ONCE WE ALL get out of the house, closing the door behind us, the girls and I head across the road, towards Apollo House.
After what happened yesterday, I was so nervous about school today. Thankfully, it didn't go as badly as I had imagined. I was scared that things would be awkward between Vaughn and me after the whole cuddle sesh.
Thank god it wasn't.
Well, maybe just a little bit, but by the end of the day, we were back to normal. Joking around and teasing each other about random things we did in class.
Now, we are walking to Apollo House for dinner. It's going to be the first time I've ever been to the boys' house, so I'm excited to see what it looks like.
I had practice after school, so I had a shower and washed my hair. By the time we left the house, it was dry so I left it down. I decided to look a little bit more presentable than I usually am, especially at these dinners.
I'm wearing baggy blue jeans with a white top and an oversized, knit sweater.
We knock on the door and a few seconds later a small, middle-aged woman with shoulder-length, brown hair and bright blue eyes opens the door with a welcoming smile.
"Hey, girls! Come in, come in." She gestures for us all to enter, me being the last to do so. When she sees me she lets out a little gasp.
"Hello sweetie, well aren't you a pretty little thing." She coos in her slight southern accent, which seems to make me like her more than I already do.
I smile down at her before she continues, "you must be Adina." I nod. "Well, welcome to Apollo House. I'm Lorraine, the House Mother." I say hi back before entering the small foyer, noting that it's quite similar to Artemis House.
We're about to enter the kitchen when I hear someone coming down the steps.
"Hey, Ads," Vaughn walks down the final step and lands in front of me. I realize that all the girls have already gone into the kitchen, leaving me alone with him.
"Hey, V," I say softly, almost a whisper, nervously playing with my hands in front of me.
He smiles and I'm blinded by my feelings for this boy. A boy who I hardly even know. Butterflies bubble out of me. What is happening to me?
"Welcome to my humble abode." He throws his arms, gesturing around the room playfully, making me giggle at his antics. When have I ever giggled? And it wasn't like it was that funny anyway.
After I've calmed down I realize that I should probably say something, not wanting us to be consumed by awkward silence.
"So... where are the guys?" I ask, he smirks as though he knows I'm only trying to make conversation.
"Well, it's Chase and Xavier's turn to help Lorraine cook so they're probably in the kitchen. And Blaise and Cas are upstairs in their room." He informs, I nod.
"Blaise and Caspian share a room? Who do you room with, then?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Um, I don't share with anyone." I raise an eyebrow in question and he continues. "Chase and Xav are roommates and Cas and Blaise are as well, so I'm the only one with my own room. Perks of being the son of a millionaire, I guess." He smiles sheepishly, and I laugh because, well, I understand.
"What? Did he like... pay the school for you to get your own room?" I laugh lightly, joking. But when he stays quiet and looks down at the ground nervously my laughter stops. "Wait, really?" He nods as he glances up at me.
"Yeah, same with my sister. But trust me, I didn't want to be treated differently from everyone else, this was all my Dad's idea." I nod my head understandingly.
"Don't worry, I get it." I nod at him, as he smiles down at me. God, I love his smile.
I look away from his burning gaze and lightly start to bite my lip, trying to suppress my giddy smile.
A piece of hair falls over my face and I reach my hand up to get it out of the way but, his hand gets there first.
I look back at him, into his bright green eyes, as he slowly tucks the strand behind my ear, as if he's trying to savor the moment.
"Yo, dinner is re-" I hear as the door is opened into the kitchen.
Vaughn and I separate from each other, having gotten closer to each other throughout the conversation.
I turn to see who interrupted our moment, and at the kitchen door stands a shocked Xavier. He laughs nervously before muttering a quick apology and closing the door.
"Come on, we shouldn't keep everyone waiting," I tell him before taking his hand and opening the door, where I find five giggling teenage girls circling each other.
When they hear the door close, they all turn to look at us. No, not us, our hands, which are still connected.
"I knew it. I told you guys!" Summer exclaims, now looking to the rest of the group with an expression that screams 'I told you so'.
I feel my face heat up, which I think Vaughn notices as he squeezes my hand. I look at him, smiling gratefully. He has a small smile on his perfect lips.
I look down at the ground and smile to myself until I realize that I have an audience. I look back to where all the girls are, who are looking expectedly at me.
I grin awkwardly before dragging Vaughn into the dining room, where Chase and Xavier are already sitting, talking animatedly about something.
When they see Vaughn and me, Xavier grows suspiciously quiet, his eyes going wide in nervousness, while Chase continues with his ranting.
I sit us down at the other end of the table, our hands still connected. His thumb rubbing the back of my hand soothingly.
When I hear the boys' conversation begin to pick back up I turn to Vaughn and grin at him.
For the rest of the dinner, all the girls are giving us small knowing glances while, besides Xavier, the boys are eating, hopelessly oblivious.
After we've all finished, Vaughn takes my hand and starts to drag me somewhere. I don't protest because I'm too distracted by the newfound feeling of his large hand in mine.
We end up going to the back door and stepping outside onto the patio, which is just like ours back at the house, except fairy lights surround us.
I look up at him questioningly as he suddenly seems shy and nervous. I take his hand that is still in mine, dragging him closer so he looks into my eyes.
He looks at me, furrowing his eyebrows in thought. "What are you thinking about, V?" I ask gently. He shakes his head, regaining some composure.
"I... need to tell you something." His voice slightly breaks, making him seem vulnerable. I nod.
"What is it?"
After a few seconds of silence, he finally says something to me. "Adina... I don't know how to say this, because frankly, I've never had to say this to someone before but... shit. I've never felt this way before." I furrow my eyebrow in confusion as he looks into my eyes.
"I think you know by now that I like you." He continues, smiling nervously at me. I smile back, happy at his confession.
"I like you too, Vaughn." He lets out a small sigh of relief.
"I've liked you right from the first time I saw you in Davis's office. And every time I saw you after that it made my feelings for you grow even stronger. I tried to tell myself that I didn't like you, but..." he looks away and bites his lip, furrowing his eyebrows in thought.
"But?" I sigh softly, coaxing him to continue, he looks down at me.
He then moves his hand from mine, taking a step closer and putting my face in his hands.
"But, I can't seem to get you out of my head, Ricci." He grins, ruefully as I bite the inside of my cheek to suppress the huge smile trying to emerge on my face.
"I can't get you out of mine either," I whisper, placing my hand over his, which is still on my cheeks.
He leans down, his forehead connecting with mine, our breaths mingling together. We stare into each other's eyes, and I realize I can't take it anymore.
"Kiss me," I whisper so quietly that I'm afraid he couldn't hear me.
Vaughn places his hands so he can tilt my head slightly, still resting his forehead on mine. I close my eyes as he slowly starts to lean in. Until, finally, our lips touch.
At first, he's soft and gentle. With a small peck, before setting his forehead back on mine, he moves my hair out of the way and pushes it to flow down my back.
I take my hands away from his and place one behind his head, urging him to come forward, while my other one presses against his jaw.
My eyes still closed, I feel him lean in once more but this time it feels different. When our lips touch, it feels as though he's making me his.
Protective. Urgent. Wanting.
Through the kiss, I could feel all the emotions he wanted to say but couldn't. He wanted me to be his, and so did I.
After a few seconds of getting used to each other's touch, one of his hands moves down to my waist, the other now on my jaw. He rolls his tongue along my bottom lip, asking for permission. I take him in almost immediately.
Right when I feel his tongue run across my own, a relieved sigh, almost like a moan, escapes my lips. He smirks into the kiss, knowing the effect he has on me.
I feel the hand on my waist slightly lift my sweatshirt and place itself on the small of my back, pushing me further into him. Now both of my hands are around his neck, trying to show him how much I've been wanting this. Wanting us.
His hand moves up and down my back, making small tingles follow. I shiver from the unfamiliar, yet amazing, feeling.
Our lips slowly pull away, not ready for the connection to end. He pecks my lips a few more times before we part fully. Our breathing is labored as we try to regain it, his forehead resting against mine while my eyes are still closed. Basking in the feeling of his touch.
I open my eyes to see him still in wonderland, his eyes not yet opened. I tilt my head up and kiss his nose and peck the corner of his mouth, making him smile in contempt, his eyes still closed.
With our foreheads still connected, my finger lightly grazes his sharp features.
His high, defined cheekbones. His long, dark eyelashes. His sharp and definite jawline. His swollen, pink lips.
When my fingers press on them, his eyes open. He looks down at me with so much passion that I think I might cry. But I don't. I'm too caught up in the moment, this perfect moment, to do anything but look at him.
My hand stays on his jaw and my eyes are on his lips as my thumb grazes them in awe. What is my life?
Vaughn lifts his head, taking my hand away from his jaw, and kisses the back of it while looking me in the eyes. He puts his hands over my shoulders, bringing me closer to him.
I tuck my head into his hard chest, closing my eyes and welcoming his warmth, as I wrap my arms around his waist. His head resting on the top of mine. He leans away slightly, looking at me before he kisses my forehead and smoothes down my hair.
"That was..." he trails off, his voice a little hoarse.
"Amazing." I sigh, before looking up at him. He smiles down at me, pecking my lips and nose. I scrunch it up, making him chuckle.
I begin to bite my lip, thinking about something that may ruin the mood, he notices and grabs my chin softly. He forces my eyes to look at him.
"What is it?" He asks, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. I shake my head with a small smile.
"It's nothing. Don't worry."
"No, I know something is bothering you." He talks gently, tucking a strand of stray hair behind my ear. "Tell me... please." His tone sounding more like a plead.
I look at his chest, biting my lip before I look back up at him nervously.
"Do you trust me?" He asks me, I nod almost immediately. "Then please tell me what's bothering you. I can't help if I don't know what's wrong, Adina." I nod my head.
After a second of silence, I sigh. "I was just thinking..." I trail off quietly.
"Yeah?" He gently presses me on.
"Our Dads." At this, his face slightly falls before he goes back to his soft expression.
"I don't care what they have to say about us. It's our relationship, our business. Not theirs."
"Relationship?" I tease, trying to lighten the mood. He smirks at me.
"What? Did you just think I was gonna let you walk out of here without establishing what we are?" I shrug, with a small smile on my face which makes him throw his head back, chuckling.
"Well, what are we then?" I ask.
"Whatever you want us to be, Dina." Vaughn looks down at me with the same passionate eyes, my stomach twists into a butterfly garden. "As long as I get to keep you in my life, I'll be happy."
What is he doing to me?
"What do you want us to be?"
"I want..." he looks away shyly, before turning back to me and taking my face in his hands again. "I want for you to be mine, and for me to be yours. Because I am, Adina. Ever since you got here, no one else has been on my mind."
"I want to be yours," I tell him softly, slightly above a whisper.
After a couple of beats of silence he breathes out, "will you go on a date with me?" My lips grow into a grin that slightly hurts my cheeks.
Finally.
I nod. "Obviously, V." I rest my hands around his neck and pull him closer to me.
Our lips meet once again, but this time it's different. Because this time, he's mine. We part once more, and he rests his hands between my jaw and neck.
"And about our Dads." I nod my head, willing him to go on, "I don't care what they think. As long as we're happy together, why should they get a say in it." He passionately explains to me, I look up at him with admiration. I nod my head before going to hug him again.
"So... When are we going on this date?" He looks down at me again, with the same big smile that's on my face.
"Saturday. After you go for lunch with your family. If that's okay with you?" He asks, slightly panicked at the end.
"Pick me up at seven."
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sorry for the late posting :(
i have a few chapters ready
so you guys won't have to wait
too long for the next update
see you guys soon