Beautifully Broken

Beautifully Broken: Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Water poured down my windowsill as I watched Lyla stir her hot chocolate as perky as ever on my sofa. Rain in November? Shouldn't it be snowing by now?

I took a big sip from my mug and set it down on the table.

"So what did you and Hunter do after Julian and I left the carnival yesterday?" I asked, looking Lyla in the eyes, letting a suggestive smile mark my lips.

"Nothing! We-- well not nothing but it’s not like we went back to his place or something. We just stayed till it closed then went to that diner near my place to get some coffee." she replied hastily.

"Chill Lyla, I wasn't asking if anything happened, I just wanted to know if you two continued on having a good time when we left. You two are so perfect for each other." I gushed.

"Says the girl who was half of a supposed old married couple last night. You and Julian were like our chaperones and were definitely doing the whole romantic evening thing last night. Why did you guys go home early last night anyway?" Lyla probed.

I picked at a tiny hole in my comfy olive green sweat shirt's sleeve and began staring at it like it was the most exciting thing since self-heating canned food.

Lyla suddenly jumped up from the sofa startling me as well.

"Don't tell me that the two of you..." Lyla began.

"Oh no! No! But we sort did.." I began trailing off.

"Did what? Did whaaat?!" she began shrieking happily while almost bouncing up and down on the sofa.

"Well Julian kind of kissed me..."

"Kind of kissed you?! What do you mean? Did you like it? Did you slap him? Did you let him kiss you? Is this the first time? Yes! I was sooo right!

"Well we were kinda messing around in a totally childish way, mind you, and one thing led to another and he kissed me. I guess  I, I kind of kissed him back.. Wait, you were right about what?"

"Well about half-way through last nigh Hunter and I made a bet as to when Julian would have enough courage to make a move, I bet on before Christmas, Hunter thought it would on Christmas or later."

I nervously tucked my hair behind my ears and bit my lip.

"Wait, the two of you BET on us? So.. What do I do now Lyla?"

The truth was that the kiss was the only thing I had been thinking about last night since Julian brought me to my apartment. I was the first night in a long time that he didn't sleep over and I didn't stay at his place. Things were a little bit awkward to say the least.  We had made the conventional chit chat on the way home in the car but the truth was one of the reasons why we went home so early was because of the awkward silence that had ensued post-ferris wheel.

"Well, do you like my cousin?" Lyla began.

"Of course I like Julian, its been a while since I've been in a relationship or even just close friends with anyone and someone he's made me push past a few deep rooted inhibitions. The thing is that I don't know if I 'like' like him."

"What inhibitions? Let's just dissect this. How is he different from other guys you've known?" Lyla asked putting on a mask of concentration.

"Well I got out of this really traumatic relationship in junior year and from then on I promised myself that I wouldn't get attached to anyone for as long as I was in my old town. And I didn't until college when I met you and Julian and the gang."

"I see. Trust issues. Well what makes Julian different from all the other college studs that have been ogling at you since our first day."

"I don't know. And I don't know of any other ogling guys. Its just that sometimes can be so mature and protective but a lot of times its just like he's as lost as I am. And its adorable but scary because there's so much we still don't know about each other. I went from thinking he was a friend to thinking he was gay to thinking this in the span of less than a week and it scares me. How much I might be falling for him..."