I tried to calm myself; I didn’t want to faint again. But my hands shook and I began to sweat a little. James took a deep breath.
“Lace.I never meant to do this to you. I can’t stand to see you hurt. It kills me to see you like this, seeing as how it’s my fault.”
He grew silent. I wondered what he was thinking, then sighed. It was none of my business, I knew that.
I looked up to see him staring at my face; I struggled to compose my face into an unreadable mask.
But the pain in my eyes was untouched, and I knew he saw that.
He took my hand, and I shuddered. It should have felt wrong. It should not have sent my pulse racing, the butterflies in my stomach should not have awoken and begun to fly around.
I knew in that moment that this had been what I was missing. I missed the feel of his body against mine, even if it was as little as holding hands. I twisted my fingers through his, and sighed again. I was truely happy.
And then I remember John starring at us from down the hall.
And the happiness vanished.