Winning Back Mr. Right

Chapter 21

•Airie's POV•

Kevin is playing basketball all by himself. He shoots the ball and catches it back, dribbles it once or twice and then does another layup. After several shots, I can feel his eyes shifting on me, focusing in my direction. He's so handsome and so serious while tossing the ball back and forth his hands.

This constant exchange of unexplained body language is confusing me.

He side-glanced for a second then walks up to the free throw line and utters, "If this gets in, you're mine." He winks at me as usual and bends down a little, preparing to aim. My heart is pounding for all the wrong reasons as I wait for the ball to set its place in the basket. Kevin takes the shot. The ball circles around the ring for a moment before it strikes in. And I think I just stopped breathing at that point.

"Stop it." I mouth, not loud enough even for me to hear myself. "Stop it, please." I say again.

His jaw clenches and his breathing deepens. There's a slight pause and neither of us is saying anything.

I jerk a little upon hearing the kids laughing inside the living room. Kevin approaches me and I stare at him stupidly waiting for a response. The smaller the space is becoming as he gets nearer by the second, the harder I'm closing my fists to keep myself from fainting.

He stands in front of me and whispers. "I'm not most guys. There are literally a few of us in this world who knows what we want. And when you ask what's mine, it's you. I like you, Airie. I like you so much I don't know what to do about it."

I bit my lower lip and stare at nothing on the side. My mind is going crazy. All I know is that, his eyes are on me and I want what's happening right now to not end just yet. I think he's studying my next move carefully as if he's planning to do something. He continues to talk to me interrupting my thoughts. "I'll step back since you're with someone else. I know my place and I'll keep standing where I am so I won't hurt you. Just let me be around you as your friend. That's more than enough for me. You don't have to like me back."

He's right. I'm with someone else. And I ALMOST forgot about it. But I've never felt so important to someone. He thought of me first before his own and for that I needed to touch his face. To feel his warmth as he closes his eyes and shares that lingering smile I love.

"Thank you. I like what you are too, what you do to me, and how you try. I've seen your heart and I appreciate it every day." I say to him without even thinking. This is so wrong in all levels.

We stand there staring directly at each other focusing on our increasing breaths and empty minds. The next thing running in my head is just how perfect the night has been with him around.

"Fuck." He curses out of nowhere.

"What's wrong?" I ask, snapping back to reality.

He laughs a little before sharing a quick confession. "Standing this close to you makes me want to kiss you. Don't say anything else or I'll forget everything I just promised."

I giggle with him to secretly lighten the intensity of the mood yet I can see it from his eyes that he meant every word.

"Friends?" He offers his hand with a bit of hesitation.

"Good friends." I accept it eagerly, knowing it's the only way I can keep him around.

Just friends? Can I live with that? I'm selfish as fuck.

It has been a while since my personal crisis. At first I thought I'm this sweet and fragile, innocent girl who dreams nothing more than to be swept off her feet. I'm afraid she's long gone. I woke up one day behaving in a way that disagrees entirely to what I believed.