Chapter 219 - Chloe Opens Her Heart

  Nathan Evenhart:

  "Nathan," Chloe said as she stepped out of her room.

  "There's something I've wao talk to you about for a long time..." she said, in a tone I couldn't quite decipher.

  "Tch," Cyl clicked her tongue. "I'll wait iher room... I see where this is going..." She hopped off the table and disappeared into the other room, leaving me aloh Chloe.

  My cousin looked at me, and for the first time, she seemed genuinely nervous.

  “Nate, could you e to my room? It’s… a serious versation.”she said.

  I followed her, closing the door behind us. Chloe turook my hand, and, before I realized it, led me to sit on the bed. She locked the door, then sat on the edge, seeming to gather her thoughts.

  "What are you doing?" I asked, a bit fused.

  "I don’t want you to run," she replied.

  Run? From what exactly?

  She took a deep breath and began. "Since I was five... I think it was that first night I saw you. I came into your ro, feeling the weight of everything going on back then. And that night, when you spoke to me... I felt at peace just beio you."

  Chloe looked into my eyes, and I could feel the weight of each word.

  "After that, we grew up together. We learned magic, had elemental battles, threw water at each other. ed out, scared ellian, snuck dy together, hid Sifu's practice swords, took my mother’s magic books… preteo be asleep just to avoid chores... We've done so many things together. In every memory, you're there, right by my side."

  I was starting to uand where this was going. My heart raced, and for a moment, I thought of any excuse to leave, but I couldn't. She o be heard, and I couldn't run now.

  "Nathan Evenhart... it's been ten years by your side. And I want it to stay that way. I thought of so many ways to say this, rehearsed how to open up... but in the end, I decided to drop all that. I want to be ho. It’s been ten years with you, and I want it to st forever."

  "Chloe..." I tried to speak, but she raised her hand, signalio stop.

  "I'm not do..." she said, taking another deep breath, clearly gathering her ce.

  My heart pounded, and a slight shortness of breath started to creep in.

  "Nathan Evenhart... will you be my boyfriend?"

  Chloe Evenhart:

  The day’s csses had ended, and I ran as fast as I could back to the apartment. Nate had a different schedule today.

  I bet he’s going to get a bunch of chocote boxes. Ugh… ter, I’m going to make a list of every one of those shameless girls!

  I rushed past the other students, my mind spinning with pns. I had to get back, shet ready, and put on my best outfit. I’d already picked the one he couldn’t stop staring at st time we went out, the oh the slightly daring nee.

  He pined about it back then, but I didn’t care. I knew he couldn’t take his eyes off me, hehe.

  Everything had to be perfect.

  If I were a transmitter mage, I could use a mana armor and wash my hair with the water element while walking…

  I even sidered making a water bubble around my hair to ri, but that would have drawn way too much attention.

  No, I o take a shower and smell nice.

  As I approached the dormitory, my heart began pounding harder.

  Nate… you have no idea how nervous I am right now.

  I touched my ste bracelet and pulled out the box of chocotes.

  “What kind of face will he make?” I wondered, smiling at the thought.

  He’s so adorable whes flustered.

  I took a deep breath.

  Keep it together, Chloe. Don’t let the nerves win.

  Thinking about Nathao calm me, but now it only made my nerves worse. He's so dense... I've tried so many times to get him to notice me! Once, when we were pying in the forest, I eveeo sprain my ankle just so he would carry me on his bad create a romantient. But the idiot didn’t cat at all and simply summohe Stone Maiden Golem to carry me back to the castle.

  Not this time!

  Today was the day I’d finally fess to that electrified idiot!

  I ran down the hallway, pletely lost in my thoughts, when I bumped into someone walking out of the dormitory.

  “Chloe?” a voice said. “Are you hurt?”

  My head throbbed.

  “Just a little…” I muttered.

  I looked up and realized I’d collided with Viktor Saul, earing full knight armor.

  “Sorry about that,” he said, apologizing. “I fot I’m still in my armor.”

  I g my hand and froze.

  The chocote box was gone.

  Where is it?!

  Panig, I sed the floor.

  “Is this for me?” Viktor asked, holding the slightly crushed box.

  “What?! Of course not!” I snapped, grabbing it back.

  But as I looked at the box in my hands, I couldn’t believe it.

  It was squished.

  Damn it…

  I ched my fists, swallowing the surge of anger bubbling inside me.

  “The air feels a bit colder…” Viktor said, looking around uneasily.

  “It’s just your imagination,” I muttered, resisting the urge to unch him across the hallway with an ice spell.

  Ign him, I swallowed my frustration and headed straight for the apartment.

  Nate… I hope you’ll five me for the crushed box.

  ***

  “Nathan,” I called as soon as I heard his voi the apartment. I had to force myself to stay calm, though I felt a nervous chill in my stomach.

  "There's something I've wao talk to you about for a long time..." I marying to keep my voice steady.

  A long time indeed… I’d thought about this day for years, and now it had finally arrived.

  “Meow,” Cyl added curtly, before hopping off the table and heading to the bedroom.

  I’ll have to ask Nate what she said ter. She looked annoyed.

  “Nate, could you e to my room? It’s… a serious versation.”

  I led him into my room, watg as he closed the door behind him.

  Oh! I’d never invited him in here before… I always studied in the living room. Now I was starting to get nervous. I have one of my camisoles hanging on a hook...

  Deep breath, Chloe! He’s your fiancé! He’s going to see everythiually…

  Once he was far enough from the door, I took his hand and pulled him toward the bed, the back to the door and locked it, taking the key with me.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, looking fused.

  "I don’t want you to run,"

  I sat at the end of the bed, fag Nate, and memories of our time together flooded my mind. He had always been there, supp me.

  “Since I was five…” I began, “I think it was that first night I saw you. I came into your ro, feeling the weight of everything going on back then. And that night, when you spoke to me... I felt at peace just beio you."

  I looked at him, gathering the ce to tinue.

  "After that, we grew up together. We learned magic, had elemental battles, threw water at each other. ed out, scared ellian, snuck dy together, hid Sifu's practice swords, took my mother’s magic books… preteo be asleep just to avoid chores... We've done so many things together. In every memory, you're there, right by my side."

  Every memory we shared crossed my mind.

  "Nathan Evenhart... it's been ten years by your side. And I want it to stay that way. I thought of so many ways to say this, rehearsed how to open up... but in the end, I decided to drop all that. I want to be ho. It’s been ten years with you, and I want it to st forever."

  "Chloe..." he tried to say.

  "I'm not finished yet..." I interrupted, taking a deep breath.

  My heart ounding. I’d pnned just to tell him I liked him, but that wasn’t enough. I wanted more. I wao build something with him, to be by his side…

  “Nathan Evenhart… will you be my boyfriend?”

  I said it! I mao say it!

  Nathan looked stunned. I was a little surprised at my own words too. He stared at me, visibly shaken, then swallowed and looked away at the floor.

  Why are you looking away? Don’t do this… look at me.

  He kept his gaze fixed on the floor as I watched him, willing him to uand everything I felt.

  “Chloe…”

  Why is he choosing his words so carefully?

  “I… I ’t be your boyfriend. I’m sorry.”

  The words hit like a puny soul, shattering my world into pieces.