Around in a Circle

Chapter 13

Leah Cranston

"A-Austin?" I say, shocked. He was a wearing a hot light blue shirt with a blazer and some black pants, holding a bunch of roses in one hand.

"Hey." He says, and walks closer to me, who was in an oversized hoodie with the hood over my head. He reaches over with one arm and brings the hood down, revealing my messy bun.

"W-where's Chloe?"

"I......" he hesitates. "I asked her to ask you to meet me." He looks down at the roses he was holding. "For you." He says with a small smile, handing me the roses. My heart starts to beat fast.

"Me?" I slowly take them.

"Yeah." He takes a deep breath. "Thing is," he clears his throat, looking at the ground and I suddenly had a feeling that I knew what he was going to say next. "I...... I like you, Leah." He says, looking at me in the eyes. I stay frozen.

"Y-you can't." I stutter. He opens his mouth as if he was going to say something then closes his mouth again, taken aback by what I had just said.

"What do you mean?" He frowns.

"Y-you're supposed to be on a date with Chloe right now. Not me."

"It was for you." He says and I raise my eyebrows in question. "The date planning." He explains. "It was for you."

"For me?" I frown. "Why?"

"I like you, Leah."

"W-why me?"

"I dunno. I just do."

"Not Chloe?" I ask again.

"N-no......"

"I-I......." I trail off, looking at the ground. He's really sweet for setting all of this for me, but I don't know how I feel right now. This was just so unexpected.

"Leah...." Austin says, lifting my chin up with his finger so that I look up into his eyes, and I feel my cheeks heat up. "Will you come on a date with me?"

"I-I....."

"You can say no, if you don't want to." He says gently. Do I say no? Do I say yes? What am I supposed to say? Do I even like him? What about Chloe? What the hell is going on?

"I-I......"

"You can just think of this as a hang out, not a date, if you want. I know this is probably really unexpected for you." He pauses. "You also don't have to go, don't feel pressured. I really don't want you to feel that way." Austin says again genuinely. And I know he means what he says.

"Y-yeah." I say quietly.

"What was that?" Austin leans in towards me, and I lean back in surprise. "I just couldn't hear you." He chuckles. "What did you say?" He says, not pulling away and I start to blush again.

"Y-yeah."

"Yeah as in yes for coming with me?" He raises his eyebrows. I find myself nodding, and lean back more, but find myself not being able to keep in balance and Austin leans towards me quickly and puts a hand on the small of back, holding me from falling.

"Thanks." I say quietly, as he helps me stand up properly again.

"My pleasure." He chuckles. He holds a hand out. And I just stare at it. "Aren't you coming?"

"Y-yeah, b-but....." I look down at what I was wearing.

"You still look beautiful, Leah."

"N-no I don't-"