Chapter 112 Car Cinema

Chapter 112 Car Cinema
Jasmine’s POV

Bella tries to spark several conversations, but it ends up being futile, so she finally gives up.

When I’m done clearing my plate, I look up to thank her for the meal before attempting to leave.

“But I’m not done.” She points out, hanging her head low in what looks like disappointment or sadness.

“Okay.”

I could just walk off, but I sit back, trying to distract myself by scrolling through my phone.

“I guess I wouldn’t be getting your forgiveness no matter what I do.” She states, just playing with the already cold noodles.

I don’t have an answer to that, so I just keep quiet.

“I’ve tried, Jasmine, but you’re making it hard.” She drops the fork on the table with a loud clang. “Do you ever miss us?”

I swallow before opening my mouth to answer, but no words come out.

She shakes her head sadly before saying, “All I wanted was a best friend, and I made sure to be there for you.”

She pauses to take a sip.

“I’ve also apologized for being that way.”

“Bella…” I start, but she cuts me off.

“I thought bringing you here would make you reconsider things, but I still get the cold shoulder.”

I totally understand her, but I also want her to see things from my own point of view as well.

I’m not cutting her off, I just need a little time.

“What can I do to earn your forgiveness?”

“You keep confusing me.”

That came out a little louder than intended, but it’s not a lie either.

Her forehead creases like she’s trying to understand what I just said.

“I don’t know who this Bella is.”

“That’s because I’m trying to be nice enough to get you back.” Her voice drops. “Get our friendship back.”

“Being this nice, and too sweet, isn’t Bella.”

“What would you have me do?”

“It’s not also about being nice, but sometimes, you are…” I trail off, not knowing how to put it without sounding mean.

Silence fills the gap, and neither of us talks for a while, but I finally break it.

“I love you, Bella, but I need some time.” I rise, smoothing the creases on my skirt. “And I hope you understand.”

With that, I walk out of the restaurant without looking back.

Only time will tell the fate of our friendship.

I am emotionally overwhelmed by the time I arrive at the apartment.

All I want to do is sink into the couch and forget this day ever happened.

Having difficult conversations hasn’t quite been my specialty.

Running away from them is.

Yawning, I unlock the apartment’s main door to be assaulted by confetti being popped.

“Surprise.” A smiling Xavier laughs, before handing me a tray with a little cake on it.

On top, there’s writing that reads,

“Good luck in your final exams, Princess.”

My eyes instantly water, while the butterflies in my stomach flutter aggressively.

I sniff before setting the cake down, and throwing myself at him.

It’s already been a hard day, and as if he knew, he planned this.

“How was your day?” He coos, carefully lifting me while holding my gaze.

“Went well,” I lie, trying not to spoil the mood.

“I’m glad.” He mutters, planting a kiss on my forehead, before setting me down. “So, I picked something I think you’d like, but I want us to watch it in the car.”

“I’ll just get changed and join you,” I say, already dashing into my room.

I change into something comfortable, tying my hair up, and rushing back out to see that he’s no longer in the apartment, so I race down the stairs to join him in the car.

We drive a little to a bigger parking lot, before he positions the laptop where we can both see the screen, and hands me a bag of popcorn.

The opening credits roll, but I barely register what we’re watching. The car feels smaller than it did a minute ago, just the glow of the screen, the quiet hum of the engine, and Xavier’s shoulder a breath away from mine.

He reaches for the popcorn at the same time I do, and our hands brush. Just a graze, barely anything, but it sends something warm skittering up my arm.

“Sorry,” I mutter, pulling back.

“Don’t be.” His voice is low, amused. He doesn’t look at me, but I catch the corner of his mouth lifting.

A few minutes in, something on screen makes me laugh, really laugh, the kind that bends me forward, and he turns to watch me instead of the movie.

“What?” I ask, wiping at my eyes.

“Nothing. I just like that sound.” He says it so plainly, like it costs him nothing to hand over a truth like that.

I roll my eyes to hide how much it does something to me, and reach for the popcorn again.

This time his hand is already there, and instead of pulling away, his fingers curl loosely around mine in the bag, warm and a little greasy and somehow still the best thing I’ve felt all day.

Neither of us moves to let go.

The movie keeps playing, but I’ve stopped following the plot. I’m too aware of him, the steady rise and fall of his breathing, the way his thumb drags once, slowly, across my knuckles like he’s testing whether I’ll let him.

I do.

“Today was hard,” I admit, finally, eyes still on the screen.

“I know.” He doesn’t ask how he knows. He just knows, the way he always seems to.

I turn to look at him then, and he’s already looking back, patient, like he’s been waiting all night for me to lift my head.

“Xavier.”

“Yeah?”

The words sit heavy on my tongue, foreign in a way they’ve never been before. He says them so easily, so often, like breathing. I’ve never said them to anyone. Not like this.

“I love you.”

It comes out smaller than I mean it to, almost swallowed by the sound of the movie, but his whole face changes like he heard it perfectly. Like he’s been waiting months for exactly those three words in exactly that order.

He doesn’t say it back right away. He just reaches up, brushes a strand of hair from my face, his palm lingering against my cheek.

“Say it again.”

My heart is doing something reckless. “I love you.”

“There it is,” he murmurs, and then he’s leaning in, slow enough that I could stop him if I wanted to.

I don’t want to.

He’ll always be my safe space.