"Sometimes we break so beautiful and you know you're not the only one. I breathe you in so sweet and powerful. Like a wildfire burning up inside my lungs." —Syml.

••

~Previously on: Rescue My Drowning Heart:

Find out more below!

••

I wake up to the vibrant morning sun emitting through the window of my dorm room.

I turn a sleepy face around, expecting to see Blaze but a note lies in his spot instead. I blink away the beads in my eyes and sit up, taking it from the pillow and reading the words written there.

❤️

My eyes bulge from their sockets as I read the last line.

No, I definitely did not say that, did I?

I am on the verge of pulling at my hair when the next clause of the letter sets my worries free, and I noticed that he had also enclosed his number at the bottom.

❤️

Rereading the entire letter from start to finish, a huge smile breaks out on my face. He sure is something else. I try not to read into the heart symbols he used; I am certain that they mean nothing. Collum and I exchange them between each other all the time, but something about Blaze using them makes my heart flutter rapidly in my chest.

I fetch my phone from the nightstand and punch his number in, saving his name as 'Blaze❤'

Feeling like the heart emoji is too much, I contemplate whether to erase it, but he wouldn't see it anyway, so I settle with just leaving it be. I purse my lips and decide to shoot him a text, hoping it is not too soon.

I smile and put my phone down then hop down from the bed. Flinching at the cold tiles, I scuttle my way to the bathroom for a shower.

••

I am out in no time because it's already 7:30 am and I wouldn't want to be late for Literature. My phone dings from the bedside table while I get dressed, and I take it up to see a text from Blaze. I would be lying if I said my heart didn't just skip a beat.

❤

I smile softly then immediately a picture comes in from him. He's making a funny face with one of his eyes closed while his tongue is sticking out of his head. It's obvious he's attempting to look ugly, but he looks anything besides that. His hair is in his eyes and his lips appear a lot pinker than normal, causing my cheeks to become flammable.

I chuckle at his failed attempt at looking goofy before typing a quick response.

I cringe. Does it sound like I am flirting with him? God, I hope not.

Ding!

❤

A picture of me? Oh, I hate taking pictures.

I decide to tease him. I have no idea where this sudden bravery to be witty came from, but perhaps it could just be because we are communicating via phone and not in person. It gives me a level of confidence I wouldn't have during face-to-face communication with him.

Heard about? Gee Harmony, you couldn't be anymore inexperienced, my subconscious rubs in. I choose to ignore her. She's always trying to bring me down and I don't appreciate it.

Ding!

❤

My face burns a bright red at the text but I don't get time to recover as he sends another one almost instantly.

❤

I smile a little and hold my phone high, snapping a quick picture of my face. I hate taking pictures, so I am scared to look at the aftermath, but if I am going to send it to Blaze I need to see if I look like a potato or not.

I squint my eyes to look at the image and my body exhales in relief. It's not that bad.

I press send and immediately the little ticks below the image become blue, signaling that he has already seen it. Homewood's Wi-Fi is way too fast.

He sends two 'heart eyes' emojis, and I smile.

❤

I laugh at his response.

Ding!

❤❤

I am melting to a puddle in my shoes when my eyes zoom up to the top of my phone, realizing it's now 7:45 am.

He replies in no time.

❤

I am smiling from ear to ear as I get ready to leave for class.

••

"Hey, wait up!"

I turn around to see an exhausted Mal, battling to catch his breath as he comes to a stop in front of me. "Wow. You walk fast."

I chuckle. "I get that a lot."

"I like your romper," he manages to say, pointing to my attire while his other hand is pressed to his waist, bracing his side as he breathes heavily. For how long had he been chasing behind me?

"Thanks." I take a glance at myself despite how long I spent analyzing the outfit in the mirror this morning. I am wearing a pink shorts romper today. I was reluctant to wear it to class because of my insecurity about my legs, but I was running too late to nit-pick, so I just decided to settle with it.

"So ready for the long lecture of Literature this morning?" He asks while we begin to walk to the lecture hall together.

I smile. "Well no, I love Literature but the lecturers at this college make the classes I normally loved so much in high school, so boring. I mean, they are all so bland and lame."

"Especially Mr. Jones." Mal groans and my eyes grow wide at the accuracy.

"Yes! I didn't know you had him?"

"Yeah, English. On a Wednesday."

"Oh. I have him on a Monday."

I was going to add the fact that Blaze and I share the same class but decide not to. That will only turn Mal's mood sour; I know better.

"If I knew you then, we could have chosen the same time and have him together." He sends me a beam, and I reciprocate the gesture. However, the thought of me, Blaze, and Mal sharing the same class, screams chaos.

"Yeah but hands down, Mr. Jones is very boring," I say again.

"Wow, Harmony. My pride is hurt." A deep voice comes from behind us.

We both turn around simultaneously to see none other than Mr. Jones, and astonishment for me is an understatement.

"Oh, yikes," Mal says under his breath.

"Oh my God." I clamp a hand over my mouth. "I am so sorry...I didn't mean—I didn't—"

I have nothing to say, really. Not when I was just caught red-handed.

"She didn't mean that." Mal tries to defend, but I can tell he wants to laugh at the offended man holding his briefcase.

"I really didn't mean that." I aid.

Mr. Jones nods curtly, his expression stern and unsmiling.

Wow, he should really lighten up.

"Oh I know, but slandering your lecturer is actually very inappropriate. You could be banned from the course."

Mal and I exchange glances. That is a little far-fetched.

"Banned?" I shift my weight. "But I did say I didn't mean it."

"Okay." He shrugs his shoulders. "But I think we need to talk. Can I see you in my office now?"

His office? I really do not feel comfortable about going to his office.

"Or do you prefer seeing the chairman?" He wagers with a raised brow, his glare baring a firm threat.

"Just go," Mal whispers. "It's a lot better than being banned from English." His tone has a slight mockery edge to it as if he also finds it ludicrous that someone could get banned for something that trivial. This must be some form of a joke, right?

I sigh, not wanting to worsen the situation. "Okay."

"Don't worry, I will take your notes for you."

"Thanks, Mal..."

He smiles and walks away, and I look back to Mr. Jones who turns to lead the way to his office.