goofing off.

He kissed my forehead again. Then my nose. Then he kissed my lips gently. He hugged me tightly & I laid my head on his shoulder. We sat there in a comfortable silence for a little while.

"Would you want to vacation next summer?" he asked me after a while.

"Sure, that'd be okay with me. You think we'll still be going strong??" I was shocked.

"Umm..Yeah, I think so... Don't you..?"

"Yeah, I think I do." I nodded.

"I think we've got a lot more ahead of us. We're just getting started, in my opinion." He said kissing the top of my head.

"Me too." I said smiling moving his hair out of his eyes.

"I just know that..."

"Know that what?"

"I just know that I need you. I need you to be beside me helping me through each and everyday. I need you to put a smile on my face on some of my worse days like you always have a way of doing. I need you to understand me like only you know how to do. I know I'll need you when I'm older and my loved ones start dying. I know I'll need to wake up beside of you every morning and fall asleep in my arms every night. Most of all, I need you to love me like I love you."

"Garrett...." I stroked his hair. "Oh Garrett, I do. I do, so much more than you'll ever know. You've seen me at my worst but somehow manage to bring out my best. You made me have hope. You made me have hope in love again. You've shown me what it's like to have someone love you unconditional. After all that I've been through, you have found a way to make me confident in even my flaws. You, I know it's a bit of a cliché but, you bring out the best in me. You love me for me. You love me besides all the reasons you shouldn't. I love you for that. I really do. I love you, Garrett."

"I believe you.... But..."

"But..?"

"...I don't believe you're in love with me...."

"Why not?" I wasn't sure if I even believed I was in love with him.

"You've never said it... You love me but you love me for loving you... I just get unsure sometimes...."

I was speechless. Was I ready to say I was in love with him? I didn't fee like I was quite yet. He moved his arm away from me. He started rowing the boat. I didn't say anything. I scooted over an gave him space. I looked at me hands in my lap again.

It was a long, silent ride to shore. I helped him drag the boat out.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Garrett." I apologized when we were getting close to camp.

"Don't be."

He left it hanging in mid-air.

We reached camp and he went straight into his tent. I heard him rustling around in there. He came out a few minutes later. He had his backpack crammed full.

"Still haven't unpacked?" I asked from a chair near the fire pit.

"No. I did. I just repacked."

"What? Why? But we aren't leaving for two more days?"

"You guys aren't. I need to figure some things out."

"Garrett don't. Stop it." I said concerned. I couldn't stand him being mad at me. I felt my eyes welling up with tears.

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Act like it matters to you."

"Garrett. It does matter to me. I can't let you hate me."

"I don't hate you. I'm frustrated. You used me Hannah. I've been the rebound. You don't love me like I love you. You never did. You never will. It's been months and nothing's changed. I need progress."

"Garrett. Garrett don't. It's not like that." I said standing up, walking towards him. "You know... Garrett... I am..."

"You are?"

"I'm in love with you."

"You're just saying it now. It doesn't mean a thing."

"No. I mean it. I'm just to scared to admit it. I'm too scared to admit I need you as much as you need me if not more. I'm too scared to tell you that if you would leave I'd be up crying all night. I'm scared. You know me."

"Not as well as I thought I did." He turned away from me. I grabbed his arm, turning him back around to face me. I grabbed his face, I stood on my tip-toes, and pulled our faces together forcefully.

"I am in love with you." I said then kissed him again. "I'm in love with you Garrett." I had my hand in his hair. He pulled me closer to him, wrapped his arms around me, and then he kissed me like I had kissed him. He pulled me in so close. I couldn't have moved even if I had wanted to. "I'm in love with you." I said giggly.

"And I'm in love with you. Now kiss me again."