Never Said I Didn't Chapter 7

Chapter 7

We move quietly into my bedroom and slip inside undetected. There aren’t restrictions on Bella’s visits, but I don’t want to upset Dad about anything else.

Bella saunters to my bed. She caps my pen and stacks my book and papers before placing them on my small desk. She sits back against the wall and tucks her hands between her double red-striped, tube-socked feet. I wish I had a camera in my room to capture her there. Her simplicity is beautiful, and the way she fits on my bed and in the mess of my stuff makes me feel tight in my stomach.

“Your house smells good,” she says.

“Dad made dinner,” I say with a frown.

“Oh no. Poor Carlisle. He can’t catch a break.”

“Like father, like son,” I say and sit beside Bella, slumping on the same pillow that rests behind her. “Remember when our family went with yours to the lake for that fishing thing?”

“Yeah,” she says, smiling and looking at me. Her grin lights up her face, and I want to touch her, hold her, so I do. I slip my hand in hers again, this time feeling the curves of her fingers.

“My Dad was so mad when he made that fish and no one would eat it,” I say, snickering.

“It was terrible. I don’t even know what he could’ve done to have made it so awful.”

We giggle side by side at the memory, her body wiggling next to mine, and I’m bombarded with memories of Bella here in my bed doing this same thing—talking and laughing, being with me, but this is different. Because the truth is out now, and it creates an ache in my heart. I want this to be what it used to be, plus more.

I hold her hand to my chest and cover it with my other. I wish she could feel the beat of my heart and know it’s for her, know that she’s the reason I’m getting through any of this.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asks, voice soft and comforting.

“No, just having you here is good.”