Out of Your League

Chapter 13

I didn't go to school the next day. I couldn't, I couldn't face Ed or the rest of the school who I knew for certain would be analysing my every move. Belle showed me a rare moment of kindness when she brought me a massive bar of chocolate which was slightly undone when she commented as she dumped it on my bed:

'Do you know how embarrassing it was for me to buy that chocolate? You should get over Ed before he causes you more heartbreak and me more embarrassment.' She wasn't wrong, everything had gone wrong for us, like the stars didn't wish for us to be together, but... I hadn't voiced it to myself, let alone anyone else, but I think... I think I loved him. Loved him in a way that had only grown and blossomed even when obstacles had got in our way. That's why I was finding it so hard to believe that it was over, finding it so hard to accept that Belle was right.

She was right though, I couldn't spend the rest of my life moping in bed. And, if nothing else, Ed had shown me that I did like being in a relationship, even if I needed practice at it. So I got up, dressed and for the first time in four days, I brushed my hair and even applied a little makeup. I was going to put on a brave face, and if I faked being okay for long enough, eventually I would become okay. So as we headed to chapel that morning and I held my head high even as I got stared at by nearly everyone – my night-time rejection had spread like wildfire around the school, of course it had – I was the magazine beauty who every girl wanted to be and every guy wanted to date and Ed, everyone had a crush on Ed.

Despite putting on a brave face, I was still aching inside and even the cheerful hymn that was sung that morning couldn't put a smile on my face. Even the Pastor's shouted sermon washed over my head as I wallowed in my sadness and reflected on my failed attempt to reunite with Ed.

Once chapel was over, Belle left me with a concerned look after saying:

'You are going to go to Spanish aren't you?' I had nodded and tried to convince her, but even to me my attempt seemed feeble. It didn't get past Belle either who'd spent a lifetime looking out for people lying to her. But she couldn't comment on it as she had to leave for her lesson, or else she'd be late and she was literally perfect, I don't think she'd ever even got a detention so of course she wasn't going to risk being late.

As soon as she'd turned the corner and was out of site, instead of heading towards the Language building, I turned straight towards Brooke. I'd thought I could put this past me and put I on a brave face, but I'd been wrong – I needed to wallow for longer.

I got the street that Brooke was on and my breath caught as I stopped abruptly. Ed was there. But I couldn't let him see what this was doing to me, I needed to pretend I was fine, just for long enough for him to pass by me. But he wasn't moving either, we were both standing perfectly still like we were in some sort of intense staring match. 

How long we stayed like that for, I couldn't tell. I was desperately thinking though any strategy I could use to get myself out of this situation without embarrassing myself whilst also trying to analyse his expression. Then he gave me the briefest hint of a smile and a slight nod. My heart stopped but... I must reading his expression wrong, he'd clearly told me a few nights ago how he felt. But then he did it again and lifted his arms slightly towards me.

Without any hesitation, any time to convince myself not to do this, I ran towards him. Ran as though winds were pushing at me and forcing me along, quicker and quicker. I was so focused on running into his outstretched arms that I forgot to look where he was and I bumped into him. Bumped into him hard because I was running so fast, and he stumbled backwards. I blushed, I'd just managed to ruin a potentially romantic moment.

But Ed, still unruffled and smooth like water on glass, recovered quickly and said to me whilst I stood there biting my lip and shaking my head, not believing that this was true.