So, I have come to the conclusion that I'm not very good at doing this whole write chapters in advance and hoard them in case I get writers block thing. I get way too excited to post them. So what the hey, have another one.
I apologise in advance for that inevitable time in the distant future when y'all don't get a chapter because I apparently get so excited that I can't keep a written chapter to myself for longer than 24 hours.
Enjoy :)
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JESSE'S POV
"I want to apologise. I was a bit of an arse today and you didn't deserve it." Todd whispered, his eyes focused on a patch on the floor. Come on Todd, look at me.
"I did deserve it a little bit. I think I should apologise too. You were obviously upset and embarrassed about what happened and I should have been more sensitive about it. I didn't mean to make you feel bad." I replied quietly, hoping bringing up what happened would make him make eye contact, even if it's with anger. A dull flush started working its way up his neck and I could have kicked myself. His eyes darted to the door and I panicked, quickly moving to block the exit. There is no way he's escaping until we've talked this out.
I should have known bringing it up wasn't the best way to go about this from the way he reacted today in Chemistry. It never occurred to me that he'd be this upset about what happened. I never realised he was this shy. I mean, he's always seemed so confident and defensive, and he goes through girlfriends so fast it's a wonder he doesn't have whiplash. He's almost an adult; surely he's masturbated in front of someone before.
High school is where almost everyone figures their sexuality out and starts to become sexually active. It's very rare these days for someone not to. Heck, even Luka comes to school trying to hide hickeys sometimes. Of course it is absolutely a personal choice thing and no one should be made to feel like their choice is the wrong one.
"Not that you have anything to be embarrassed about. I mean, you should be completely confident about your body. You've got a good one." I found myself babbling as the awkward silence stretched on. I winced at my choice of words. You've got a good one? Really? What a dumb compliment. He's going to think I'm laughing at him again. Todd shuffled his feet, looking so awkward that I just wanted to pull him into a hug and never let go.
"It was hot." I blurted out, and then closed my eyes in horror. That wasn't much of a step up.
"W... what?" Todd croaked out, eyes wide. Surely he knows how attractive he is? He has girls constantly falling at his feet. I took a couple of steps forward, resisting the urge to just reach out and yank him into my arms. Todd looked up, startled at the sudden lack of distance between us before he took a few steps backward and was stopped by the kitchen counter. He stared at me incredulously, unconsciously leaning back on the counter, making himself seem smaller.
I paused for a second as it hit me at once what the possible reason for him being so embarrassed was. The rumors Jennifer was spreading popped into my head and I could feel a small smile fighting to appear on my face as I considered the fact that he might be a virgin. If I was a virgin I would be incredibly embarrassed that someone caught me wanking. Heck, it'd be embarrassing even for people who were sexually active, but it would be worse for someone who hadn't shared that part of themselves yet.
"Look Todd. I'm clearly not good at this talking thing. I'm just going to come out and say it, and hope that I don't get my arse kicked by Ryder and Parker later. It was hot. You're hot. You're funny, and sweet, and you rescue animals. You're surprisingly shy, which I didn't expect at all but it's kind of a turn on. I like you. I've liked you for a while," I paused to evaluate how he was taking this. I smiled at him comfortingly as he stood there staring at me speechless, and I was completely charmed by how shy he was being.
"I'll understand if you don't like me back, I'm not exactly what you normally go for." I said quietly. He just kept staring at me, confused.
"I don't have boobs." I joked.
"Oh," Todd stared at me for a second, before looking down at the ground again. He glanced at me shyly, before opening his mouth to talk. He closed it again, clearing his throat. "That... That's okay." He whispered. I froze, staring at him.
"That's okay?" I asked, holding my breath as I waited for him to confirm it, my heart thumping so hard I was sure he could hear it. He swallowed audibly.
"Yeah. That... that you don't have boobs. I don't mind." He replied quietly, his voice shaky. He scuffed his shoe across the floor for a few seconds before he peeped up at me, looking strangely vulnerable. I think my heart melted on the spot. He looked back down again and I took a few quick steps towards him, reaching out with a hand to cup his face, lifting his chin up so he had to make eye-contact.
"I'm supposed to be the shy one. I'm shorter and less muscly." I teased him. He blinked at me.
"That doesn't even make sense." He said and I grinned at him, elated that he hadn't tried to move my hand away from his face.
"Isn't that how it normally works in romance books?" I asked.
"You read romance books?" He asked curiously, and I grinned at him. His eyes flickered down to my lips and I gently stroked my thumb across his cheekbone, smiling when his eyes fluttered shut before he forced them open again.
"How else would I know how to sweep you off your feet?" I teased, taking the chance to move a bit closer. He let out a surprised laugh, before the sound cut off with a sharp inhale when I placed my hand loosely on his hip. I paused for a second, giving him the chance to push me away before I moved closer again, slightly adjusting the angle of his face towards mine and hovering my lips over his so that our breath was intermingling.
"Is this okay?" I whispered and smiled when he gave a tiny jerk of his head. I leaned forward and gently brushed his lips with mine before backing away slightly to gauge his reaction. He licked his lips unconsciously, his gaze centred on my mouth before his eyes came back up to meet mine.
I smiled at him and squeezed his hip before moving slowly forward again. Our lips brushed again chastely before I pressed in a little harder and slowly deepened the kiss. His hands landed on my chest and I tensed, waiting for him to push me away, but they slowly travelled up to my shoulders and one diverted from its path to slide into my hair. There was a tense pause before his mouth opened under mine and he began to kiss back tentatively.
I let go of my hold on his hip so I could wrap my arm around his waist and pull him closer and couldn't help smiling into the kiss at the way he seemed to go boneless in my arms at the action. After a few minutes of gentle kisses, I started to feel lightheaded from lack of air so I gently moved backwards, ending the kiss.
We stared at each other, panting before I dropped my hand from his face and pulled him into a tight hug. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and we just stood there like that for a few moments. After a while he stirred, clutching me a bit tighter. I smiled, threading my fingers through his hair.
"I thought you were disgusted." He mumbled quietly into my shoulder. I frowned in response. What would he think I'd be disgusted about?
"I don't understand. Why would I be disgusted?" I asked curiously, leaning back so I could see his face. Another blush covered his face and he averted his eyes.
"You just stared at me and then closed the curtains." He mumbled. No way. He couldn't possibly think I wasn't attracted to him.
"No sweetie, no. I wasn't disgusted. I wasn't kidding when I said it was hot. You blew my mind. I closed the curtains so I could do the same thing. I just thought you were straight and would kick my arse if you knew." I said gently, blushing a little myself, but if it made Todd feel better I'd embarrass myself a million times over.
"Oh," There was an awkward pause while he considered the new piece of information. "Really?" Todd asked, blushing.
"Really really." I replied.
The click of the front door opening made Todd's eyes widen before his hands were on my chest and shoving me away. I reluctantly let him move to the other side of the counter, before turning to face whoever was coming into the house. My mom came in and stopped short as she saw us just standing there, eyes taking in our flushed faces.
"Hi Jesse, hi Todd. Em is staying at a friend's tonight Jesse. What about you two? What kind of mischief are you going to be getting into?" Mom said, coming forward to give me a kiss on the forehead, and then leaning back to look at us again. A knowing grin split her face and I couldn't help the answering one that crept up on mine.
"Hi Mrs Waterfield. No mischief here." Todd said nervously, and I bit my lip to try and stop my chuckles. No point in trying to hide it - Mom knew what was going on as soon as she walked through the door.
"Oh, well that sounds boring. Are you sure there's no mischief?" Mum teased gently. I turned slightly so I could see Todd, he was nodding emphatically.
"Oh, well, in that case, I'll just leave you two to continue doing your 'no mischief'." Mom said, walking around us to head up the stairs to her room. She paused in the doorway and turned to look at me before her lips twitched and looked at Todd.
"Oh, but Todd? If you want to convince someone that there hasn't been any mischief, you might want to hide that hickey a bit better." She teased. Todd paled and clapped a hand to his neck, before realising he wouldn't have gotten a hickey from our small kissing session.
"I don't have a hickey!" He said indignantly making my mum laugh.
"No you don't sweetie. But you did just give yourself away. I'm going to go get ready for work. You two have fun." She said with a wink before disappearing from the room. Todd stared after her.
"Your mother is sneaky." Todd said. I snorted.
"Tell me about it." I replied.
"She doesn't mind... us?" Todd said. Unable to resist, I moved around the counter and pulled him into another hug.
"Of course not. Will your dad?" I asked. Todd stiffened and pushed me away again.
"Yeah, definitely. I should head back home. Thanks for... uh. Just thanks." Todd said before heading for the front door. I sighed. Two steps forward, one step back.
I followed, pushing the door closed when he tried to open it, and then pressing my body up against him when he turned around. I pulled him down for a light kiss with a finger hooked in the top button of his shirt before backing away with a cheeky grin and letting him open the door.
"Bye." I said, smiling widely.
"Bye." He replied shyly.
I watched out the window with a smile as he walked back around the fence to his house, his fingers pressed to his lips, before turning around and flopping on the couch with a happy sigh.