Wait, what? I looked up at Adam's face and blinked my eyes. A blush was creeping up his cheeks, and he immediately looked down. "You heard me right," he mumbled. "I love you." I blinked at him slowly, and then, I slowly got off the bench and stood. He rose with me, and we were standing very close. I took a step back, and I felt my nose getting red and my eyes started to burn. "Briana?" Adam's voice was filled to the brim with worry. "Briana, what's wrong?" I hastily blinked back the tears that were on the verge of spilling out. Adam's arms reached out, as if to pull me into a hug, but I took another step backwards. His arms dropped to his sides, and he looked hurt. I couldn't bear to look at him, so I turned around and headed towards the door. I kept my head held high as I pulled the door open and walked inside. Adam was close behind me, and he closed the door behind us. As he closed the door, I took off running, throwing my flip flops off as I went. I ran up the flight of stairs up to the attic and slammed my door shut behind me. I leaned against it for a moment, and I heard Adam's footsteps on the stairs. I quickly turned around and locked my door and then ran into my bedroom. I collapsed on my bed and let the tears fall. This couldn't be happening. It was my worst fear. I didn't want another person to love me. I didn't want another person to like me. Heck, I didn't want another person to want to get close to me. And now, it had happened! With a guy I had known for less then 24 hours! The tears were falling freely now, and I felt ashamed. Here, my mom had dinner guests over for me, no less and I had abandoned them. Oh, well. If Adam hadn't come out and dropped the "l-bomb"-- I heard a quiet click right outside of my bedroom door. Sh*t, Adam must've found the spare key on the edge of the doorframe. I kept my face buried in my pillows, even as I heard my bedroom door swing open and footsteps cross my room. I felt someone sit next to me on my bed and set their hand gently on my back. Even though I wished it wasn't, I knew it was Adam because that hand made me feel as if I had just been struck by lightning. I ignored him though, and kept my face down in the pillow. "Briana." The pleading was back in Adam's voice, and it was hard to keep ignoring him. However, I hardened my heart and kept my body in the same position, not moving a muscle. "Briana," he repeated my name and trailed his fingertips up and down my arm, which gave me chills. I shivered slightly, but I kept my poker face on. "Briana," Adam continued, "I know you were hurt in some way, but I just want to help you, and I truly do love you." There he was with the "l" word again.
------------Briana's Flashback--------------------------------
He hovered over me with one hand on each side of my face. His lips were swollen, and his cheeks were flushed pink from our kissing. I giggled. "You're cute after we kiss, you know that?"
"What, you're saying I'm not cute otherwise?" he teased me.
"Yes," I said solemnly as I watched shock spread across his face, and I giggled again. I rolled us over so I hovered above him. "Normally, you're hot." He grinned at me and placed his hands lightly on my hips. "Which one's better?" he asked. I bit my lip in thought for a second. "Cute you," I replied. "Because that means we've been kissing." He grinned again.
"What about hot me?" he asked, playing hurt.
"I don't know..." I bit my lip in thought again then grinned at him. "Hot you is pretty sexy too."
"Why thank you, thank you very much," he winked at me, doing about the worst Elvis impression I had ever seen/heard.
"Please, never do that again," I begged him. He grinned. "So do you want to make me cuter?" I groaned.
"That's the worst line I've ever heard!" But I leaned down to brush our lips together anyway. He took it farther; he always did, but I didn't mind. I was too shy to anyway. He lightly squeezed my hips, and I involuntairly moaned. He rolled us over again, so he was on top. He let go of my hips to balance himself, and I reached my arms up to wrap around his neck. I pulled him down directly on top of me, and he agreed. One hand he placed on my hip, and he stroked my hair with the other. He pulled away flushed again. "You're right, you are cuter," I smiled at him.
"I love you, Briana," he said, staring me in the eye. I was shocked. That was the first time he'd actually said he'd loved me. "I love you, too," I whispered weakly. He leaned down to kiss me again, and I willingly agreed.
------------------End of Flashback----------------------------
The flashback made me cry harder. I was sure that my body was shaking. He had been the first one to tell me that, besides my parents, and it meant so much to me. I just wasn't ready to say it to anyone else. I had forgotten Adam was beside me, so when he rubbed my back, I nearly jumped. "Shh, it's okay," he murmured comfortingly. I shook my head. Everything was not okay. And it would never be again, not until the day that I died. I swung my legs out of the bed on the side opposite Adam and walked over to the bathroom. My mascara was smeared, my face was red, and my curls looked ratty. I laid a cool towel over my face for a moment and then carefully removed the smeared mascara from my face. I patted my pink face again and blew my nose. I brushed my hair down, reapplied my mascara, and walked straight into Adam, who was convieniently standing outside my bathroom door. He wrapped his arms tightly around me. "Please just give us a chance," he whispered in my ear. Before I knew what was happening, he crashed our lips together. His lips were so soft and smooth, and he was being so gentle with me. His arms were warm and strong, and they made me feel safe. I felt myself melting under his touch, and I heard the little devil laughing victoriously as he did a happy dance. I hardened myself again though and pulled away from him. I grabbed a tube of lipgloss and walked out of my room with my head held high.
------------------------Adam's POV---------------------------
Stupid, stupid, stupid. I hit my head on her door frame as Briana vanished. Why did I have to kiss her? Hell, why'd I have to tell her I loved her? I was so STUPID! I glanced at where she had disappeared and let out a scream of frustration. I annoyed myself to high heaven. If I wasn't such a hormone crazed teenage boy, I never would've told her I loved her. Stupid puberty, making teenage relationships awkward since the beginning of time. I ran my fingers through my hair once and followed Briana down the stairs. She was already outside again, sitting by her mother, and smiling at my parents. Our parents were talking animatedly and Ms. Dawn asked Briana a question, and following the question, my parents looked at her. She blushed deep crimpson and shook her head furiously. Awh, she looked cute when she did that. I face-palmed. God, stupid hormones. I watched as she shook her head, and her curls flew in front of her face. She was truly beautiful. I knew she was hurting though, deeply. I could see it in her eyes. Even when she smiled, she was masking pain. I took a deep breath and walked outside. "I'm sorry about that," I apologized to Ms. Dawn. "I had a phone call from a friend that I absolutely needed to take."
"Oh, it's not a problem; are they alright?" My eyes locked with Briana's. "Yeah, they're just dealing with some things.
A/N: Okay so how'd you like it? I'm not going to post again until I get forty reads/ eight comments/ two votes soo... get the word out if u like the story ppl! Luv ya! -Mika
