Kissing My Childhood Friend [slowly editing]

Chapter 35

Chapter 35 - KMCF

"I-I," Jennifer's vision was starting to get blurry and tears were starting to fall out, she was extremely overwhelmed with emotions. "I've loved you for as long as I can remember and hearing you say all of that makes me so happy, but I'm also-" She took a couple seconds to catch her breath and brush off the running tears. "Very scared." She burst into tears again.

"Why-"

"What if I can't help you? What if you're in pain and I can't help you? What if we end up breaking up and we can never be friends again? Hunter, what if it doesn't work out?" Hunter handed Jen a box of tissues near his foot. He waited for her to stop crying and wipe her eyes. These were questions she never thought of until now.

"I don't know," he said, words Jennifer wasn't expecting him to even mention. "I'm just as scared as you are. What if the paparazzi is too much for you? What if I'm too busy with work and have no time for you? What if you get tired of everything and leave? I'm scared too. But none of those things have happened yet and they might never happen. As we move forward, we'll figure out how to prevent those things from turning into our future, rather than worrying that they might."

She nodded in agreement, Hunter was right. "Yeah," she answered in a soft, hard to hear voice. "Yeah!" she again answered with more confidence after realizing the question she was answering.

A big grin formed along his lips, "yeah?" She shook her head enthusiastically.

She smiled, one of the brightest he'd ever seen. "I'll be your girlfriend."

Girlfriend, the word had a little spark in it. Jen knew, her cheeks were red right after she said it. Girlfriend. Hunter's girlfriend to be exact, the man she never thought would think to ask.

He wrapped his arms around her, instantly placing her in a hug. It took a short time for her to wrap hers around him. His scent wrapped around her nose, pure bliss. The scent of fresh and warm laundry, and a dash of expensive cologne. And her shampoo--strawberries and pomegranate--aroused his senses. In a matter of seconds, he pulled away just enough to look at her face. She smiled while her blue eyes glimmered under his gaze. He pondered on the idea that this was a dream. Having her here. In his arms. So close to him. He had her like this before, but this was different. There was no guilt riding on his back and there was no shame he felt for just looking at her. She was his and he was hers, no question about it. To prove it even further, he traced his thumb all about her cheeks and just a tiny bit above her lips. And just as he was doing so, he couldn't help but smile a bit.

** **

**Jennifer's POV**

"Sorry that I can't stay longer," I said once we had gotten out of the car.

He waved away my apology, "it's fine." and then flashed one of those charming smiles, the ones that make you feel warm inside.

I smiled too, a real one while I stared at him. His emerald eyes were glowing and I couldn't stop staring. I mean, we couldn't stop staring at each other. Maybe we believed that if we looked elsewhere, one of us would slip away; or maybe we didn't want to depart. Whatever reason it may have been, we stood and stared for what seemed to be a very long time.

"Uhm," I started off, hoping a topic would come to mind. Nothing did, however the wind did come by. It blew our clothes and unfortunately, my hair. My hair transitioned from being tamed to being all over my face and slipping into my mouth. I took a moment to myself to just groan, during that, Hunter made the effort to brush away every strand from my view, only leaving the view of him chuckling. "Thanks," I managed.