August

"August, what did I tell you about keeping secrets from me?" Mom says through the phone.

I hear my sister and aunt yelling in the background. "Mom, you know you mean the world to me, right?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Then you should also know I'm I don't have to tell you everything that goes on in my life."

She gasps. "Gina!" She shouts. "Did you hear what your brother just told me?"

"No. What did he say, mama?"

"He just told me he doesn't love me anymore!" She cries out, and I hear Gina gasp.

"I did not say that." I grumble and yawn.

It's four in the morning and I haven't been able to go to sleep for more than an hour all week. Today, just as I was finally dozing off, mom called. I hadn't spoken to her in a while, so I agreed. It's been nearly an hour.

For the next ten minutes, mom and Gina try to prove why they deserve to know everything that goes on in our life. After a while, I grow irritated and manage to convince them to end the call. I shut the lights off, make a glass of water and take a seat at the table to think.

I tap my fingers against the wooden table slowly as I take a sip of my water. Contemplating whether I should take the biggest risk I've ever taken. My phone dings, vibrating on the table. I glance at it, hoping like hell that it's Robin. When I see it is not, I roll my eyes.

"Fuck this."

I stand up, swipe my keys off of the counter and stride to the door. It isn't until I get to my car that I realize I've forgotten my jacket. I disregard it and start the car, eager to get this off of my chest.

Robin. That's who I want. She's the only one I want, and it's a damn shame it took me this long to finally admit it to myself. But deep down, I knew. I knew she was the only one for me.

Rain streams down as I drive. My heart beats rapidly as I turn down the road. I arrive at her house faster than I should. I park my car on the side of the street before rushing out.

By the time I knock on her door, my hair and shirt are drenched. When she doesn't answer the first time, I knock again.

After a moment, the door opens. My breathing grows heavier when I see her. Fuck. How did she manage to get prettier?

"August it's four in the morning. What do you want?" She asks. When she leans against the threshold, I nearly drop to my knees right then and there.

"You."

I cup her face and kiss her. She kisses me back, which makes me calm down. But as soon as I deepen the kiss, she pulls away.

"Stop. You can't just play with my feelings like this, August. I'm trying to move on, so just go all right?"

I wipe the rain from my face and exhale a deep breath. I had so much to say, but didn't know how to say it.

"That day… I was scared, Robin. I still am."

I roll my sleeves up and point to scars on my wrist. "I used to cut myself. I didn't feel worth anything." I swallow down the tears that wanted to leave. I have no right to cry.

"I didn't want to live, Robin."

"August-"

I pull my sleeves back, still ashamed of how weak I once was. "But then you came along. And you were so stubborn. So fucking stubborn. You were feisty, strong, and didn't tolerate anything. I didn't know how to handle it. I hated it."

I shove my hands in my pockets as I stare at her. She's not as drenched as I am, but enough to make her hair damp. All of her hair was down, some falling in her face. She stares at the mat in front of her door and folds her arms as I continue.

"I don't know when or how, but at some point I didn't hate it any more. Instead, I looked forward to your stubbornness. I woke up, hoping to see you. I wanted to be better for you. Seeing you with another man had to be one of the most painful things I've ever experienced. God, Robin, you don't know half of the things you do to me. "

"August, please-"

"No matter how much I tried to stop it, I couldn't. You stand out like a goddamn star everywhere I go and it irks me."

I run a hand through my hair as a raindrop hits my face. "Fuck, I can't do this."

She looks up from the mat. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm tired of this big speech." I step close and cup her face. "I fucking love you, Robin, alright?"

"What?" she whispers, her eyes watering. Robin shakes her head and turns away. "No you don't."

"Look at me, gorgeous." I turn her back to me. She stares at me, her expression softer than I've ever seen on her. I wipe a tear from her cheek with my thumb. "I love you."

She shakes her head as more tears fall. "Then why didn't you say it that day, August?"

I smile and move a strand of hair behind her ear. "Because I'm an idiot, baby."

She sniffles. "Yes you are. You are such an idiot, August. What were you thinking? Do you know how angry I-"

I bring my hands to her waist and move her closer before shushing her with a kiss. She doesn't hesitate this time, kissing me back with just as much eagerness as me. I could taste our shared breath, feel the thud of our combined heartbeat as we kissed. Rain showers down on us.

After a moment, I pull away. I rub my thumb over her lip as she breathes heavily. "I'm sorry. I am so fucking sorry for hurting you, Robin."

She frowns. "Do you actually love me, or is this some kind of sick joke?"

"Yes. I’ll sing it, if I have to. Shout it from the rooftops. Whatever it takes to make you believe it.”

"Really?"

I shake my head and drop my hands from her waist. "You just don't get it, do you?"

I walk to the side of Robin's house as she shouts behind me. I climb the ladder and stand on top of the roof. "Everybody!" I shout, my loudest, as her neighbor's light turns on.

"I love Robin Davis!"

"Get down now!" Robin yells.

The neighbor looks out her window and when she spots me, her eyes widen. Seconds later, she appears on her porch, pointing her cane at me.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Correction!" I smile and hold my heart. "I am desperately in love with Robin Davis! And you can kiss my ass if you don't like it!"

The neighbor shakes her head as she walks back inside of her house. "Kids these days."

Robin points her index finger at me. "If you don't get off of my roof, I'm going to throat-punch you, August!" She threatens.

Feeling challenged, I smirk and make my way to the side of the roof, where Robin can't see me. I step down the first three steps. "Can't throat-punch me if I'm already-"

I jump off of the ladder, falling on the grass of Robin's lawn as she screams. I shut my eyes and groan, having a slight pain in my leg. It wears off just as Robin kneels by my side. I hold my breath as she shakes me.

"August, get your ass up!"

When I don't reply, she lies her head on my heart. It takes every bone in my body not to smile at that. She hits my arm. "Get up!" She says, fear in her voice.

I still hold on and don't move as she continues to shake me. "August, please!"

Fuck, she's adorable.

When she says that, I can't take it anymore. Laughing, I open my eyes and sit up abruptly, making her jerk back. "Pussy." I say.

Her nostrils flare in anger and she hits my arm again. "Asshole!" She shouts, standing up and storming away.

I follow her actions, following behind her as I laugh harder. "Robin, I'm sorry, I couldn't resist it!"

"Leave me alone."

I catch up to her quickly. Hugging her from behind, I kiss her neck. "I love you." I say against her neck.

When she doesn't reply, I frown. "Say it back." I mumble.

"Now you know how it feels."

I groan in frustration and turn her around. Robin smiles as I lift her up. She wraps her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist as soaks us. "Say it back." I say again.

She laughs as I start walking towards her front door. "Okay, okay." Robin pecks my lips. "I love you."