Looking at Theodore's back, Elini couldn't help but feel a little nervous, although she sounded really brave and fearless when talking to Irida about it, her heart was really beating fast right now. Irida's word kept playing like a broken record in her head. Elini bit her lips nervously, she knew Theodore would probably dismiss her feelings for him as childish infatuation that'd fade with time and would advise her to find someone around her age or one who wasn't that much older than she was.
In all honesty, Elini had tried to like other guys, she had even gone out on a few dates before, but no one could stir her heart like Theodore did, no one could compare to him so she gave up
Elini stilled her heart, maybe only by confessing to him and hearing his honest and somewhat brutal rejection would she finally wake up from her fantasy. Maybe after this she might completely give up on her one sided devotion to Theodore
"Theo" Elini called softly
"Hmm" Theodore acknowledge as he slowly started turning to face Elini
"No don't turn around" Elini quickly said, stopping Theodore from facing her directly
"If you turn around now, I really may never be able to say anything" Elini said with a sigh
"Okay, I won't turn" Theodore assured her softly as he maintained his current standing position
"Theo...." Elini said
"Yes Ell" Theodore replied
Elini took a deep breath and quickly tried to stabilize her emotions. "I like you" Elini finally said
Noticing that Theodore wanted to say something she quickly continued "don't dismiss my feelings as mere childish infatuations. Actually I've liked you for almost ten years now, and I know you may think you're too old for me or that I'm too young and not even of legal age yet. But I really really like you, and I've never actually cared about our age difference" Elini explained
"Initially I wanted to wait until I turned eighteen before I confessed, but I didn't know when next you came home, and... Well I wanted you to have enough time to think about it. I was also scared that you may fall in love with someone else before I even got a chance to tell you how I felt. Then I'd really be more heartbroken" Elini said
Elini felt a little out of breath after talking so fast for so long, but she silently clenched her palms into fists and closed her eyes, quietly waiting for his inevitable rejection.
Instead of a rejection, Elini heard him chuckle lightly, them he burst into a loud laugh before finally turning to look at her.
Elini was speechless and her face burned in embarrassment, if Theodore had coldly rejected her it'd have been better, but right now Theodore was clearly mocking her
Elini could feel her eyes sting and she bit her lips and forced herself not to let her tears fall, if she cried in this situation, she might really never be able to face anyone again
"I.... I uhm, I think I should head back. Sorry for wasting your time and embarrassing myself" Elini said in a shaky voice as she turned to leave
She begged everything she knew and prayed that she could leave quickly before her legs completely gave out
"Elle wait" Theodore said as he quickly rushed to catch up with her, his face was still adorned with a smile
"I wasn't laughing at you. Well technically I was, but, but but I was laughing because I found you really cute when you just kept on talking so fast without taking a breath. I thought you were definitely gonna run out of breath at some point " Theodore explained and couldn't help but laugh again
"Please don't laugh " Elini begged. Her face was already so flushed, she really couldn't handle anymore teasing or she'd really look like a tomato
"Fine, fine, I'm not laughing anymore " Theodore said as he slowly regained his compusure
"Elle, I'm not blind to your feelings for me all these years and I wouldn't say I don't feel moved. I do, but Elle you're so young and I'm already this old, I don't want you making a decision you'd regret in the future. I really might not be who you think I am" Theodore explained with a sigh
He also liked the little girl but that made him more of a beast, Elini and his little sister were the same age and he really felt awful for having thoughts about Elini
"I really don't care about our age difference and I definitely won't be regretting it in the future, and besides Irida would be more than happy to have her best friend as her sister in law" Elini said
"How about we wait till you're twenty hmm" Theodore said as he patted Elini's head gently. "If your feeling for me still doesn't change by then, then we would be together. But before then I won't let you get hurt" Theodore said
"For real?" Elini asked expectantly
"Really" Theodore said and he pulled Elini into a hug
Let him be a beast then, he thought he could let her go but it seemed he had underestimated his own feelings for this little girl. He'd spend the rest of his life making it up to her
....