Chapter 19

"That's all I needed to hear." He closed the distance between us and all of the passion that had been building up for years poured into the kiss. It was slow as we took our time to get used to the feeling of our lips molding together.

Then, he started kissing me like I was oxygen and his lungs were running out. Without needing to ask for permission, his tongue invited itself to explore the inside of my mouth.

His hand slid down my back and under my top. My body temperature rose when my hands gripped his hair to deepen the kiss. This moment was exactly as I dreamed it would be, if not, better.

My heart just about flatlined when he lifted me off the floor and wrapped my legs around his waist. The butterflies were throwing a rager in my stomach with each kiss and I pressed my lips to prevent moans from escaping my mouth when he threw me on my bed.

His lips briefly left mine only to ask me if it was okay to touch me. To kiss me anywhere else but my lips. I appreciated what he was doing.

He was trying to not trigger a panic attack and I loved him for that, but I just wanted him to shut up so my tongue could explore every corner of his mouth. The noises from the TV downstairs and the loud thud coming from outside became background noise.

Wait...

A thud?

Kayden heard it too. My labored breaths were already hard enough to control after the PG-13 makeout session that we just had. It became harder due to the terror taking over my stomach at the possibility of someone in my backyard.

Kayden got off my bed and checked outside the window. The whole time, I clung to him like baby ducks do their moms. My nails were digging into his skin on his bare arm and I was pretty sure that I was leaving crescent moon-shaped scars.

I was too scared to look down through the window at the risk of facing a robber so I allowed Kayden to do it for me. Since Gray started sending me those suspicious texts and the last time I saw him, every noise I heard at the house would send me into overthinking mode. Even if it was just a neighbor's car door slamming shut after they just got home.

"Huh, that's weird..." Kayden spoke through his own panting. I couldn't see his facial expressions because I turned my head over my shoulder. I was too gutless to even look at the tree that was right outside my window.

However, judging by his tone, he was confused. Probably at the fact that no one was there. That was what made me finally face my backyard to see the moon through the branches.

"No one's there."

In the seconds that followed, I was able to take deep breaths and my grip on his arm loosened. My arms remained around his bicep and I made no move to let go.

I didn't want to. It felt warm. Big. Muscle-y. Glancing up, I noticed Kayden's lips in the shape of a sly smile with his eyes focused on where my arms were. A warmth spread from my neck to my cheeks, but there was no sense in hiding it. The damage had already been done.

I forced myself to hide my hands behind my back and cleared my throat. "That damn... thud," I swallowed a lump. "It ruined our first—"

"—makeout session?"

I scoffed. Yeah, it was more than just a first kiss. It was far more intense. In a good way, of course. His dimple disappeared and the lustful glint that was in his eyes seconds before was gone. "I need to talk to Angela." His eyes were downcast, but his arm snaked around my lower back and pulled me closer.

I forgot I was still in my costume, but I was grateful I didn't get the chance to take it off. Feelings his warm hands on my bare skin shot tingles up my spine. It took a few seconds for my brain to register his words. Despite just having kissed my long-time crush and heat flooding my cheeks at the close proximity, I was reminded of my situation with Garrett. It was the sad truth that I needed to talk things out with him as well.

-

A twinge settled in my stomach as I stood in front of my bathroom mirror. I shook my hands out and bounced up and down on my toes. Garrett was coming over so I could explain myself. The one thing that he needed to know was that hurting him was not my intention. Also, I didn't want us to just sit there staring at each other while I was trying to figure out what to say. "Garrett, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to lead you on. I really did like you. It's just—"

Seriously?

That's the best you can do?

"Garrett, the last thing I wanted to do was to hurt you."

Nope.

Mm-mm.

"Garrett, please don't be mad at me."

Are you kidding me?

You were just exposed for being in love with Kayden after dating Garrett and you expect him to not be mad at you?

Girl, you're delusional.

"Garrett, I didn't mean to hurt you. You're the sweetest guy and I actually started to like you." That was it. It was officially pointless. I crossed my arms on top of the counter and slammed my head into them in surrender.

"Why would you do this to me?"

Zach stood at the door. A fake hurt look was etched into his features with a pouty lip and his hand flying dramatically to his heart. "You broke my heart, Isabella! I thought you loved me! You used me!"

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up, Zach."

"I was in love with you!" He shook his shoulders like he was sobbing and turned the faucet on to splash water under his eyes to look like he was crying. "But you never loved me! You took my heart, threw it on the ground and stomped all over it with your... big... dumb... feet! How dare you do this to me?"

"I'm serious, Zach! That isn't funny!" I took the hand towel and threw it at his face which he shielded with his arms, his loud chuckles filling the air.

There was a knock on the door.

"Crap! He's here."

"Word of advice, do not do..." Zach gestured toward the mirror and where I was standing. "... anything that you did... in here. 'Cuz that was just sad to watch."

"Shut the hell up, Zach!" I took long strides out of my room and rushed downstairs to open the door. Garrett stood there with melancholy clouding his eyes.

"You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes. Come on in." I led him to the couch in the living room. I knew I had to talk to him about what happened, but now that he was here, I was nervous. Everything I practiced in the bathroom was out the window and I forgot everything I wanted to say.

I wiped my sweaty palms on my legs and pivoted my body to face Garrett. The first seconds were spent scripting what I had to say all over again while he sat at the other end of the couch, with his arms crossed and his head downcast.

"I didn't mean to lead you on. I did like you. You treated me like a princess which is way more than I could say for my ex. I felt a genuine connection with you."

"How long have you liked Kayden?"

My breath hitched in my throat. "Hm?"

"Kayden. How long have you had a crush on him?"

Gee. How do I answer this question?

Since the first day we met and Zach's parents let him come over for a play date. He held my hand as he dragged me to the playground set in their backyard and my heart did somersaults which I didn't know it could.

Is that too much?

"Since kindergarten."

"Since kindergarten," he repeated. "So you've been leading me on this entire time."

"Not the entire time. I told you I liked you."

"Bullshit. You've liked him for thirteen years. Those kinds of feelings don't just go away after one date. You clearly forced yourself to reciprocate my feelings for you because you pitied me."

"That's not true!"

"You know what? Coming here was a mistake." He pushed himself up and stormed off toward the front door. Great. Now, we were back to square one. Remorse clamped over my chest watching him walk away from me. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Garrett, wait!"

It was too late.

He already slammed the door shut behind him.

So much for wanting things to end peacefully between us. Unfortunately, wanting something to happen didn't mean it would.

"I never gave you this bracelet back," I muttered to myself. I played with the charms on the bracelet and ignored the memory that played in my head of him giving it to me. Now, that memory was tainted with the moments that followed. Zach stepped into the room with his eyes trained on the door.

He sighed. "That went well."

I rolled my eyes. I groaned as I buried my face into the throw pillow.

-

"I take it that it didn't go so well with Garrett?" Kayden started on the phone.

"How'd you know?"

"Zach told me."

I scoffed. "Of course he did. I feel awful. I tried to tell him I started to genuinely like him. That the last thing I wanted to do was to break his heart... but he wouldn't listen to me."

It was dead silent on his end. I pulled the phone away from my ear to make sure that we hadn't lost the connection, but the timer of our conversation was still going. "What are you thinking?"

"I want us to be together, Isabella Price. More than anything, I want to be able to call you my girlfriend. I want to be able to hold you in my arms, shower your face with kisses and... show you what a real relationship is supposed to feel like."

Hearing his voice speak those words to me was my fantasy come true. I read books about this. The main male character confesses his love for the girl and the girl was so overwhelmed with emotions that happy tears were cascading down her cheeks. His words echoed around in my head and couldn't help the wide smile that was taking over my face.

"I want that too." My voice cracked at the last word. I hugged my teddy bear mom and dad gifted me with when I was a little girl and imagined I was cuddling with Kayden instead. We were watching a chick-flick in each other's arms and I felt so comfortable, I almost fell asleep. He felt like home to me. Like we were soulmates destined to find each other.

"Now it's my turn to ask. What are you thinking?"

I forced myself out of my reverie and refocused my attention on Kayden's voice. I cleared my throat. "I want the same thing you do. I want to call you my boyfriend and to experience what it feels like to be in a safe relationship, but..."

There were two things that stood in the way. Garrett and Angela. They both seemed broken over everything and to act all couple-y with Kayden right in front of them would be wrong. "We would have to keep it lowkey. Acting affectionate at school in front of Garrett and Angela would take it too far. We need to keep their feelings under consideration."

Silence flooded the room. My eyes tore away from my bedside table and toward the muted TV that was playing Friends.

"You're right. Flaunting our relationship in front of them when everything is still fresh would be inconsiderate."

"Have you spoken to her since the party?"

"No. It keeps going straight to voicemail and she keeps leaving my text messages on read. I don't want us to end on a bad note, but... she won't speak to me. I guess you can't blame her." There was a pause before a deep chuckle escaped his lips. "Why do we have to be kind and considerate people?"

I giggled.

"We couldn't have been born inconsiderate assholes? We just had to be raised right."

"I know right? Being a kind person hurts like a bitch."

"A real bitch."

Our laughs briefly filled the air.

"I... really like you, Isabella Price."

"I really like you too, Kayden Taylors."

-

Quote graphic ❤:

AUTHOR'S NOTE-

Get hyped because the next chapter is when the climax happens and I'm so excited for you guys to read it!