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Chapter 56

"Turn the page," Robbie said softly.

I snapped out my daze. I was riding the subway back home with Robbie. He was leaning against a pole, and I was leaning against him. I didn't have my crutches anymore, but we decided to continue our commute as we had been. It was a lot more comfortable this way anyway. Also, Robbie had argued, if I lost my balance and fell, it would set back all the healing my leg did this week.

It was a 40-minute subway ride, so we got into the habit of reading together. He held the book with one hand and me with his other. I hugged his waist and flipped the pages when needed. It was a good system. We read at a similar pace, so we never had to wait too long for each other.

"Sorry," I said, reaching up to turn the page.

"What are you thinking?"

"Nothing, just reading."

"Ok, what did you think about the part where Jane Eyre runs away from the orphanage?"

"I thought good for her," I said, resting my head on his chest.

He closed the book, "I made that up. What are you thinking?"

I looked up at him hesitantly; I don't know why I was suddenly so nervous.

"I was asked to go to the ballet this weekend, and I said yes," I said, not meeting his eyes. I felt him stiffen and noticed his brow furrow.

"You were asked?"

"Like a date."

"So last minute?" He asked, confused.

"Well, it was Maria's idea; she roped me into it."

He let out a measured breath, "Of course it was her idea. So, who's the lucky guy?"

"Gareth."

He tried to hide the twitch is mouth and the humor in his eyes, but I caught it.

"Robbie, don't start; he's really nice."

"He is very...nice," He teased.

"I felt so bad, she and Lana put us both on the spot, and he's so sweet I didn't want to embarrass him."

"I'll talk to my sister."

"She meant well."

"I'm sure she did," He said drily, and after a beat, he chuckled.

"What?"

"Nothing, just relieved, I guess." He said while pulling me to stand between his legs.

"Why, relieved?"

"Because I thought it would be with someone else. Someone more like you," He said, scratching his eyebrow.

"What?"

"You and Gareth aren't going to date seriously. The guy watches wrestling," He said, chuckling.

"That's a little presumptuous of you," I said, frowning and pushing away on his chest, "not to mention rude. He's a nice guy and hasn't done anything to you."

He sighed, "It's not presumptuous. He talks about professional wrestling all the time in the locker room with the other meatheads. In 5th grade, his birthday was WWE themed. I don't dislike the guy. He's nice and not at all a creep. I just know you aren't going to like him in that manner. There's nothing he can say to you that you don't already know."

"Well, I don't know anything about wrestling, so I'm sure he'll have a lot to talk about."

"Make sure to drink a strong cuppa before your date; it's rude to fall asleep. Between classical music and the whisperings of sweet wrestling moves into your ear, it's a dangerous game to play."

I smacked him on his chest. "Maybe I'll like it. Maybe it will be a turn on I didn't know I had," I said, smirking and raising an eyebrow.

He dipped his head to reach my ear. "Ladies and gentlemen," He whispered, his voice dramatized to sound like the announcers on a wrestling match. I snickered and pressed into him, and he exhaled a laugh, "In this corner weighing in at two hundred and seventy pounds," He continued his breath tickled my ear, and I let out a laugh. I turned away from his tickling breath, pressing my temple to his lips. He kissed my head, bringing a hand up to tangle in my hair. I let out a humming sound; he smelled and felt so good.

He kissed my forehead, my nose, my cheeks.

"Those were within the boundaries, yes?" He joked.

"Mhm," I sighed. "You know Robbie, we did cross a lot of them today," I said, positioning my opening argument.

"So basically, we already failed for the day?"

"Well, yea—"

He dipped his head, and his lips captured mine. The hand in my hair pressed me into him, and I stood on my tippy toes to deepen it. I don't even remember when we stopped kissing, but at one point, we were on a subway train, and the next, we were getting on the bus that would take me home.

"When do you leave on your trip?" I asked as we sat down. The cold air waking us up a bit and calming down whatever it was that always seemed to flare up between us.

"Tonight. I'm dropping you off and then heading home to change and go to the airport."

"Hmmm," I said, biting my lip.

"Do you want to keep reading?" He asked, holding up the worn-out copy of Jane Eyre in his hand.

I shook my head slowly while holding his gaze.

"Okay, good me neither," he breathed and grabbed my face kissing me again. I climbed over him, straddling him in his seat. His hands gripped my hips.

"Will the two private school kids in the back calm the hell down before I kick you off my bus and call your parents." We heard a voice say on the intercom above our heads.

We froze, and Robbie immediately set me back down in my seat. My face must have been five different shades of red. I looked over at Robbie, and he was laughing.

"You have to behave," I said, smiling and wagged my finger at him.

He laid his head on my shoulder and pulled my hand into his lap, lacing our fingers. I looked out the window, feeling a strange sadness at the thought of him leaving for a week.

When we got to the bus stop outside my house, I tapped him on the cheek to wake up. We got off the bus saying humiliated sorries to the bus driver.

"Holy Trinity kids, a catholic school, huh," She said, clicking her tongue. "You need to start praying for some restraint," She said, shaking her head.

We stood on the curb and waved to her as she left.

As soon as the bus was a speck in the distance, Robbie leaned against my building's wall and pulled me to him.

"She's right." He said, kissing my nose, "We need to practice restraint."

"She said some restraint if I recall correctly," I retorted and reached up to kiss his neck.

He pulled me back, his hands cupping my face. They felt nice and warm in contrast with the stinging air.

"What am I going to do with you?" He whispered, giving me one of those looks that were difficult to read. I placed my hands on his wrists.

"Miss me," I said. It was a simple statement, but I felt bold when I said it. A blush crept into my cheeks.

"That's inevitable," He murmured, rubbing his thumbs across my cheekbones.

My dad was home, I thought absentmindedly. 

Although probably wouldn't, there was a possibility he could look at the time and wonder why I was home so late. I could make up an easy lie and say I missed my bus, but if he came downstairs for a smoke, my dad would catch my bluff really quick. 

Still, I didn't want to leave. This moment felt so final, and I wanted it to last a little longer. 

"I have to go up," I said reluctantly, pulling away.

"I know," He responded, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear. He grabbed my bag from the floor, placed it on my shoulder, then pulled me towards him and rested his forehead on mine.

"Robbie."

He exhaled a laugh and then closed his eyes before pulling me against him. His chin resting on my head. I rested my cheek on his chest.

"When I come back, can I see you?" he asked, his mouth brushing the top of my head.

"Well, we have class together. You have no choice."

He let out a laugh and cupped my face, his fingers in my hair. I held his wrist. He kissed me deep and long. When he pulled back, he kissed my nose, "go, it's getting dark. I don't want your dad wondering where you are."