AllFreeNovel
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We’re quiet again as we finish our breakfast. Things are still strained between us as we make our way to the bus stop and sit down. We have forty minutes until it arrives. Too much time to be sitting here in awkward silence. But what can I do if she can hardly look at me?
“Chloe, are we okay?”
Blinking, she faces me. “Of course. Why are you asking?”
“You just seem so quiet and distant.”
“I’m not.”
I want to argue, but decide not to. I’ll just push her away more. We sit in silence for a few more minutes before I say, “Is this about this morning? When we woke up wrapped—”
“Is that the bus?” she cuts me off.
Straining my eyes, I don’t see anything in the distance other than cars. “Don’t think so.”
She nods and shuts her eyes, clearly not interested in having a conversation with me. And it sucks because I love talking to her. I love just being with her. And she’s treating me like I’m a nuisance. A pesky fly buzzing in her ear.
But I kind of get it. Things were awkward this morning when we woke up in each other’s arms. Why do they still have to be weird, though? Why can’t we go back to before?
She continues to rest while I play a game on my phone. I text Xavier for an update on Spencer. He’s feeling better, but needs to stay in the hospital for another day or two.
Then the bus comes and Chloe and I climb on, taking seats in the back. She rests her head on the window, as though she wants to keep an even larger distance between us.
For the first half hour of the drive, I keep my distance as well. But I can’t take this anymore. If we don’t fix whatever is broken between us, we might never recover.
“Chloe, please talk to me,” I nearly beg. “You’re treating me like a stranger.”
She slowly turns her head, eyes filled with guilt and regret as they settle on me. “I don’t mean to,” she says in a low voice. “I’m just embarrassed.” She cringes and turns to the window again.
I rest my hand on her shoulder. “Because of this morning?”
Still with her head turned away from me, she nods.
“But why? We used to fall asleep on each all the time when we were kids.”
“We’re not kids anymore, Liam.”
“I…I know…”
She finally faces me. “Can we not talk about it?”
“Sure, but please don’t shut me out. You’re my best friend.”
She smiles and takes hold of my hand. “And you’re mine. But…I just want to be alone with my thoughts for three and a half hours. Is that okay?”
“Of course. Sorry.”
“Thanks.” She drops my hand and faces the window again.
***
Mom’s waiting for us at the bus stop as we pull up. The second we get off, she throws her arms over both of us, hugging us close.
“I’m so glad you kids are all right,” she breathes. Drawing back, she smiles. “Did you have a good time?”
“The best,” I say. Chloe nods in agreement, a small smile on her face.
As we drive home, we tell Mom all about our day and our experience at the motel. Of course we skip the part about sharing one bed and waking up snuggled in each other’s arms. Nope. As far as our parents are concerned, we slept in two separate beds in two separate rooms.
