One House Behind | ✓

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬

Tanner

Leaving the house, my family piled into the car. My nerves were all over the place. I had already been to the bathroom twice. But I wasn't backing out of this. This was all so that I could finally hold her in my arms once more.

And so that we also knew our family was healthy.

"How do we do this Dad?" Susie asked as she buckled.

As he explained to her what was going to happen, I zoned out as I had heard from Shelly. I was not excited about having to wait in a long line but it was needed. Pulling my phone out, I checked for Shelly's latest text.

Shelly

Be nice to Susie, I know you're going to be waiting in a long line

Don't do anything I wouldn't do

Me

I guess I'll just hug myself then

Shelly

Do that

text me when you are done, imma take a nap

Me

Will do madam

Seeing no text, I figured she went to bed. I watched as the cars went by. These next two weeks were going to be spent on having hope that nothing bad was going to happen. They were also going to be painstakingly slow. I knew what it was like to wait for something you desperately needed.

"Hey, you good?" Susie asked as she hit my arm.

"Yeah. I'm just not ready to be in the heat."

"Same," she gave me a weird look that consisted of her nose scrunching, her eyebrows forming a dent, and her mouth set in an odd position.

"Then why are you wearing a sweater?"

"It fits with the outfit."

"Take the sweater off, Susie," our mom chided. I obediently went to grab the jacket.

"What are you doing?" Dad looked over his arm, still holding the wheel, and giving us a raised eyebrow.

"She's hot. She should take it off."

"Tell him to stop, he's pulling my hair!"

"Tanner, stop pulling your sister's hair!" Mom yelled, glaring at me.

I scoffed as Susie gave me a light-tipped smile. I sneered back, letting her know that I wasn't going to talk to her for the rest of the trip. We both looked out our respective windows and the car went silent.

******

"Ugh! I can't lift my arm," Susie cried on the way home.

"It's fine. Shrug it off," I struggled with her.

The stick could have touched my brain. I shivered as I felt it. I don't think I was going to forget about it. Having already texted Shelly that it was done and over with, I didn't have anything else to do. Inside for two weeks. One day more than Shelly.

Frowning as we got out of the car, I called Shelly. She picked up automatically and the sight of her made my heart race. Her hair was crazy, it was around her face with a few tiny strands in the back standing up too, and her eyes were droopy. She must have just woken up. I gulped as I saw her, what felt like, slowly lick her lips.

I felt like a depraved man of water. Despite us taking things slowly, I couldn't wait to kiss her. I couldn't wait for us to take naps together and cuddle. I couldn't wait for us to not have to wait until the late hours between night and morning to know each other. We'd have forever and I wanted that now.

"Hey," she said with a hitch in her voice.

"You just wake up?"

"Hey, Shelly!" Susie yelled as she took the phone from me.

"Hey Susie, how has your day been?"

"Susie!" I yelled as she rushed into my room.

"It's been good, my arm is feeling better." Weren't you just complaining about your arm?

"I'll buy you chocolate as a sorry gift."

"Really?"

"Shelly, you don't have to do that."

"I feel like I should," she groaned.

I stood over Susie's shoulder and saw Shelly laying down. On her right side, the pillow had stretched her eye out so that Susie and I could see the whites of it but she still looked pretty. I pulled the phone from Susie's hand with an exclamation from her.

"She's my girlfriend, not yours. Get out!"

On her way out, she mimicked me with her hands waving on her sides. Rolling my eyes, I closed and locked the door with Shelly in my hand. When I looked back at her, her face was flushed as her hand was picking at her bottom lip.

"What?" I mimicked her as my hand came up to my mouth.

"Is that what I am? Am I your girlfriend?"

My breath caught. Had I accidentally said that? It wasn't like I regretted calling her my girlfriend but it was new. It was different. Did she want to be a title kind of couple?

"I mean, relatively speaking, that's what we are. I just-I don't think it fits with us. We aren't title people, we aren't the standard people. Girlfriend is the closest-"

"Tanner?" Shelly interrupted my rant.

"Yeah?" I breathed.

"Shut up. I get what you mean. I'm your girlfriend but a little more. What would fit us? How about...soulmate?"

Her face looked redder. Soulmate. Gulping, I let out a nod. I felt like this was a young age to find that person but she was it. My nodding became confident as she watched. A giggle had escaped her mouth. I wanted to hug her and hold her.

"I'm your stalker. I'm your girlfriend. I'm your soulmate. I'm your Bella. What else am I?" She laughed as she brought her hand up to count.

The one, I thought. She was my person. She was everything. But it was a premature thought and I'd let myself sit on that one for a while.

******

A/N:

I love young love. It's so pretty. It also feels rushed but sometimes, you just know. And that's what's important.