Aurora on Pointe

Chapter Sixteen

He returned the kiss with as much urgency and tangled his hand in my hair, his other hand stretched across my body to rest on my waist. It seemed awkward, me lying down on his lap, but somehow, it didn't feel it.

Our moist lips kept a steady pace and I felt the hand on my waist trail down lower to squeeze my thigh. I smiled against his lips and grabbed the loose fabric of his t-shirt.

Too much fabric if you ask me.

Evan pulled away and teasingly trailed kisses down my neck, making me giggle and squirm.

Just as Evan's lips rested comfortable on the crook of my neck, something soft was hurled at our heads. Evan quickly pulled away, making us bump foreheads.

"Ow," I whined as I sat up fully next to Evan, massaging my head. My eyes wondered to the pillow lying next to us and then to someone standing in the living room doorway.

"You done sucking each others faces off?" Blake said as he walked over, staring down Evan. He sat down, squeezing in between us.

Evan stared down at his feet uncomfortable, and then took off to the front door, slamming it behind him. Blake smirked and I rolled my eyes, smacking his chest.

"What?" Blake chuckled.

I glared at him, "Not cool." I ran out side looking for Evan. He was standing at the passenger door of his car, facing away from me with his head down. I approached him slowly, admiring his broad shoulders dressed in a black leather jacket, which fit him very nicely.

"Just ignore my brother, he's just being a jerk," I said.

Evan chuckled sarcastically, stumbling with his car keys. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Evan, you don't have to leave just yet. We can go up in my room." He froze a little bit and then twisted his head to the side to look at me, but still not completely making eye contact.

"I think I just need to go home," he says indifferently.

"Evan, seriously, what's wrong? You've been acting really strange the last couple of weeks and I know there must be a reason because even you said yourself that you've been having a ruff time lately," I rush, waiting for a reaction. When he continues to stare at me blankly, I let out a frustrated sigh and march up to him. Raising my arms to his chest, I give him a hard shove, making his back hit his car. "Maybe you're the one being the jerk! A completely irrational, self-centered jerk!"I yell, shutting my eyes tightly and squeezing my hands into fists. "You confuse me, Evan Rider. You ignore me for two weeks, show up unexpectedly, sweep me off my feet, and then BAM! You disappear for another week. I go to you and you act like nothing's wrong! Ugh!"

My breathing had picked up by the time I was done and I opened my eyes slowly. Evan was still staring at me, but surprise and guilt were etched across his face. "I'm sorry," he whispers.

"I don't want an apology, Evan. I want an explanation." I felt desperation cross my voice.

Clearing his throat, he shuffled from foot to foot and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I saw my mom's boyfriend hit her. He hit her... It set me off and I had to go deal with it, but my mom begged me not to do anything. She said he'll never do it again. At that point every thing went fuzzy when I realized it wasn't the first time he did it and just started throwing punches. I didn't hurt him that bad...but he charged me... My dad ended up having to come down all the way from Chicago to help us with everything, including my trial. I basically put my life on pause to deal with this."

I stood there in completely shock. I didn't expect that answer at all. All I could do then was walk closer to him and wind my arms around his neck. I squeezed him with everything I had, hoping I could squeeze all his troubles away.

"I'm so sorry, Erin. I shouldn't have neglected you like I have," he murmured into my hair and squeezed me back with as much emotion.

"It's okay. Forgiven and forgotten," I pulled away and gave him a soft smile. He sighed with relief and smiled graciously back when I didn't ask any further questions. "Thank you," he whispered and rested his forehead lightly against mine.

I closed m eyes and a second later felt his soft lips on mine. We kissed against his car for a while, our tongues slowly dancing together with as much passion as when we are dancing in the studio. I moan from all the passion he lets burst from just this one kiss.

The fuzzy feeling in my chest expands like it's about to explode and that's when I realize something.

I'm in love with Evan Rider.

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Isn't love beautiful? <3