[dedicated to andy, who is a hella lovely best friend]
.*.*.
His lips stretched into a smile. Arlando remembered her now. The blurry lines were becoming sharper. He remembered when he first met her at the ball, how beautiful she was. Not only in the way she looked but also in the way she behaved and spoke. Looking down at the pages, he read the lines where she said that he had power over words. He didn't know that about himself. He did, however, remember being mentally frustrated when Kathleen took so long to give him a reply.
He rarely did that. He rarely asked girls out for a second date or exchanged numbers. He always preferred one night stands. But there was just something in the way she walked and talked that had him hypnotised. She didn't attempt to kiss him. She just talked. She talked of her studies and how well her Creative Writing classes were going for her. She talked mostly about novels. Arlando didn't understand much of what she said but everything she said seemed to intrigue him. He remembered asking her about her favourite novels and he listened intently as she told him endless stories. One particular favourite of her's piqued his interest. To Kill A Mockingbird. And even though he never had the interest for reading, the way she talked about it with a flaming passion made him want to get his hands on a copy.
Arlando's smile dimmed as his memory brought this all back from the dead. How could his mind just forget about the relationship he shared with such a memorable girl. And why had he broken up with her? Even though seven years ago was a long time, Arlando had no reason to forget her so why did he? Did she hurt him? No girl had ever hurt Arlando Cassa. Except, of course, Evaline Gold but never from his past.
Patience was never an attribute he possessed, and he turned the page, the second chapter staring at his face. Then he progressed to read.
.*.*.
CHAPTER TWO
We met up after the ball two weeks later at the park. It was a magical night. Getting you to meet me was probably the hardest thing I had to do. It wasn't because you were unwilling. No, it was quite the opposite. You were very willing to meet me. There was just one problem. We attended different universities and did different courses that didn't make time for us to meet each other and that was the obstacle that was preventing me from seeing you and you from seeing me. Every time I was free, you were busy either having classes, having guys night out or studying.
In all honesty, I didn't picture you as the studying kind of guy despite being in university where absolutely everyone is serious. You struck me as the guy who was still stuck in high school. I didn't believe that you spent at least twelve hours a week studying until you sent me pictures of your textbooks at 10 PM in the night along with several explanations to what the text's in the books meant. I didn't understand anything you told me but it sounded awfully brainy and I couldn't be bothered trying to figure it out. I always hated Maths and your dream was to become an Architect. Too bad that involved Maths.
Our busy schedule's surely didn't stop us from conversing. Sometimes you'd call me at 1 AM in the morning and sometimes at 11 AM. You had impeccable timing but you'd say that even though you enjoyed messaging me, it wasn't the same thing as hearing my sweet voice ring in your ears, even if the phone manipulated part of my voice and made it sound slightly mechanic. You made me smile, Arlando.
We would talk days on end despite our busy lives and you said that you wanted to meet me again. You brought it up several of times. But when I was not busy, you were. And when you were not busy, I was. In one of our conversations I mentioned something about a novel that I had recently read and the main couple would meet up at midnight because their parents had forbid them from seeing each other. That's when you said, "that's a bloody genius idea."
You said we should do what Amelia and Toby, the main couple, did. You said that whatever day is less packed for us, we would meet in the park at midnight. We both found it convenient because more than half the week, my midnight was free.
The first time we met in the park you wore a suit. You had on a plain white dress shirt with grey dress pants. And you were wearing a blazer. It was like seeing you at the ball all over again, in a lovely suit with that goofy smile hanging off your lips. Except I wasn't wearing a formal dress, I wasn't even wearing a dress at all. I was clad in blue skinny jeans and a pink tank top.
"Oh my," I said, raking my eyes over your body. I was astonished by your appearance but that didn't stop me from taking that as an excuse to give you the once over. Well, the many overs since I couldn't take my eyes off you.
"Before you say that I look like a dope and very shitty right now, I can explain," you said. You looked embarrassed, a little heat rising to your cheeks as they were tainted with red. Your eyes kept dancing from here to there and they refused to meet my very amused ones. You looked more adorable than you looked hot. I couldn't quite decipher why seeing you nervous made me feel nice and queasy inside. Maybe it was the thought that you might actually care for me. But I didn't let myself get too ahead of it and jump to conclusions.
"Landon got drunk and when I told him about the fiasco with you and me and how we can only meet is at midnight he made this outrageous idea that I dress up for it." You fidgeted as you spoke, playing with your hands and your facial expressions changed all the time. I should have calmed your nerves but I found you highly amusing. No guy had ever been this flustered meeting me. "At first I agreed thinking that he just meant I should wear better clothes, like a better shirt or better jeans when he said, 'No, you idiot. Wear the suit you wore at my birthday, Ar.' God, I sound ridiculous." You spoke very animatedly and I made the mistake of cracking my lips into a smile. It wasn't until I let out a giggle that your hazel eyes moved from staring at the grass to my face.
"And you did what Landon said?" I asked, biting my lip so hard because I didn't want to give you the satisfaction that you were funny. Well, not yet.
"He practically forced me," you grumbled underneath you breath as you raked your hand through your unruly set of curls.
I don't know what happened within me but something about seeing you in such a vulnerable position tugged at my heart. Building up my confidence, I moved forward and laid a hand on your shoulder. You looked me in the eye and the grip your teeth had over your lips slowly loosened. "You look very cute," I said, my red stained lips curving up into a smile as my bangs fell over my eyes. I'd never said such things so straightforwardly with any guy before and I didn't know what came over me but to say I was pleased with the reaction I got would be an understatement.
You scowled, you lips turning downwards. "Handsome," you said and at first I didn't understand what you meant by that. After a few seconds I realised you were correcting me and I tried my very best not to smile. But you were cute and your behaviour around my presence only further proved that.
"Okay, Arlando Cassa. You think you're handsome but I think you're cute." You opened your mouth to argue but I lifted my hand up that lay on your shoulder which stopped you from fighting back. "Before we start debating on your looks, how about we use that blazer of yours as a blanket. I am not getting my butt dirty."
This time it was amusement playing in your eyes and that made me nervous. The tables had turned so fast. You removed your blazer and I tried to keep my eyes away from your shirt that clung to your body perfectly but it was so hard, especially when you were right beside me and well within reach. I could have grabbed you there and then, felt your smooth chest and solid stomach beneath my palms but like the strong girl I was, I swallowed down my temptation and settled at looking at you as you placed the blazer on the soft, evergreen grass and placing yourself down onto the grass with a soft plop.
"Aah," you said, giving out a content sigh. I gave you a blunt pointed look, showing clearly on my face how much I was annoyed. "What?" you exclaimed, a mischievous expression gracing your attractive features.
"There's no space for me," I pointed out.
You smirked and held out your hand. I looked at it and then back to you, my brows raised in suspicion. "Come on," you urged holding your hand further up so it would be easier for me to take it. I hesitantly placed my hand into yours, still suspicious of what you were up to, and just as I fell into a peaceful comfort with your rough contours fitting against mine so perfectly, you jerked your hand forward and that lead me stumbling down onto your lap.
"Much better," you said, your face so close to mine. Your legs were beneath mine, your hand gently splayed across my thigh. Ignoring the heat and tension that transpired between your body and mine seemed impossible and with every second I felt the heat grow more hotter and I was pretty sure you were moving closer to me.
Was this revenge for the night at the ball? When I made you flustered and nervous? Was this your way of paying me back? And while I never voiced any of those questions, I sent you a silent glare to which your response was simply a wider, goofier grin.
"You look nervous," you pointed out, your lips turned up into a smirk.
I rolled my eyes and I struggled to get my heart back to its normal pace but it kept beating against my ribcage faster and harder. Your hazel eyes were closer than they were before and involuntarily I felt my body draw closer to yours, your eyes holding this strong magnetic pull.
"Well, I'm not the one dressed up so ridiculously," I shot back, the edges of my lips lifting as I stared evenly back into your hazel eyes as I tried not to notice your hand sliding up my arm slowly and seductively that made my body reel with indescribable pleasure.
You didn't scowl which I thought you would. Instead, you pushed me off your lap and moved backwards so that the entire blazer was beneath me and protecting my butt from any ants or dirt that was on the grass. I didn't let you sit on the grass though. I took this as an excuse and grabbed your hand, pulling you towards me, your body pressed against mine as we shared the blazer. The heat from your body was mixed with mine, your naked skin touching any part of me that wasn't clothed.
You weren't smiling, you weren't scowling. You were doing something new with your lips. They were simply set into a line, your eyes now a darker shade of hazel as you gazed into my blue ones. "You look beautiful," you whispered, your fresh pine breath hitting my face and making my very own breath catch in my throat.
"Not as beautiful as the stars," I disagreed, a soft smile finding its way to my lips.
Whether you agreed with me or not you didn't say. Instead, you tightened your grip around my hand and lay back on the soft grass and when you invited me to look at the stars from down here because they definitely looked more beautiful laying down on the grass, I rejected your invitation and you pulled me down even though you knew I didn't want to get dirty - I guess I could be categorised as one of those clean freaks - and I fell beside you, one of my legs on top of yours, the heat travelled well through my jean-clad leg and I felt everything inside me light up.
"Isn't this worth getting dirty?" you said. I hadn't ever heard you sound so dazed and fascinated. Maybe it was because I had only spent one night with you, this being the second, but I felt my lips stretch into a smile when I heard you say that.
I looked at you and hazel eyes looked soft and your body against mine didn't feel tensed. You looked relaxed, peaceful and mostly like you were home. Like staring at the sky was home. I diverted my gaze from you to the stars and immediately I knew what you meant. The stars looked mesmerising from this position. They twinkled and shined above us. They looked so magnificent against the dark night. They stars were a perfect contrast.
"Yeah," I said, my voice coming out as dazed as yours had. "It looks beautiful."
You then looked at me and a soft smile made its way to your lips as your hazel eyes softened and you squeezed my hand bringing it up to your face. You placed your lips on my knuckles, kissing them softly but sweetly and my heart began to race another marathon.
"Very, very beautiful," you whispered, your breath teasing my skin.
I didn't know if you were talking about the stars or me because you didn't say. The rest of the night we talked mostly about our studies and hectic lives, staring at the stars until they started to disappear and dawn began to approach. What I enjoyed for the most part of the night as we stared up at the stars was that you didn't let go of my hand, not even once and that made my feelings and heart burn brighter than any of those stars we watched that night.
.*.*.
I hope you guys are enjoying this so far. What did you think of Arlando coming up dressed in a suit? The idea was ridiculous but it was funny as well so I went with it.
I'd really love to know what you guys think of this so please don't hesitate to leave a comment and/or vote! I'd really appreciate it.
Also, on a side note, I FINISHED WRITING THIS ENTIRE NOVELLA YESTERDAY! Can I get a whoop whoop?