Quote:
Originally Posted by
Saraie 
Caroline turned her head away after she made her confession. He was going to hate her for messing up his relationship with Emma. And Emma was going to hate her for the same thing. Just adding the one that she likes to the list of ones that she don't like now and don't like her. She nodded. "I'm sorry, so sorry I don't want to mess up what you have with Emma." She paused and looked up at him, [b]"I just needed to get it off my chest
She just sat there looking down at the floor. Braeden could never be a rebound. She cared about him so much. Was what she had with Carter always going to mess up her other relationships with the ones who know about him? "Yes, I'm sure I want to be with you. No, never. How I feel for you isn't a rebound. I will never forget Carter. Its time for me to move on. And Yes, you make me so happy when I'm with you. I just want to see where it could go."
Attentively, Braeden listened as Caroline quickly began to apologize, mentioning that she didn't want to ruin things between the Gryffindork and her cousin. The boy gave her a small sympathetic smile. What Caroline had just done… it took guts. And he couldn't possibly get upset with her for sharing her feelings. "Don't worry about it," he muttered, giving her hand a squeeze.
But the girl wasn't done. There was more, and as Brae continued to listen, his dark eyebrows raised higher and higher.
She wanted to
be with him? And to see where it could go?!
Eyes widened, Braeden's jaw dropped again.
Wha--wha--what-- Was Caroline asking him to… get in a relationship with her, or something? That would've been an appropriate question if it wasn't for the fact that he was dating
her cousin!
Still.
Staring at the blonde sitting beside him, Braeden remembered the first time he'd met her. The snowball fights, the talks by the fountain, the visits to the Hospital Wing, the snack times at the kitchen and the movies in the room of requirement… He remembered she'd even trusted him enough to tell him some very personal family issues. Now that he looked back on it, he and Caroline had quite a history. They hadn't just been two people who said hi to each other in class, they'd had great times together and…
Oh God, I'm an idiot!
It wasn't until THAT moment, after looking back on everything, that Braeden realized -
Caroline had really liked me all along! During those lunch dates, during the movie dates, during the piggyback rides and everything else - she had liked him all along.
And it had taken Braeden two years to realize it.
"I… I can't believe it," the boy muttered incredulously. "All this time-- I'm an idiot! I can't believe I never…" And the award for most oblivious Hogwarts lion goes to… "Caroline, I'm so sorry," he continued, beginning to feel horrendous at that moment. All this time, it was like… it was like he'd been leading the girl on or something. And then he went and started dating her cousin! And another girl before that! How many girlfriends did Caroline see him go through, when she had been the first one of all girls to like him? Oh sheesh, Stonem.
"I'm so sorry," he muttered again. "I feel awful… I had no idea, I thought... Well, I don't know what I thought. It never occurred to me that you could like me of all people." He chuckled softly. "I mean... look at you, Caroline. You're pretty, you're smart... one of the kindest people I've ever met." And him? Well, he was just a big dork with clumsy feet and big hair.