Since that meal with everyone, three days ago, I'd spent most days (and nights) at the Hype House with all the members, as well as Elle and Abbie.
My confidence had grown significantly and I'd spent so much time hanging out with everyone in the house, filming TikToks, ordering food and having movie nights. I loved spending time with Dixie, she got on really well with Elle and Abbie, the four of us spending hours messing with the others who lived in the house. Kouvr, Alex, Thomas and I stayed up for hours on end, often still being awake at 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning.
"You joining us again tonight Bella?" Kouvr asked as we watered the plants in her area of the garden before it got too dark. She'd made the garden look absolutely beautiful and I often spent time sitting in the sun, surrounded by the beautiful flowers she'd planted.
"Only if that's okay with you guys?" She nodded, a smile present on her face as she put the water down and following me back inside.
"Of course it is Bella! We love having you there!" Heading to Kouvr's room, I opened my bag, which I kept in her closet, and pulled out a pair of athletic shorts and maroon sweater. Changing in their bathroom, I walked out to find the couple, along with Thomas, lay on the bed watching something on TV. A pair of black trousers and a light pink sweater covering his tanned skin as he lay on his side, eyes locked on his phone.
"Kouvr wants to watch some cheer programme!" Alex groaned, watching Kouvr jump up from the bed in excitement. Taking a seat on the bed, I was pulled back into the warm sheets and ended up laying right by Thomas who gave me a sweet smile, pulled me towards his chest and continued scrolling through TikTok, the two of us giggling and liking random videos that we found funny. Passing me his phone, he adjusted his arm and placed it under my waist holding me close to him. His free arm, fell over my body, his two hands interlocking, keeping me there.
Leaving the TikTok app, I moved to Snapchat, scrolling through filters and taking both funny and cute photos of the two of us, saving a few I liked and sending them to myself. "You two joining us to watch the film or are we interrupting?" Alex asked, laughing at the two of us as we came out of the little bubble we were in. We adjusted our position on the bed, laying on our backs next to one another, finding it too uncomfortable, I lay on my left side, head lay on Thomas' upper arm and shoulder.
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"Better?" He whispered to me as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, keeping me warm and feeling safe.
"Yeh this is nice..." Turning my head towards the screen, the four of us lay in silence for a while, watching the Cheerleading show Kouvr had selected, the silence was interrupted by her jumping away from Alex and showing off her own cheer skills. Grabbing my hand, Kouvr pulled me away from Thomas' warm embrace and made me copy her 'skills', the two of us giggling, whilst the boys recorded what we were doing. Finally, after many jumps, turns and dance sections, Kouvr let me lay back down on the bed, I curled up next to Thomas and we resumed the show.
After another cheer show, four episodes of friends and some programme about a gang, Alex decided it was time for bed. It was four am when Thomas and I head out the couples room, heading downstairs to where his room was. I went to head to the room Dixie, Elle, Abbie and I were sharing during our stay, however, Thomas' hand on my waist, turned me around so I was looking at him again.
"Stay with me tonight Bell? Please?" He tilted his head slightly, trying to work out what my answer would be, a small smile present on his face. Realising everyone would be asleep and I didn't want to disturb them, I agreed and followed him towards the front of the house where his room was. He pressed the code into the keypad, opened the door and stepped aside to let me in first. Having never been in his room before, I took my time looking around, especially his shoe wall which looked awesome. He head into his bathroom, changing into some comfier clothes for bed, bringing me out a sweater from his closet for me to slip on to sleep in.
The two of us got into bed, starting on opposite sides but slowly moving towards one another, snuggling up together under the warm sheets. When we realised sleep wasn't going to come anytime soon, we turned on Netflix and continued the series he'd already started watching. "I hated you not talking to me..." I heard him mutter and I looked up at him, a frown replacing the smile that'd been on my face all night.
"I'm sorry...I knew that the things she told me about you didn't sounds right, but she knew my anxiety would stop me doing anything!" My grip on him tightened, not wanting to let go of the guy I'd only just got back. I felt his arms wrap around my waist, holding me so close to him, his head resting on the top of mine as we lay in silence. "Is the offer for me to help out around here still standing?" Leaning back, I looked at him face, my one hand resting on his cheek as I waited for his response.
"Of course it is beautiful! We'll always be happy to have you around here, maybe in the morning, I can show you what kind of things we'd need some help with?" A huge smile lit up both of our faces as I nodded, excepting his offer.
"Just promise me, that when you feel yourself getting overwhelmed by meetings, contracts, the merchandise and things like that, that you'll talk to me and ask for help?" I knew that Thomas' schedule was mental some days, he had so much to organise and he wanted the best for everyone in the house. With his anxiety, I knew too much would shut him down so the more I could help him out with the better.
"I promise I'll talk to you if things are becoming too much okay?" He sat up and asked if it was alright for him to remove his shirt, I nodded, my cheeks becoming pink as I saw his toned stomach and large biceps. As he lay back down, I was more hesitant to get close to him, suddenly becoming nervous around him. "Are you sure this is okay? You've moved away from me..." grabbing his shirt from off the floor, he started sliding his arms back through the sleeves, not wanting me to feel uncomfortable but I stopped him.
"It's okay...I've just never been this close to anyone before" he looked surprised as I told him this was the first time I'd been this close to a guy. Sliding back down under the sheets, I started to cuddle into his side again, my head falling to rest on this chest. His fingers started to draw pictures on my back, relaxing me again.
"Bella..." he whispered. I looked up at him, seeing his eyes locked on my face, drifting from my eyes to my lips. The two of us sat up slightly, keeping our bodies close to one another. His hand came around my waist, line moving up to hold the back of his neck, as we both started leaning in. Our eyes were locked as our faces got closer, I knew what was coming, I was nervous to say the least but I wanted this...I needed him.
Something in me changed and suddenly the two of us leant in again, our lips connecting, we'd waited for this. His hand came round my thigh and pulled it over his lap, I was now straddling his lap, my hands on his face as he deepened the kiss.
When we pulled away, both slightly out of breath, the two of us couldn't help but let out a little laugh, shocked that we'd actually just done that...after everything we'd gone through the past couple of weeks, and we'd actually got somewhere with our relationship and our feelings.
Locking eyes again, I pressed my lips against his, the two of us smiling into it. Wrapping our arms around one another, we just sat there for a while, holding one another in a warm hug. "Let's go to bed then gorgeous..." he whispered in my ear before lifting me off his lap and laying me down next to him.
