I was racing down the streets clutching buttercups in my fists. My heart was racing faster than I was, pattering against my ribcage in a quick, erratic rhythm.
I'd made the decision to finally tell Everett how I feel about him, and I'd had to act on it that very instant. I couldn't allow my brain to have a single moment to ponder all the possible outcomes and second guess itself for the millionth time, to eventually wind itself into an indecisive loop.
Because for once in my life, I was actually doing something.
The pavement was littered with crunchy yellow leaves. They reminded me of Everett—seeing anything yellow did. The wind blew through and tangled my hair, cold air turning my cheeks pink.
Or perhaps that was coming from my allergy to buttercups; I tried to ignore the faint itch.
The cafe appeared in the distance, silhouetting itself against the setting sun. I ran down the last few hundred meters and burst through the front entrance, my momentum causing the doors to swing open with a loud clanging sound.
My chest heaving from the exertion, I glanced around, squinting in the dim lighting. The only form of illumination was a dull beam streaming bleakly through the corner window. There was no chaotic waiter skating around and lighting the place up. And except for a few customers who were on their way out, the cafe was empty. I realized with dismay that it was past closing time.
I was too late.
My shoulders slumping, I let out a shaky breath. My chest felt hollow with disappointment as I put my hands on my knees and crouched down. He wasn't here. I was going to tell him that I.... But he wasn't here.
I tried to reason with myself that I could still go to his house. And if his mom doesn't let me in—Hell, I could stand out there till Everett has to eventually leave the place.
But I could already feel my determination slipping away. The old uncertainties came back to haunt me. Suddenly the buttercups looked stupid and weird—dull, half wilted, and crushed in my fists. Anyone would scoff with derision if they knew of my dumb plan.
From across the room, I caught the eye of the manager leaving the kitchen—Everett's dad. He stared at me for a long moment, his eyes going wide with shock as he assessed the look on my face and the buttercups in my fists.
I caught my trembling lip between my teeth, biting down so hard that I tasted blood. Any moment now he's going to tell me to get out and never come back to this place. He's going to stride over here and ask me what the hell I think I'm doing, whether I was some kind of fool for thinking this would actually work. And I knew I deserved it. I had evaded all my feelings and messed around with Everett's heart for far too long.
But instead, Everett's dad jerked his head towards the staircase, a small smile turning up the corners of his mouth. My jaw went slack in disbelief. Was he...? No, he couldn't possibly mean that.... He nodded at me again, more encouragingly this time.
Almost not daring to hope, I skidded across the floor and ran up the wooden stairs two steps at a time. Anxiety bubbled to my throat till I felt nearly sick with nerves, but I swallowed thickly and shoved it away.
Pushing open a glass door, I found myself on a large rooftop. It had been decorated for a party. Rainbow confetti littered the floor. Balloons and streamers had now come half undone. A light breeze blew used decorations across the stone tiled floor. It ruffled the corners of a photo booth backdrop, and the ends of Everett's messy black curls.
He stood there in the middle of everything, broom in hand. He didn't see me, too busy sweeping in wide arcs that only served to spread the confetti even further around. A sad, faraway look haunted his eyes, his plump lips more pouty than usual. He stared at the tips of his neon Nike's as he swept.
Everett looked up at the sound of my footsteps running towards him, and his starry eyes went as wide as a midnight sky.
"I brought you buttercups," I burst out, shoving them into his arms as I stumbled to a stop. "I remembered you said you liked them."
Pouty lips parted in a sharp intake of air. "Clementine."
"I'm sorry I was being really weird," I rushed. "I really like you and I didn't know how to act around you, and I think I made you feel like I didn't really care, but I was just too stupid and too scared to tell you how I feel." I took a deep breath. "But I'm not scared anymore."
The words flowed out of me like rain breaking a drought, pouring out all the thoughts I had been hiding for so long. I held my breath, treacherous heart hammering in my chest.
"You...like me?" Everett asked, staring down at his buttercups with a dazed look in his big bright eyes.
"No. No, not like," I hastily amended as confusion flitted across his face. "I mean I love you, I'm in love with you. Like, a lot," I added, just to be clear. "I love you a lot and I am very much in love with you."
A slow smile spread across Everett's face. "Could you explain that just one more time? I don't think I quite understood."
"I said I was in love—"
His teasing smile interrupted me and I huffed as realization dawned. I grabbed him by the waist, pulling him towards me till his body pressed against mine. His arms went around my neck, his fingers tangling themselves in my hair.
I tilted my chin up just the slightest bit till his face was level with mine, our noses almost touching. I felt his shaky breath against my lips.
I took a moment just to look at him from this intimate position. His pupils grew dilated as I stared into them. His eyes were half closed, lashes painting pretty brushstrokes on his cheeks. His perfectly pouty lips were glistening pink, just waiting to be kissed.
"I swear, Clementine, if you chicken out again—"
I interrupted him by crashing my lips onto his. I saw stars in his eyes and stars in my mind. A fierce breeze rocked him against me, blowing crunchy yellow leaves into both our hair. His mouth parted in a soft gasp, the tip of my tongue brushing against his lips in a feather light touch.
He tasted sweet. Like caramel.
A heady sort of intoxication washed over me, crashing and burning. I kissed him like the night sky depended upon it.
And I didn't stop until we were both gasping for air.
His slender throat moved as he gulped. "That was...."
"Yeah."
My lips still tingled from the intensity of our kiss. My pulse jumped to meet his shivering fingertips as they skimmed past my neck.
"Clementine." His hand brushed against my cheek, cool against my heated skin. "I think you're having allergies, for real this time."
My hands automatically went to my face, rubbing my itchy cheeks. "I'm only very slightly allergic."
"I'm sorry Clementine, I'm going to toss these before I kiss you again."
Everett let his buttercups float down over the side of the railing. He wiped his hands on his jeans before grabbing my face.
Then he kissed me till I thought I would drop. My knees went weak and nearly gave out. His grip tightened around me, lifting me an inch off the ground.
God.
I had never been kissed like that before.
My fingers wove through his messy curls, messing them up even further. My fingers caught on to crunchy yellow leaves that scattered as my hands dragged through his dark locks. One significant question still burned at the back of my mind.
"Does this mean we're dating now?" I asked breathlessly once I found my footing, anxious not to leave any more loose ends.
Everett pouted, dragging me closer to him till I was almost standing on his feet. "I don't know, Clementine, you haven't asked me out yet."
"I told you I loved you!"
"Yeah? Well I'm in love with you too." His face lit up with the sweetest smile. "And, Clementine...."
"Yeah?" I managed to get out, my heart thumping wildly against my chest. He was in love with me too. I felt like I was skating through space and walking on sunshine.
Everett's eyes sparkled in a teasing manner as his nose bumped against my cheek, his lips almost touching mine in the feather-light shape of a kiss.
He sounded like he was trying not to laugh as he reminded me of something I'd said on the very first day I met him.
"Clementine." Everett spoke in the faintest whisper, his teasing words falling on my red-tipped ears. "Do you realize you just professed your love on a rooftop?"