Cowgirl Up 2 (Sequel) ✔️

Chapter Thirty Five

I stepped out of the bathroom, lightly towel drying my hair.
Wouldn't want to saturate my pillows...
That wouldn't make for a very comfortable sleep.
My body was wrapped up in my flanallette pyjama pants that had clouds, stars and moon's printed all over them and a black Bullzye hoody I'd at some stage 'borrowed' from Blayze.
The normally busy house seemed quiet to my ear's.
Except, somebody had to still be up, because I could see lights on around the house.
Hmmm...
I wanted to go and investigate, but I was worried I'd find out that Blayze had slipped off to the cottage without even so much as letting me know.
Not that he really could tell me considering I'd been in the shower for around the last twenty minutes...
But still.
Well, if there's nobody up I might have to go around turning these lights off anyway.
Sighing to myself, I made my way into the living portion of the house, the dining and kitchen area and the lounge room beyond.
The kitchen light was on, as was the dining room lights.
But there was nobody in either of those room's.
Frowning to myself, I walked through the dining room and towards the front hallway and the lounge room, hanging my towel over the back of one of the dining table chairs on my way.
On my way through, I turned the dining room lights off considering the eating times of the day were well over and nobody was in the room.
As I approached the lounge room, the soft, repetitive thud of a dog's tail wagging against the carpet floor reached my ear's.
So this is where Zuke is...
The lights were on in the lounge room, as was the TV although the volume was turned down quite low.
My Kitchen Rules appeared to be on screen, the contestants who weren't cooking whingeing about how long it was taking for Dessert to be served by Josh and Amy.
I barely watch the show, but those two annoy me as it is, especially Josh and the way he talks himself up all the time.
I stepped into the curved lounge room archway and my heart immediately began to pound inside my chest.
Blayze was the only person in the room, sitting on the couch we'd been sharing not all that long ago.
Zuke was sprawled out on the floor not too far away from where Blayze was seated, basking in the warmth from the fire.
Blayze had a small stack of envelopes in his hands, a tense, apprehension filled expression on his face as he stared at the pile.
Our mail goes as far as the Riverston township, where it's stored at the Post Office, for those of us who live outside the township.
At least once a week, Grandpa, Grandma, Mum or Uncle Lukas will venture into town to get our mail from the Post Office building.
"Hey."
I whispered, seeing as apparently he hadn't noticed me yet.
Which was weird, because Blayze was normally well aware of his surroundings.
He turned his head to look at me and at the same time reached forward to set the stack of envelopes onto the coffee table.
"Hey."
His voice too was quiet.
It was quiet clear that neither one of us really knew what to do.
I for one had never been in this situation before.
Maybe Blayze hasn't either.
He always said having a 'girlfriend' never interested him.
I think we both knew that regardless of the heated kiss outside the garden gate, our problem's were unfortubately far from solved.
"You're still here."
I stated, leaning my shoulder against the lounge room archway wall.
Internally I cringed.
Good job Bailey.
It's pretty damn obvious he's still here!
"Kylie told me you'd jumped in the shower."
I didn't know what to say.
There was so much to talk about, but time was ticking on and I was already feeling pretty damn tired.
Plus, what if our chat didn't go well?
I wouldn't get any sleep if that happened...
"Come sit."
Blayze urged, tapping the space on the couch beside himself.
Should I?
I've missed him like crazy lately.
But right now I don't even know where we stand.
I don't know if he's fixed himself or anything.
I suddenly found that my feet were moving before my mind consciously made the decision to do so.
I was half way across the space before I realised it and by then, I felt the prickle of nerves consume my body.
Its Blayze, I shouldn't be worried.
Except, lately he hasn't exactly been the Blayze I know and love.
Regardless, I sat down, leaving about half a foot worth of space between us, cautious to sit too close when neither of us knew what was going on.
Blayze shifted in his seat.
Clearly he's feeling the discomfort too.
Of course, I didn't wish negative feelings on him, but it was somewhat comforting to know he wasn't in his comfort zone either.
I wanted to say something to break the tension, but I didn't know what I could say.
Why should it be up to me to be the strong one anyway?
He's the adult.
He's the one who turned into somebody else right before my very eyes.
He used his hands to push the sleeves of his black hoody up his arms, almost to his elbows.
The flash of coloured writing caught my attention and I snapped my head his way again, to make sure I wasn't imagining it.
I felt my eyes widen.
There on his left arm, on the inside of his forearm was a new tattoo.
I certainly knew it was new, because it definitely wasn't there before he left!