(RIVALS) The Upside of Falling ✔️

Chapter 23: Leap

Becca

"Becca, it's time for school." My mothers voice drifted into my ears, waking me up. I opened my eyes to the bright sunlight filtering in through my bedroom window, casting my entire room in a pale, yellow glow. The sun reflected off the wall adjacent to it, rainbow prisms dancing on the spots it touched.

I rolled to the side, propping my head up on my hand as I stared at my mother. She was sitting on the edge of my bed, smiling down at me. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun, her blue eyes looking as youthful as ever.

I couldn't help but smile at her, making her face scrunch up in confusion.

"You never smile in the morning. What's going on?" She asked, her voice full of concern. I chewed on my lip thoughtfully and ignored her question.

"Nothing, Mom. Can't I wake up in a good mood?" I replied, sitting up in bed and stretching my arms over my head, yawning loudly.

"You can...but you never do," she said, watching me thoughtful as her eyes scanned my face. "I have to get to work. I'll see for you dinner?"

I nodded. "Have a good day," I said as she leaned in and kissed my cheek. I continued to smile at her, making her shake her head and laugh as she exited my room.

Once she was gone, I flopped back down in bed and stared up at my ceiling, feeling absolutely giddy.

Not just giddy. Happy. Hopeful. Excited. All emotions I haven't properly felt in what felt like forever.

I want to kiss you again, Brett's low voice echoed in my mind, making my grin stretch even wider.

I just wanted to see him. And kiss him. And tell him that maybe I am finally ready to be more with him.

I don't know what changed inside me to make me so eager, but something definitely did. After that nightmare, my heart was racing at the thought of losing Brett and when I woke up, hearing his voice, knowing that he was alright, was enough.

He was enough.

No, he was more than enough.

The past few months I felt like I was teetering on the edge of a cliff, my arms flailing at my side as I struggled to maintain my balance and not take the leap. And I did. Day after day, I managed to remain on the edge, balancing on the invisible line of friendship that Brett and I created between us.

But today I felt different. I didn't need my arms to keep me balanced because I didn't want to stay balanced. I was tired of living on the edge of the cliff, afraid of what may lay below me. For the first time, I wanted to jump - I wanted to take the leap with Brett.

The desperation I felt to see him was eating away inside of me. I was actually excited to go to school for once, because school meant Brett.

I swung my legs over the bed and sighed, butterflies already swarming in my stomach at the thought of seeing him soon.

I got ready as fast as I could, pulling on my uniform, brushing on a hint of mascara and leaving my hair down to flow around my shoulders. Brett liked it when my hair was down, he loved to twirl his fingers around locks absentmindedly.