Page 63 of The Boy I Once Loved

“Oh, no one,” he replies with a grin and I chuckle, nudging him with my arm. “Make sure you love someone who is good enough for your love El.”

I look up at him, searching his eyes for the answers to all the questions I have. “That is very deep.”

He smiles, shrugging his broad shoulders. “Just make sure the next guy you love is deserving of it.”

“No one needs to be shackled with my broken and fragile heart,” I sigh. “I’m not even sure I have one anymore.”

I feel his eyes burning into mine, but I keep my eyes focused on the view.

“You have a heart, Ella Umbrella. It’s a big heart.”

“Ready to head back down?” Caleb asks. Coming between us and putting his arms over both our shoulders and breaking the moment.

I shake my head, trying to knock some sense into my brain. Dylan James is chipping away at my carefully erected walls and that is dangerous because to do that is to let myself be let down again. To let myself feel that absolute despair that no one came through for me when my life falls apart. I must distance myself from Dylan. It's what is best for both of us.

I’m in a foul mood come college on Monday morning. The camping trip unnerved me, and I don’t like feeling that way. It makes me feel weak and vulnerable. I head out on to the drive, my blonde hair tied up in a messy bun, chewing on a piece of toast I have just shoved in my mouth on the way out. The sound of a car sputtering grabs my attention and I see Dylan on his drive with his head under the bonnet of his car. I should just jump on my bike and drive off before he sees me, but no, my stupid brain speaks before it thinks.

“Car trouble?” I shout across to him.

“Fuck,” he startles and hits his head on the roof of the open bonnet. Rubbing his head, he leans up and looks across the way to me. “Yeah. It won’t start and I can’t figure out why.” He looks at his watch and he swears. “I’m going to be late.”

I hesitate for a just a second. “You can always jump on the back of my bike?”

He blinks, looking surprised. “Yeah?”

I kick at the dirt with my shoe. “Yeah. Course.” Nice one, Ella, I say in my head, way to go. What happened to creating some distance?

Dylan closes the bonnet, and he reaches into his car and grabs his bag and jogs down to my house. I can't help but take him in. He looks good today. His dark hair hangs in his eyes and there's a five o'clock shadow on his jawline that makes him look older, sexier.

“You, okay?” he asks as he comes to a stop in front of me and I blink and pull myself together.

Nodding, I climb onto the bike and start her up. “Get on.”

Dylan climbs on behind me and I internally curse when his solid thighs fit snugly against mine. He wraps his arms around my waist, and he leans his chin on my right shoulder. I pull off the drive and we head out onto the open road. There's something that just feels so right about having Dylan on my bike with me. His body moulds to mine like it is born to do so. I want to glance to my right and see his face, but safety first and all that.

When we pull into the school car park, heads turn, no doubt noticing who is on the back of my bike. I kill the engine and as I take off my helmet; I clock Connor and Dylan’s group of friends all watching us.

“Okay, that was hands down the best thing ever!” Dylan exclaims, his face exploding in a smile as I turn my head to look at him. “You really know how to ride this thing Ella bear.”

I snort. “Of course, I do. I was born to be a biker.”

Dylan squeezes my waist gently, his thumb lightly brushes the skin on my stomach, under my t-shirt, and it sends a shiver through my body. My body feels the loss instantly when he pulls his hands away and climbs off. I pull my hair out of the loose bun and shake it out running my fingers through it and I stop still in my actions when I find Dylan standing looking at me with a strange smile on his face.

“What? Bad bike hair?”

He gives me a shy smile and he shakes his head. “It’s nothing.”

I want to press more, but I spot Amber over by the fountain. “Hey, I need to catch up with Amber. I’ll see you later, okay?”

He nods and with one last glance my way; he turns on his feet and heads over to his friends. I turn my head when I hear jostling and whistles when he reaches his group. Shaking his head, he laughs as Caleb grabs him around the shoulders and ruffles his hair. Boys!

The morning passes quickly and I'm loading my books into my locker when two arms grab me around my stomach and tickle me.

“Hey El,” Dylan grins as he casually leans on the lockers beside mine. I watch a group of girls slow down to admire him as they walk by. One of them winks at him as she passes, and Dylan gives her a lazy grin.

I roll my eyes.

“What?” He asks, smiling, knowing full well what. “Let’s eat out today.”

---