I was scrolling through when I came across his picture. I took a sip of my Dr. Pepper and swiped right. I lay my phone on my chest and stare at the ceiling realizing that it was a match and my heart stopped. I sat there fidgeting with the metal shaped feather of my navel ring. "There's no way that's true..it must have been a fluke..." I muttered to myself. My phone chimed and I froze. I looked at my lock screen and there it was...his name...the guy who I had just swiped right on, the guy I couldn't stop thinking about and hadn't even spoken to yet and he was already plaguing my mind. I clicked my screen off scared to even see his message fearing it was another hot guy asking if I was DTF. I put my phone on my night stand and rolled over. I smiled when her hair tickled my nose. My little girl...my little fur baby serena. I curled my arms around her and she licked my nose. I drifted to sleep within minutes.
"Helen! Helen get up, you're gonna be late for work!" I groan and stuff my head under my pillow. "I don't wanna." I mutter into my lavender scented sheets. I inhale the sweet scent and dare to drift off again. Within seconds my blankets were ripped off and my clothes were soaked. "What the hell Mia!" I screeched as she held up a pitcher in her hand. She had a huge smirk on her face. I threw one of my decorative paris pillows at her. She just stepped aside and shook her head "Seriously Helen, get up before he gets here. You don't want him to see you like that again do you?" I looked down at my wet Texas Longhorn jammies and sighed. "I hate you." Mia laughed and walked away. I could hear her boots clonking down the stairs. I looked over at serena staring at me with her head cocked to the side. "What?" I put my hands on my hips and stared at her. She whined and put her paw over her face and lay her head down on my pillow. I sighed and walked into the bathroom and began my daily routine. I had just finished tucking my shirt in when he appeared in the doorway to the loft. I looked at myself in the mirror and back at him. I wasn't aware that I had been staring until he cleared his throat. I blinked twice and my cheeks turned red. "Is there something on my face or am I just that ugly" he asked. I scoffed and walked past him and bound down the stares completely ignoring him. Upon entering to the kitchen Mia Had a bowl of cereal waiting for me. I chowed down and went out to the barn and started working.
I had just started mucking the stalls when he walked in behind me. "Why are you acting so weird?" I continued to ignore him. I couldn't believe it. It was him. He was the guy on Badoo that I swiped right on. Mia's brother Jim...MY FATHERS RANCH HAND.. was my undeniable crush. He stepped closer and my cheeks got redder. I walked the wheel barrow of horse crap to the compost pile. "Okay then, don't talk to me Ella." he laughed. He knew I hated being called that. Mia and I grew up together. And Jim was always there for us when we needed him to be so in a way it was like he was my brother too which was weird considering my now new found feelings for him...and new knowledge of his swiping right on Badoo. Maybe i was over thinking it. Maybe i wasn't. I didn't know. Which was common for me.
It was 6 o'clock in the evening and I was washing up God dinner when we grazed past me. His chest brushing against my back as he reached for a glass on the counter to dry. It was the last chore of the day before Ma and Pa came home to cook dinner together. My heart skipped a beat. I looked at him and he gave me that crooked grin he ALWAYS wears on his face. His eyes were a steel sea foam blue. But they were puppy dog eyes. They trapped me in his gaze on a regular basis and i never noticed till now. I cleared my throat and looked away. Mia, Jim, and I have lived together since we were 4. Their parents passed away in a freak accident. It wasn't really a "freak accident" rather than a terrible car accident be here in Dalheart Texas it was considered a freak accident cause no one in this town gets into "accidents". At least that's what I've always believed. Opposite to everyone else and that's what set me apart from everyone. Probably the reason I was still single.
Later that night around three a.m. I walked down to the kitchen and froze in the doorway...there he was sitting at the island. I looked from the empty glass to the half full bottle of amber liquid with a black lable. "Jack and Jim. What a perfect couple." I teased. He looked up at me hair all a mess and pain sprawled across his face, I knew that look too well. He was blaming himself again. I wanted to do what I normally did when this happened but this time it was different. He even looked at me different. I walked behind him and opened the fridge. I grabbed my favorite drink, cherry vanilla Dr. Pepper. I turned around to go back to my room and ran smack into Jim. Just when I thought it couldn't get any weirder between us knowing what I know, I looked up at him and his blue eyes pierced my brown ones. I could see everything that was wrong. He held onto my arms a little tighter then reeled me in and held me. I could feel his tears soaking the shoulder of my shirt. I was the only one who have ever witnessed Jim cry. I ran my hand along his back up to the nape of his neck and curled my fingers into his dirty blonde hair. We sank into the floor and he lay his head in my lap. "Thank you..." he whispered into my abdomen. "You know I'll forever be here, Jim. Even if it feels weird"
I checked my Eeyore watch. It was half past five. Jim lay sound asleep in my lap. I leaned forward and whispered in his ear "Jim dear, lets get you to bed." he sighed a little but didn't move except to gripe my hand tighter. I let out a shaky breath "i can't feel my butt, Jim. Get up it I'm putting ice down your shirt." I growled. He got up in protest. He used to never have a problem getting up. What was his deal now? Weirder and weirder I tell ya. After i made sure he made it back to his barn room I headed upstairs to bed myself. Good thing there was no work tomorrow.
I lay in bed staring at the ceiling. I looked at my watch. I couldn't sleep. Not even if I tried. It was 5:55am and I couldn't sleep. I rolled over and looked at Serena. "What do you think girl?" I whispered. She peered at me through her green eyes and huffed. "You're right. I should talk to him." I sat up and she lifted her head and looked at me with crooked head. "It's now or never sweets." I stated plainly. She shook her head and lay down with a huff. I put my slippers on and headed for the door. I got down stairs and grabbed another soda and downed it before I walked out the door.
As I crossed the dirt and gravel to Jim's barn room my palms began to sweat and I grew more anxious with each step. I stopped short of the barn door and peered up at the window. His light wasn't on but the main light was so he might be up. What was I doing? I pushed through the sliding doors before I could change my mind. I looked at the stairs as I approached them. I wiped my hands on my senior sweats and walked up. Holding the fairs rail I was an anxious wreck. I hopped he wouldn't notice. I approached his door and before I could knock I heard his voice on the other side. "Mia." His tone sounded deflated. I grabbed the doorknob and with a shaker breath I opened the door and spoke. "Not Mia."
