How Did It Begin? | cf au | (*Slowly Editing*)

Chapter 17

Connor’s POV

I didn’t know what to say to that story. The images that were painted in my head were kind of disturbing, but at the same time I wasn’t surprised at the peer pressure that was happening in high school. But what almost kind of irks me is how she didn’t say no. But she was a sophomore, so I can’t blame her for not knowing.

She was crying, her face puffy from tears. She sniffled and wiped her runny nose, which I found adorable at the same time heart-breaking. My eyes started to water, but I blinked them back to restrain my tears. I pulled her closer, her head cradled in between my shoulder and neck. I held her tight and wiped her cheeks.

“I’m sorry...I’m getting your shoulder wet from my crying”, she hiccuped. I smiled and kissed her forehead. “Baby...it’s okay.”

She sniffled again. “No it’s not. I gave into peer pressure and I shaped myself into who I am today and I hate it.” I ran my fingers through her hair, detangling each and every strand that I felt. I tightened my grip around her.

“It’s all in the past. You wanted to change yourself right?”

She nodded. Her tears finally stopped running down her cheeks.

“Look I don’t know what else to say since everything was in the past, but if you really wanted to let go you would be working hard to change yourself. I know you can do that.”

Her eyes bore into mine. “Really?” she asked.

I smiled. “Of course! I didn’t even know you were super shy when you came to the house. You were straight up open and laughing and smiling, not closed in. I don’t think you’re anti-social. You’re just afraid of being yourself. When you saw the O2L guys and I being ourselves, I think that triggered you to just be comfortable around us. And plus, you were with Emmi so that’s what made it better. So your goal for becoming a better person was already set, you just had to let that person out.”

Her eyes clouded for a few seconds, comprehending my words. They were now a light shade of pink. She pursed her lower lip, continuing to ponder my words.

This sentimental moment was ruined when I heard thudding against the hardwood floor in the hallway.

“Ayyyyyyyyy!” Emmi squealed, stumbling and slipping from her socks into the living room. Her face lit up the slowly dulling-from-all-the-sappy-sadness room. I bit my tongue to keep me from laughing. Autumn raised her head from my shoulder and half-smiled, which made me happy to see. Her face suddenly changed when she felt the atmosphere in the room.

“Um...did I interrupt something?”

“Kind of”, Autumn spoke. She scooted closer to me, her hand lacing with mine. “But it’s okay. Everything’s fine now.” I felt a warm fuzzy feeling of happiness spread through my chest. She is opening up to me more and I was really happy about that. This went a bit sappy but I mean, I want her to be more comfortable with me, and she is.

_______8:00pm_________

After the little “deep moment”, I took Autumn out for a date. Nowhere fancy, I just took her to the O2L house. I told her that we were just doing to hang out in the house, but little did she know that I had a romantic date planned that was not fancy, but not simple.

We got to the house and we saw Kian, Sam, and Ricky in the living room. Ricky, Kian, and Sam were chatting. Kian being a goof and Sam’s cheeks were red, redder than they usually were. Autumn didn’t seem to notice them when she got into the house. She was more focused on going to the bathroom, which she has been holding in the whole car ride and I found hilarious. She rushed to the bathroom, her cute little legs skittered herself in the hallway. I went to the living room and sat down next to Ricky.