The night transcended into twilight as we drowned under multiple rounds of explosive passion. We lay entangled long after we were done, not moving, neither wanting to. His words still rang in my head, although muffled by the haze of ecstasy.

It was mutually decided that the bedsheet under us was way too ruined to be used and after an extremely long and awkward period in which we dressed silently, we made our way to the car. We sat in his car after a while, but he made no attempt to start the engine. I remained quiet, waiting for him to say something. A million questions ran through my head. Each more terrifying than the last.

As much as I hated to overthink and ruin what had just happened, I couldn't help but. Did that mean he actually had feelings for me? Feelings that were more than just friendship? Or was it just a part of his impulsiveness? What would it mean for us anyway?

I shrunk away from him almost unconsciously, trying to make myself as small as possible. It was true that it had felt amazing, but suddenly it was like I didn't know how to talk to him.

He sighed after a while and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "Is it okay if we hang around for a bit?" he asked.

I nodded reluctantly. "Yeah. Sure."

He seemed to smile a little as he finally started the engine. I leaned back and took a deep breath, my head still buzzing with everything that had happened. My skin tingling, reliving each of his touches. The feeling of his lips on mine, on my skin. I had thought it would be awkward, and for a while, it was. Although later, it had felt right. Perfect somehow. But I couldn't help wondering if he felt the same way.

It was strange that he had wanted me that way. I had never been much to look at. I never had the brilliant, intoxicating irises, the sharp nose, the chiselled jaw. I was just...average. Pretty much at everything. Ace on the other hand was definitely on the much hotter side. Sometimes I wondered if he knew about it and deliberately downplayed himself.

We drove around for a few more hours, by the end of which I was severely worried about Ace and requested him to go sleep. He pursed his lips tightly but didn't protest, which was a relief considering how sunken his eyes and how pale his skin was. He was exhausted, whether he wanted to admit it or not.

He drove to my home and stopped the car, turning to look at me. "I'll see you tomorrow then," he said softly.

I bit my lip and nodded. I waited for a few more seconds, reluctant to part in spite of my awkwardness. I wished he would say something. But it didn't seem like he would, so I finally decided to do that instead.

"Ace...can I...ask you something?" I asked, staring at my shoes.

"You just did. But sure, go ahead."

I gulped and took a steadying breath. I didn't know how exactly to ask him what I wanted to know. One, why did he decided to have sex with me and two, was it good for him?

None of it sounded good in my head.

"Why..." I shuddered and tried again, clearing my throat. "Why...did you...decide...? S-suddenly?"

He was quiet for so long that I forced myself to look at him, curiously.

"I decide?" he said, smirking softly. "You seemed really into it too."

My cheeks burned and I grit my teeth. "Yes. But you initiated it. So..." I took a deep breath, my heart pounding near my throat. "Why?"

"I told you," he said shrugging. "I love you."

I was pretty sure being around Archer Wilde couldn't be good for my heart which threatened to leap out of my mouth at his words. It was strange how easily he spoke the words. So naturally. Almost as if it was obvious for him.

I sat still for a while, not knowing how to react. And maybe he sensed something as he spoke softly. "Why is that hard to believe for you?"

I bit my lip anxiously, the air suddenly heavy as I stuttered, "Find...what h-hard to believe?"

"That I love you," he said, his voice low.

"I...I-" I stuttered like a moron before I realized the truth of his words. The way I had been so stunned when he had confessed to me. The way I couldn't find any reason why he would want me. The way I could never imagine in my wildest dreams that he could have feelings for me.

"I'll keep saying that till you find it easier to believe by the way," he said and nudged my shoulder playfully. I didn't respond, still hyperventilating. He may have misconstrued my silence however as he sighed.

"Do you....regret it?" he asked in a low voice.

I stared at him in disbelief. His eyes were slightly shrouded by the dark, his eyebrows knitted together. Did he really think I would regret that?

"N-no."

He seemed to let out a breath before he placed a hand on my cheek and gently stroked my bottom lip. I gazed at him, entranced as he spoke, "It...it meant a lot to me, Miles."

I gulped and nodded. "It...meant a lot to me too."

I leaned towards him, hoping to kiss him again. My heart fluttered as he leaned in, his lips finding mine in a warm embrace. The kiss was tender, sweet and yet electrifying. I leaned back after a while, my neck heating up with the memories of tonight. "Yeah, okay," I managed to squeak before I stepped out and shut the door behind me. I was aware of his gaze following me and turned around to face him.

"I'll...see you then," I said, struggling to maintain eye contact with him.

He smiled, in a way that lit up the sparkling azure of his eyes. His lips tilted in a small smile. "Yeah. See you."

He revved up the engine and drove off, turning around the next street and disappearing completely from view. His absence made my chest ring hollow for a second before I took a deep breath and steadied myself.

It was then that I slowly realized that the first rays of the sun were ascending. The sky outside seemed to lighten just a fraction as the city started awakening. I gazed at the far off horizon, still obscured by residential buildings. The naked, gentle pink of the dawn intertwining with the silver zenith. Were all morning so beautiful? How come I had never noticed before, the simplistic beauty in the rising sun? The exotic ordinariness of the common birds?

I turned towards my home and snuck in quietly, listening to make sure my parents weren't awake yet. They would usually go on morning walks around five-thirty, which meant, by my watch that I still had an hour to silently go upstairs and pretend to be asleep before it was legally okay to wake up.

I lay down on my bed and gazed up at the ceiling, my brain hazy. Before long, everything came running back to me with tormenting clarity. His touch. His lips. His tongue.

I groaned and buried my face in the pillow. Had it been a mistake? With how strongly I already felt for him, this would probably make me feel even more deeply. And what if nothing happened?

Worse, what if something did?

I didn't think I could handle the pressure of being in a relationship with Archer Wilde. In an odd way, I felt like I loved him too much to bring such complications between us.

I sighed and turned to lie on my stomach, shutting my eyes tightly and hoping to get some sleep before school. However, sleep came in the form of extremely colourful dreams that kept me squirming for hours till I gave up and realized the truth.

Too fucking late not to fall.

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Yep, teeny tiny chapter. Sorry XD

Initially, this chapter was longer but I edited it out and added it to the next one. The weekend is here now so I'll upload more super soon! Thank you for waiting.