Owen

"Tell Mimi I said hi," My mom says as Lainey and I are about to walk out the door.

"I will," I say over my shoulder as we exit my home.

It has been weird between Lainey and I this morning, honestly, it has been weird since yesterday. Something happened between us and I have no idea what it was.

One minute we were joking with each other and then the next I nearly did something that I would be regretting today.

It was as if the only thing I could think about was how beautiful her eyes were and how her hair fell around her face perfectly.

I have known this girl for years, why are her eyes suddenly so damn beautiful.

Not only did I almost kiss her, but I told her I had always been nervous around her.

I didn't know what I was saying, but I knew if I didn't leave, I was going to tell her everything about me.

Something in Lainey makes me want to spill my guts up.

Shaking my head I try to bring myself back to reality. "Are you excited to talk to someone besides me?" I ask.

Lainey looks over at me with a smile, "I have never been more excited for anything."

I laugh, ever since the theme park Maize has been pretty MIA. My guess is she is spending time with Trey.

I guess after four years of liking someone it's freeing for them to finally know how you feel.

"Do you think your Mimi likes me?" Lainey suddenly blurts.

If I wasn't driving my head would have whipped towards her. "What kind of question is that."

Lainey wrings her hands in front of her. "A perfectly normal one for someone in my position to have."

"Overthinker," I cough into my hand.

Lainey gasps, "No, I am not."

"Whatever," I sing.

She rolls her eyes and sighs, "I just want her to like me."

"Why?" The question slips out before I can think better of it.

"Because I have this weird feeling that a lot of people dislike me," Lainey admits.

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't dislike you and I know my Mimi doesn't dislike you either," I say softly.

She smiles, "Awe, so you can be nice."

I scoff.

~~~~

After several older women hit on me, we reached my Mimis room. "Wow, back so soon," My grandma gushes as we walk in.

I laugh as I hug her. "Careful, you're going to make Lainey think I never visit you."

Lainey laughs and my grandma hugs her. "I take it you are still invisible," Mimi says to Lainey.

Lainey sighs, "Unfortunately so."

I take a seat across from Lainey and my grandma.

"Do you have any clue as to when you will go back to normal?" Mimi asks.

Lainey shakes her head, "Hopefully at the end of the next two weeks."

Mimi nods, "Ahh, so the full moon."

I choke on my saliva, "You keep up with the moon phases?"

Mimi gives me a look that says, "Come on you know me better than that."

"Have you been getting along better?" Mimi asks Lainey.

Lainey looks at me as if I should answer; I respond with raised eyebrows. "We have been getting along much better," Lainey says with an annoyed sigh.

Mimi takes a sip from her tea with a look I know means trouble. "Have I ever told you the story about how I met your grandfather?"

I groan, "Yes, Mimi plenty of times."

Lainey grins, "Well, I have never heard it before."

I lean my head back and internally moan.

~~~~

It has been two hours and Lainey has been going through photo album after photo album with my grandma. And Lainey doesn't seem the least bit annoyed.

She is practically glowing with joy. I have never seen someone so excited to look at photos.

I hang the dish rag on the sink, and I hear a laugh come from the living room, "I cannot believe that you did that!" Lainey exclaims.

My grandma chuckles, "I was young and lived by the rule "you only live once."

She most likely showed her the picture of the time she and my grandfather went skinny dipping at the beach.

Every time she showed me that picture I would laugh because you would never know they were about to go skinny dipping because they had nice dress clothes on in the picture. Mimi always told me the real picture of them is hidden in her nightstand.

I watch Lainey shake her head with a smile that hasn't left her face in over an hour. I meant what I said last night. Her eyes are mesmerizing.

From afar they look chocolate brown but the closer you get the more you can see the gold and green hues mixed around.

I lean forward to rest my elbows on the counter as I watch Lainey point at a different photo. As she leans forward her messy waves fall into her face, and she quickly pushes them away.

I wish I could walk over there and tuck her hair behind her ear as I did last night. Part of me wants to sit down beside her just to twirl one of the waves around my finger.

She laughs at something Mimi says, and I can't help but admire the way her eyes light up and the way her forehead crinkles ever so slightly in the cuteness way.

Suddenly I want to make her laugh like that all the time.

When her laughter dies down, she quickly rakes her hair behind both of her ears and glances at the window. The light hits her hair just right and turns it golden brown. It has to be one of the prettiest sights I have ever seen.

How have I never noticed how beautiful she is before now? Everything about her is perfect. Her eyes, the way her lips pull up into a teasing grin, or even the perfect curve of her neck and the mole that sits right in the collum of her neck.

God, I would give anything to kiss that little mole at the base of her neck.

What the fuck?

That thought breaks me from whatever trance I was in, and I jump back, ramming my arm into the island behind me.

"Shit," I groan as blood runs down the back of my arm.

Lainey jumps up and Mimi sits her book down. "Owen, what happened?"

I look up to find Lainey's worried eyes as she walks to the kitchen. "I hit my elbow," I stutter.

She tilts her head, and her chocolate brown waves fall over her shoulder, "How?"

Think of a lie quickly so you don't look like a complete idiot. "I saw a bug."

Lainey stops in front of me; now wearing a teasing smile. "You got scared of a bug?"

I nod. It's better for her to think I was scared of a bug than staring at her.

I move to cross my arms but stop at the sight of blood on my arm. "For god's sake you cut yourself," Lainey exclaims.

I roll my eyes and before I can tell her it's nothing Mimi says, "Band-Aids are in the bathroom."

Lainey sighs and grabs my hand with shocking force. "Come on, let's get you boo-boo cleaned up."

"I can do it myself," I grumble.

Mimi laughs, "He might see another bug and freak out again."

Lainey laughs and I sigh.

This is why you should never lie.

~~~~

Lainey shuts my grandmas's small bathroom doors and starts looking in the cabinets under the sink. I simply take a seat on the toilet. "It looks like you will be wearing unicorn Band-Aids," Lainey says as she pulls a box out from under the cabinet.

I shrug, "Not the first time I had to."

Lainey's lips twitch as she wets a towel, "Let me guess, a butterfly landed on your arm."

As much as I hate to give her the satisfaction, I cough out a laugh. "No, I burned myself."

Lainey nods and motions for me to stand. She moves closer to me and for the first time I realize how tall she is compared to me.

I have never been considered 'tall', and I have never been called short. I guess you could say I'm average height.

I used to wish I was taller like the rest of my friends, but at this moment, I have never been happier about my height. If I wanted to, I could place the bottom of my chin on Lainey's head. 

I don't know why everyone thinks the height difference between a boy and a girl is so cute. Imagine how much a guy's neck would hurt from looking down at his girlfriend all day.

Lainey is the perfect height; I can wrap my arms over my shoulders, and I could rest my chin on her head if she ever decided to hug me.

I feel her place the Band-Aid over my cut. "There, all better sweetie," she says sweetly.

When she looks up at me with those hazel eyes something in me snaps. "What would I do without you, darling?"

"Probably bleed all over your grandma's floors," Lainey says in a shaky voice.

I notice the deep breath she takes as her chest nearly brushes mine, "Do you enjoy looking at photos," I ask.

Lainey smiles, "I love hearing the stories behind them."

A deep chuckle rumbles through me, "Only you would think that."

She laughs as she gently shoves my chest. As her hand touches my chest I grab it. Her hand feels so soft compared to mine.

"Your heart is racing again," I say as her eyes quickly flick back and forth between mine.

Her nose crinkles as she scoffs, "No it's not."

With my other hand, I gently brush my thumb over her flickering pulse, so close to that damn mole.

"I hope your pulse isn't always this fast," I say softly.

Lainey takes a quick breath and places her hand on my neck, "I think your heart may be beating faster than mine."

I'm sure it is.

I step closer to her, making our chests touch. "It always is when you are around."

She tries to but, fails to hide the quick intake of breath. "Why is that Huntley?"

I lower my head so over noses are nearly touching, "Because you are a mystery to me."

Her eyes flash with surprise and I continue. "You always have been. I can figure anyone out in the first ten minutes of meeting them, but with you, I can't. Every time I time, I think I am even close to understanding you you surprise me."

Lainey's cheeks fade to a light pink. "What scares me the most is I feel safe around you, Lainey."

"I guess that makes us even because I can't seem to figure you out either?" Lainey whispers.

I pull away and drop her hand, "It's probably best you don't."

Lainey tilts her head, but before she can ask any questions, I open the door.

I am in some deep shit.

I think I have feelings for this girl.

This girl seems to turn my world upside down every time I'm around her.