Opposites Attract

Chapter 20

Chapter 20;

Eric p.o.v

We heard her parents leave, causing me to flinch as the door slammed. I had a brief second of confusion before I reacted.

I ran over to Kate, wrapping my arms around her shoulders just as she started crying into my chest. Oh god, I hate seeing her so upset.

Yeah, what had just happened had shaken me, but my main concern was Kate right now. "Shh, shh. It's ok, we're fine." I comforted her.

I didn't realise that I'd started slowly rocking us from side to side where we stood.

"I'm. So. Sorry." She hiccuped. "He. Had no. Right to-" After this, her speech dissolved into unintelligible sobs. I moved us to sit on the bed, still trying to calm her as she shook in my arms.

After a good 20 minutes, the tears had stopped and she'd relaxed. "Eric?" She asked quietly from my now tear stained shoulder.

"Yeah?" I asked through a croaky voice. I had silently shed a tear or two, but had been keeping strong for her. I think I had mainly been upset over her getting upset more than I had been for myself.

"I'm sorry. I should've stopped him. He had no right to call you 'no good'. Not when you're so amazing." I lifted her face ever so gently from my shoulder and looked at her stained cheeks.

"He has a right to his opinion, even if it's based on his false interpretations." I smiled as I wiped her cheeks with my thumbs.

She looked up at me as I continued talking. "I don't care what he calls me, it's just what you think that matters. He can call me everything under the sun as long as you don't start believing him." I was getting my words muddled, but I had to explain.

"You ... You really mean that, don't you?" I simply nodded. "Well you don't have to worry about me believing him, trust me." I saw her first smile for what seemed like hours.

"There we go, there's the smile I fell in love with." I beamed as I lightly pinched her cheek.

"Eric?" I looked at her, indicating for her to go on. "I'm sorry I kind of shouted it at my parents." She blushed.

I moved my head foward so I could whisper into her ear. "So say it again now. You know, make up for it." I teased.

"Ok." She smiled. "Eric Khaled Saade, I l-"

"I love you, Kate." I interrupted her. It earned me a smack on the arm.

"Hey!" She laughed. I rubbed it, pretending that the weakling had hurt me.

"What? I didn't say I'd let you say it first." I smirked.

"Idiot." With both of us smiling, I gently pulled us up to the pillows. As she settled next to me, she put her hand over my heart as my arms wrapped around her.

"I love you." she sighed happily. I couldn't resist leaning down to kiss her or intertwining our hands.

"I love you, too." I smiled back.

"In a weird way, I'm glad that they know. I mean, we don't have to hide anymore." she sighed. I couldn't tell whether it was a happy or sad sigh, but I knew what she meant - it felt as if a weight had been lifted.

"Yeah, me to. It means that I don't have to lie about how much you mean to me." This time, I knew it was a happy sigh.

"By the way, how much money you have now or your status doesn't affect my feelings for you, just so we're absolutely clear." She stated a few minutes later.

"No? So what does?" I asked cheekily.

She sat up and to my surprise, straddled my hips so that she was looking down at me. My hands automatically raised to her waist, holding her.

"Hmm, let's see. There's your looks." she stroked my cheek with a laugh. "Your beautiful voice." She bent down and kissed the side of my neck lightly, earning a sigh from me. "Your ... skills," she kissed me deeply.

"But mostly your heart of gold and your personality." She said the last part only staring at me, beaming.

"Oh, and your accent. That's cute as well." she smirked, knowing damn well that it's the main reason J teases me relentlessly.

"Oh, you're mocking me now, are you? Payback time I think!"

She laughed and squealed as I wrestled her to the bed, tickling her until she snorted.

She refused to give up. "I mean it! It really is adorable." She laughed as we collapsed on the bed, exhausted from the 'fight'.

"So are you." I smiled, kissing her passionately.