Shouting Under My Breath.

“Love is it possible I could take you out on a proper date?” Dan whispered into Sparrow’s ear. They were laying tangle in Dan’s sheet. She had her head rested on Dan’s chest.

“We really can’t go out into public. Everyone knows I’m with Nate.” She said looking into his blue orbs.

“Fine we’ll make it a secret date.”

“How does a secret date work exactly?” She asked sitting up.

“You’ll come over here and we’ll watch a movie or some Gossip Girl, and we’ll eat dinner and enjoy the house to ourselves while the lads are the bar.” He said before kissing the top of her head.

“I like this date plan. When is this going to happen?”

“How about you are over here by seven?”

“I’ll be here.” She smiled before pressing lips to his.

“I hate to say this, but I have to leave. I don’t want Alice getting suspicious to what’s going on here.” She said crawling out of bed grabbing Dan’s grey v-neck off the floor.

“What is your obsession with my shirts?” He laughed.

“I don’t know I feel like you’re always with me when I’m wearing them.” She said slipping it on. “Are you going to go braless?” He asked slipping his boxer-briefs on. “Yes I am do you have a problem with that?” She said walking over to him. “No not at all.” He laughed.

Sparrow walked in her house slowly and quietly trying to get to her room before Alice heard her come in. Her hair was in a messy braid over her shoulder and she had on one of Dan white v-necks. She held her shoes tightly in her hand as she closed the door slowly. She didn’t really feel like explaining to Alice why she didn’t come home. She could always lie and tell her she was at Nate’s house, but she really didn’t feel like lying.

“I’m impressed with your sneakiness.” Alice laughed leaning against her door frame causing Sparrow to about jump out of her skin.

“What the fuck? You about just gave me a heart attack.” Sparrow hollered.

“Sorry. So why are you slowly sneaking in after being at Nate’s all night?” She asked confused. “I know you two have sex. You don’t have to be ashamed of that like you’re some whore.”

“Yeah I know I just didn’t want to wake you up.” Sparrow said walking into her bedroom as Alice followed her. “It’s like eleven o’clock I’m always up by now. You act like you were trying to sneak in at six in the morning.” She laughed.

“Fine next time I’ll walk in the house normal.” She said lying down on her bed.

“You go a head and do that.” Alice said walking out of Sparrow’s room.

Sparrow lied on her bed closing her eyes drifting in and out of sleep for the next ten minutes until her phone vibrated with a text from Nate.
Nate Reid (mobile)
11:34:09 am
Can I come over so we can talk?

She stared at the phone for a moment not sure if she should say yes or no. It had been a week since her fight with Nate and they hadn’t talk at all in person. She had been pretty much spent all her time with Dan. Nate rarely crossed her mind.

Yeah sure.

She responded with just two little words. She didn’t know what she expect to happen when her and Nate talked. She didn’t know if they were going to break up or be okay. She also didn’t know how she was going to feel if he broke up with her.

She crawled off her bed and walked over to her closet to grab another shirt that wasn’t Dan’s and slipped that on. She put Dan’s shirt in her dresser draw hiding it from Nate. She didn’t need him questioning where the shirt came from. Sparrow walked over to the mirror and unbraided her hair and ran her fingers through her hair and mess with it giving it a cute style.

She tired to make herself look like she had been home all night, not like she had only been home for thirty minutes.

"Hey I'm going over to Travis' house I'll see you later." Alice said peeking her head into Sparrow's room. Sparrow felt a rush of relief rush over her that Alice wouldn’t find out that she and Nate had been fighting.

After Alice was gone only for five minutes Nate knocked on the door. She took a deep breath before opening the door not really sure what to expect. She didn’t know if he was here to apologies or to break up with her. She tried to mentally prepare herself for both.

She opened the door to find Nate standing on the other side awkwardly with a look on his face that said he was sorry.

“Hey.” She said looking into his eyes.

“Can I come in?”

“Yeah.” She said walking inside.

They both silently walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. They stared at each other them saying anything. Sparrow ran her fingers through her hair out of a nervous habit.

“I’m sorry I called you spoiled.” He said being the first person to break the awkward silence. “It’s ok.” She said simply while crossing her legs Indian style.

“Are we going to be okay, because I hate us fighting?” He asked putting his hand on her knee.

“Yeah were fine.” She lied. They were the furthest thing from fine. She was falling out of love, and falling madly in love with someone else.

“Would you please go to Hayley’s graduation with me?” He asked giving her a pleading look.

“Yeah of course when is it?”

“Tonight.”

“Yeah.” She felt horrible for agreeing. If it was anything else she would have said no, but she had already told Hayley would go. She dreaded the thought of even canceling her date with Dan.

“So I really need to shower. You can hang out in here if you want.” She said standing up.

“Ok, do you mind if I watch TV?”

“Of course not.” She said walking towards the hallway.

I’m really sorry I have to cancel. Nate sister graduates today and I promised her I would be there.

She sent the text feeling nothing but pure guilt. She hate that she was putting other people before Dan.

She turned the water and checked her phone as she slipped her shorts off.

Dan Flint (mobile)
12:02:08pm
It’s fine

As she read his text she knew it wasn’t fine.

”How long has she been gone?” Matt asked handing Dan a beer. “Two months too long.” Dan said looking up at the night sky.

“She really did something to you.” Matt said leaning against the building next to Dan.

“What is that suppose to mean?”

“I mean she made you fall in love with her and left changing you.”

“I never planned on falling in love. I just thought we’d have a fling or some shit like that.” He laughed as he press the bottle to his lips.

“Isn’t that how love always works?”

“I don’t know, I’ve only loved one girl and she’s gone.” He ran his fingers through his hair.

“Don’t you talk to her like once a week?”

“Yeah, but that isn’t enough.” I miss being able to touch her and hold her.”

“She changed you for the better.”

“What’s with the annoyed look on your face.” Josh asked walking into his and Dan’s room.

“Sparrow blew me off for that bloke Nate.”

“You know that bloke Nate is her boyfriend, she kinda needs to spend time with him?” Josh said as he grabbed his jacket out of the closet.

“Yeah I know. I’m going to go out with you guys tonight.” He said walking over to the closet and grabbing a button down shirt and his denim jacket out of the closet.

“About time you finally go out with us.” Josh laughed walking out of the room.

[&]

Sparrow sat in the bleachers next to Nate. She had her fingers laced with his as they heard name after name called. “You seem bored.” Nate whispered in her ear causing chills to go down her spine.

“You can’t tell me you find this entertaining.” She said leaning her head on his shoulder.

“No I don’t. I’m just as bored as you.” He said laughing lightly against the side of her head.

“I love you.” He whispered.

“I love you too.” It wasn’t a lie, she did love him. She just loved Dan more.

As soon as the ceremony ended they went and found a very happy Hayley surrounded by her friends. As they walked up to her they heard one of her friends whisper “Hayley’s brother is so hot. Too bad he’s taken.”

“Nate it looks like I got some competition.” Sparrow laughed. “I’ve only got eyes for you doll.” He said before pressing his lips to her cheek.

“That’s good to know.”

“Sparrow and Nate you came.” Hayley said running over pulling them into a group hug.

“We wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Sparrow said.

“My baby sister is a high school graduate.” Nate said with a proud grin on his face.

“Hey you guys I’m really sorry but I told my mom I would eat dinner with her so I have to go.” Sparrow said before pressing her lips to Nate cheek.

“Ok I’ll love you and call you later.”

“Ok I love you too, and congrat Hayley. I’m really proud of you.” She said pulling Hayley into a hug.

“Thank you so much for coming.”

“No problem.”

The second she got in the car she text Max asking him the location of the bar they were at.
She walked inside to find Dan and the rest of the guys leaning up against the bar. Max was the first to notice her and rushed over to hug her.

“I think he’ll be happy you came.”

“Max aren’t you only twenty?” She asked questioning the fact that he had a beer in hand.

“Yes shh. That’s what fake IDs are for.” He laughed.

“Ok I promise I won’t tell.” She laughed as the two of them walked over to the group.

“Hi guys.” Sparrow said walking over.

“Ello love.” Chris said pulling her into a hug.

“We’re glad you came.” Josh said.

“About time we finally see you out in public.” Matt joked.

Dan was silent. He leaned against the bar holding his beer and looking at the ground. He wouldn’t even look at her. She knew right away that he was annoyed she had to cancel their date, and that made her feel guilty.

“Hi Dan.” She said trying to get him talking.

“Hey.” He said nodding his head.

“I’m going to get something to drink.” She said waving down the bartender.

She walked back to the guys with a drink in hand.

“Dan can we talk?” She asked walking over to him. “There isn’t anything to talk about.” He said sitting his beer on the bar, and headed outside.

“Did he seriously just blow me off?” She asked complete shocked.

“I’m sorry love he did.” Chris said.

“That is complete bullshit.” She said walking out of the bar.