It had been a few days since Dalton gave Vanessa his red hoodie, and since then, things between them had felt... better. The hoodie, once his favorite, now felt like a small piece of their shared history. Every time he pictured her wearing it, it sparked warmth in his chest—a reminder that, despite everything, maybe they were moving forward.
But that warmth quickly turned cold when Vanessa returned the hoodie.
It was during one of their usual walks home from school. They had met at the end of the road, walking side by side in the same easy rhythm they had developed over the past few weeks. Vanessa seemed a little quieter than usual, her hands clutching the hoodie tightly to her chest as if she didn't want to give it back.
"I... I have to return this." Vanessa said softly, holding the hoodie out to him.
Dalton frowned, confused. "Wait? Why?"
Vanessa hesitated, glancing down at the ground as she spoke. "My mom saw it... She said I shouldn't trust things given to me by other people."
Her words stung more than Dalton expected. He took the hoodie back, his mind racing as he processed what she had said. Not trust things given by other people? It seemed like such a strange thing to say, but as Dalton looked at Vanessa, he realized there was something deeper behind it—something she wasn't saying.
"It's just how she is." Vanessa added quickly, noticing the look on Dalton's face. "She's... paranoid, I guess. She doesn't trust anyone."
Dalton stared at the hoodie in his hands, the weight of Vanessa's words sinking in. For the first time, it hit him—Vanessa's life wasn't as perfect as he had always assumed. Her household wasn't perfect either.
"I didn't know." Dalton said quietly.
Vanessa shrugged, forcing a small smile. "It's not a big deal. I'm used to it."
But it was a big deal. Dalton could see it in her eyes, the way she avoided his gaze, the way she downplayed the situation. There was more to her life than she let on, and suddenly, Dalton felt a strange connection to her in a way he hadn't before. They were both living in imperfect worlds, trying to find escape in each other.
***
Over the next few weeks, they grew closer than ever.
Their texts became more frequent, their inside jokes piling up until they were practically speaking their own language. They snuck around, hanging out whenever they could, skipping school without getting caught. Dalton cleaned his house as best as he could before each visit, still nervous about her seeing too much, but every time Vanessa came over, she didn't seem to mind. She was always smiling, always laughing.
They had developed a routine. Vanessa would usually meet him at the end of the road after walking away from school. It became their unspoken agreement—Dalton would start heading toward her, and she'd sneak off, meeting him halfway.
But one day, Vanessa got caught.
They had planned to skip again, meeting near the end of the road like they always did. Dalton had just started his walk toward the meeting spot when his phone buzzed with a message from Vanessa.
Vanessa: Walking now!
Dalton smiled to himself, picking up the pace as he imagined seeing her standing there, waiting like always. But a few minutes later, another message came through.
Vanessa: I think I'm screwed...
Dalton's heart sank as he read the message. He stopped walking, his pulse quickening. Before he could respond, another message came through, this time more frantic.
Vanessa: I just got caught. The teacher saw me leaving.
Panic surged through Dalton as he realized what had happened. Vanessa had been caught walking away from school, probably by one of the teachers who had noticed her absence. Dalton quickly texted her back, but there was no immediate response.
Later that day, after school had ended, Vanessa finally messaged him again.
"They caught me.." she said, her tone half-joking, half-nervous. "Just me, though. They didn't even see you."
Dalton felt the guilt hit him like a punch to the gut. "Are you in trouble?" he asked, knowing full well the answer could change everything.
Vanessa sighed. "They gave me detention, but they didn't tell my parents. So, I guess it could've been worse."
The relief Dalton felt was almost overwhelming. They had dodged a bullet, but Vanessa had taken the hit for both of them. It was a close call—a reminder that their little bubble of secrecy wouldn't last forever.
On one of the last days Vanessa came over, Dalton made a mistake.
It had started off like any other visit. They were lying on the couch together, laughing and teasing each other like they always did. Vanessa had just beaten him in another game of 8-ball, and she was grinning triumphantly as she teased him about his loss.
"You're getting slow, Dalton!" she said playfully, nudging him with her elbow.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll get you next time.." Dalton muttered, pretending to be annoyed, though he couldn't hide the smile on his face.
For a moment, everything felt perfect. They were close—closer than they had ever been—and in that moment, Dalton felt something shift inside him. He wanted more. He wanted her.
Without thinking, he leaned in, closing the small gap between them. His hand brushed against hers, and for a split second, he thought maybe—just maybe—this was the right moment.
But it wasn't.
Vanessa froze, her smile faltering as she pulled back slightly. "Dalton..." she whispered, her voice soft, but filled with uncertainty.
Dalton's heart dropped. He had misread the situation, and now, everything felt wrong.
"I'm sorry" he said quickly, pulling away and sitting up. "I didn't mean to—"
Vanessa reached out, grabbing his arm before he could finish. "It's okay." she said softly, her eyes searching his. "I just... wasn't expecting that."
Dalton felt his stomach twist with guilt. He had pushed too far, too fast. "I'm sorry" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean to make things weird."
Vanessa shook her head, offering him a small, reassuring smile. "You didn't... It's just—" She hesitated, her gaze dropping to the floor. "I don't know if I'm ready."
Dalton nodded, understanding completely. "I get it. I'm sorry... I should've known."
For a moment, the room was silent, the air thick with the weight of the moment. But then, slowly, Vanessa reached out and took his hand, her fingers lacing through his.
"I'm not mad, Dalton." she said gently. "I just... want to take things slow."
Dalton felt a wave of relief wash over him, the knot of guilt in his chest loosening slightly. "Yeah... of course. We'll take it slow."
Vanessa smiled again, her fingers squeezing his gently. "But, Dalton... I like you. A lot. And I think... I think we should be together."
Dalton blinked, his heart skipping a beat. "You mean... like, officially?"
Vanessa nodded, her smile growing. "Yeah. Officially."
The relief that flooded through Dalton was overwhelming. He hadn't ruined everything. He hadn't pushed her away. Instead, they had found a way to move forward, together.
That day, they established what had been growing between them all along.
Dalton and Vanessa were finally together. And though they promised to take things slow, there was an unspoken understanding between them—a connection that had survived the mistakes, the misunderstandings, and the secrets. They had found their way back to each other, and for the first time in a long time, Dalton felt like maybe he had done something right.