She's Beautiful And Mine (gxg)

Chapter Thirteen: In A Completely Platonic Way (Part 1)

"This is wrong," I mumbled.

"Is it, now?"

"Yeah."

"Then why aren't you pushing me away?"

"I. . ." I trailed off. I couldn't tell her that she made me feel things in a way I probably never could with anybody else.

But I think she already knew that. She already knew me. My grip involuntarily tightened around her arms and she let out a pained moan, eyes falling shut.

"I'm sorry," I said, loosening my grip.

She leaned closer to me, her lips inches away from mine. Her fingers moved against my back, exploring, feeling. Her eyes held within them tenderness, care, love. I knew I shouldn't trust them, but I also knew that it was so easy to do so. So easy to just let her take me and then break me as she pleased.

I felt my heartbeat quicken.

"You're so beautiful," she whispered.

I looked down at my feet, my face warming up.

That's when she closed the distance between us, pressing her soft lips against mine. She moved one hand to my face, holding me close. Her thumb moved against the skin on my cheek and then traced my jaw as she deepened the kiss. She tasted like sugar and honey and everything sweet and addicting. I missed it. All of it. Part of me hated myself for it. But the rest of me was too blinded by the pleasure to care.

Memories from years ago filled the back of my mind. Times when this feeling was commonplace and didn't hurt anywhere at all.

Our tongues danced and I moved my hands to her pony tail, removing the band that held her long black hair together. I pulled it out and threw the band away, wasting no time in burying my hands in her hair, tugging and exploring. She groaned at the sensation and gripped my waist tighter, the other hand moving to the nape of my neck to get a better angle.

We kept kissing for what felt like forever until I pulled away, tired and panting. She buried her face in my neck again, this time peppering me with small kisses. She was also breathing heavily.

"S-stop, Norah. Please," I whispered. It was hard for me to get the words out because I didn't want to say them. At all.

She obliged after pressing a small kiss to my lower lip. She backed away and gave me some space. I pushed myself off the wall, trying to regain some strength. The bag of groceries were on the ground beside us. I picked it up and cleared my throat, which had a huge lump in it. Our faces were both flushed red.

She was carefully taking in my movements, exploring my features.

"Can I walk you home?" she asked me, still panting.

"Norah, I-"

"Please. I swear I won't do anything."

"You just did."

"I know, I know, I. . . I just. . ." She looked anywhere but at me.

"It's okay."

She looked at me and smiled slightly, but gratefully.

We began walking in silence. She offered to carry the bag for me and I gave it to her, mumbling out a thank you.

"You know, I know you're dating Brielle Harris right now."

I stopped walking. I was in shock.

"What the fuck?" I shouted.

"Harley, keep it down! This is a family-friendly neighborhood."

"Oh, shut up, you asshole."

She began laughing loudly.

"You maniac! You just made me cheat on my girlfriend and you knew it! And you have the audacity to laugh at me?"

The laughter slowly disappeared into a lingering smile.

"Were you gonna tell her, though? That we kissed?"

I looked down at my feet, embarrassed.

"N-no."

She chuckled at that, teasingly.

I punched her in the arm at her response in exasperation and began walking again.

"Look, I'm sorry. You're just irresistible sometimes. And. . ." Her expression suddenly grew serious, her gaze turning intense. She locked eyes with me.

"And. . .?" I prompted, already blushing at that first part.

She tore her gaze away, uncertainty flickering across her eyes. She shook her head at herself.

"Never mind."

I shrugged. I didn't know how to persuade people into telling me things, anyway.

"Brielle told me she hates your guts," I remarked.

"She does. And the feeling's mutual. Especially since she started dating you."

I snorted. "Of course, you do."

"Harley, I don't expect you to forgive me. And I know that I shouldn't barge into your life and ruin the things you did to build yourself up after everything that happened. I couldn't help myself tonight. I really couldn't. I just kept thinking about you these past few years. And I couldn't bottle it all up any longer."

I sighed. "Look, Norah. It's fine. The past is not gonna come back. I know I'm over it. I can't ever be over you. I know that as well. But it's way healthier for us to just stay away from each other."

"I love you, Harley."

"Norah. . ."

"I just had to say it. I. . . I'm sorry."

I held her hand and squeezed lightly.

"I love you, too. But I still can't forgive or forget what you did to me. Ever. I need you to know that."

"I know that. I do." She sniffed and wiped a stray tear from her eye. I went closer to her and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Has tonight made anything different between us?" she asked me, her eyes wet.

"Well, it's the second time I've seen you in almost three years and the first time we touched. And actually talked."

She patiently waited for me to continue and gave me my bag back.

"I'd say yes. It has. In. . . a good way, surprisingly. Somewhat like closure."

"I'm glad."

"I am, too. I understand it more. I understand us."

"Me too."

"I'll see you around, then?"

"You will. But in a completely platonic way."

"Of course. You just had to clarify, didn't you?"

"Well, it's us that we're talking about. If there's no clear line, we're both bold enough to literally run past it."

"I get what you mean."

"Bye, Harley," she said and began walking backwards, away from me.

"Bye," I said softly. She smiled, turned around and walked away into the night. The mere familiarity of it all left me weaker than the loss of her presence.

***

Hey!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Lemme know what you think. This was a quick update. I mean, I'm literally jobless these days anyway, so. . .

#summerthings

Love you,

queenred