{COMPLETED} ✔ December Bloom

twenty'five

Norah;

I swung my hand, which was clasped lightly by Braden's, back and forth like a little kid, a small smile coming onto my face as I realized this.

Braden and I had left his dorm not long ago and ever since then, he's been very deep in his thoughts. I didn't want to disturb him and let a comfortable silence fall over the two of us as we strolled casually across campus, outside.

It was descending into autumn now, the breeze in the air getting just a little chillier each day. The leaves on the trees were slowly turning into their autumn-y colors and crinkling up at the edges so they looked very dry and dead.

Yellow, orange, brown, red, gold.

All those pretty colors.

I grinned as I saw a three leaves dropping from one of the branches of a nearby tree, watching as they floated slowly to the ground.

With my free hand, I pulled up the hood of my hoodie, over my head before sticking it back into the pocket of my very large jeans.

Ones that used to be my brother's jeans when he was 15.

Don't laugh! I can't help it if I'm so tall and I can almost fit his jeans. (They're still pretty big for me, though).

I was startled out of my thoughts when Braden started swinging his own hand back and forth, in time with my swinging hand.

I turned my head, smiling slightly at him before he gestured to a small area that wasn't too secluded but wasn't too open either.

We sat on the old wooden benches, my butt coming into contact with fairly cold wood.

Silence.

Then, Braden turned to me and opened his mouth to speak.

"Norah, I can't just…not avoid or ignore this. I have to say it right now. Remember the party?"

Ah yes, that party.

I sighed and closed my eyes, squeezing them shut.

-Flashback-

"God, I hate Ella." I spat out venomously to Braden as we made our way downstairs after being kicked out the room, the walls thumping as the sound coming from the stereo vibrated around the place, music with a rapping beat to it.

Braden said nothing.

I looked over at him to see that he was clenching and unclenching his fists.

Weird.

"Are you okay?" I asked him gently, laying a hand over his.

He whipped his head around, his face blank. Recognition spilled out over it as he remembered that it was me.

"Uh, yeah. Do you want a drink?" he asked, subtly changing the subject.

I knew he was changing it, for whatever reason, I just didn't pursue it then. Maybe if I had then it would've been less painful for me in the future.

Of course, I didn't know that and played along with it anyway.

I nodded and he told me to stand and wait by the wall.

So, I did.

He left, weaving through the crowd skilfully.

I sighed and leant my head against the wall, thinking.

Ella Chiffon.

I don't know much about her but I do know enough.

I do know that she used to go out with Nichols, Braden had told me that. Then, something happened but Braden wouldn't say what. And apparently, only a select few did know.