Should Have Not Asked - New Adult Romance (Wattys 2014)

Chapter 21 - Disquiet In The Clouds

Chapter 21 – Disquiet In The Clouds

I pace around my room, holding my phone to my ear. Ray takes forever to answer my call, and I wonder why that is when he's supposed to be in bed at ten tonight. I did not go to work because I felt feverish the entire night, and I'm well aware of the cause of this inorganic hyperthermia — the Damien Spell!

I could give myself two rounds of standing ovation for having the audacity to run away from Damien in the elevator after breaking the kiss. That was the longest one minute of my life, and this is the longest post-kissing syndrome to ever shock me. Not that this isn't the only one I ever had, but I never imagined it would be this dreadfully disturbing. I couldn't stop thinking about the passion he showed me, the cheekiness to shame me in front of a crowd by exposing my feebleness. He was scary, I'd like to think, but the more I remember the way he swept me off my feet, the less he becomes scary.

My stomach's grumbling, but I don't want to go downstairs I know Mom would notice the obvious glow on my cheeks, and she will never stop questioning me until she finds out the truth. I'm never a good liar.

"Angel?" Ah, finally, he picks up the phone.

"What took you so long?" I ask impatiently.

"Just so you know, I was sleeping. You woke me up in the middle of the night!"

"Sorry." I bite my lower lip.

"So, what's up?"

I jump to my bed and bury my face in a pillow.

"Damien kissed me!" I say in one breath.

As expected, Ray throws me the biggest, most surprised 'What?!" I ever heard.

I explain how it happened and how it paralyzed me that I didn't even have the strength to pull away from him.

"And I didn't even stop him, Ray!" I cry. "What should I do?"

His overwhelming silence surprises me. I expect some over-the-top screaming or even a toned down gasp, but Ray manages a calm feedback. "You tell me, Angel."

"Ray, I wouldn't be calling you if I know what to do about this."

"Angel, you're too uptight. Try to loosen up a bit, and you'll find out this is just a quarter of your thumb."

"Ray!" I puff. Where's the overdramatic Ray Gaskell? "I LET HIM KISS ME!"

He snickers. "So what? The guy just said he likes you. You reciprocated his kiss in acceptance. What's wrong about that?"

"It's entirely wrong!" I pull up myself into a sitting position with my back rested against the head of the bed. I can see my flushed reflection on the mirror. My hair is disheveled, and I look like somebody just died. "He's supposed to be my enemy!"

His muted giggle is even more irritating than the brash and mocking laughter of his. I feel like he's hiding something from me, and that I'm promised to never be made aware of it.

"Are you laughing at me?" With one eyebrow raised, I thought of hanging up the call. That would be sweet revenge for me. However, in truth, I want Ray's presence. Aside from its therapeutic effect on me, I totally need someone who's too harmless to accept any form of diversion from me. If I don't release this, I might fall into lunacy.

Ray responds in a matter-of-factly approach. "Let's put it this way, dear Angel. Don't take it too seriously, or you'll go crazy. This thing is so small, why make a big deal out of it? I get that your first kiss is as important as spinach to Popeye, but it's not like Damien isn't your first in technically everything."