blooming {complete}

nineteen: ambrosia

"What was I thinking? AP Chem? I'm going to cry every day this year, I fucking swear," Piper hissed, clutching the schedule she'd just received in the mail. Henry was standing beside her, laughing quietly and beaming. It'd been three weeks since the funeral, and Piper's senior year began next week. She would have to take six APs to be valedictorian like she wanted, and she'd probably also have to stop devoting all of her time and energy to the boy next to her. 

"I'll help you. I took it last year, and I'm only taking two APs this year, thank God," Henry offered, locking their fingers together. Piper grinned at him and kissed his cheek. 

"Bless you, beautiful. Can we go inside?" When Henry nodded, she followed him closely into her house and up the stairs to her room. He quickly made himself comfortable on her bed, and she hopped onto her desk, tossing her schedule onto the surface beside her. 

"Lay with me," Henry said, opening his arms as Piper slid off her desk. She joined him on the bed, curling both arms around his slim waist to tuck her face into his neck and kiss him there. Henry hummed in contentment and eased his fingers through Piper's curls, attempting to untangle them. 

"Vanessa's coming home on Thursday," Piper announced softly. Henry startled, like he'd forgotten where he was, and glanced into her eyes. 

"Are you excited?"

"Yeah, just a little anxious."

Henry nodded, then tentatively murmured, "Can I ask you a question?" When Piper released a hum of agreement, he continued. "The pills you take, are those for anxiety?"

"Oh, um, yes, I take Lexapro, it helps with depression, too. It's not...a big deal or anything, just faulty genetics and such. My dad takes Zoloft," Piper explained, dragging her fingers over the taut skin of Henry's stomach. She tapped the little white magnolia he'd gotten tattooed underneath his ribcage a week ago. He shivered beneath her touch but didn't move. 

"Oh, I'm on Zoloft, too," Henry said, smiling lightly at Piper's raised brows. "Since my mom was diagnosed. It was situational, but yeah, it got pretty rough for a while there. I'm doing better now."

"Good."

Henry tightened his grip on her and kissed her hair sweetly, playing with the hem of her t-shirt. Piper's mother had ordered that she keep her door open when Henry was in her room, so it wasn't like they could do anything--but that didn't stop desire from pooling in the pit of Piper's stomach every time Henry dragged his warm fingertips over her hips. 

"Do the mandalas help?" Henry inquired, pointing vaguely towards her supplies resting on her desk. "With your anxiety, I mean."

"Yeah, they do. Lines and structure and shit, it soothes me. So do you." Henry tilted his head curiously, so she went on, "I feel really zen around you. Safe. Like I don't have anything to worry about."

Henry grinned down at her and smoothed a hand over her hair. "Yeah, I feel that way, too. I think your pheromones relax me."

"That's a freaky thing to say, Henry, but thank you."

He snorted and nudged her onto her back so he could lay his cheek against her collarbone and place open-mouthed kissed along the soft brown column of her throat. "Seriously, my therapist told me the other day that pheromones attract people to each other chemically, and that I could walk into a room of people blindfolded, but I would still be naturally drawn to you because of our"--he kissed Piper's nose--"chemistry."

Piper smiled and threw an arm over her eyes. "Are you my boyfriend?"

"Yeah, I think so, are you my girlfriend?" he countered, sitting up on his elbows so he could lean a little more into Piper's space. 

"Mm-hmm, sure." She was beaming because it felt good to call Henry her anything, as long as he was hers. Her voice took on a hopeful lilt as she said, "So you're mine then?"

"Yes, I'm yours," Henry replied, grinning and leaning in to kiss her. He slid a hand under her shirt, eyeing her face for discomfort and putting his mouth on hers when he saw none. "And you're mine."

"Mine, mine, mine," Piper chanted, dragging her fingers through Henry's perfect golden hair. She felt so warm, curled underneath Henry like this, breathing in whatever fancy shampoo he used. And he was all hers, to kiss and cuddle and talk to. 

"I didn't know you were so possessive," Henry said, chuckling at the way her cheeks heated. He dipped his head to kiss her forehead reassuringly. "Don't worry, baby, I like it. Tell me I'm yours again." His voice was husky and deep, and his hands were inching a little bit further up her torso. 

"You're mine," she whispered, drawing him down to kiss her again. She hooked her legs around his waist, pulling him closer, and ran her hands over his broad shoulders. "All mine, every inch of you. Nobody can touch you like this except for me." 

Henry groaned and was moving between her legs when a sharp knock on the doorjamb jarred them. Henry leapt up immediately, and Piper fought her racing heart as she sat up awkwardly. 

"Hey, you two, remember when I said no funny business?" Ahana said, eyes narrowing as she looked them over. "No more alone time for today, you either play UNO with me or you can sit in the garden and stare at each other."

"Garden?" Piper suggested, glancing at her boyfriend for confirmation. When he nodded, she hopped off the bed and grabbed her phone before slipping past her mother and down the stairs. Henry followed her, reaching out to put a hand on her waist until Ahana cleared her throat warningly.

Piper huffed and jogged out to the garden, fingers locking in Henry's. He smiled at the irritation written on her face, then leaned forward to kiss her furrowed brows once they were hidden safely behind the blueberry bushes. When Piper threw herself onto the grass and rested her head on her arms, Henry lay beside her and curled around her petite form. As Piper turned her head to breathe in his eucalyptus-and-something-else scent, she thought that people weren't medicine, but Henry was as close as anyone could get. 

a/n: hey guys piper is based off of me and my tiny possessive brain!! thx for reading, next chapter will be the last one, love u all