M U T E

|| 31 ||

Bryce takes my wrist and drags me to the side of my house. Then he pulls something out of his pocket. His fist remains closed as he brings his hand up to my necklace. He opens his hand up.

"This is a magnifying glass. It symbolizes mysteries. Which is what you are, Reyna. A mystery," he connects the charm onto my necklace, "and this is a bunny. Well, because it is Easter," he connects that charm with the other one. 

"Your necklace looks so pretty, but I think it's still unfinished. I think that I'll save the finishing touch for later, though," he says, smiling.

I blush and give him a hug. This time, I had something to give him back. One time, we had this conversation during a movie.

"Why does that guy always wear so many rings?" Bryce asks after another shot of the guy's hand with many rings.

"I think they're cool," I comment.

"It's just weird for guys to wear rings besides a wedding ring, of course. Rings are accessories for girls."

"Rings can be accessories for guys."

"I would never wear one for an accessory." 

I pull it out from my pocket. 

"I guess my point on giving you this is I want you to prove your statement," I say.

I hand over the ring, putting into his palm. It is a silver ring with his name carved into it. It wasn't that expensive, but it did take quite a bit of my savings. He rolls his eyes and puts it on his finger  

"Of course I'm going to wear it. If you gave me a hello kitty onesie, I'd wear it. Now, don't get ideas, Reyna. Anyways, I'm not wearing it as an accessory. I'm wearing it as a memory. I'm wearing it because YOU gave it to me," he says, looking up from the ring back to me.

"Cheesy," I say, turning around.

Then, I walk away. I try my hardest not to blush, but I do anyway, and no matter what I did, my smile wouldn't hold back either.

* * * *

Spring Break was great. Well, I did find it weird when Jocelyn announced to me that she and Hunter are dating. I guess that's her deal, not mine. At least, she is over Bryce.

Now, it's back into school time. I have my newly charmed necklace on. I haven't taken it off. Bryce is wearing the ring. I hold back a smile when I see it. I do need to get out of the habit of holding back smiles, but it's hard after doing it this long.

It's lunch period now. This is when I hear a conversation sounding interesting. No, I can't eavesdrop.. I'm going to lunch, not listening. I see Bryce look up, about to see me. I quickly hide behind a wall. Bryce and his friend are talking at a locker. I stay put, too nervous to move. 

"You two really are not together yet?" His friend asks Bryce. 

"She's not there, yet. I really like her, but I've got to be patient with her. Plus, I don't even think she would want that from me. She's always pushing me away.." Bryce says back to his friend.

Wait who? I couldn't help but feel a little sting for some reason. Who's Bryce chasing after? 

"I don't even get what you see in her. Just move on, man," his friend says.

"You don't get it because you don't know her. She's really something. When she's mine, I swear, I'm never going to let her go."

Then, they walk off.

What?!

Throughout the day, I'm trying to figure out who this girl is. It could be one of the girls he hangs out with..I don't get why he hasn't told me. I am his friend. Maybe I could just get it out of him somehow.. 

I see him as I walk outside. He's going to his car. I start walking up to him. Then, I see a girl. He stops to talk to her for a few minutes. Then she walks away. He's smiling. It must be her.

"So, who was that girl just now?" I ask, biting my lip.

"What?" Bryce asks, looking at me weird. 

"That-that girl," I say, "you-you like her. Not like a friend?"  

"Reyna, what are you talking about?" He raises a single eyebrow at me and looks quite amused.

"I heard you before.. I'm sorry. I'm a terrible privacy invader..Um, I heard you talking about a girl," I bite my lip, and start pulling at fingers nervously. 

He laughs. What? What's funny? He pulls me into a hug.

"I don't like that girl I was talking to. I don't like any other girl. You're not a privacy invader. Don't worry about me liking someone, Reyna." 

But he said..

* * * *

Later that night, it bothered me. I just wanted to know. It kept bothering me for a week. Something is missing. Wait, why do I care? Why do I care if he likes some other girl? Why did I care when Jocelyn kissed him? Why- what? What's going on? 

I get up and go knock on my mom's bedroom door. She opens up and lets me in.

I sit down on her bed, and start asking the questions I was just asking myself. She starts smiling whilst shaking her head.

"What if he liked you, Reyna?" She asks. 

My heart starts beating at a fast pace. He doesn't.

"Im..poss..ible," I breathe out. 

"Do you like him?" 

"N-n-no!" 

"So he can date someone else, and you'd feel nothing?"

"I'd feel something."

"What would you feel?"

"Sad."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Can I get a reason with the because?"

"I don't know, mom."

"You don't want him to date anyone else?" 

"Yes."

"Anyone else but you?"

"Yes. I-I mean NO!" My face heats up.

I rush back to my room and lay on my bed. I close my eyes, and I can't think of anything else besides him. His fingers running through my hair, his comforting hug, his hand holding mine, his smile, his laugh, that weird feeling that I both hate and love at the same time.

I can't get him off my mind. I haven't been able to for the longest time. He just keeps making me feel so- 

....

...

Special. I really like being around him and having his arms around me. I like the gifts he gives me like this necklace, which is the most well thought-out gift I have ever received. (Besides my library) I don't want anyone else to be in his arms because I want to always be in his arms. I don't want anyone to see the smile he gives me because I want that smile to be just for me. I don't want anyone else's hand in his because that hand is the perfect fit for mine to be in. I don't want anyone to kiss those lips because maybe..Maybe..I want to.

Maybe. I do like him.