Camp Wisahickon

Chapter Thirty Two

I'M SORRY FOR GOING MIA FOR SO LONG but here's an extra long chapter to make up for it :) 

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Carter and I got into a routine of going to my house after school to work on the composition for our music theory class. What seemed like an easy task was proving to stretch over the course of weeks and it was the fault of a certain bad boy.

We spent more time talking and joking around than we did actually working on our project because Carter would get bored and change the subject. I couldn't say that I necessarily minded, though. It was nice to talk without feeling like I had to keep him at arms length.

On Friday, we had been actually working on the composition in my room when my phone began ringing. I grabbed it from on top of the piano and checked the screen to see Jake's name blinking back at me.

Carter tensed beside me and muttered, "Shouldn't you get that?"

I just put my phone on silent and set it back on top of the piano. "No. He's probably just going to yell at me for never calling him the other day."

I don't know why I added the last bit, but when I did, I could see Carter's gaze shift to me as he stared at the side of my face. "You didn't call him?"

"I don't want to talk to him," I shrugged in the hopes my feigned nonchalance will overrule my actual quickening heart. The whole reason why I decided to talk to Jake in the first place was to piss Carter off. There was no way around explaining that minor detail.

Carter was silent for a moment before he asks, "Then why did you say-"

"Because you were being so adamant about talking to me about everything and I just really need some time, okay? And I was hoping that maybe if thought something was going on with me and Jake then you would back off." I reveal without looking at him. When I finally glance at him, he looks shocked, and I turn sheepish. "I know it was dumb and childish and lame but I couldn't help myself."

Very slowly, Carter's shocked expression morphs into a smile and his wide eyes return to their glimmering state as he states, "You did it to make me jealous."

"No," I deny immediately, although that's really all there was to it. My face even began heating in betrayal of my lie. "I did it to make you give me space."

Carter looks at me in wonder for a long moment before he says lowly, "You know that talking to Jake instead of me is the last thing that makes me want to give you space, right?" The intense look he's giving me mixed with his low voice makes my heart beat quicken. "It makes me even more determined to make you mine again."

My heart stops for a long moment as our gazes lock and I try to think of something, anything to say. All I come up with is a hesitant, "Carter..."

"I know," He says, even though I didn't even know, and he gives me a small smile. "You need time."

But right now, with the genuine and honest look shining in Carter's eyes, I didn't need time. I felt like I was moments away from grabbing him and kissing the life out of him. The raw feeling of want gnawed at me so heavily that I was too surprised to speak.

After weeks of trying to keep Carter away, I still felt the intense desire to make him mine again. For a minute, I forgot about all the stupid stuff he said and did at the end of camp. All I could focus on was how honest he looked, like he could never be the one who broke my heart.

"Let's keep working," Carter murmurs after a moment. He shifts in his seat and then shoots me an easygoing smile. "I was wondering if we should add some drum beats in the background. I have bongos at my house we can use."