Chapter 23

It has been a few days since the hockey game—since Bailey almost left me behind. She pretended that's not what she was going to do, but I knew. I could feel it. Her eyes told me everything I needed to know, and I could see her flight instincts kicking in when the jumbotron focused on her face.

I'm pretty sure the only one who kept her there was Cheyenne, and for that, I owe her. Maybe I'll get Jeremy to take her out and I'll pay for their dinner. He may tell me nothing is going on between them, but it's pretty apparent that's a lie.

I was surprised to see Bailey standing outside the locker room, waiting for me. But when I took her home, and she demanded I fuck her…I couldn't hold back anymore. I've been trying to prolong the inevitable. Hoping that it keeps her around for a little longer, as if having sex with me will make her tire of me faster. It might be irrational, but it feels like she will eventually lose interest once she gets what she wants from me.

To make matters worse, I almost told her I loved her. I had to stop myself before I ruined everything. However, if her facial expression had been any indication, she knew exactly how that sentence would've ended had I had the guts to finish it.

Which is why I'm so surprised that she pretended nothing ever happened, and even spent the night. We've had the best time too, spending as much time together as possible before I have to leave for an away game next week. And now here we are, at a planetarium, because I want to take her to experience new things, and she said she had never been to one.

We have already toured most of the exhibits at the Museum of Science, including the planet's exhibit, and are now entering the indoor butterfly garden. Bailey looks like a little girl, and her eyes light up like she has discovered magic for the first time. The sight makes my chest tighten, and I rub at the ache with my hand.

Butterflies make a home of Bailey's hair, perching themselves on her head, and she giggles. But when a giant Monarch butterfly lands on her small, straight nose, Bailey's eyes begin to water. Her bottom lip trembles and she stays very still. They stare at each other for a long moment, and when Bailey's first tear falls, the butterfly spooks and flies away.

I come to her side and put a hand on her shoulder as she frantically wipes under her eyes. "I've heard butterflies represent rebirth," I tell her softly, and she looks up at me with glistening eyes. "New beginnings can be beautiful too, Bailey."

She nods slowly. "They're scary, though."

"You can do scary things." I smile with encouragement, pulling her into my side by her waist, making the butterflies begin to fly in circles around us. Some begin to land on me, too. "You can do whatever you set your mind to."

She gives me a small smile, her dimples making an appearance, and I return it. "If you say so."

After another half hour at the butterfly garden, I all but drag her across the building to the laser dome. I was excited to bring her to the museum because I knew she had never experienced anything like it, but the reason for my own excitement was seeing her face during this experience.

A couple of days ago, I heard her singing Paramore songs in the shower, and this is perfect because I booked us tickets to the Paramore laser show. I think she's going to love it.

We enter a room full of people, chairs on either side of us already occupied. Some are lying back and enjoying the laser show on the dome ceiling, and I see others lying on the turf-covered ground. The music hasn't started yet, so I direct her to an empty spot on the turf so we can get comfortable.

Once we're comfortable and lying side by side, we look at each other. Bailey smiles shyly as her hand brushes mine, and I grab it and interlace our fingers, holding it to my chest. My heart is beating erratically, and even though the first song is starting to play, all I can hear is the beating of my heart.

Bailey's eyes twinkle when All I Wanted begins to play, and she smiles. We break eye contact and stare up at the ceiling instead. The lasers dance around, duplicating and jumping all over the place until it feels like my eyes will cross. They're beautiful, though. They are bright yellow and black in color that goes with the cover picture for the song on Apple Music. I may or may not have been listening to the songs she likes.

When I look to the side, she's already staring at me. She's biting her bottom lip, and her hand tightens in mine. "What do you think?"

"It's beautiful," she beams, and my heart stutters in my chest. "Perfect."

I smile back, mainly since there's no way I can stop myself. This girl has no idea what she does to me. It's unfair. "Do you love it?"

Do you love me yet?

"Yes, I do," Bailey smirks. "How did you know?"

My smile widens because that's all I can do. I hope she can't tell what I'm thinking. She'd run away so fast if she did. "You sing pretty loudly in the shower."

She laughs at this, and I join her. Only her attention shifts quickly, and she goes back to staring at the lasers and listening to the music. Song after song, she stares up and then at me. My breath is shallow every time her eyes land on my face, and I don't know how I'm going to survive her. But I sure as hell want to try.

Her hand tightens in mine, and with a small smile, I wonder what it would be like if she were truly mine. Would it be the same? It already feels like she's mine. I just don't know if she thinks that way, too.

Though I intend to find out either way.