I don't remember how Beth ended up in my room last night, but right now I couldn't care less or be happier.

She lays asleep next to me, her face peaceful after the dramatic entrance she made earlier. I touch her cheek pushing a stray strand of curly brown hair off it. She smells like tangerines.

She sucks a breath in, stirring. 

Hamilton certainly didn't help the situation. Holding a willful spirit like Beth back was never going to work out for him. If I were him, I would have let her try to save her mom.

And I was right, because now she's here in my bed. She's mine. She has always been my Beth but now she truly is my Beth. I just had to wait for Hamilton to screw it up.

"I'm sorry they took her away from you," I whisper. "But I'm glad you came to me instead."

Despite all the pain in her life, last night was the most beautiful I'd ever seen her.

She came into my unit, and cried over the death of her mother and the betrayal Hamilton had forced upon her until she had exhausted herself. Eventually, she fell asleep on the couch. I tucked a blanket over her petite shoulders and left her sleeping there.

I went to bed myself but instead of sleeping, I found myself staring at the ceiling in the darkness. To her I was always going to be her best friend. No matter how much I wanted more, it was never going to happen. Hamilton had always been the top man.

Beth and I were neighbors and only two weeks apart in age. It made sense for us to be together. Everyone said so. But somehow Hamilton had caught her eye and I was shoved aside.

From the outside he looked more capable of protecting her. Not that Beth needed protecting from much. But I could see why he appealed to her. His muscles were bigger, more used to hard work than mine. His eyes were a lighter, more appealing color and he had an air of mystery around him. 

All of that, I could see was appealing to Beth. Every time she spoke of him, the awe on her face said it all. She paid attention to his every move and hung onto his every word like it was gold.

But I could see he wasn't right for her. Best friend's have that kind of intuition. Hamilton grew up in the worst faction. He was parentless. His mother died giving birth to him, and of course there was no father. So he grew up an orphan and an outcast and it made him unlikable and unsuitable for my Beth.

I'm just thankful she finally came to her senses. Even if it cost her her mom.

There was a rustle from the couch. It was followed by faint footsteps as she tiptoed over to my bed. 

"Tom?" she had whispered. "Are you awake?"

I glanced over at her. "Yeah."

She scooted under the covers next to me. "Thank you," she whispered into the darkness. "I love you more than anything in the world."

"I love you too," I said back. I know she doesn't mean it the way she would say to Hamilton, but I take it anyways because I like to think that she does.

Before I can pause to soak the words in, her hot breath is inches from my lips. She leans and kisses them. They're softer than I expected as she kisses me. 

"Beth!" I gasp in surprise, pulling my head to the other side and away from her. 

"What? Don't you love me?"

"Well of course I do!?" I say, confused. Why was she acting like this? Didn't she still like Ham? 

She stops. I can feel her glaring into my soul.

"You're exactly like Hamilton," she spits, rolling off of me.

"That's not fair!" I push myself up onto my elbows. "I just don't think you're in the right frame of mind to be doing this with me right now. Your mom just died and then there's Hamilton."

"I don't give a shit about that bastard."

"Beth," I say, reaching for her face. She pulls away from my fingers. "You don't mean that."

"Do you want this or not?"

Of course I wanted it. How could I not? She was my best friend and I was in utter and complete love with her. We were perfect for each other. I could be her everything and she could be my everything. But I didn't want to do it like this. 

"I do, but not-"

"Then shut up!" She pushes me back down so my elbows give way under me so I collapse back onto the bed, and starts kissing my neck.

I gulp and tense up as she slides her hand across my chest.

"Just relax," she says between kisses.

How could I relax? Here was the most beautiful girl in the whole colony, my best friend, on top of me seeking out my affection.

She props herself further back, kissing me further down my chest. 

My skin prickled at her touch, raising goosebumps across my smooth skin.  I shiver.

"Relax," she whispers between kisses.

I try too but she feels my muscles betray me underneath her. 

"There you go," she smiles, working her way further along. 

It was hopeless fighting it any longer. She knew how to work it just so and boy did it feel good. I sat up with a rush of adrenaline, grabbing her waist. 

Twisting, I threw her onto the under sheets of the bed and kissed her passionately on the mouth.

Our tongues hit each other, a mix of strawberry gloss and antibacterial soap. She tasted sweet but sour and I was all for it.

I began kissing further down her neck. I wanted my whole existence to be inside of her and no matter how hard I went it didn't feel like it was enough.

We were entangled in each like that for what felt like hours. Two passionate heaps of mangled limbs and heated kisses.

The night was perfect. 

I smile at Beth lying peacefully asleep next to me now. How could one be so fiery and so beautiful? How did she look like a goddess one moment and an angel the next? This was what life was supposed to look like. The two of us cradled in each other's arms forever.

Just then, Beth flutters her eyes open and catches me smiling at her.

"Are you watching me sleep?" she says with a smile.

"How could I not?" I whisper as I kiss her cheek and then her neck. "You are the most beautiful creature in the whole entire world."

She giggles.

"Aren't you gonna be late for work?" she asks.

"Probably."

She giggles again as I kiss the nape of her neck. "We'll both get in trouble if you're late."

"They'll understand."

"And they'll take away your privileges."

"Hmmmm, probably but I'll still have you."

"No, seriously," she says, pushing me away from her. "You need to go before they come looking and find the two of us indecent like this."

I smile at her, reaching in to kiss her lips again. "If the fair maiden wishes it, then I shall go."

"Indeed she does," she says as she props herself up on an elbow.

I smile at her. "It's settled then. I'll go to work and you'll stay right here until I get back."

She spits into her hand and holds it out for me to shake. "It's a done deal, Thomas Hade."

I grin at her and spit on my hand. "It certainly is Elizabeth Raff!"

This was the happiest day of my life.