chapter thirteen

~ T H E N ~

"Now, what's a young, pretty lady doing all by herself at a party like this?"

Turning in surprise to find Tom standing behind me, I smiled and threw my arms around him.

"You came," he stated with a laugh as I pulled away to grin at the boy I hadn't seen since the summer holidays had started.

"You sound surprised," I said, raising an eyebrow as he took a seat beside me and handed me a drink.

"Well, considering I haven't seen you at a party in almost four months, why wouldn't I be?"

At that, I took a huge gulp of whatever drink he'd handed me and grimaced slightly at the strength and burn of the alcohol. "Touché," I mumbled staring at the people who were dancing on the makeshift dance floor in the middle of the huge backyard.

He nudged my arm lightly until I looked over at him again.

"You know he's here, right?" Tom asked, and he didn't even have to say his name before the jerk of my heart let me know exactly who he was talking about.

"Yeah," I sighed as I glanced back at the dancers, "I was counting on it."

"And you will let him tell his side of the story this time, right?" Tom urged, still not letting it drop even though every time we hung out at school he continuously told me to talk to Storm – persuaded me that he wasn't a bad guy.

"Yeah," I mumbled, "why else would I be here?"

Agreeing with a nod of his head, Tom stood up and took my empty hand in his before he pulled me up and out of the bar stool I'd been comfortably sitting in, knowing I wouldn’t get up otherwise.

"Now," he grinned before he pushed me forward and towards the house. "Go get 'em tiger," he winked, moments before he slapped my backside and watched me walk off after I shot him a mock-dirty look. "He's in the basement!" I heard him call out.

In the basement, great. I thought as an image of the room, much quieter than the rest of the house, flitted through my mind.

Placing a hand on the doorknob that I knew would lead me downstairs, I sucked in a big breath and then let it out. But still couldn't open the door.

Just do it, I told myself silently, just Shia Labeouf it.

"So, are you just going to stand there blocking the door all night or are you going to walk down?" A teasing and familiar voice suddenly interrupted my silent chanting, causing me to suddenly freeze up as my breath caught in my throat.

"Hello...?" He trailed when I still hadn't replied which by then I'd finally decided to woman up and turn around. His eyebrows shoot up. "Oh," he breathed blinking down at me, hair much longer than I remembered it to be now hanging in front of his gorgeously honey coloured eyes – eyes that I realised I had missed dearly.

I swallowed, tried to smile, couldn't.

"I… uh, hi," I forced out.

Before he could reply, someone rammed past us, quite literally shoving the both of us out of the way to get to the basement door. Storm lost his footing and went tumbling towards me until my back hit the wall beside the door. Our chests banged against each other and his chin hit my forehead. There was awkward shuffling, apologies and laughter, but the second we were past arm’s length and no longer touching, the air was quick to become tense again.

"You dyed your hair," he noted eyeing the part that was over my shoulder which showed an ombre of light brown to purple – something I did a month after the last party.

I bit my lip and continued to rub my forehead slightly. "I did," I mumbled leaving an awkward silence to hang between us.

"What are you doing here?" Storm sighed at last after watching me rub my forehead for a solid, long ten seconds.

"I, um, you know… came for Taylah's birthday," I lied still avoiding his gaze and wishing I could either run off as fast and far as I could, or grab him by the shirt and kiss the living daylights out of him because bloody hell did I miss him.

"Okay, then," was his reply, the feel of his drilling stare causing me to shift uncomfortably, what with the way he was inching over every detail of my face as if he was trying to soak me all up.

"Yeah," I mumbled still avoiding his gaze.

"Right..." he trailed now staring at me like he was waiting for me to either tell him the truth or grow a second head.

When I said nothing, but instead took to stupidly staring down at the space between our feet, he finally let out a sigh and went to walk off after mumbling an excuse about having to go.

"Wait, Storm," I panicked grabbing his wrist and turning him around only to pull too hard and causing him to fall toward me again. This time I was ready though and had my hands up against his chest just as his hands shot up and landed against the wall behind me, our faces so close that if I so much as leant up slightly on my toes we could've been kissing.

I wanted to.

Oh boy, did I want to.

And apparently I wasn't the only one thinking it because within moments he was leaning down, and even though it was slowly, as if asking for permission, the way I shot up to meet him half way was enough to tell him that yes, I definitely did want to kiss him.

The second his soft lips met mine and moved in sync, my hands slid itself up until it was wound into his hair, much softer and much longer than it used to be, causing him to react in the same way and wrap his own around my waist; pulling me until there was close to no space between our lower halves.

As his fingers tugged playfully at the ends of my hair and then brushed against my neck and cheek and waist in ways that felt so lovely and familiar, all I could think about was how much I missed him and how stupid I was for ever letting him go all those months ago because holy shit, what if he found another Bedmate? What if he found a girlfriend?

At the last thought my body finally caught up to my mind and before I knew it I was shoving him away only to find myself sitting on the kitchen counter with him between my legs.

"What..." when did that happen?

"Oh, shit, I'm sorry. I didn't-I wasn't meant to-we shouldn't have-"

"Right, no," I agreed with his flustered stuttering as he stepped away and took the warmth with him, causing me to snap my legs close and jump off the counter with reddened cheeks as I attempted to pull down my dress with dignity.

"I'm sorry," he said, still not looking at me. "God, you probably still hate me – and now you probably hate me more," he muttered, more to himself than to me as he shut his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair roughly.

"Wait, what?" I asked startled, stepping closer toward him and hoping he'd just open his damn eyes so he could see how much I definitely did not hate him.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, but this time even more sincerely – if that was even possible – as if he were talking about something else now.

"Hey," I said again, more softly this time as I placed a hand against his chest so he'd finally open his eyes – he did. "Don't be," I murmured, amazed that we could hear each other since the party in the backyard was still raging on and every now and then some drunken couples would barge into the empty house giggling. "I'm the one who should be apologizing," I sighed, a small smile on my face as confusion filled his eyes and his head tilted ever so slightly – like a puppy, almost.

"Why are you sorry?" He frowned looking ready to fight me on this only to be cut off.

"Well," I laughed with no humour as I stepped back and leant against the counter I had previously sat on. "For being a total bitch to you," I started when I looked up to hold his familiar gaze. "For not bothering to listen to your side of the story before I completely flipped out and didn't talk to you for almost four months. For actually believing that asshole." At the last part, and at the sight of his hurt gaze as the both of us started to remember that dreaded night, I looked down at my shoes and subconsciously played with the ends of my curled hair, scared that he would suddenly remember why we weren't talking in the first place before turning around and walking off without a second glance.

"Well," he said copying me, "you're here now. And as much as it hurt that you believed him; I couldn't blame you. I mean, you were right after all; just because I'm Tom's friend doesn't mean you know me. I could be some total creeper for all you know," he added stepping closer even though I still stared determinedly at my feet.

I laughed, or at least I almost did.

"In fact," Storm said suddenly sounding a lot happier and excited which caused me to finally glance up, "let's go somewhere quiet and get to know each other." He grinned and grabbed hold of my hand before darting out of the kitchen and down the hall.

I couldn't help but laugh then, I mean for goodness sakes, he looked like a child with his blinding grin and the sudden hop to his step that I hadn't seen since the first time he led me 'somewhere quiet'.

"I think we know each other well enough," I couldn't help but tease whilst he continued to pull me down random corridors before barrelling the both of us into some room, acting as if he was on a mission for 007.

"Not like that, you little pervert," he laughed flipping on a light switch so we could finally see what kind of room we were in.

A mini library/office.

"Did you choose this room on purpose?" I asked as I strode towards the books anyway without a second thought.

"Kinda," he said from somewhere behind me.

I smiled and let my fingers run along the spines of all the books on one row before pulling a random one out and reading the blurb, momentarily forgetting that there was someone else in the room.

"Fact number one: Mia likes books."

"Loves," I corrected with a tilt of my lips as I put the book away and looked up at the boy with honey coloured eyes, sprawled on one of the couch seats casually as if he owned the place. "Is this what you brought me in here for? To actually get to know me?" I couldn't help but ask with complete amusement, amazed by how much this boy always managed to surprise me.

"Well, yeah, why not? And this time through knowledge, not anatomy," he smirked then as if suddenly remembering everything we'd done.

Heat shot up my neck, cheeks and ears and I crossed my arms over my chest subconsciously. "Was that necessary?" I questioned as he continued to smirk his stupidly annoying and unfairly attractive smirk.

"Of course. Now come, sit," he said waving a hand toward the chair across from him, wanting me to sit on the big seat behind the giant desk.

I eyed him wearily but otherwise did as he requested, unable to hide my amusement and confusion.

"Okay..." I trailed off as if he were stupid which only caused him to shoot me an adorable grin I had no chance of being oblivious to.

Damn it, Storm.

"Okay, so ask me something – anything – and I'll answer as best as I can."

Not really one for floundering about I bit my lower lip slightly, amusement fading as I remembered why I was even at this party in the first place.

"That guy," I started, playing with a lone pen on the desk, "the one from that party... why would he lie about something like that?"

Storm sighed then, rubbed the back of his neck and sent me a small smile. "Not one to beat around the bush, are you?" He asked before continuing, "And because it's not a lie-"

"What?!" I exclaimed, eyes wide and fingers suddenly gripping the pen.

He raised a hand as if to tell me to wait before finishing his sentence, "it's not a lie to him because that's what his sister told him. And because they're so close, and because he's always had it in for me, he always believes her. Lie or not. So no, it’s not true; I would never do something as unspeakable as… that."

I let the pen go and leaned back against the seat, a frown on my face as I eyed him for the truth. "What do you mean by always?"

"This isn't the first time Gemma has lied about something I haven’t done. Although this is the first time I haven't gotten back with her, hence the unforgiving lie."

"I’m sorry, what? Get back with her?"  I echoed in confusion.

He sighed again and leaned back against his couch chair too, fingers running through his hair and messing it up. "Yeah, you remember that girl I told you about when we first met?"

"Your psycho ex?" I asked eyebrows shooting up. "That's who lied about the whole... thing?" I exclaimed still unable to say the R-word.

"Yeah, but not just that."

"What else?" I frowned deeper, not missing the way his eyes flickered to my lips momentarily before he looked away to eye some small paintings.

"Like I said. It wasn't the first time she's told her brother a lie so he'd hate me and start fights with me."

"Jesus, how long has this been going on for?"

He frowned in thought, brows furrowing and lips pouting slightly before he finally met my gaze again. "4 years, I guess; give or take."

"Holy shit," I muttered leaning my elbows on the desk as I covered my eyes in disbelief.

This crazy bitch has been toying with him for four freaking years!

"Mia, it's okay," Storm tried to soothe me, reaching forward to press a calming hand against my arm.

"So, what?" I started hooking my hands behind my neck before looking up to meet his gaze again, "every time you break up with her she gets her brother on to you and it only stops when and if you get back with her?"

His lips pressed into a thin line before he nodded, not saying a thing as I suddenly got up to pace the length of the bookshelf.

"What's the longest you've been away from the manipulating bitch?" I asked, anger clouding my thoughts and vision as I turned to look at him so he'd tell me the truth.

He looked away, sunk down into the seat a little more before staring up at the ceiling. "Almost a year, I suppose..." he bit his lip before meeting my gaze, "Since I first met you."

"Oh," I breathed out.

Boy, did I have my facts all wrong about him.

"Oh," he echoed, voice more tired and seeming more older now as he gazed up at the ceiling again, such a forlorn look on his face it made me mad to think I ever thought he was an R-word, made me mad at myself that I even second guessed him.

"But, before that, about a month – max."

I shook my head and didn't know what I could've possibly have said to make things better. To even justify things. So I walked over and sat beside him, my back against the arm rest so I completely faced him and my head leant against the back rest as I stared at him stare at the ceiling – lost in his own thoughts and past.

"You don't deserve to be treated like that; you know that, right?" I murmured as I put my feet up on the small space between us only to have him grab my ankles to put them over his lap, eyes still staring up as if it was second nature to do so which left me both flustered and a little bewildered.

"Yeah," he murmured caressing my lower leg in a non-sexual way, but rather subconsciously; slowly, as if to keep me warm. "But I didn't know that until our idiotic friend Thomas freaking Goldburg came stumbling into my life two years ago. Never really believed it until you came tumbling onto me," he smiled a little, soft and gentle as if the memory of me falling on him – quite literally – was the most amusing memory ever.

I laughed a little and sat up properly before pulling my legs from him and shifting closer, causing him to finally turn his head to look at me, a surprised look on his face as if he forgot I was even there. Before he could even say anything I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned into him, buried my face between his neck and shoulder even when he didn't hug me back – not straight away anyway.

"No offence," I mumbled as he finally wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me so close I ended up sitting sideways on his lap, "but you had a pretty screwed up relationship."

He laughed then, a genuine and loud kind that had me pulling away just so I could see it, even though his arms around my waist kind of prevented me to do so.

"Yeah," he agreed still chuckling, shoulders shaking, eyes crinkling and tiny little dimples I never knew he had by his lips showing. "I think so too."

"And just so you know," I said leaning away so I could meet his gaze as he finally loosened his hold, "not all relationships are like that. They're meant to be lovely and sweet and adorable and maybe just a little bit dramatic – not that I'd know." I added the last part with a roll of my eyes which caused him to laugh again as he tucked hair behind my ear in such a gentle way my insides fluttered slightly and I felt the want to kiss him yet again.

"Since neither of us have been in a serious, healthy, relationship maybe we should-"

"Hey! You guys can't be in-Storm?" A voice suddenly cut him off causing me to jerk backwards and almost fall off the couch and Storm completely if it weren't for the said boy and his secure hold on me.

He sent me an amused smirk before sliding me off gracefully and standing up as well, cheeks slightly tainted pink. "Taylah," he greeted sending her a lopsided grin as they strode forward simultaneously to hug each other, leaving me standing between the couch and desk awkwardly.

"I almost thought you were two randoms getting ready to bang in my dad's office!" She laughed pulling away from the friendly hug before her eyes landed on me and they lit up even more. "Hey, I'm Taylah!"

At this, Storm turned to look at me with a raised brow, the amused look referring to the time when I said I was here for her, the birthday girl who I claimed to know but right now so obviously didn't. 

I bit my lower lip and ignored him as I shot her a smile, "I'm Mia."

"Oh!" She exclaimed, something she did a lot apparently, "so you're Mia!" She grinned glancing at Storm with a knowing look that had me utterly confused.

Yeah, I'm Mia, I basically repeated what she said in my head sarcastically.

"Right," Storm cut the girl off as he clapped loudly and turned to her, "did you need something?"

Instead of replying Taylah sent me a lazy wink before turning around sassily and walking off, "not at all, just make sure you lock up when you two leave... in fact, maybe lock up right now in case someone barges in again onto a less... innocent sight."

By the time she'd left and shut the door, my cheeks were so hot I had to turn around and place my hands against them to try and cool it down before Storm would notice, but once the sound of the door locking met my ears I had no hope of getting it together.

I heard a low chuckle before hands came around to pry my own away from my cheeks. "She was only kidding," he told me, spinning me around with a smirk on his face that made me want to do exactly what that girl insinuated – my train of thoughts not helping my tomato coloured cheeks.

His smirk widened, "you're adorable when you blush, you know that?"

I shoved him away and forced a laugh as I shook my head at him. "Oh, shut up," I mumbled before I jumped up and sat down on the desk so we were almost at eye level for once.

He shifted closer and leaned forward onto his arms which were suddenly on either side of me, his face so close I could almost feel his lips on mine and could've counted the golden flecks in his eyes if I wanted to. "And gorgeous when you smile," he murmured eyeing my lips which tilted up unconsciously by what he said.

"What is this?" I asked trying to push down my smile but failing terribly, "compliment Mia day?"

"Maybe," he smiled too, meeting my gaze with a look in his eyes that had me reeling.

I leaned away and pushed him back by the shoulders so we were no longer only a breath away, the small pout on his face giving me no choice but to laugh. "We're here to talk, remember?" I mock-scolded, eyes narrowed and my hands still on his shoulders.

He pouted even more which caused me to lower my gaze as it caught my sudden interest. "What was that, sorry?" He teased leaning forward again, but this time so his lips brushed my jaw.

"Talk," I mumbled as he kissed my neck, right below my ear, and made his way down slowly, teasingly.

"I'm listening," he murmured as he kissed my collarbone and then nipped it a little, causing my head to tilt back before I could even stop it.

"What were you going to say?" I asked, surprisingly in a coherent way even though my eyes were closed and his mouth was still attached to me, my hands on his shoulders suddenly pulling him closer without my minds consent.

Damn my body and its reactions to this boy.

"What?" He hummed against my jaw, below my ear again but on the other side.

"Before she-before Taylah walked in?" I mumbled, sighed almost, as he pulled me closer and, once again, ended up between my legs once I wrapped them around his waist.

For the longest time he didn't say anything as he slowly made his way back down to the opening of my dress, and for the longest time I didn't care because he was finally moving up so I could feel his soft lips against mine. An ache I never knew I had fading the longer he held me and the closer we became.

But he only kissed me once before he pulled away, hand still cupping my cheek while the other was buried in my hair. The second he shifted far enough so our bodies weren't so closely attached I made a noise at the back of my throat that should've embarrassed me, but didn't, because all I could think about was him.

Him, and me, and all the things that should've happened between us all those months ago when we first met.

"Storm-" I practically whimpered at the same time as he said my own name – in apology almost.

"I'm sorry," he said pulling away properly now, fingers gliding through his own hair roughly, something that I realised he did in a habitual way when he got frustrated or annoyed at himself or the situation. "I shouldn't have done that – you're right; we're here to talk. Not so I could get the best of you."

"This isn't just your choice it's mine, too!"

"No, you don't understand-"

"So explain it to me, this is the second time you've said no to me!" I exclaimed, hurt by the fact that maybe he didn't want me at all, that maybe he just liked to toy with me and screw with my feelings.

He made an aggravated noise as he fixed his shirt and ran his fingers through his hair again, stepped back a few times until his legs hit the couch behind him. "Mia," he started, finally meeting my gaze from where I still sat on the desk, hair a mess with a frown on my face. "It's not that I don't want you. Because God, I do, okay? I just-you-"

"Just spit it out!" I exclaimed, annoyed by the sudden turn of events as I jumped off the desk and fixed my dress for the second time tonight.

"Mia-" he tried again only to stop and scrunch up his nose in a way that would've been adorable had I not been so upset.

"Just say it!" I exclaimed in annoyance, arms crossed as I sent him a glare.

"I like you, alright!" He threw back just as loudly before suddenly deflating as he lifted his hands up and then dropped them to his sides again. "There, I said it; I like you. And I've never liked anyone this way before and I don't want to just have sex with you; I want to make sweet love to you. I want you – all of you. And it probably doesn't even make sense but for Heaven's sake; I do.

And I… I want it to mean something and I want it to be as stupidly nice and cliché as you want it to be because I know that it'll be your first time and I know that you want it to be perfect even though I'm the least perfect person you can ever meet. And-just-I don't know. I really like you, okay?" He rubbed a hand down his face roughly as he got his breath back from the sudden outburst and I took that time to go over what he just said as my brain still refused to believe what had happened.

There, I said it; I like you.

I want to make sweet love to you.

I want it to mean something and I want it to be as stupidly nice and cliché as you want it to be.

"Mia, now would be a great time to say something before my ego deflates any further and I'll refuse to talk to another female again," a voice muttered making me realise that I'd been staring at him for well over a few minutes in complete silence.

"You... like me?" Was all I could choke out causing his brow to furrow in confusion.

"Wasn't it obvious? My crush on you was all Tom would tease me about when we hung out outside of a party."

My eyebrows shot up, "really?"

And the asshole never thought to tell me?

This time Storm cocked his head at me, drilling me with those damn gorgeous eyes of his as if wondering what the hell was going through my mind.

He likes me! Holy shit, he actually likes me. Of all freaking people!

"Mia?" Storm queried, dragging me out of my daze a second time.

"Sorry, I just – you," I stuttered as words suddenly failed me, "I never thought that... nobody's ever..." told me they liked me before.

"Well, I do," he nodded as if he heard my unspoken thought, honesty and insecurity written all over his face. "And I have for a while now."

I opened my mouth.

Closed it.

"Okay," was all I could blurt out stupidly as my cheeks heated immeasurably, causing his lips to twitch and for his eyebrow to raise.

"Okay?" He repeated.

"I like kissing you too," my mouth continued to babble causing my cheeks to warm even more, "and I want my first time to be with you."

He couldn't hide the goofy smile this time even if he wanted to.

"Good," he drawled, "I want it to be with me, too."

I grinned as he walked closer to me.

"Oh, and Mia," he murmured once he got close enough to place his hands on my hips to pull me close, "your new hair style is kind of a turn on."