Heart Breaking and Entering

3. sweet nightmare

I couldn't be sure if it was really him.

Slowly, I flipped the covers off, snatching a chemistry textbook from the nightstand.

The figure was just unrecognizable with his back turned to me and a hoodie over his head, so I had no qualms with raising the book high and slamming it into him.

He tumbled, loudly groaning as I straddled his torso, slamming him repeatedly until his cries of defeat rang in protest.

"Gemma, stop, it's me." he cried, clutching his head. "Put the book down."

"Reveal yourself." I demanded, raising it over him in defense, ready to strike. The intruder propped himself up on his elbows and pulled his hoodie back, revealing his all too familiar, stupidly handsome face.

"Declan?" I gawked, resisting the urge to clobber him again. I didn't know whether to be infuriated or relieved. Rubbing his head, he looked up at me, half-relieved and half-panic stricken. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you," he groaned, pointing up at my weapon of choice. "Can you put that down?"

"I'm not sure I'm done using it yet." I cocked my head. "Why are you here? It's the middle of the night."

"I just told you, Gemma," he said, slowly wriggling out of my straddle to rise to his feet. I stood, suddenly seeming much smaller and much less powerful with my measly book compared to his six foot four figure. "We need to talk. I've been trying to get ahold of you all weekend, but you haven't responded to any of my texts, or my calls--hell, I even tried emailing you--"

"So you broke into my house?"

"Well, it worked, didn't it?" He smirked, far too proud of himself.

"You're insane." I scoffed, tossing the textbook onto my dresser and pacing over to the window. "You know this is breaking and entering, right? You're committing a federal offense."

I checked the window, but it was still locked from a couple hours prior. Outside, my father's convertible was parked in our driveway, meaning they'd either ran into each other, or Declan had barely made it in before Dad came home.

"The house was unlocked." Declan shrugged, pulling his hood off. "And, technically, I haven't broken anything, so it's more just entering--"

"Oh, my God." I ran my hands over my face. "This is bad. You shouldn't be here. If my Dad walked in--"

"--I know, okay?" Declan chuckled, walking over to me. "Which is why we need to use our inside voices."

"I'm glad you think this is funny." I huffed, lowering my tone. "He'd kill me. I'm serious, Declan, you need to leave."

"Or what?"

I stared at him, crossing my arms over my chest. In the moonlight, his light eyes twinkled, and his smug smile antagonized my every thought. Tufts of his wavy hair were disheveled and untamed after he'd taken off his hood, a few curls poking up in odd directions.

I pried my gaze away, not allowing myself to succumb to the influence he had over me. I should have jiu-jitsued the hell out of him when I had the chance.

"Tell me, who in their right mind breaks into someone's house just to get ahold of them? I mean, that's something that crazy people do--something that criminals do." I paused. "Crazy criminals!"

"I know how it looks, and I'm flattered you think I'd pull off an orange jumpsuit." He cracked a smile. "But that's beside the point."

I bit my tongue, holding back my militia of banter in order to get my questions answered. "Yes, Declan, what is your point?"