**Chapter Eighteen**
The trail wasn’t that bad to walk on. I would never do it in platform shoes again, but it was nice anyway. When we got to the end, the view was spectacular. We needed to come again and treat it as a hike. We must’ve got plenty of steps in doing so. It felt like we walked for a mile, though barely noticeable with how much we were talking. I’ve gotten so comfortable with him over the last few weeks that I felt like a whole new person. I used to be afraid to talk to Drew. Now I couldn’t wait to see him any chance we could.
The best part wasn’t just the talking, though. At some point, we both forgot we were holding hands and stayed like that the whole way back and forth on the trail. I missed the warmth of his hand once we got back to his car. Though I didn’t miss it for long because Drew grabbed my hand while he drove back to campus. It was unexpected and felt like we shouldn’t be doing this. He was already in hot water with Juliana. Now he was dragging me there with him. I can’t say that I didn’t like it as bad as it was. This was everything the schoolgirl in me could want, and then some. Please never end.
We got back to campus and Drew parked his car in his normal spot. I would get out and we’d go our separate ways. But before I could get out of the car, Drew stopped me. He grabbed my hand so tight to turn me back around to him. His eyes had this softness to them that caught me off guard. I had no clue what he was thinking about. The surrounding air got thick as I stared at him intently.
Biting his lip, it looked like he was fighting with himself to say what he wanted to. “Annabelle, I umm…” he stalled for a minute.
I smile, focusing all my attention back on him. “Don’t be nervous Drew,” I say, what he always tells me.
That got a laugh out of him. “Right, well here’s your hat back,” he hands it to me.
I took it but there was a sadness there. He’s had my hat for so long that I’m used to him wearing it. It was the right thing to do given the circumstances. I wish there was another way for us to be friendly without Juliana getting super jealous. Again, I don’t blame her for feeling the way she does. I’d probably be jealous too if roles were reversed. Though, I don’t think I’d scream at him over a hat. Still, her feelings were valid and I wish it wasn’t so hard to understand boundaries with Drew. My backbone was missing when it came to him.
I tried not to look like I was upset by this and instead thanked him. “Thanks, I can finally wear it again,” I say.
He chuckled, still holding onto my hand. “It looks better on you anyway,” he said, not looking at me. If my eyes weren’t deceiving me, I’d say he was blushing.
“Well, thanks for another fun day, too. I’m looking forward to our agreement.” Now I was stalling because I didn’t want to leave.
Drew noticed this, also trying to stall as much as possible. Though, his question shocked me. “What are we evening doing, Annabelle?” He asked me.
I didn’t know what he meant by that, and it made me nervous. What were we doing? We kept saying we were only hanging out as friends, but we’ve done things friends don’t normally do. Holding hands, spending an ample amount of time together. Not to mention he just had a full-blown fight with Juliana. We were crossing into a territory that we shouldn’t have been. Yet, it felt so right in all the wrong ways. I couldn’t possibly get over him like this.
I fiddle with my hat, not making eye contact. “I thought we were hanging out,” I say nervously.
“Look at me,” he spoke before turning my face toward his.
Our faces were inches away from each other as a breath hitched in my throat. I had to gulp, staring at him this close to me. His lips were so close, it made me feel tempted to kiss him. The thought itself was bad, but the action would be even worse. Maybe if I made the first move, he’d think it was brave of me and reciprocate. Or I’m reading too much into this and it’s nothing like I’m thinking. Why else would he ask such a question, though? He had to be thinking the same thing I was thinking.
His hand moved a strand of hair behind my ear, slowly lowering it. His fingers glided across my cheeks, sending so many chills down my spine. I should’ve known better than to be this close to him. The things he makes me feel drove my body mad. I wish we could stay like this for longer. But Drew knew better than to let that happen. He was the smart one in this situation where I should have been. What happened to get over him, Anna?
“Anna, get out,” he says calmly. That’s the first time he’s called me Anna.
He must’ve been serious, but it still caught me off guard. “Wha-what?” I stuttered.
“Get out,” he repeats before his hands clasp my arms. He lightly squeezed, but not to hurt me. “Please, I don’t want to do something we’ll regret.” He was almost pleading with me.
Heeding his warning, I quickly got out of his car and made my way to my dorm. My heart was racing, thinking about how we were seconds away from kissing each other. Drew was going to kiss me and I was going to let him. I don’t know how we even got to that point. It just happened out of nowhere. We barely realized it until it was too late. What if we kissed? What the hell would we have done then? My mind was all over the place just thinking about it. The main question is, did Drew want to kiss me?
Getting to my room, Dillon was there without Dre this time. That was a pleasure for my eyes and it made me forget about what happened with Drew for a moment. From what I saw earlier, it looked like they were doing a little more than kissing. It was a shocker because she always said she didn’t like him that way. Yet, I almost caught her completely naked with him.
Crossing my arms, I sit on my bed with a smirk on my face. Dillon didn’t even look my way before stopping me. She knew I was going to get her for it, but I wouldn’t be her best friend if I didn’t.
“Don’t you even say anything,” she says, hiding under her covers.
I laugh while taking off my shoes. I make my way to her bed, poking at her. “Were you doing what I think you were doing?” I tease.
She covered her ears. “I’m going to pretend like you’re not here.” She really didn’t want to talk about it.
I pout. “Fine, I guess I won’t tell you what I’ve been up to, either. It’s very juicy.” I tried to tempt her.
It seemed to work because she poked her head up to see me. I didn’t see what was wrong with it. I knew all along that she liked Dre. I would have preferred if she shot me a text before they got busy. Either way, I was going to find out at some point. It seemed strange that they were spending more and more time together. Then there was that time he came and sat with his arm around her. She didn’t budge, not once. That should have been my clue right there, but I was hoping she would come and tell me when this sort of thing happens.
Sitting up, she smiled softly. “Ok, well, Dre and I are kind of dating. But not officially. More like talking.” She explains.
My eyes brighten as I clapped my hands. “How? When? I have so many questions!” I screamed.
She laughed at my excitement for her. “Calm down, I don’t know if we’ll ever be more than what we are right now.”
I pursed my lips. “I don’t know, having half a tit out makes me believe things are going to go just great.”
We laugh as she punched my arm lightly. I was excited for her and couldn’t wait to see where their relationship goes. Dre was probably over the moon, finally being able to win Dillon. I wondered what changed her mind in the long run. She seemed very adamant about not dating him in the beginning. You could never say never in these situations. I wouldn’t be surprised if she were fighting her feelings that she couldn’t take it anymore. Either way, I was happy for them both.
Now, this next didn’t need to be talked about. I’m afraid if I told her, she would look at me differently. It’s not like I chose for it to happen. It did it on its own. The most I could do was control how I reacted to it, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t want it to happen. My only saving grace was remembering that he wasn’t a single guy. Otherwise, who knows what would’ve happened?
Dillon smirked, waiting to hear the news I had to share. “So, where have you been all day?” She looked at me intently.
I bit my lip nervously. She was not best friends with Juliana, but she was her brother’s girlfriend. “I don’t know if I should say,” I contemplate.
“Why? Were you with Drew?” Of course, that’s her first guess.
I nod. “But that’s not the issue. It’s more than just being with Drew, Dill…” I trail off. “I think something was going to happen.”
She was more alert after hearing that last part. “What do you mean, something almost happened?”
There was no easy way to say this. It may make me look insane for thinking, but I had a lot of probable cause to believe that’s what he was going to do. All the signs were there. The tension was there, and we were mere inches apart from me experiencing something that’ll last a lifetime. My only question to Drew would be, what made him want to do it?
Sighing, I look at her nervously before saying what I would have happened. “I think Drew was going to kiss me.”