Almost Love, Then Everything - Chapter 14: Chapter 14
You are reading Almost Love, Then Everything, Chapter 14: Chapter 14. Read more chapters of Almost Love, Then Everything.
The glow of Leah’s phone screen lit up her dimly lit room, casting soft light across the sheets tangled around her legs. It was past midnight, and the world outside was still and silent—except for the sound of her heart, which fluttered when she saw the name flashing on her screen.
Jade Calling.
She hesitated for a heartbeat, then answered. “Hey.”
Jade’s voice came through, low and almost shy. “Hey. Did I wake you?”
Leah smiled, tucking the phone closer against her ear. “No. Couldn’t sleep.”
A soft sigh came from the other end. “Me neither.”
There was a pause—comfortable, familiar. The kind of silence that felt less like absence and more like being held without words.
“What are you thinking about?” Leah asked softly, her fingers tracing idle shapes on her pillow.
Jade hesitated. “You.”
The word landed gently, but it sent a quiet ripple through Leah’s chest. She let it hang there between them.
“I was just… remembering that night at the cafe,” Jade continued, her voice slower now, more vulnerable. “The way you laughed when I knocked over the sugar jar. You had sugar on your sweater for hours.”
Leah laughed quietly. “You were so flustered. I didn’t want to say anything because you looked cute when you panicked.”
Jade’s breath caught, and then she laughed too, a soft, sweet sound Leah had come to treasure. “You really noticed?”
“I notice everything about you, Jade.”
The line went quiet again, but this time Leah could almost hear Jade smiling. The silence was no longer awkward—it was the silence of two people saying too much without needing to say it out loud.
“Sometimes I wish…” Jade began, and then stopped.
Leah turned onto her side, heart tightening. “Wish what?”
“That I was braver. That I could say what I feel when I’m around you. Without hiding behind late-night phone calls.”
The honesty in Jade’s voice made Leah’s breath catch. She held the phone tighter. “Maybe we don’t have to hide anymore.”
“I think I’m falling for you, Leah,” Jade whispered.
Leah closed her eyes, the words washing over her like a warmth she didn’t know she’d been waiting for.
“I think I already have,” she whispered back.
There was silence again—deeper, heavier, and yet somehow full of light.
“Can I call you tomorrow too?” Jade asked, quieter now, almost afraid.
“You can call me every night,” Leah said, smiling. “Until you don’t need the phone to tell me anymore.”
And somewhere between heartbeats and distance, something shifted.
Not quite love—not yet.
But the beginning of something tender. Real.
And maybe—just maybe—worth staying awake for.
Jade Calling.
She hesitated for a heartbeat, then answered. “Hey.”
Jade’s voice came through, low and almost shy. “Hey. Did I wake you?”
Leah smiled, tucking the phone closer against her ear. “No. Couldn’t sleep.”
A soft sigh came from the other end. “Me neither.”
There was a pause—comfortable, familiar. The kind of silence that felt less like absence and more like being held without words.
“What are you thinking about?” Leah asked softly, her fingers tracing idle shapes on her pillow.
Jade hesitated. “You.”
The word landed gently, but it sent a quiet ripple through Leah’s chest. She let it hang there between them.
“I was just… remembering that night at the cafe,” Jade continued, her voice slower now, more vulnerable. “The way you laughed when I knocked over the sugar jar. You had sugar on your sweater for hours.”
Leah laughed quietly. “You were so flustered. I didn’t want to say anything because you looked cute when you panicked.”
Jade’s breath caught, and then she laughed too, a soft, sweet sound Leah had come to treasure. “You really noticed?”
“I notice everything about you, Jade.”
The line went quiet again, but this time Leah could almost hear Jade smiling. The silence was no longer awkward—it was the silence of two people saying too much without needing to say it out loud.
“Sometimes I wish…” Jade began, and then stopped.
Leah turned onto her side, heart tightening. “Wish what?”
“That I was braver. That I could say what I feel when I’m around you. Without hiding behind late-night phone calls.”
The honesty in Jade’s voice made Leah’s breath catch. She held the phone tighter. “Maybe we don’t have to hide anymore.”
“I think I’m falling for you, Leah,” Jade whispered.
Leah closed her eyes, the words washing over her like a warmth she didn’t know she’d been waiting for.
“I think I already have,” she whispered back.
There was silence again—deeper, heavier, and yet somehow full of light.
“Can I call you tomorrow too?” Jade asked, quieter now, almost afraid.
“You can call me every night,” Leah said, smiling. “Until you don’t need the phone to tell me anymore.”
And somewhere between heartbeats and distance, something shifted.
Not quite love—not yet.
But the beginning of something tender. Real.
And maybe—just maybe—worth staying awake for.
End of Almost Love, Then Everything Chapter 14. Continue reading Chapter 15 or return to Almost Love, Then Everything book page.