Page 255 - The Life of A Teenage Girl (Stories About Finding Your Way)
P. 255
IT WAS NEVER JUST SUMMER
I still felt bad for him, but it didn’t mean he had to be so rude to
people.
“You can ask another if you want,” he said as he cleared his throat.
“Okay, uh—” I kept thinking about it for a while before I asked,
“Do you… do you actually not like me?”
He turned to me, his eyes meeting mine with a seriousness that
made my heart race. For a second, I braced myself, thinking he was
about to say something embarrassing.
“You know what? I’ll just be honest,” he said, his voice steady.
“Aliss, you’re one of the most genuine, stunning people I’ve met.
The girls in our class… they don’t compare. And the reason I said I
didn’t like you? I was afraid. Afraid you’d reject me. I’ve never had to
deal with that before. I’ve never been heartbroken—apart from my
mom—but you’re different, and I actually care about you.”
I stared at him, eyebrows lifting in surprise. He really thought
someone like me would reject someone like him? It almost felt ironic.
“That’s why I kept finding excuses to bump into you. I couldn’t
stop thinking about you,” he added, more quietly this time.
My chest tightened. I had no idea he felt all of that—especially
before I even realized how I felt.
“So all this time… you were acting distant because you liked me?”
I asked.
He gave a small shrug. “Yeah. Pretty much.”
My face was burning now, a deep blush rushing in. “I… I like you
too.”
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