Fall from Love

my chest rising and falling, getting quicker by the second. Things are changing between us, I can feel it. A line is being drawn and, soon, we are going to have to decide if we want to cross it. If I’ve ever doubted my feelings before now, there is no hiding from them anymore. I have feelings for Carter Hansen and they go far beyond friendship. The scariest thing is that I know he’s hiding or running from something and, from my own experience, I know how easily a person like that can be broken. What scares me most of all is knowing that he could break me right back.

 
     
    Chapter Fourteen
     
    The emotion that can break your heart is sometimes the very one that heals it.
    ~ Nicholas Sparks
     
    CARTER
    The feelings I’ve been fighting, denying and running from for the past couple of months are staring right at me, challenging me to deny them now as I look into her eyes.
    I shove my hands in my jeans, glancing towards the ground, towards the sky, anywhere except at her eyes. “Why don’t you come in? Kelly and I were just talking about getting some breakfast.”
    It takes her a moment to answer me. “Um, I don’t think I can face her again. She must think I’m a freak,” she says nervously.
    With that statement, I glance up and see a tiny smile cross her lips.
    I can’t help smiling back. “Perfect, the two of you will get along just fine, then. She’s a bit of a freak, too.”
    She tries not to let the smile spread across her face, but she fails… miserably. “Okay,” she agrees. “I actually brought some breakfast over. Well, I mean, I have to cook it first.”
    “You were going to cook me breakfast?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
    “Yeah, as a thank you for helping me out with the whole car situation.”
    I nod. “Ah, yes. You mean since I had to leave class early, change your tire in the middle of a snow storm, drive your car to the auto shop, and then drive your butt all the way home. Yep, gotta say, that was pretty brutal. Payback wouldbe greatly appreciated.”
    She laughs out loud and I soak it in. There aren’t too many things I love more than to hear her laugh.
    “Let me just grab the groceries,” she says. I glance inside her car and see the grocery bag in her front seat, noticing they’re spilled out on the floorboard. She follows my gaze and hurries around the car to put them all back in. I follow her around to the other side and watch her intently. My eyes have a mind of their own as they begin to scan her up and down, especially when she bends over inside the car. I can’t help looking at how her jeans are perfectly molded to her lower half.
    “Crap, I hope the eggs didn’t break.” She curses under her breath as she fills the grocery bag back up. I try to stifle a laugh. She leans in even farther and her jeans dip down lower. I can’t stop staring until she turns around to face me again.
    “Come on, I’m starving,” I say, taking the bag from her. The entire walk back up to the house I can’t help thinking it’s not breakfast that I’m hungry for.
    Kelly’s in the kitchen when we walk in and I notice the way Holly’s cheeks flush the moment their eyes meet.
    “You’re Holly, I presume,” Kelly says, standing up from the table and extending her hand out.
    “Yeah, and you must be Kelly.” She smiles politely, but it’s clear she’s embarrassed as hell. I try to hide my smile, but it’s hard because her rosy cheeks look so darn cute. “Sorry about that earlier. I was just confused,” she mumbles.
    Kelly waves it off. “Don’t worry about it.”
    “Hey, Holly brought some groceries so we’ll just cook breakfast here,” I say, hoping to break up the awkwardness that Holly’s clearly feeling. I set the groceries down on the counter and begin to unpack them.
    “Actually, I can’t stay after all. I’ve got to get back to Mom.” Kelly stands up and slings her purse over her shoulder. “It was really nice to meet you, Holly; I’ve heard a lot about you.”
    I close my eyes in frustration, realizing that my sister just gave me away. Shit . “Kelly, you don’t have to leave,” I say, only half glaring at her.
    “Yeah, please stay,” Holly echoes my thoughts.
    “Thanks, but I just remembered that I promised Mom I would… bring her some food home. She’s probably pretty hungry.” She struggles with what to say and it’s painfully obvious in what she’s trying to do, or it is to me, at least.
    “So, I’ll see you tomorrow?” Kelly glances