Page 66 of When Fate Breaks
“Why not?”
“Because we’re not ready, Blake. We live across the country from each other and are in totally different places in our lives right now. And we’re going to be for the next several years.”
“You know cell phones exist, right? And transportation methods?”
“Is that what you want? A relationship with your cell phone? Seeing each other a couple times a year? If we can even swing that? Not being able to really be in the moment for your senior year of high school? And whatever may come after that? You want that?”
Blake stares at me, his head shaking slowly. “I just want you.”
I stiffen. “You think I’m overthinking it,” I whisper.
“I know you are,” Blake says, reaching up to stroke my cheek. “But that’s okay. I can wait.”
“I just–” My throat tightens and my vision blurs. “I just want it to be perfect.”
“Nothing’s ever perfect, Evangeline.”
“I know. I just… I can’t lose you.”
“You won’t. Ever.”
“I just want to do it right.”
“I know.”
“Because…because it’s us,” I stammer. “Because it’s–”
“Fate?”
I meet Blake’s eyes. A smile pulls at my lips and I shake my head, my rain soaked hair falling away from my face.
“It’s okay,” Blake says, a smirk appearing on his own face. “I can wait for fate.” I pull my bottom lip into my mouth, Blake’s gaze dropping to it. He swallows hard, and I know he’s fighting an internal battle. “Look, how about we reevaluate the next time we’re together? A few months, a year, whatever it is.”
“Is that okay?” I ask meekly.
Blake steps forward again, bringing a hand to my cheek. “It’s not preferred,” he replies with a smirk, circling his thumb on my face. “But I told you, I can wait. However long it takes.” The lump in my throat keeps me from responding with words, so I just smile at him, leaning into his hand. “But in the meantime, can I at least give you your birthday present?”
“What?” My brows pull together as Blake drops his hand from my face and pulls out a rolled up brown paper bag, placing his hand over top of it to shield it from the rain.
“But it’syourbirthday. Mine’s not until tomorrow.” My mouth falls into a frown. “And I didn’t even get you anything.”
“You’ve given me plenty,” Blake says. “Here.” He places the bag in my palm.
“But I–”
“Evangeline.” My mouth snaps shut. “Shut up and open it.”
“Fine,” I grumble, unrolling the bag. I peer inside but can’t see anything in the dark. Feeling a definite weight of something at the bottom of the bag, I turn it over, letting the contents fall into my hand. Something smooth and round attached to some sort of rough string hits my palm. I bring my hand closer to my face, angling it so I can see better in the dim lighting. My stomach drops, my mouth falling open.
“Blake…” The lump reforms in my throat. “Is this…baby’s breath?” I choke.
“Yeah,” he breathes, averting his gaze.
“You made this?” I ask, dumbfounded. When he just nods, my eyes trail from his face back to the homemade bracelet in my hand. A thin rope like cord circles and connects to a flat round mold of clear resin, encasing tiny pressed flower buds.
I was so distracted by the baby’s breath that I hadn’t noticed the small amount of another flower sprinkled into the mix, their bluish purple color almost exactly the same as the t-shirt I have on.
“And these blue ones?” I ask.
