Splendid Fall

Ch. Privacy

"Please. Heyder loves me."

"Hayden is downstairs," Birdie reminded him.

"I'll convince him."

"Convince him of what?" Birdie shrieked. "What is going on in your head?"

Letting out a deep sigh, Adan took a step forward. He took Birdie's hand and tugged her forward until she was against his chest. Her eyes widened and she looked up at him as he peered down at her.

"Why do we keep pretending this isn't a thing?" He asked, tucking a long silver strand of hair behind Birdie's ear. "You know I like you, right?"

"I'm not pretending," Birdie said, her gaze flickering to Adan's mouth.

"What's the issue?" the jinn asked, pulling her face a little closer. "Why won't you just go out with me?"

"You know why," Birdie frowned. "I bet my baba is already planning our wedding down there."

"It's not my fault your dad's kind of psychotic."

"Adan," Birdie pushed the boy's hand away and ran her hands through her hair. "There's just too much pressure from everyone for us to be together."

"They want to see us together," Adan shrugged. "And I don't blame them."

"What if we don't work out?" Birdie asked. "Then we get everyone's hopes up for nothing."

"What if we do work out?"

"Look....." Birdie closed her eyes once more and held out her hands. "I only just turned twenty. I really can't handle a relationship right now. Not a serious one like the one everyone is hoping for. My parents, your parents....as soon as we tell them anything about us, they're going to fix up our marriage."

"No one is telling us to get married right now," Adan laughed.

"But it will be expected," Birdie said. "And if we don't work out then things will be weird between our families."

"I think we have been working out pretty well for the last year or so."

"Physically, yes," Birdie snorted. "I don't know about the other stuff."

"Well how will you know if you don't try?"

"I don't want my relationship with anyone to be a spectacle," Birdie explained. "Some things should be private."

Adan let the girl's words soak into his mind. He watched her fidget around as she looked everywhere around the room but at him.

"Is that really how you feel?" He asked.

"Yes," Birdie nodded.

"So will you have dinner with me....in private?"

"What?" Birdie's gaze snapped up.

"Let me take you out," Adan smiled. "Very lowkey. No one has to know."

Birdie narrowed her eyes as the boy took a step forward towards her.

"We can try out this thing between us privately and then see how you feel," Adan rested his hands on Birdie's hips.

"Just like that?" Birdie arched her brow.

"Were you expecting a fight?"

"A bit."

"We can try and argue about it or...."

A shiver ran down Birdie's spine as Adan pushed his hand into her hair and tilted her head back. She stepped closer to his warmth as he brushed his lips over her before capturing her lips. Adan's chest rumbled as he pulled her closer and playfully bit down on her bottom lip. His mouth was hungry and needy, pulling at Birdie to be closer.