Ring by Spring| ✓

thirteen.

HE STOPPED ABRUPTLY IN HIS STEPS.

Shakily, I stood with my hands maintaining their firm grip on his toned forearm. I couldn't control my body. For the first time in my life, I was having an out of body experience. My subconscious had taken the driver's seat and I sat in the passenger's seat with wide eyes. I couldn't understand what I was doing or why I was doing it. I pulled his arm so he would follow me to a quieter place where we could talk in private.

When we were finally alone, his eyes met mine and I saw the fury in them. He was angry, surely at me. I'd treated him so horribly. I was acting as though I was still in middle school. He'd done nothing wrong. He was so sweet to me. I had no plausible excuse as to why he couldn't be mine and I his. What was so special about Parth anyway? I studied Graham as he stared at me with infuriated eyes that seemed to be getting wearier by the minute. I realized then that Parth was no more handsome than Graham. Rather, Graham had these eyes that drew me in like no other. They were emotive, sometimes excessively so that I need to look away to catch my breath. His smile was so beautiful that it's a wonder how no other girl has yet to snatch him up. He was funny and he tried vigorously to make me smile and to lighten the mood around me. I was so dark and moody whenever he was around; I must've made him feel so terrible.

When I was quiet for too long, Graham pulled at his arm until I let go and crossed his arms.

"What are you doing, Annie?"

I blinked, pulling myself out of my thoughts.

"I'm sorry," I breathed, using my hand to cover my lips.

My throat suddenly hurt and I felt like I was at the edge of breaking down. It was suddenly dawning on me, for whatever reason, that I'd been so rude to Graham when he deserved so much better.

He arched his eyebrow and a slight scoff left his lips. "Oh, so, now you're talking to me?" He sneered.

I shook my head fast, mindlessly disagreeing with a fact I already knew to be true. I was avoiding him when he was talking to me earlier. There was no way around it and I couldn't deny it. I swallowed my pride and took a small step towards where he stood.

"I'm so sorry about that. I just...I had this image in my head of how my life is supposed to turn out, you know? I have a plan for everything and you aren't supposed to be a part of it."

He stared at me like I'd gone mad before his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

I let out an exasperated sigh and ran fingers through my hair. "I know it makes no sense to you and I probably sound really crazy right now, but please, hear me out. All of my friends are getting married or they're on the path to get married and I'm just here single. I need someone who is dependable and reliable, someone I know will be there for me forever. I need a man who I can marry and possibly have children with...in the long future."

"And you're avoiding me because you don't think I can be that guy?" He asked, the lightness of his voice making it evident that I'd hurt him.

I pushed my hair behind my ear and nodded. "Yes," I said and watched something break in his eyes.

My heart trembled at the sight and I wanted to do anything and everything I can to fix this mess I've created. So, I continued with a tremulous voice. "However, I was wrong to judge you, Graham. I didn't know you. I made a stupid assumption based on your looks and what I've heard about you around campus. It was reckless of me and I've come to realize that my assumption couldn't be any farther from the truth. I should've given you a chance to show me who you are without any interruptions. I'm sorry I was cold to you."

He was looking at me with studious eyes; it made me quite nervous. He was scrutinizing me as if he was trying to find the lies in my words. He must've found nothing, because, moments later, the hurt in his eyes evaporated and a soft smile pulled at his lips. "I guess it's alright."

I stared at him worriedly. Perhaps, he was forgiving me so easily. "Are you sure? I was very cruel to you and for no reason, too. Are you sure you can forgive me that easily?"

He seemed taken aback by my words. "Everyone's mean once in a while, Annie, and you explained yourself. As odd as it was, I understand why you were rude. You don't need to be so hard on yourself. You're forgiven."

I blinked too fast for me to count as he spoke.

Was he really that kind?

Well, there's another plus to add to his personality.

Have I truly been that ignorant of what was right in front of me?

It seems that I truly need to reevaluate my outlook on life and people, especially people.

When Graham took a step towards me, I stopped breathing. When his hands reached to delicately grasp my face between them, my heart dropped to the bit of my stomach. And when he dipped his head to connect his lips to mine, I felt electricity rush through my body to jumpstart my heart. I felt the world shift around me and suddenly we were on cloud nine. My lips melted against him as he moved to wrap his arm around my waist. His thumb lightly caressed my cheek as our lips danced the perfect waltz. I felt my walls crumbling all around me and there was nothing I could do to build them back up. I felt like I was floating and I wasn't ready to come back down to the surface.

I opened my eyes as we pulled apart.

The smile from before returned to light up his handsome face. I couldn't help but be thankful for my subconscious for stopping my asinine reign and making me realize what was standing in front of me. As he pulled his lips to mine once more, I vowed to myself that I would cherish him for as long as he's mine.

For now.

There's still plenty of springs to go around.