Bad Boy Chemistry

48. The Winter Fair

Charlie's POV

How do you break up with someone who just said they loved you?

I stood there, completely dumbfounded. My heart began to palpitate and all the air inside of my lungs threatened to escape.

Okay, maybe I misheard him?

Maybe he said he loved my shoes and my romantic brain formed the words 'I love you'.

Maybe I've been watching too many damned rom-coms.

"Really?" Was all I managed to say.

"Yes. And you don't have to say it back, I just. I know I fucked up, and not just with the Clayton and Nora thing." I took a breath. "All that time I was friends with Joey, and all the times he bullied you, and I just stood there, afraid. Like a coward."

"At least you're not friends with him anymore."

Ryan shifted, looking up into the sky before coming back down to earth. "Do you know why I was afraid?"

I raised my eyebrows, my body slightly trembling with anxiety. "Why?" I asked him, my voice was faint.

"I was afraid that he would've found out the truth."

"That you liked boys?" I looked up at him.

"Well, yeah. But also because I liked you back then."

I felt my cheeks turn red. He liked me back then? I couldn't believe it.

There was no way, right?

I smiled at him. "You did?"

"Yeah." He blushed, reaching his hand down for mine.

"SHE DID WHAT?!!" Ella's massive gums interrupted the moment.

Both Ryan and I whipped our heads in her direction and returned to the table. "What's going on?" I asked.

"Yeah, is everything okay?" Ryan wondered.

Ella looked at me with fury. Did I do something wrong?

"Was Olivia the one who outed you to the entire school?" Ella asked, this time her voice was only loud enough for us to hear.

I looked to Clayton, then back to Ella.

"I cannot believe that bitch!" Ella stood abruptly and stomped her way across the lawn.

"Ella, wait!" I called out.

She continued across the lawn, headed towards the tree line where Olivia hung out with her squad of cheerleaders.

From behind, Ella tapped on Olivia's shoulder. Olivia turned around, only to be met with a fist to her face.

My jaw dropped as a choir of gasps filled the air.

"Holy shit!" I heard one guy say.

Clayton stifled a laugh from beside me. "Uh, Clay?"

He looked over at me, his right hand covering his mouth, as if to stop him from laughing.

"Why'd you tell her?"

"Cause." Was his vague answer.

Ella returned to the group and flipped her hair behind her shoulders, adjusting the few stray strands that frayed out.

"That was badass." Ryan stated.

I nudged him in the arm.

"Do you guys want to go to the St Griffiths Winter Fair?" Ella asked the group.