AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I truly believed my feelings for Arch would lessen over time but no. They’ve gotten stronger. To the point that I’m overwhelmed with love for him. I can’t think about anything else. Or anyone else. I’m not doing as well at school. I can’t concentrate. I’m mad at my father for keeping us apart, and he knows it. He tries to make conversation with me, but my answers are always short, and I don’t spend as much time with him like I used to.
In turn, he’s now officially together with Kathy so he’s not around much anyway, and that fills me with resentment. It’s okay for him to move on and find someone new, yet I can’t?
That’s not fair.
I started reading a romance book recently and of course, it makes me think about Arch. How the main male character reminds me of him. The things they do remind me of us. I started highlighting and annotating and…
Yes. I left my book in the desk on purpose, hoping Arch would see it and read it. Maybe even annotate and highlight parts with the pen I left for him.
Pathetic? For sure. I’m a mess over this boy, and I’m tired of holding back. I’m tired of being the good daughter and doing what my father wishes. I’m tired of making myself sick with misery over not having Arch in my life.
I deserve happiness. I deserve love. And Arch brings me both things. I need him. I want him.
I’m in love with him.
And what’s so wrong with that?
Vivian and I talk a little more about my issues but then the phone starts ringing and eventually Matthews comes in, asking us to do a few administrative tasks. Vivian has me filing papers and it’s just the mindless distraction I need.
The rest of the morning goes like it’s gone for the last thirty days or so. I ignore Arch in every class we share together and he does the same. Sitting with his friends. Stretching his legs out like he always does, laughing and sounding full of joy while I sit alone with my misery. I feel pitiful. Invisible.
But what did I expect? That Arch would read the passages in my book and feel the need to approach me today about it? Of course, he wouldn’t. Even if he did find my book, he probably thought my little idea was stupid. Cowardly.
I spend lunch outside, soaking up the sun, knowing we’re nearing the end of days like this. Soon it’ll be cold and rainy, and then even colder and snowy. I don’t bother going to our garden though. The roses are all gone, which makes me sad. The only evidence that remains is the dried-up petals scattered across the ground. The garden has gone dormant. What was beautiful and blooming is now dried up or dead.
Even the roses Arch gave me for my birthday have stopped blooming, though that’s normal. I miss seeing them. Like I miss seeing Arch’s face, the intimate smile that would stretch across it. The one that was just for me.
My chest aches at the mere thought of it.
When I walk into my statistics class, I’m relieved to find Mrs. Nelson isn’t at her desk yet. I go straight to my desk and peek inside to see the book still sitting there. Trying not to get my hopes up—he might’ve never noticed it in the first place—I pull the book out, realizing that there’s something inside of the pages. I flip the book open to discover a folded piece of lined paper.
My heart thumping wildly, I take the note out and unfold it carefully, my breaths coming faster when I see Arch’s bold handwriting.
Daze,
If you’re trying to tell me something with the passages you highlighted in this book, then I got the message loud and clear. There are a few things I need to tell you too and I used the highlighter you left behind (thanks for that BTW) so read them and think of me.
That’s what I did. When I read the parts you highlighted, I thought of you. Nothing else but you.
I know it’s hard for you to confront your problems and share your feelings. I know you’ve spent the last six years isolating yourself and there’s a big part of you that prefers living that way, but I also know there’s a tiny part of you that liked the attention I gave you.
You’re like the roses you love so much. They can only grow when they’re fed and watered and basking in the light.
Let me be your light, Daisy. And you can be my rose.
That was really fucking corny but you know what I mean.
Love,
A
A huffof laughter leaves my lips and I press shaky fingers against them, trying to contain the tears that want to fall. Though they’re not sad tears. Not even close.
I’m happy.
He gets me like no one else does. He sees me when I’m positive I’m invisible. He’s the only person who truly understands me, and I don’t know how I let my father deprive me of being with Arch for this long.
Students start to enter the classroom and I ignore them. I’m flipping through the book, searching for any trace of blue highlighter and when I find the first one, I read the line he highlighted with my heart in my throat.
