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As I try to continue grading, my mind keeps drifting back to Rendal. His efforts, his deep desire to build a bridge between us again. He's doing it, despite all odds. Despite the fight that I know Valeria is giving him.
"Oh, to have been a fly on the wall for that conversation," I muse quietly, already thinking about the stunned expression on her pale, rotten face. "I hope it hurt."
The hours pass by and Penelope's gone out with Gabriella and her parents, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the weight of the decision I'm about to make.
My phone feels heavy in my hand as I pull up Rendal's last message. I still haven't replied to it, but I've been fixated on these messages for the last few hours. The words blur together as I read them for what must be the hundredth time. My heart races, thinking about the right thing to say.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. My fingers hover over the keyboard, trembling slightly as I begin to type.
"Rendal, I'm happy for you and Zola."
I stare at those words, so simple yet carrying so much meaning. They're an acknowledgment of his efforts, a tentative olive branch extended after days of silence.
My thumb hovers over the send button. Am I ready for this? Am I ready to open this door again, to let Rendal back into ourlives? The memory of his smile, of Zola and Penelope playing together, flashes through my mind.
Before I can second-guess myself, I hit send. The message whooshes away, and I feel a weight lift off my shoulders. It's done. The ball is in his court now.
I set the phone down, my heart pounding. What will he say? How will he respond? The wait for his reply feels like an eternity, even though it's only been seconds.
To my absolute surprise, Rendal reads my message immediately. And he's already typing a message back.
Oh, shit. I watch, gnawing at my fingernails. I feel like a kid again, desperate to get my crush's attention. Only this time, my crush is a muscular, attractive orc who has his life fully figured out. While I still feel like I'm floundering, sometimes.
"I miss you, Chloe. I miss us," it reads. "And maybe I'm a beer or four deep already, but I need to say it. I want to see you again."
My breath hitches in my throat. Another message bubble.
"But I respect you and your distance. I saw you at school the other day and wanted to approach you, but I didn't. You looked beautiful. You always do."
A soft sigh escapes my lips. I want to run my hands across his body. I want to hold his face in my hands while I kiss him endlessly. I want to give him everything, please him in the best ways.
"Wow, he has me acting crazy," I whisper, rubbing circles into my forehead as I stare down at his message. But it's the truth.
Rendal has awakened something in me that I've thought was long dormant. That passion, that desire, the yearning to make him mine and only mine.
And the fact that he's fighting for me only intensifies that feeling. He wantsme. Not Valeria. Not anyone else. Me. He'llchoose me every time, even if it's not right. Even if it doesn't make sense.
To have someone like him by my side makes me feel on top of the world. It makes everything I've gone through worthwhile because it led me straight to him.
CHAPTER 24
Rendal
Istare at my phone, reading Chloe's message for what feels like the hundredth time. "Rendal, I'm happy for you and Zola. Thank you for everything you're doing for her." The words are there, black and white on my screen, but they feel... distant. Clinical. Not at all like the Chloe I've come to know and care for deeply.
My thumb hovers over the reply button, but I hesitate. What can I say that will truly convey how I feel? How do I show her that this isn't just about Zola, but about us—about the future I want to build with her and Penelope?
I lean back in my chair, running a hand through my hair. The office around me fades away as I think about Chloe's smile, the way her eyes light up when she talks about her students, the gentle way she interacts with Zola. I can't lose that. I won't.
But how do I make her see that I'm all in? That I'm not just fighting for Zola, but for us?
I stand up, pacing the length of my office. My mind races with possibilities. A grand gesture? No, that's not Chloe's style.She appreciates sincerity, honesty. I need to show her, not just tell her, how serious I am.
An idea starts to form. It's risky, but it feels right. But who am I kidding? I'm tired of waiting around to see if things go right. I need to act. Right fucking now.
When I go to pick up Zola, we don't head to the park like we usually do. Instead, we head to the florist's shop. "Ready to pick out some pretty flowers for Miss Chloe?" I ask.
Zola nods enthusiastically, her pigtails bouncing. "Can we get the pink ones? Miss Chloe likes pink!"
