Paper Heart ✔️

Chapter 34 | you gave up

I'm lugging around our bags as we get to our terminal. I'm glad they aren't too heavy otherwise I would have purposely left them at the hospital. We wait in line with the rest of the people waiting to be seated on the plane.

I hand the lady at the podium our tickets when we enter and find seats closest to the window in the
back.

"Here I can help you." Hero offers but I object and toss the bags in the overhead myself. He playfully rolls his eyes at me. He takes his seat first after the flight attendant stores his crutches in the back. I take my seat near the window looking out at the long extended wing.

"This is going to be hell." Hero groans looking in my bag for his pain medication. He pops open the bottle and takes two in his hands, drinking them both without any water.

"It's okay you have me." I take his hand and smile at him.

"I'm sorry baby but this is still going to be hell." He chuckles kissing the top of my head. There's those butterflies again. I close my eyes and fall asleep leaning on his arm.

"Ella." Hero lightly shakes me awake. "We're here."

I look around at my surroundings, people are already boarding off the plane. We walk into the aisle and I grab our things while Hero gets his crutches.

Rachel called a car for us which waits outside.

I'm just glad to be home.

The car stops at my house and the driver tells Hero he can't stay here and needs to get home to recover. I can see the annoyance on his face when he kisses me goodbye.

"I'll come by later." I say hopping out of the car. "Oh and I think we should wait until we tell anyone about us."

Hero furrows his eyebrows together. "Why?"

"I don't want people to think badly about me moving on so quickly." I admit, people will find any excuse to make you feel miserable.

"Okay I won't tell anyone."

I give him one last smile before I wave goodbye. My mother opens the door once she sees me and pulls me into her arms, showering me with kisses.

"How was the trip?"

I walk inside. "Not what I expected."

"What about Hero? Is he okay?"

I nod. "He's fine."

"Welcome home Ella." Clifford appears and gives me a hug. "Felix, Benny come say hi to your sister."

My brothers run downstairs and clobber my legs, depriving them of oxygen. I laugh and hug them both.

"I made some sandwiches in the kitchen." My mom adds. "Let's go eat."

I follow her into the kitchen with the rest of my family. I eat two sandwiches and half a bag of chips because I'm starved. I don't tell her much about the trip because of how unpleasant the experience was.

The only positive thing that came out of it was Hero and I agreeing to be more than friends. I still can't believe after everything he wanted this, he wanted me. I'm so broken and lost, I hope it's enough to make him want to stay.

"Where are you going?" My mother asks as I throw my plate and leave the kitchen. "I have some things I need to do today."

"Just be home before dinner?"

I frown at her.

"Sure." I sarcastically reply, I grab my keys from upstairs and head toward the nearest drugstore. I go inside and grab a bag of gummy worms and a small bouquet of flowers.