Faded Bruises

Faded Bruises: Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

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I'm falling in love with my best friend.

In some ways, I've always loved him. I've always kind of knew that there was something special and connecting between us. We had so much in common. We'd been scarred and bruised emotionally. Sometimes we would just breakdown in front of one another, mostly me. John didn't like to show his feelings much. That's why I was surprised at how gentle and caring and sweet he's been for the past few days. I think I'm the only one who's ever seen the gentle side of John. But both sides of John, the sweet, caring and the confident, tough sides, I loved equally.

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I'd managed to fall asleep in John's safe, secure arms that night. The faint crackle of the fire and the deep slow breathing of John were the last comforting things I heard before dozing off.

I awoke the next morning, still in John's arms. I stirred, half awake and stretched my legs, instantly regretting it after the sharp pain shot through my body. I groaned against John's chest and felt him run his hands up and down my back. I looked up to find John was already awake.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, concerned.

I closed my eyes again and buried my face back in John's chest, and murmured a muffled answer. John chuckled and kissed the top of my head.

"You better take it easy, I know how clumsy you are. You could fall down the stairs or something. I've seen you do it before."

I could feel my cheeks blush at the memory. I punched his chest, hard enough to show him that, even though I was bruised, I could still hit. He chuckled and rubbed at the spot that I rammed. It wasn't until then that I noticed that his shirt was off. I almost froze.

I rested my hands on his bare, warm chest, as he flinched under my touch.

"Your hands are bloody cold." He said biting his bottom lip as the coldness subsided on his skin. I felt him relax under my touch as he got used to my freezing fingers. I ran my fingers across the little hairs on his chest and felt his gaze on me. We laid there in a blissful silence as I inspected his sculpted chest. My heart started to beat faster.

John reached up and put his hand over mine as he lead my hand just above his heart. I felt it beating fast, just like mine, almost matching.

"You see what you do to me?" He whispered in my ear.

Goosebumps went through my body, caused from John's sweet, deep voice.

I leaned in closer to his chest and gently brushed my lips against his collar bone. I pulled away slightly and noticed goosebumps appear on his skin were I had touched it. I heard his breathing slightly quicken as I leaned back in and sucked the skin on his chest. I felt him run his finger tips up my arm, over my shoulder and to my chin and he gently moved my face away from his body to meet his lips. He kissed a bit harder than he did last night, but I didn't mind. I wanted him too.

I kissed him back and reached up to run my hands through his hair. I felt him reach back down and slid my leg on top of his, scooting me closer to him. Our bodies touched and our kissing got more aggressive and passionate. Every kiss I received from him was love-filled and I tried my best to give the same to him. Our hips met each others, which caused us to moan in unison against each others lips. I felt his hand slide to the small of my back and slowly lift up my shirt.

Just as his hands touched my naked back, a. vast memory of what happened with Stan, passed through my thoughts and caused me to push away. My breathing quickened as I tried to push the thoughts aside. I closed my eyes, tight, as my head began to hurt. I heard John say something that sounded like my name but I couldn't make it out. I was trying to hard to make the images escape my mind. The thoughts started to dissolve into the back of my mind as John's voice poured into my ears.

"Scar? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go that far, I-" John stopped himself, as if not knowing what to say. I felt multiple hot tears slide down my cheeks.

"I-it's not your fault, I just, can't yet." I said as a wrapped my arms around John and sobbed a bit against his bare chest. I heard him breathe a sigh of relief as he wrapped his arms around me and squeezed me tight. He laid his cheek against the top of my head and comforted me with quiet shushes.

"It's going to be alright." He whispered and kissed the top of my head, gently.

When I stopped crying, I lifted my head away from his chest and looked back up to him. He gave me a reassuring smile that made me melt.

"I want to, John. I really do but... I can't yet." I said as I reached up and caressed his cheek in my hand. He smiled and closed his eyes as he nuzzled into my touch. I noticed that John's chest was covered in my tears and laughed as I brushed them away. He laughed to and brought me into a loving embrace. In that moment, I felt like things were finally beginning to come back to normal.

All of the sudden, the door bell rang and me and John sat up, quick. John grabbed his shirt from the floor and threw it on, fast. He stood up and walked to the door, slowly. I followed him close behind and he held out his arm, to make me stay behind him. He peeked out of the window.

"Shit." He mumbled, as he opened the door to find a rather worried looking Aunt Mimi.

"John." She instantly snapped.

"Where have you been? You didn't come home last night, I thought you had been killed!" She raised her voice, clearly infuriated.

John sighed and rolled his eyes. As he stepped out onto the porch. "Sorry Mimi, I should 'ave called." He said as he kissed her cheek, hoping to get away with this one.

"Yes well, come one home then. You've got chores." She said as she started to walk down the steps. She gave me a quick nod and began to walk home.

Once she was gone, John came back in to retrieve his coat. He gave me a long and loving kiss, before heading out the door. He turned around before leaving and looked me in the eyes, mouthing the words "I love you." He gave me another reassuring smile, and left.

I shut the door and leaned up against it. My heart was fluttering and I smiled a giddy smile. I chuckled to myself. I couldn't believe the feelings I had for John. They weren't school-girl-crush feelings. I'd never felt it before but, I was almost 100 percent sure that the feeling was love. I took a step forward and almost didn't notice that John's glasses had fallen out if his pocket. I picked then up just as I heard a knock at my door. I laughed and opened the door, quick.

"Forget something?" I teased, as I held up the glasses.

But it wasn't John who had knocked on the door.

"Stan?"

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CLIFFHANGER! Sorry guys, I had too...

Almost 900 FREAKING READS?!? YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

More draaaaammmaaaa next time ;)

-Zoe