Page 27 of Stevie
“Okay,” Ren’s calm voice grabs my attention, and I know she’s about to say something completely reasonable, and I’m not going to want to hear it. “What would be the harm in trying? If you have similar feelings for him?”
“I never said I was in love with him,” I state while laying my head on the table.
“Neither did I. I said ‘similar’.”
“Because! I don’t–”
“Want to be a burden?” Indy raises her dark brow. Glaring at my friend from my spot on the table, I scoff.
“It’s d–”
“Different with you two?” Ren supplies, and I jerk up.
“Well, I’m glad to see I don’t need to be a part of this conversation.” Ren rolls her eyes before shaking her head.
“Stevie, you have told us all the same thing. You have been our neutral voice of reason in the past. Now, if you really don’t have feelings for Brooks, I would say yes, you need to cut it all off because Brooks is a nice guy. He’s got a massive heart and doesn’t deserve to end up hurting any more than he already is.”
“What if,” I cringe at the thought racing through my brain. “What if I let him in, and he ends up like my ex?”
“Then I kill him!” Baka shouts, slamming her… where did her butcher’s knife come from? “You no listen, Stefa, so Baka explainagain.” She looks at the girls and points her crooked finger at all of them. “Same for all you. Now, first you take knife and plunge it–”
“Baka!” I groan as Ren and Indy start cackling, and Sadie pales while Baka makes stabbing motions with her knife.
“Ne! Stefa! You stab and twist! Always with the twist.”
“Baka! I don’t want to kill him! I’m not concerned with having to do that!” Baka furrows her brows together as she does when she’s trying to figure out what someone is saying.
“So, no kill the bear? Not even little kill?” She asks slowly.
“No Baka! I like him! He’s good to me and makes me feel safe and respected! Why would I want to hurt someone like that? Geez, everything doesn’t have to result in something so final!” I huff before looking back at my very amused friends. “What?” I ask before turning back to Baka to see her smirking.
“It almost like Baka know all the things. Again, you no listen.” Baka walks away, and I look back at my still-grinning friends and shit. I completely walked into that one.
* * *
Walking up the drive to Brooks’ house, I jump when I see him sitting on the step, his head down, staring at the sidewalk.
“I thought you would be at your mom’s,” I say as he looks up. His face is so sad and lost, and I hate that I’m the cause of it.
“Canceled,” his usually strong, overly confident voice is weak and timid. “Not in the mood to be around them right now.” He looks up at me, studying over my face. “Are you alright?”
“No,” I say tenderly as I go to my knees in front of him.
“Stevie,” he goes to pull me up. “That can’t feel–”
“Will you be my boyfriend?” I blurt out and watch him visibly flinch.
“W-what? What about earlier?”
“I’m scared,” I admit, avoiding his gaze. “But I’m more scared of not having you. I would want rules set, but–”
“No.” My head snaps up to meet his eyes, and I feel embarrassment and rejection filling me.
“No?” I say softly, and he nods.
“I want to be your boyfriend, but I can’t, not yet. You and I need to experience each other in a more romantic setting. So, I would like to take you on a real date.” He gives me a slight, crooked grin, and I relax.
“Alright, Brooks, what did you have in mind?”
