Chapter 25: The Rumor

Krissy's Point of View

Everything was off. Usually I could walk into class and people would ignore my existence. Instead, all eyes were on me. In every class, I would walk in and take my seat. Except, I would feel everyone just staring. Then, the whispering would start. I have heard ridiculous theories as to why Blake was dating me. I have even heard that i'm a witch. That was is the stupidest one yet. I tried to ignore them but it was hard. My name was being passed around like an everyday word. I did not like being the center of attention.

I managed to go the whole day without seeing Blake. I was grateful. Don't get me wrong. I love Blake, but the whole school didn't need to know. When he shouted it in the morning, everyone was silent. They were all in shock. I was too. I wasn't expecting for Blake to say that, much less tell the entire school. I was moved that he wants to show the world that he loves me, but he could have gone without telling our classmates.

I tried to hide and hope everyone forgot about it, but that didn't occur. So during lunch, I hid in the library. No one goes in there. Only nerds do and for once, I was okay with that label. I spent my free time reading. I hadn't been able to read any stories on Wattpad and now I had the chance. I managed to get through four chapters of my favorite book A Player in Disguise before the bell decided to ring. I sighed and made the long trek to class. I ignored all the stares the best I could and focused on the lesson plans that lied ahead. The only thing I was looking forward to was to head to work.

I needed the extra cash. I had things to start buying for Harvard. I wanted to pay for my tuition, but I knew I wouldn't be able to do it on my own. My grandpa had called me last night to say sorry. He let me cool off from the horrible Christmas and decided to tell me my Christmas present over the phone. Apparently, I was now financially stable for the next four years. I guess he made me a trust fund big enough to attend Harvard 20 times. I denied it, but he only said I deserved it. I thanked him before he said he had to go.

So, now i'm rich. But, I wasn't on planning on touching that. It was only going to pay for school and then i'd repay all that money. I didn't want to be a prissy rich girl who lives off their family. I wanted to make my own money and be my own person. Which is why I was looking forward to working. Not only did I want to make money, but I also wanted to see Hanna. She didn't know about Blake and I. Neither did Julia. They would be ecstatic. They have been rooting for us since the beginning. I just never knew that this was finally going to be the end.

I walked through the hallway towards the parking lot, having to pass the football locker room. I heard whispering from inside, slightly eavesdropping in on their conversations.

"Dude, that's Fred Carver. He's UCLA's recruiter."

"What's he doing here?"

"Do you think I could talk to him?"

"I heard he wants Asher and Blake."

My heart started beating quickly. Blake may be getting an offer to play college football. My heart swelled with joy. I was trying to convince him to not throw his life away and try even going to community college. He was hesitant at first but said he would think about it. Now this was the moment. Blake was going to be offered a chance to play for UCLA.

"Dude! That was awesome! We're going to be Bruins!" I heard Asher's voice carry through the locker room to me. I smiled at the thought of Blake in a blue and yellow uniform. He was going to look great. California was going to treat him right.

At that thought, my mood instantly changed. Blake was going to have to move to the other side of the country. He would have to live in LA. He would be thousands of miles away from New Haven. We would have to break up.

I felt the tears start to form. I quickly made my way through the remaining part of the school and towards the parking lot. I looked for my car, becoming even sadder. I came to school with Blake. I let out a groan before beginning my walk to the diner. I took my phone out and texted Blake that I was with Morgan and I texted Morgan that I was Blake. I didn't want either of them looking for me. I needed a burger and fries and some time to think.

I wanted nothing more than to be happy for Blake, but in this moment, I wasn't.

-

I carried the tray full of food to a family, setting down their meal. I smiled at them before walking back behind the counter. It had been 3 hours since I managed to get here. I froze my butt off, but it allowed me to think things through. I still wasn't sure how I felt about the news, but I knew I didn't have to make a specific decision yet.

"Kris, can you help me?" Hanna called out. I nodded, walking over to her. She was attempting to carry drinks and plates of food. "Could you take those?"

I picked up the remaining glasses and followed Hannah to one of the bigger booths in the back of the diner. I put on my big smile, expecting a bunch of junior high kids, except coming short. Blake was there with Asher and some guys from the football team. I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around Blake but I knew I couldn't. I needed to talk to him first.

"Hey babe." Blake said smiling at me. My knees suddenly wanted to give out as he grinned at me. I gave him a small smile before walking away. Hanna was quickly on my tail.

"Okay, what was that?" Hanna asked. I looked over at Blake. He was watching me with confusion. I sighed.

"Well Blake and I confessed our love to each other." I said in a very sad tone. Hanna began to shriek, causing some of the guests to look at us weird, but I ignored them.

"Wait, why are you sad? Isn't this what you wanted?" She asked. I nodded, not meeting her eyes. "What's wrong K?"

"I overheard some of the guys on the team say that Blake is being offered a scholarship for football." I said.

"That's great! He'll go to college. But, what's got you down in the dumps?" She asked still confused. I glanced back at Blake. He smiled at me, causing me to smile too.

"He's being offered to play for UCLA, in California." I said. I grabbed the new set of food that was placed in the window and took them to their rightful table. I gave the guests a smile before letting it slide off my face. Blake was waiting for me at the counter.

"So, Hanna here was just telling me how happy she is I finally confessed my feelings for you." He said. I gave him a tight lipped smile before walking into the back room. I needed to get away from him. I couldn't talk about this right now.

"K, don't hate me." I heard Hanna shout. I turned around and saw Blake standing there.

"What's wrong Kris? Did I do something wrong?" He asked. I shook my head turning away. I knew the moment I looked into his eyes, i'd tell him everything. "Tell me. Please."

His arms wrapped around me, making me relax into his chest. His chin landed on my shoulder as he kissed my cheek. I felt myself slowly losing control. He continued to kiss my cheek, leading down to my neck. His grip on my waist tightened, causing me to moan. That seemed to trigger my brain.

"No. Stop. I can't." I said separating myself from him. My breathing was coming out in pants as I struggled to focus on reality. "We can't."

"Will you tell me what's wrong?" He asked. Concern and worry were laced in his tone. He slowly walked over to me, pulling me into his chest. I melted into him as if I was made for him. He set his chin on my head and that's when I lost it.

I felt my tears start to pour. Everything that I had been holding back was coming out. I squeezed his shirt as I let out sobs. I was crying not only because he was leaving, but because we barely stood a chance. All those girls at school were right. I didn't deserve Blake. I was holding him back and I didn't want to be the one to Blame if he doesn't follow him dream.

"Krissy, why are you crying? What happened?" He asked as he rubbed my back. I sobbed some more before it turned into sniffles. I bet my face was blotchy and my eyes were puffy. "Baby, you know you can tell me anything?"

"I can't. If I tell you, I might change your mind." I said wiping my tears. I could feel his gaze on me. He was conflicted. He wanted to ask me, but he chose not to. I heard him sigh before kissing the top of my head.

"Just promise me that when the time is right, you'll tell me." He said. He unwrapped his arms from me and looked me straight in the eye. I nodded, not knowing what else to do. He sighed and kissed my forehead. "I'm gonna go join my friends. I'll be here until you get off, okay. I love you Krissy."

I watched his figure walk out of the room. I felt all my energy drain from my body. I wanted nothing more than to be in my bed with a tub of icecream, but I had a shift to finish. If only I could forget this entire day even happened.

-

Blake's Point of View

I watched as Krissy came back to the front. Her eyes were red and her mood was instantly down. I wanted to know what I did. Was it because I hadn't seen her? Was it because of the rumors?

It was killing me inside not knowing. But, I knew better than to pester her about it. She would tell me when the time was right. Whatever was bothering her, would soon see the light. I just hoped it wasn't too late.

I joined the boys who were laughing at some random joke. I watched as they all had bright smiles on their faces. I wish that could be me, but I had this ball in the pit of my stomach. Something was wrong but I had to ignore it.

"Dude, you guy are gonna rock in Cali." Ben, one of the guys from the team said. I nodded, feeling my excitement rise once again. Asher smirked. We were going to do big things there. I saw Krissy from the corner of my eye hang her apron. That meant her shift was over. I watched as she walked over to me and the guys.

"Hey." She said softly. The guys waved, not knowing what else to do. I hadn't really told them about us, but I didn't have to. They knew we were together. They didn't question it either.

"Did you hear?" One of the guys asked. Krissy shook her head, confusion very evident. I smirked. She was going to freak at the news. I wanted to tell her privately but this will have to do.

"Blake received an unofficial offer from UCLA." One of the guys said. She gave me a large smile before hugging me.

"That's great Blake." She said. Something was off in her tone, but I ignored it. I just smiled at her.

"Dude, you are so whipped." One of the guys said. I rolled my eyes, feeling Krissy giggle in my hold.

"Only for her." I said. Only for her.

"You're going to do great things!" Ben repeated. I nodded. I was looking forward to it. I wanted to be on the field again, living my dream.

"Ready to go babe?" I asked her. She nodded. I took her hand in mine and pulled her away from the boys. "See you guys later."

They boys all waved, going back to their conversation. I intertwined my fingers with Krissy's and pushed her out into the cold. I steered her towards my car and unlocked it. I opened the door for her and let her into the warmth. I quickly ran to the driver's side and got in as well. It had begun snowing and the weather just seemed to get colder and colder.

"Hey, Krissy." I said as I turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life, blowing hot air. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah." She whispered. She was looking out the window, not turning to look at me. She was radiating anger and I didn't know why. She still didn't want to tell me what I did wrong.

"So, how was work?" I asked. I pulled out of the parking lot and started the trip to her home.

"Good." She said in a monotone voice. She turned her body away from me, leaning on the window. I took that as a sign to leave her alone.

I continued the trip to her house, only hearing the engines from beside me. Her breathing was coming out slow and her body had hardly moved. When I got a red light, I turned to look at her. She was squeezing her eyes shut as her hands were in fists. That's when I knew something was really wrong.

I pulled into her driveway, shutting the engine off. We were the only car in the driveway. Her parents must be out. I sighed. All I wanted was to know what was wrong so I could fix it.

"Thanks." She whispered. She still hadn't looked at me, just taking her backpack with her. She got out of my car and made her way up the snow covered steps. She struggled to find her keys, dropping them twice.

I groaned. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to know what was wrong. I got out, slamming my car door shut. I jogged over to her, taking the keys from her fragile hands. She didn't look up at me, only sighing in defeat. I unlocked the front door and let her inside.

I decided to stay outside. As much as I wanted to come in, she probably needed space. Today must have took a toll on her. She was never in the spotlight and today she was. This was my fault and I didn't know how to fix it.

"I'll see you tomorrow." I said to her. She shook her head, finally meeting my eyes.

"We need to talk." She said. I gulped. Those were four words no one ever wants to hear.

-

Krissy's Point of View

I invited Blake in. My parents were out and I needed to relax and forget. It was only the first day of school. Chances are that he gets many more offers, one hopefully in Connecticut. I just need to let him enjoy this moment.

"Do you need help with something?" Blake asked. He was still standing at the doorway, unsure of what to do. If I wasn't dreading this conversation, I would have thought he looked awkwardly adorable.

"Congratulations about UCLA. I didn't even know you applied to any schools or were looking into playing college football." I said hiding my disappointment. I thought I would have been one of the first people to know. I was the one encouraging him to continue to learn and not give up on school.

"I applied during break. After we had that conversation the other night in your room, it got me thinking. Maybe I should continue playing football. I love being on the field and I especially love beating other people for the win. So, I decided to apply at some of the nearby junior colleges. I was accepted into the four I applied." He said with so much excitement. I smiled, feeling as if I was actually making a difference in his life. I just wished he would have told me from the start.

"That's amazing Blake. I'm happy for you." I said with all the sincerity I could muster. I still had that dreaded feeling that he was going to choose to play in LA instead of here.

"Thanks babe. And, I guess word got out that I wanted to play in college and now I have a chance to with UCLA. I could be a Bruin!" He said feeling all his excitement radiate. I wanted to be as excited as him. But, I couldn't.

"Blake, I knew about the offer before your friends told me." I said. I sank onto the couch. I shrugged off my coat and looked up at the ceiling. Whatever light atmosphere that Blake created was gone now. It was tense and uncomfortable. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. It's only January.

"What? How? I wanted to surprise you with the great news!" Blake said coming over to sit next to me. I shifted away from him. If I was going to voice my feelings, I needed space from him.

I looked down at my palms and saw how dry they were. I hated this winter air for making my skin like this. Why was hydration difficult to maintain during the season?

"Krissy?" I heard him whisper. I took in a deep breath before shifting my body towards his. I looked up and was instantly locked into his eyes. They were keeping me captive and I couldn't run away. I couldn't do it now and I wouldn't ever.

"Blake," I said breaking the silence. It caught him off guard, breaking our connection. "I overheard the guys when I passed the locker room after school. I was, I mean I am extremely happy and overjoyed for you. You deserve this."

"But?" He asked. I guess the tone in my voice did have the but at the end.

"But," I said sighing. His mood deflated and he was staring at me carefully. He was unaware at what I was going to say next.

It sounded pathetic in my head. How could I tell the boy I just started dating that I don't want him to chase his dreams so far away. That I want him to stay here, close to me. It's as if I was saying that I want to be with him forever. Forever is such a long time and I just don't know if that's what we are. But one thing is for sure, I wanna see where life takes us.

"I want you to chase your dreams, even if it takes you to the west coast. It's selfish of me to want you to stay here. I can't ask you to give up this huge opportunity for me. Yes, we just started dating but I don't know. I thought we'd be together a little longer than just a semester." I told him. Blake's eyes widened in realization. As if it just hit him that UCLA was so far away. We'd be thousands of miles apart.

"Krissy, that's what got you down in the dumps today? I thought you were angry because of the rumors and the attention. It was our first day back in school and people had no clue how crazy I was for you." Blake said. I felt my heart swell up. He was worried about me all day and I just ignored him. I dealt with this problem alone.

"I'm sorry I ignored you today. I guess I was just devastated that you were leaving at the end of the school year for probably ever." I said. His face softened as he looked at me. He then shifted next to me on the couch, pulling me into his arms. I relaxed as my head touched his chest. I could feel his heart beat. It was running fast and it made me realize that it wasn't just me in this relationship. It was also Blake.

"I promise babe, no matter what happens, I'm in this relationship for the long run. I promise you that it isn't just for a semester. I'm hoping that it's forever." Blake said kissing my forehead. My heart was full of love and adoration for him. He wanted us to last. He wasn't just in this for the moment. He sees a future with us and isn't ready to give that up.

"Besides babe, I could always get an offer from Harvard." He smirked. I smacked his shoulder and relaxed in his hold. He was right. We had months before college started. We could decide this later, when school came to an end. All I could do now was focus on the present and that's what I was planning on doing.