That bench by the pool (Daerin)

No more hiding

Danielle:

I felt a freeness in myself as I walked though the streets that Saturday, an orange sunlight visible from the sunset. It was already 7:30. When I reached the front door, footsteps could be heard inside. I rang the bell and a few seconds later, Haerin appeared.

"Hey, come", she gestured with her hand to follow her inside.

"Yeah"

I walked with her into her bedroom and took my bag off, unzipping it and taking out my pyjamas.

"Oh, changing into your pyjamas already?", Haerin chuckled.

"Well I don't want to have to do it later", I nagged her for teasing me.

"Hey I'm not saying that's a bad thing"

I brushed her off and turned to the bathroom.

Haerin:

It felt like forever since we'd had a sleepover and longer since I'd seen Dani. She was still in the bathroom. By now she had been in there for a good half an hour. I pushed myself to see Danielle as my friend but the way she makes me feel doesn't allow me to. Why do you look at me like that Danielle? I pushed my mind away from the topic.

"Dani! When are you gonna get out!?"

"Wait, I'm coming!", I heard her shout back.

Moments later, she had still not come out. I sighed and got up to go see what was going on. I reached for the door knob and twisted it open. At that moment I felt a hand on my chest. I looked up to see that it was Danielle.

"Look where you're going Haerin", she looked at me with a concerned expression.

I could feel my heart beating more loudly. Take your hand off my chest Danielle. Stop it. You have a boyfriend so don't do this to me. Don't make me feel this way. I've wanted to see you as a friend, to see you like I saw you in that storage room when we first met. I can't. Everytime you touch me, you make me think about how it would feel to have your lips against mine. Danielle, I don't want to see you with him. What should I do?

She looked into my eyes.

"Listen Haerin, I um...broke up with Yeonjun. I realized that I didn't...love him. I never did. But Haerin...you do love him...right?

What? I was sure I didn't hear her right. She broke up with him? What was the second part? I love Yeonjun? She couldn't be serious. Where did she even get that from? The phone call. Of course I behaved differently after that, but it wasn't because I hated to see Yeonjun with you, it was because I hated to see you with him. I love you Danielle. Don't you know? Don't you know how I feel? You tore me to pieces. How could you you ever think that I loved him. It's you who I love Danielle. I love you Danielle. I wanted to speak my thoughts badly, for her to know me, to understand me.

Danielle:

She looked at me with a soft smile.

"No Danielle. It's you who I love."

"..."

I placed my hand on her chest and gently pushed her into the room, closing the door behind us. My hand still on her chest I walked slowly towards the wall on which she leaned. Her lips looked so soft.

On that night when we sat on that bench I asked myself, what is this? I know. Love isn't someone to protect you, love is someone who you want to protect, who makes you feel something unexplainable, who makes you see that twinkle in their eyes. Now I understand. I love Haerin. I always have.

My lips parted slightly as I brought my face close to hers until I felt the touch of her lips against mine.

I reached down for her hand and interlaced our fingers. I wanted to hold it forever and never let go. We walked backwards slowly until we reached the bed which she gently pushed me onto before climbing over my body. My heart beat uncontrollably. I wanted her to know more. To know how much I felt for her now. For her to press her body against mine and feel this heart that beat for her. She lifted my chin and kissed me slowly and and softly. A kiss I wanted so badly.