Chapter 17: chapter seventeen

~ T H E N ~

“Sarah! Stop it, you’re going to bloody break something!” I whisper-shouted, laughing slightly as I watched her fiddle with a joystick stupidly, the children and teens around us paying us no mind as they ran around looking for a new game to play with or on.

“Oh, please,” Sarah laughed. “This is a gaming centre for the smallest of children and the biggest of men – I highly doubt that I could break it,” she said as if I was the dumb one, just as the joystick in her hand made a noise that sounded suspiciously like it just snapped.

Our eyes widened.

“Oh shit,” she muttered before she grabbed my hand and yanked me away, the both of us laughing like crazy as we weaved our way through all the gamers. “Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit,” she repeated under her breath, only making me laugh even harder and almost stumble into someone considering how amused I was by the idiot.

Out of nowhere she just stopped and it was so sudden that I slammed into her back, causing her to barrel forward and into someone else.

“Oh, hey!” a familiar voice exclaimed once he’d straightened her, hands holding onto her shoulders a little longer than usual before his eyes trailed over to me. “Wreaking havoc again I see,” Tom chuckled as he let Sarah go and stepped away, revealing a girl beside him who looked on with mild interest.

“Nah,” I grinned, “Only Sarah.”

He shook his head, not seeming at all surprised as his grey eyes trailed back to meet hers, “What’d you do this time?”

She stepped away and rolled her eyes, arms crossing defensively over her chest. “Nothing,” she replied tersely, gazing over to some other place as if she didn’t know him.

My eyebrows raised faintly at her sudden mood change but instead of commenting on it and making things even more awkward, I instead look at Tom who was too busy staring at Sarah. “Tom,” I said pointedly as the girl beside him grew more and more awkward by the second, “Are you going to introduce us to your friend over here?”

He blinked.

“Right, yeah!” he grinned and stepped to the side to sling an arm over the girls’ shoulders. “Guys, this is Amy. Amy, these are my best friends – Mia and Sarah,” he said casually, eyes lingering back to Sarah, who seemed hell-bent on not looking at him and chose to turn toward the newcomer instead.

“Nice to meet you,” she said with a tight-lipped smile, polite as ever.

“You too,” Amy replied smiling, before she looked over at me. “It’s kind of funny because Tom was just talking about the two of you.”

I raised my eyebrow and smirked a little. “He was, was he?” I asked meeting Tom’s gaze in pure amusement, knowing that the only time Tom talked about us to another girl he was getting with, was only when they’ve been either friend-zoned, or are about to get let down.

Amy nodded.

The poor girl.

“Well,” I said wanting to put an end to this, “Sarah and I have places to go and people to see. It was lovely meeting you, Amy!” I grinned, cutting Tom off before he could say something and walking off with a wave goodbye before he could try to convince me to let her down for him.

I laughed as Sarah and I finally walk out of the gaming centre, also known as Galactic Circus, before deciding to drag us toward the food court of the shopping centre we were at. “The poor girl,” I muttered linking arms with Sarah who seemed oddly quiet.

“Yeah,” she agreed looking completely out of it, “he is such an asshole.”

My eyebrows raised slightly at the tone of her voice, because even though Tom’s notorious ways of being a little man-whore has always been known since day one, neither of us have really cared or paid much attention to it unless he drags us into it… which is barely ever.

I opened my mouth to say something but my name is unexpectedly called out, jerking me from my confusion. “Mia? Mia!” They say again, just as someone took hold of my elbow and stopped me from walking.

It was Storm.

My eyebrows raised even more as I turned to face him and before I could tell him not to talk to me due to the agreement we had made, Sarah muttered something like ‘I have to go’ with an accompanying excuse I didn’t hear thanks to the fact that I was too busy gawking at Storm.

She was gone before I could say otherwise.

“What – why are you…?” I trailed off, staring and blinking up at him stupidly as I took him in, noticing how he was even more attractive in the afternoon light as opposed to the usual darkness or strobe lit room we’d meet in. In this light, his jaw line and cheek bones were even more defined, his eyes a lighter honey colour with green flecks that I had never noticed before and his hair the usual blonde mess atop his head.

“Tom,” he answered my unfinished question, smiling slightly as he took me in as well, “He sent me a text about twenty minutes ago asking for me to meet him here.”

I swallowed and tried my best not to blush, knowing that he had caught me staring shamelessly but not at all seeming to mind considering he wasn’t exactly trying to hide the way his own eyes were running over my every feature.

“Oh,” I muttered dumbly, before I shook my head and suddenly laughed softly, “Right. Of course he did.”

He cocked his head at me slightly, confusion written all over his expression as his brow furrowed and he eyed me intently, “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” I smiled, stepping away and turning to lead him to where I last saw the said boy and his new conquest. “That you, my friend, are about to get used,” I laughed again and glanced at him, unable to stop the way my heart immediately quickened just by being near him and my cheeks warmed at the realisation that he followed me without a single question or hesitance.

“Yeah, apparently all I’m good for is sexual favours,” he said casually, causing me to almost choke on air and fall flat on my face after I tripped on nothing.

Or at least I would have fallen on my face if it weren’t for Storm’s quick reflexes on catching me, his lips curving into an amused smirk the second he righted me, warm hands burning into my waist despite the cardigan and shirt I wore.

“Relax,” he breathed, “I was only kidding.”

I swallowed and shivered slightly at our sudden closeness, my heart rate spiking up even more as I felt the want to just kiss that stupidly sexy smirk off his face before I realised with a start that we were at the shopping mall – in public.

I shoved him away before I could do anything irrational, cheeks heated once again before I could even think to stop it. “Of course I knew that,” I said in a calm tone before I turned around and walked off a second time, noticing once again that he followed without a question or hesitance.

“Right,” he laughed teasingly, walking right beside me with complete ease regardless of my quick pace, “Of course you did.”

I blushed more and quickened my pace.

“Oh shut up and let me help you.”

“With what, may I ask?” he queried, the tease and amusement still clear in his tone but the way in which he says it completely casual and polite – as if he was doing his best not to let my embarrassment get to his head, but is failing epically considering that damn smirk on his face.

“You’ll see,” I muttered just as Tom and Amy conveniently came out of the gaming centre, the poor girl all but hugging herself around his arm.

As soon as Tom’s eyes noticed Storm and I, he all but ripped himself out of Amy’s hold and ran toward us, “Storm! Fancy seeing you here as well!” he exclaimed as they did that boyish half-handshake half-hug thing before Tom all but dragged him out of hearing shot the second Amy met up with me.

“Hello again,” she smiled, eyes trailing Tom and Storm as she eyed them both before her brows raised and she met my gaze. “Is that your boyfriend?” she asked causing me to almost choke on air for the second time today.

“I, uh – no. No, he’s not!”

She looked back at the two boys who were currently speaking in hushed tones only metres away. “That’s a shame; he sure is bloody hot,” she commented with a smirk now, “I’d tie him down if I were you. I’m surprised he even talks to you.”

My brow furrowed as she turned to meet my gaze again, “What do you mean?”

Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to, I scolded myself just as Amy’s eyebrow cocked slightly.

“He’s kind of… out of your league, don’t you think?” she puts out there, once again letting herself stare at the boys which only made me realise that she hadn’t been staring at them both, but rather just Storm. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’re pretty and all but that boy…” she whistled lowly and suddenly grinned cheekily, “oh, the things I would do to him if we were locked in a room for just five-”

“I’m sorry,” I snapped suddenly, causing her to glance at me just as my cheeks heated up for the hundredth time. “But aren’t you here with Tom?”

Her eyebrows raised and so do her hands, calling surrender as if I were about to bite her head off – and considering the annoyance I was unexpectedly feeling, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have minded at all. “I was just saying, babe, boys like him don’t belong with girls like you.”

My eyes narrowed as a thought went through my mind: I know that you little bit-

“Alright girls, how about a movie paid for by Storm and me, huh?” Tom said coming out of nowhere as he slung both his arms over mine and Amy’s shoulders, a grin on his face.

I gritted my teeth and shrugged his arm off. “Sounds good, but maybe another time,” I said moving to step away only to bump into someone else – Storm.

“Aw, come on Little M, when do you ever turn down a free movie?” Tom pouted childishly as Storm placed his hands firm yet gently against my shoulders.

“Since now,” I said looking at Amy who was too busy staring at something else – obviously knowing that my anger was her fault.

“No way,” Storm said behind me before he leaned down until his mouth brushed my ear. “There is no way I’m letting you leave now that I was dragged into this,” he whispered, hands squeezing my shoulders almost in a comforting way as if he knew that there was something wrong, which only caused me to want to leave even more once Amy finally turned her head to look at me, and then Storm.

“Maybe another time,” I said once again, trying to step away only to find that both boys wouldn’t let me as Tom suddenly took hold of my hand and Storm refused to let my shoulders go.

“Nope,” Thomas said almost through gritted teeth, eyes all but begging me to stay, “You’re accepting the free movie ticket and popcorn and you’re gonna watch the movie through-and-through with us.”

Amy did not look happy at all, and whether it was the fact that Tom was holding my hand instead of hers, his body completely turned away from her, or the fact that he all but pleaded for me to go with them, I wasn’t so sure. But what I was sure as hell about, was that I was now going if it made the rude female-dog unhappy.

“Fine,” I relented trying my best not to smirk at how annoyed Amy now looked, “But you owe me one.”

Tom grinned and kissed my cheek before he all but yanked me away and skipped toward the cinemas, “Babe, I already owe you a hundred.”

I laughed and shook my head as he let me go and led the way. “Well, it’s now one hundred and one,” I teased.

“Yeah, yeah, you little she-devil,” he joked, sticking his tongue out at me childishly which made me laugh, already feeling slightly better.

“You’re an idiot,” I teased, rolling my eyes at him as we stepped into the cinemas.

He threw me a sarcastic look before he stopped in front of the movie line and looked up at what movies were on. “Okay, so what do you guys wanna watch?” Tom asked turning to look at Amy and Storm who were behind us conversing, Amy obviously less casually which only left me frowning.

“I don’t mind,” Storm shrugged.

“Neither,” Amy all but chorused, an innocent, yet flirtatious smile on her face that had me rolling my eyes and turning back around to eye the movies and movie times.

Tom elbowed me lightly and raised an eyebrow, “Any ideas?”

I bit my lip and stared some more before shrugging, “I don’t know, The DUFF?”

“Isn’t that a girl’s movie?” Tom asked scrunching his nose up slightly.

I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms over my chest before I questioned; “Don’t you ‘owe me one’?”

He sighed and shook his head at me before stepping forward and into the short line, “Jesus, why do you have to be such a cheeky, manipulative little-”

I punched him in the shoulder before he could finish his sentence, causing him to groan and cover the area before he laughed so sudden and loudly that people turned to stare at us, causing my cheeks to heat up immeasurably and regret ever hitting him.

“Only kidding, Mia, you know I love you,” he teased throwing an arm over my shoulder – something he always loved to do just because I was so much shorter than him – before kissing my temple.

I sighed and said nothing, unable to help the way I smiled up at the idiot fondly only to be pushed aside by no other than Amy who seemed more than annoyed at me now.

“Come on, Tommy, how about we get the food and they get us the tickets, hm?” she asked sweetly, grabbing his hand and pulling him away before he could object or agree.

I rolled my eyes for the billionth time, almost forgetting that Storm was still there until he shifted forward and made his presence known. “So, are you going to tell me what you’re upset about or do we have to play twenty questions for me to find out?” he murmured, arm brushing mine which caused me to finally glance at him, only to find that he was watching Tom and Amy who were now in the back of the food line – hooking up.

“I’m not upset,” I muttered, looking away as we moved up the line, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He hummed in thought, “Was it something Amy said when Tom and I left?”

Yes. “No.”

“What was it?” he continued, obviously seeing through my lies easily as he stared at my expression while I stared ahead at the people in front of us. “Did she say something bad about Tom?”

I shook my head and crossed my arms, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Ah, so she did say something,” he confirmed, brows pulling together in thought as he continued to stare at the side of my face, eyes shifting from me, to where Tom and the said girl was.

“Storm, just drop it,” I grumbled, annoyed by how well he could read me.

We stepped forward a little more, only two people away from getting our tickets now – only two people away from the end of this interrogation. “Are you…” he narrowed his eyes at me as I finally glanced at him, “Are you jealous or something?”

I blinked. What?

“What?” I voiced. “Jealous of what?”

“Of Amy,” he declared, “Are you jealous of her because she’s with Tom?”

Now I was confused.

“Why in the world would I be jealous of someone who is trying to get into my best friend's pants?” I asked completely bemused, staring up at him as if he were stupid before it suddenly clicked just as he opened his mouth to answer me.

“Maybe because you like him or something? I don’t know. Maybe you’re in love with him without even realising and-” he stopped talking the minute I started laughing, hand pressing against my mouth to try and stifle my uncontrolled giggles at the assumption he came up with.

“No, you stupid idiot,” I finally said, eyes slightly blurry by how much I’d laughed at that; at the mere thought of me being in love with my best friend – with Tom of all people. “I mean, don’t get me wrong; Tom is undoubtedly one of the best people who have walked into my life but…” I snorted a laugh and had to bite my lip to not let anymore it out, “That boy is a complete man-whoring idiot, and as much as I love him, there is no way in hell I’d ever be in love with him.”

Storm’s eyebrows pulled together even more. “Okay then…” he trailed off, eyes searching mine intently, “That still doesn’t explain what you’re upset about.”

I groaned in annoyance and ran my fingers through my hair, looking away only to notice that we’ll be up next to get the tickets. “Look, it doesn’t matter, okay? I’m not even upset about it anymore, anyway. So just-”

“Next waiting please!”

We stepped forward and considering Storm had the money I let him go first to order and pay.

“Hey, how are you – what would you like today?” the girl asked, clearly bored until her eyes trailed up to meet Storm’s and they changed dramatically, a smile suddenly splitting her gorgeous face.

Storm sent her a smile and took out his wallet from his back pocket, not at all seeming to be affected by her beauty, “Yeah, good thanks. Can I please get four student tickets for The DUFF?”

“Oh, that’s an awesome movie!” she exclaimed, not once paying me any notice as she stared up at him with her pretty blue eyes and long eyelashes that had me glaring at nothing. “Which session would you like?”

“The next one,” I replied in a clipped tone, wanting to get as far away from both the girl and Storm as fast as I can. “Obviously,” I added under my breath causing Storm to glance at me and hide a small smirk before he looked back to meet the girl’s gaze again.

“Right…” she trailed off eyeing me – or more like glaring, to be exact – as Storm got out the needed money. “I’m going to need to see some student ID first, if you don’t mind of course,” she added meeting Storm’s gaze and giving him her most seductive and prettiest smile.

Storm grabbed his out and showed it to her before both turned to look at me expectantly. I rubbed the back of neck sheepishly and only looked at Storm as I muttered; “I, um, I don’t have mine here.”

“That’s an extra five then,” the girl said sending me a haughty look considering Storm was still facing me, not at all bothered.

“That’s fine,” he answered with a shrug, pulling out an extra five before handing it over to her with a smile – polite as ever.

I tapped my foot on the ground in impatient annoyance, arms crossing over my chest as I waited for them to finish flirting – okay, well, waited for her to finish flirting – and leave with the damn tickets.

“Here you go,” I heard her say as she finally handed them over, a gorgeous smile lighting up her face now that I no longer tried to be a part of the conversation, “Enjoy the movie.”

I left the second he said thanks and turned to walk off, that whole interaction all the reminder that I needed to show just how much he was out of my league – how right Amy really was.

I mean, that girl was absolutely gorgeous and yet here he was, going to a movie with someone like me, just because Tom asked him to.

But he likes you, he said so himself, my subconsciousness reminded me only to be retaliated with all the whys and what if questions. What if he lied? What if it was just an in-the-moment kind of thing? Why and how could he possibly like me?

“Mia,” I heard Storm call.

“Mia, slow down!” He called out as I continued to weave through people to get to the area where there were seats to await our movie. It didn’t take him long to catch up, “Yeah, not upset, huh?” he asked as he pulled me to a stop and made me turn around, eyebrow raised almost in an I-told-you-so kind of way.

I sighed and looked at the space between our feet, refusing to meet his gaze in case he saw all the things I thought of and felt – all the guilt and stupid insecurities that ate away at me.

He deserved someone better, someone prettier and smarter and funnier and-

“Hey, what’s gotten into you? Seriously?” he frowned in concern, shifting closer and dropping his voice a little so the people around us couldn’t eavesdrop.

I shook my head and tried to step away, only to find that he wouldn’t let me go as he brings up his other hand to hold onto my other bicep as well as the other. “I don’t… it doesn’t matter. Just forget about it.”

Storm groaned and ran his fingers through his hair in an aggravated way as I still refused to look at him. “No, I’m not just gonna ‘forget about it’, Mia,” he said in annoyance.

I bit my lower lip and stared at his chest stubbornly, doing my best to keep my eyes and expression blank as I still didn’t want to talk about – not about my petty problems and especially not to him.

I heard him sigh and then felt gentle fingers finally let me go before he brushed hair behind my ear softly, hand sliding down to cup my cheek as he lifted it up so I could finally meet his gaze. “I want you to tell me what’s bothering you, Mia, that’s all. But if you honestly want me to drop it then fine; I will,” he relented, eyes going softer and even more concerned the longer I held his gaze.

I swallowed and nodded slowly, stepped out of his hold and then forced a smile.

“Yeah, that’d be great,” I told him, unable to stop the pang of guilt as hurt filtered through his eyes. “Maybe eventually I will, but right now…” I grimaced as I caught sight of Amy and Tom heading our way. “…Now isn’t such a great time.”

He nodded and bit the inside of his cheek, eyeing me in that intense yet unreadable way that he does. “Fine,” he said shoving his hands into the pockets of the hoodie he wore. “Fine, but there’s no way I’m going to forget about it.”

I couldn’t help but smile soft and teasingly at that just as Tom and Amy closed in on us, “no, of course not.”

Tom grinned and wiggled his eyebrows excitedly, “So, who’s up for The DUFF?”

x x x “Who’s the DUFF in your group?” I heard Amy whisper rather loudly, now the twenty-third question she’s asked since the movie started almost an hour ago – trust me, I counted.

“Tom,” Storm answered, obviously joking as he sent the said boy a grin, “Definitely Tom.”

“OMG. No way,” she replied which caused me to roll my eyes because, not only was she getting louder by the second, but she just spoke IM in real life.

Storm’s only reply was a soft chuckle as he shifted in his seat, causing his arm to brush against mine for the hundredth time and making my hairs stand on end as my arm tingled slightly.

“That’s hilarious, what about between your girl friends?” she asked.

For goodness sake, woman, people are trying to watch a bloody movie!

“What?” Tom queried, obviously not caring about her dumb questions as he too was trying to watch was happening.

“You know, between Mia and that other girl… Sam?”

“Sarah,” he corrected, all but waving her off.

She turned to Storm considering she was between the boys, “Who do you think?”

I smacked my palm against my forehead and groaned softly in annoyance.

“Neither,” was Storm’s whispered reply, the complete opposite to Amy’s loud tone.

“Oh, well, I think it’d be-”

“For God's sake,” I mumbled, loud enough to cut her off and for the people in a two-metre radius to hear. “People are trying to watch a movie, you need to shut up before someone throws something at you,” I advised in the politest tone I could muster before I grabbed my small drink and popcorn, got up and left.

Sure, I was usually polite to strangers – especially strangers Tom was about to let down. And, sure, I hated fighting or confrontations with a passion, but holy damn was I not in the mood to put up with that girl and her incessant chattering anymore. I came with them and watched the movie as I had agreed, and even though it wasn’t through-and-through as Tom had asked, I highly doubt he’d care that much later on when I tell him why I left early.

I mean, it was kind of obvious who she was going to say, and it was kind of obvious that she didn’t like me at all for some absurd reason considering I haven’t done anything to her, so leaving the cinemas without a single glance back did not at all leave me feeling guilty.

I was, however, very pissed – not just at her, but at myself as well for letting her get to me.

“He’s kind of… out of your league, don’t you think? … boys like him don’t belong with girls like you”

I sighed in frustration and sat on a wooden seat outside the mall, kicked a rock that was by my feet before I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back against the seat, eyes closing as I realised it was too late to catch a bus home and too far to walk.

Which meant I had to wait for the movie to finish so Tom could take me home.

“Hey there, you alright?” a voice queried, snapping me out of my thoughts and causing me to jump slightly. “Sorry to startle you,” the guy said as I met his gaze.

I felt my ears grow hot but otherwise forced a polite smile, “No, it-it’s fine.”

He leaned against some pole beside and in front of the seat I sat on, “You didn’t answer my question,” he pointed out, pulling something out of his pocket.

I bit my lower lip, confused as to why this boy was even talking to me.

Great, there I go with self-conscious thoughts. What happened to my ‘I don’t care’ attitude?

“I, uh, I’ve been better,” I replied eventually, watching as he lit up a cigarette before he met my gaze, his eyes a dark green under the darkness of the night sky.

He cocked his head a little as he caught me staring at the stick between his fingers, “Do you want one?” he offered holding his packet out to me with a small smile, “You look like you kind of need one.”

My fingers curled into fists as I eyed it before I forced out; “No. Thank you, though.”

He tipped his head in reply and put the pack away again.

“So, what happened?” he asked looking away to watch cars pull up and drive away from the mall which was only open for the east wing because of the cinemas. “End up on a bad blind date or something?”

“No,” I responded after a moment of silence, staring out at the cars and the people in front of us. I thought I’d leave it at that, but apparently my mind thought otherwise. “More like some sort of double date… or something… My best friend convinced me to go to the movies with a guy I may or may not like and a girl who I’ve never met before and apparently doesn’t like me.”

He breathed out a laugh and shook his head but said nothing as I continued.

“Long story short, she said the guy was way out of my league and basically deserved better and…” I trailed off for a moment in thought.

“Did you hit her?” the boy asked making me look up to meet his gaze.

I laughed and shook my head. “No, I didn’t – I’m not one for violence,” I said before I turned serious and bit my lower lip again. “No, I-uh, I guess I agreed with her. Then all this other stuff happened and throughout the whole movie she kept making comments and asking questions as well as making these petty digs at me and it just made me feel even more shitty and pissed off.”

“And that’s how you ended up here? Alone?”

A soft, breathy laugh left my lips and I looked away.

“Yeah; that’s how I ended up here,” I affirmed before I ran my fingers through my hair and met his gaze again, “I’m sorry I just ranted at you like that – you don’t even know me and probably don’t even care. I don’t know why I just did that.”

He took one long drag before he grinned and threw the cigarette butt onto the ground and then stepped on it.

“Nah, I don’t mind, it was pretty interesting. Although… I think that person over there cared more than I did,” he raised an eyebrow, eyes flickering to something behind me and causing me to turn around, only to find Storm standing there, leaning against the wall behind me.

I turned back to the front, cheeks warming at the mere thought of him hearing the things I just said.

“I’ll see ya around,” the guy winked as he turned and left before I could tell him not to leave.

I didn’t even get his name!

Storm sat down beside me on the seat, close enough that I could feel his body heat despite the coldness of the night, but far enough that we weren’t at all touching.

For what felt like an hour but could’ve only been minutes, neither of us said anything, and for the longest moment, I tried to figure out whether the silence was awkward or comfortable. Because as much as I had so much to say and ask, I didn’t mind the quiet that settled over us – the mere presence of him caused whatever annoyance and anger I felt beforehand start to fade.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He questioned at last, turning his head to finally look at me which in turn forced me to do the same.

So he heard.

I wanted to be a smart ass and ask what he was talking about, a defence mechanism that I fought against and instead told him the truth. “I was embarrassed,” I said at last as I met his gaze and played with the hem of my cardigan, “I don’t know, I just… I don’t like talking about things that bother me.”

“But why?”

I scrunched up my nose and looked away again, not at all wanting to answer that and yet still feeling the need to. “Because, then it gives you information. Because then it means that I’d have to try and get you to understand me… and that means that you’d have the ability to hurt me.”

Storm shifted closer and turned his body toward me even more, hand leaning over to clasp onto mine until I looked up to meet his gaze again. “Mia, I can’t promise that I won’t ever hurt you, because God knows how well I can screw things up. But I can promise you that I would never use the things you tell me against you. I would never use information that a person has told me in trust against them.”

“You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world... but you do have some say in who hurts you,” I quoted John Green under my breath as a small smile tilted my lips.

“I like my choices,” he replied softly, smiling as he brushed hair from my eyes before he trailed his hand down until he cupped my cheek for the second time tonight. “But do you?”

I thought about it and stared at him for so long and so intensely that I could probably memorise the very shape of his face in my sleep if I hadn’t already – every line and wrinkle and flaw that made him perfect and so damn gorgeous in a way only he could be.

“Yeah,” I said at last, squeezing his hand that held mine atop his lap faintly, “I do.”

“Good,” he murmured leaning forward so our lips brushed lightly. He pulled back and rested his forehead against mine, “Because I want you to be my girlfriend.”

I pulled back and stared at him.

“I –what?”

He grinned and brought my hand up to his mouth to kiss my knuckles, “Go out with me, Mia.”

Despite my widened eyes and racing heart and fluttering stomach, the voice inside my mind still wondered why; why me? Why not some other girl? Someone prettier?

“But… why?” I couldn’t help but voice, brow furrowed in confusion.

Did he not hear me talking to that guy beforehand? Did he not hear me say that he deserved better – more?

“Why, what?” he asked almost equally confused, “Why do I like you?”

I nodded, shifted back and away from him because through all my self-depreciating questions and doubts there was still a part of me that said yes, yes of course I want to be your girlfriend! Yes, I want to kiss you right now – whenever I want to and wherever I want to.

“Why me, of all people?” I had to ask, eyeing first his lips and then his eyes as they went from confused to forlorn. “Almost every girl who gets the chance to speak with you will flirt and try to get in your pants and yet… here you are.”

“Because, you’re perfect,” he said simply, “You’re gorgeous, you’re funny – you get me.”

“I just… you…”

“You think I deserve better? Someone prettier and ‘in my league’?” he quoted me with an aggravated look taking over his features before he stood up and shook his head. “Mia, don’t you get it? There is no ‘better’ for me. There is no one prettier than you, or funnier or whatever. I don’t care about anyone else. I don’t want anyone else but you.”

I swallowed and watched as he walked to the pole where that stranger had stood mere minute ago, before he faced me again and leant against it as he eyed me.

“The question isn’t whether or not you deserve me due to looks, Mia, because I don’t care about all that social standard bullshit. It should be whether or not I deserve you.”

My brow furrowed again as I met his gaze, fingers playing with the hem of my cardigan unconsciously. “What are you talking about?” I sighed, standing up as well so I didn’t have to look up so much just as he paced over to the wall behind me.

“You aren’t the one with an obsessed ex-girlfriend who has a shitty brother out for your blood. You aren’t the one who was accused of the worst thing a man can be accused of, or have gotten into fights so many times you know how hard you have to punch in order to break someone’s nose-” I grimaced and looked away “-Or knows how long you should hit for before someone loses consciousness-”

I send him hard a look.

“Storm, stop it, I get it,” I snapped, cutting him off before I stormed over to him. “But that means nothing to me because those fights were not your fault. You didn’t ask for that shit to happen. You didn’t ask to get blackmailed to be with someone you don’t even love, or-”

Before I knew it, my back was against the wall and Storm was in front of me after he spun me around, both hands on either side of my head as he leaned in close, ignoring my surprise.

“And I didn’t ask for every girl to notice me or flirt with me for whatever absurd reason they have, okay? The only attention I want – and have ever wanted so badly – is yours,” he said softly, pleadingly almost. “The only thing I’m asking for right now, is that you’ll let me be your boyfriend. I may not have had the greatest past, but I swear I will do all I can to have a good future, a better one if you’ll be my-”

I yanked his hoodie forward and kissed him, loving the way his hands and mouth were so warm against my cold cheeks and numbed lips, how they were so soft compared to the hardness of his body as I pulled him close until there was no more space left between us. I felt his heart thump rapidly against my palms, felt his hands touch every innocent part of me that he could as if he wanted to remember me simply through that one sensation.

I felt his tongue run over my lower lip and then opened up, let him run his fingers through my hair and pull me even closer. I tried to show him how much I liked him without ever needing to say it because yes, of course I wanted him to be mine and only mine.

We pulled away smiling and panting faintly.

“I’ve told you how much I liked you already,” he said kissing my cheek, my jaw and my neck even as I giggled quietly at the teasing grazes, “and I’ll tell you as many times as it takes until you accept it because I like you, Mia. I like you, I like you – I like you. Only you.”

And how could anyone say no to that?