Daylight

35 It's time to go

EVERY DAY I SEE THIS MAN. It's the same. He walks around my house and I want to call out his name. I want to bury my face into his chest and feel his arms around me. He gets me thinking about where we could be. I want to tell him how I feel when I see us together forever. Is that something he would want? With me?

"Bella!" Noah looks at me with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry, you were saying." Focusing my attention back on him. I feel a small stab of jealousy seeing Sebastian and Mia talking. Sebastian rarely interacts or even pays attention to the people around him, so why is he talking to her? What are they talking about?

Noah is even more annoying than I remember him to be, he was born rich and probably going to die rich. He swirls his wine glass with one hand and rests the other on my shoulder. "Go out with me. I'll show you a good time," he whispers.

I feel someone sidle up behind me, two familiar feeling hands on my hips. His thumbs dig into my ass, hitting my pressure point. "Is he bothering you, teacup?" Elliot says, loud enough for Noah to hear. Noah shakes his head and walks away.

"What are you doing, Elliot?" Taking a step away from him.

"I've come to rescue you," he smirks. I roll my eyes at him before pulling him into a tight embrace.

"Look at us!" I exclaim. "Who says exes can't be friends? This is the perfect ending to our story."

"Speak for yourself teacup. I was hoping you'd see my face and you'd be reminded that it isn't over," he says in a serious tone. He looks down, "Never mind, I'll just find someone like you."

I stand in shock, unsure of how to respond. Everything around me turns red, I haven't felt this way since I last saw him. Everything is red. Again.

"I'm just fucking with you!" he burst out laughing.

I clutch my chest staring at him in shock. "You should see your face!" he laughs breathlessly.

"Asshole!" I scream giving him a well-deserved slap on the arm. He hasn't changed one bit.

"He's a lucky man." His tone suddenly turning very serious. Then I feel a bad kind of butterflies in my chest, like when you have something to hide.

"How did you know?"

He shakes his head chuckling, "Are you kidding me? He's been into you for years."

"Why does everyone say that? Was it that obvious?"

He shrugs, "I don't know about others but it was obvious to me. Guys can always tell if another guy is sweet on their girl. If I wasn't so afraid of losing you, I would have beat the shit out of him ages ago."

I cross my arms across my chest displeased, "Elliot, what did I tell you about punching people."

He imitates my voice saying, "You can't go around punching people." he says rolling his eyes.

"You really think he likes me?" I mumble.

His brows pull together, "Wait, you guys aren't together yet?" I shake my head and he looks in Sebastian's direction with a quizzical smile.

"You can cut the tension between the both of you with a knife Bella. You know how women ask, why don't guys ever look at me like that?"

I nod in agreement.

"You are never looking when they do," he winks.

"WHERE ARE WE SITTING?" Emma asks scanning the room for an empty seat. By now everyone has settled down at their tables ready for dinner.