Limerence

51 | l i m e r e n c e

"Sure I can!" A rosy blush touches her soft brown cheeks. "He's my best friend."

Best friend.

I try not to think too hard about that label. I know she said it because her dad is still in the dark about us. Still, I can't lie and say I'm not dying for the day that she finally calls me her boyfriend.

For the next hour, that's how we spend our post-feasting. The five of us stuffed to the brim with Thanksgiving dinner, lounging in a circle, playing Uno like a bunch of vengeful maniacs. It touches fond memories that I ache to return to. Even though Pepper is different, keeping her distance and avoiding prolonged eye contact with me, I can't help but feel like maybe things are getting a little better between us.

It's been nearly a week since the incident with Mason and I've tried giving her as much time as she needs to get over him. I know it'll take a little longer, but now that they're forbidden to see each other, I have plenty of time to eradicate him from her mind.

The game flies by with Dad miraculously winning in the end. He wastes no time shooting up from his seat and skittering across the living room straight towards the kitchen to snatch the last piece of pie. Laughter rumbles around the room at his elation and Pepper's parents demand a rematch as we gather up the discarded cards.

"Sucks." I nudge Pepper's arm with mine as she finds herself sitting a little closer to me. "I was really looking forward to eating your-"

"I think I'm going to retire for the evening," she cuts me off, avoiding my discreet gaze. She rises with an abrupt urgency and stretches the sleeves to her pumpkin sweater. "Lena wants to go over our project before we go back to school, so I'm going to get some rest."

"Okay, hun. See you tomorrow." Mrs. Young begins shuffling the cards and throws her daughter a brief smile.

Pepper kisses her parents goodnight before easing past us and slipping around the corner, leaving behind her intoxicating coconut and vanilla fragrance. My entirety longs to be with her. Just one second without her presence burns an aching fire in my bones. I need her. "Um...I'm going to hang out with Pepper until she falls asleep," I declare and shoot up from my spot.

Her mom reminds me of just how much she knows about our situation with a brief glance that's entirely unreadable. Though she shows her approval with a slight nod and goes back to shuffling cards.

Pulse racing increasingly faster, I scurry up the stairs and slip into Pepper's room, finding her shuffling through her nightstand, probably for her eye mask. "So," I begin gently while shutting the room door behind me, "how was the sleepover?"

Her gaze flicks to the door before resting on my face with glimmers of apprehension. She shuffles back to her bed and sits against the large mattress. With cautious hands, she grabs one of her furry neon pink pillows and holds it to her chest like some sort of barrier. "It was kind of crazy actually." Her voice is soft, so much softer than before.

"How so?"

How was Amber? I wish I could ask that, but I know doing so would just make this conversation a lot weirder than it has to be. I push thoughts of Amber aside and try to focus on the one girl that's most important right now.

Pepper draws in a deep breath and licks her lips. "Lena...has a lot of opinions about us."

I blink absently for a moment and cock my head to the side. "When does she not? Hopefully, she didn't change your mind about something."

She gives a stiff shrug. "She thinks I'm not doing what's best for myself."

The walls of my throat contract and my pulse is erratic once again. "How?"