Before Everything Changed
1305 Words
Elaina’s POV
A few weeks had passed since Daniel and I started dating.
And somehow, being his girlfriend had already started to feel normal.
Well…
As normal as dating your best friend could feel.
We still argued over stupid things.
He still stole my food.
I still made fun of him every chance I got.
And somehow, I still hadn’t gotten used to the fact that I could actually call him my boyfriend.
That afternoon, the six of us were walking home from school together.
We had been split into three groups for a school project, and somehow, our group had decided that my house was the best place to work.
I wasn’t sure how they had decided that.
I suspected it had something to do with my Wi-Fi.
Or my snacks.
Probably both.
Grace was walking beside Emma, arguing about who was supposed to bring the materials.
“I told you to bring the cardboard.”
“And I told you I thought you were bringing it.”
“So you just assumed?”
“Yes.”
“That makes absolutely no sense.”
“It made sense at the time.”
Behind them, Jayden was trying to convince Hazel to let him carry her bag.
“I can carry it.”
“I know.”
“Then give it to me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t need you carrying my bag.”
“You’re making this unnecessarily difficult.”
Hazel looked at him.
“You’re making yourself unnecessarily useful.”
I laughed.
Daniel looked at me.
“You’re enjoying this way too much.”
“Very much.”
“You’re supposed to be helping.”
“I am. I’m observing.”
“That’s not helping.”
“It is emotionally.”
He shook his head.
“Come here.”
I moved slightly away from him.
“No.”
He frowned.
“What?”
“You’re sweaty.”
He looked down at his football training clothes.
“I just finished practice.”
“I know.”
“So?”
“So don’t touch me.”
He opened his arms.
“Come here.”
I took another step back.
“Absolutely not.”
He laughed.
“I’m your boyfriend.”
“And I’m still not touching you.”
“You’re cruel.”
“You’re sweaty.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“You smell like you’ve been fighting for your life on that field.”
Jayden burst out laughing.
Daniel looked at him.
“Don’t encourage her.”
Hazel shook her head.
“She has a point.”
“Thank you.”
Daniel looked back at me.
“You’ll regret this.”
“I won’t.”
He started walking toward me.
I immediately backed away.
“Daniel.”
He smiled.
“Come here.”
“No.”
“Elaina.”
“Don’t.”
He took another step.
I ran.
Everyone burst into laughter behind us.
“ELAINA!”
“You’re not touching me!”
“You’re my girlfriend!”
“Get a shower!”
He laughed as he chased after me.
By the time we reached my gate, I was breathless from laughing.
Daniel stopped a few steps away.
“You’re lucky I love you.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“I’m lucky?”
“Very.”
“Go shower.”
He shook his head.
“Fine.”
Once we got inside, everyone dropped their bags around the living room.
My mom walked in from the kitchen and immediately looked at the group.
“Look at all of you.”
Grace smiled.
“Hi, Mrs. Hart.”
“Hi, sweetheart.”
Her eyes landed on Daniel.
“And you.”
Daniel smiled.
“Hello, Mrs. Hart.”
“You’re always here.”
I looked at him.
“Exactly.”
He pointed at me.
“She invited me.”
“I invited everyone.”
“Still counts.”
Mom laughed.
“You children better not destroy my house.”
“We won’t,” Emma promised.
Hazel looked around.
“No promises.”
Mom shook her head before walking back into the kitchen.
We spread everything across the living room floor and started working.
Well…
We attempted to work.
For the first twenty minutes.
Then Jayden started distracting everyone.
“Can I just say something?”
“No,” Hazel said immediately.
“I haven’t even said it.”
“I know you. It’s safer this way.”
Daniel laughed.
Jayden looked offended.
“You’re all against me.”
“Correct,” Grace said.
I smiled as I watched them argue.
This was becoming our normal.
Our little group.
Our jokes.
Our arguments.
Our stupid afternoons together.
And somehow, I loved every second of it.
A couple of hours later, we had actually managed to finish most of the project.
Grace and Emma packed up their things first.
“We’re leaving,” Grace announced.
“Already?”
“It’s getting late.”
Emma nodded.
“We’ll finish the rest tomorrow.”
Jayden stood up.
“I’ll walk you guys.”
Hazel looked at him.
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.”
She rolled her eyes.
But she didn’t tell him not to come.
I watched the two of them leave with Grace and Emma.
I looked at Daniel.
He was still sitting on the floor, looking at the half-finished project.
“You’re not going?”
He looked up.
“Do you want me to?”
I shrugged.
“It’s getting late.”
“My mum knows I’m here.”
I nodded.
“Okay.”
He smiled.
“I’ll stay for a little while.”
Eventually, we moved to the dining table with our books.
The house had gotten quieter.
It was just me, Daniel and my mom downstairs.
Daniel was supposed to be helping me with Chemistry.
Instead, he was drawing something in the corner of his notebook.
I leaned over.
“What are you doing?”
“Studying.”
I looked at the page.
There was a terrible drawing of a football player.
“That is not Chemistry.”
“It is if you believe in yourself.”
I laughed.
“You’re hopeless.”
“Yet you agreed to date me.”
“I’m starting to regret it.”
“Too late.”
I smiled.
He looked at me.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’ve been saying that a lot lately.”
“Maybe I just like looking at you.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You’re getting cheesy.”
“Is it working?”
“Unfortunately.”
He smiled.
I shook my head.
Then his phone rang.
He looked down at the screen.
His smile disappeared.
Just for a second.
He stood up.
“I’ll be right back.”
I watched him walk toward the hallway.
He answered the call quietly.
I went back to my book.
At least, I tried to.
A few minutes passed.
Then I heard his voice.
“No, Mum. I understand.”
I looked up.
He sounded serious.
“I know it’s a huge opportunity.”
I couldn’t hear what his mum said.
Daniel was quiet for a moment.
Then he said something that made me stop completely.
“I just haven’t told Elaina yet.”
My heart sank.
I stared toward the hallway.
Daniel continued.
“I don’t know how I’m supposed to tell her.”
I couldn’t hear the rest.
I wasn’t trying to listen.
At least, that’s what I told myself.
Then he said:
“Because if I tell her, everything changes.”
I stood up.
The floor creaked beneath my feet.
Daniel turned.
Our eyes met.
His face went pale.
“Elaina?”
I looked at the phone in his hand.
Then back at him.
“What weren’t you going to tell me?”
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