Chapter 23// "I can't help but look down at your lips and ..."
"So what was that about with Daniel?" Elliott asks standing beside me. I can faintly see his breath as he speaks. He's so tall standing next to me I have to lift till my head up to look him in the eye.
"Daniel is just being a spoilt brat"
That's when I hear a clatter of the thunder outside; I almost jump out my skin in surprise.
"So what's the deal with your mom and her friend" He asks. I look down the long corridor, lost in thought.
"That's a bit personal isn't it, Daniel's probably told you everything anyways, and you probably know my life inside out."
"I think we are way past 'too personal' Dawson, and yes Daniel has told me but I want to hear it from you"
I look up into his blue eyes they still look as bright as ever in this dark corridor.
"You know my mom is dead?" I ask still holding his gaze; he nods his head at me, his face expressionless.
"My mom and dad never got along in high school, but something changed near the end of their final year. My mom was in love with my dad and his best friend but there also my mom's best friend. So it was a complicated mess"
"From what I know mom chose my dad over the other guy. My dad loved my mom with everything inside him, but from what I heard he was part of a gang. Though I heard that wasn't an issue when him and mom started going out"
Elliott's eyebrows furrow at the motion of my dad being part of a gang.
"My mom's best friend was the closest person in her life they were practically joint at the hip. But dad did something unforgivable to her, I don't know what it was but I was told my mom nearly broke up her relationship with him."
"Until suddenly she found out she was pregnant with Daniel and I. Dad amended his way, but they lost contact with mom's best friend. Until my mom's condition took a turn for the worst after a years"
"From what I was told mom regretted her relationship with dad. She was utterly in love with my dad's best friend but it was too late. Maybe that's what caused her condition to deteriorate so quickly"
I look down at the ground now unable to look Elliott in the eyes, the sky is getting darker but I keep walking in the direction of my locker. All the same Elliott is still intently listening to my story.
"Her best friend came rushing to the hospital when she heard that mom had taken a turn for the worst and my mom made her promise that if she died she would always be there for us. Mom died and dad packed his things and moved straight to New York leaving everything, leaving two unwanted kids"
"And mom's best friend gave up whatever life she had to look after us bring us up, when we aren't even her kids. Yes she is rarely home now, and she has achieved the career she always wanted, but I will always be grateful for her. Daniel and I would be nothing without her"
"Daniel was closer than I was to her, that was until dad decided to come back in the picture. On our 15th birthday, you remember that weekend you came bargaining in to my house asking where Daniel was"
Elliott nodded but he is blushing slightly at the memory. Elliott had nearly broken done the door and smashed a window when he found out Daniel had left him and they had a footballs game at weekend.
"That was the time I put crickets in your bathtub wasn't it?" Elliott asks quietly. I cock an eyebrow up at him suddenly remembering.
"Dad showed up at the door, he wanted to take us to New York with him. We refused until he got really angry, mom's best friend and him were arguing really badly. Eventually dad was able to force Daniel to go with him."
I finally glance back up at Elliott who is still stating at me with the same intimidating expression. There is a slight gap between us but I was desperate to close it and move closer to him. Though I would never actually do it.
"I felt so alone when Daniel was away, and when Daniel came back his attitude had changed not only towards me but to mom's best friend. He was more aggressive in everything he did. He never told us what he was doing and he was always angry towards her. I don't know what rubbish dad filled his head up with but it pretty much ruined whatever family my mom's best friends had created."
"He sounds like a right pig" Elliott comments.
"Who Daniel?" I ask.
"No your dad" He instantly replies.
"I do too, but then I think how would I feel if lost the one I loved more than anything. Every time I think about him I feel like I hate him more and more"
"I don't think you should give your dad any sympathy, dad's are like that, they just up and leave. They say it's for their career but really, it's because they don't give a fuck about you" His last sentence is said so harshly that it makes me take a step back.
I also know that Elliott's dad had left him, his older brother and his mom, but he had never mentioned it. Actually I'm pretty sure Elliott's dad never actually even married Elliott's mom.
"What happened?" I ask soothingly, trying to give him a small reassuring smile, but his muscles were still tense in his arms where his sleeves were rolled up.
Really how is this boy not freezing?
"Nothing happened that's the problem. We weren't a family. My mom was just a woman he go pregnant twice, he feels like he's ming u his absence by financially supporting us" His voice is filled with anger at the thought of his own father.
His face softens for a fraction of a second when he continues "But dad did lose the woman he love when he was young is I'll give him that"
My mind tells me that I should comfort him. I raise my hand and place it on his bare arm, he give me a startled expression.
"Thanks Dawson" He says genuinely smiling at me. "Now where is this locker of yours, if feels like we have been walking for ever"
I slowly stop in front of it and get the key out my blazer pocket.
I stand on my tiptoes in attempt to reach up to it. Suddenly Elliott begins laughing out loud his voice ringing through the empty corridor. When Elliott laughs it defines his dimples, they stood out among his face and the corners of his eyes crease. All in all he looks more drop dead gorgeous than usual if that is even possible.
"What's so funny" I snap at him.
He looks at me, his blue eyes shinier because of his laughter.
"You, the fact that you can barely reach your locker"
I huff out and ignore his constant laughter as I rummage through my locker. Elliott shoots a hand out to takes a piece of material out to examine.
"Why do you have unicorn onsie in you locker" he continues to laugh, I try not to glance at him because I might just might in to a puddle any second.
"Shut you mouth and take these" I sigh chucking my Doritos and other snacks at him. I grab my onsie out his grasp and chuck it into my locker, hiding away my embarrassment. He drops the food that he is holding to the side.
Elliott grabs my key before I can lock my locker and gives me a childish grin, "Grayson don't be immature" I sigh putting my hands on my hips.
He sticks his tongue out me. I do exactly what he doesn't expect, I pounce on him. One of my hands wrap around his neck holding on to his shoulder trying to lift myself higher but the problem is that I can barely reach this boy's shoulders. I use my hand to reach up as I wobble on my toes.
I push forward leaning against him, I practically have Elliott Grayson pushed up against the lockers and all of a sudden I lose my balance and and have to cling on to his neck to stop myself from falling.
He grins down at me giving me one of those sexy smiles, he is enjoying this too much.
"I'll give them back to you on one condition" He grins mischievously.
"What?" I snap, I hate that his height makes him so intimidating to me.
"Blow me in the closet"
I don't even look at him because my face flames up. I can't believe he even said that out loud. I drum my fists against his rock hard chest.
"Ow, Dawson this is sexual harassment" There is am undertone of laughter in his voice.
"You are such a sick minded pig"
He grabs both my wrists, his cold hands grip on to my warm wrists, that's when I hear some doors close. I look behind Elliott but all I can see are unmoving dark shadows. I shake of the feeling that someone was coming.
"Your such a tease Cress" He mutters quieter than he was speaking before.
I cock an eyebrow at him "Please explain"
He lets go of my petite wrist and bend down to pick up my keys, which he dropped on the floor. I look back at him waiting for answers.
"The way you subconsciously bite your lip whenever you are around me, the way your tight skirt hugs your ass and when you bend down well damn, and when you stare at me with you light chocolate brown eyes" his words were making my heart pound in my chest, "I can't help but look down at your lips and ..."
I internally swear at the two idiots who walk out of the shadow. The blonde hair boy and the dark brown hired boy were both arguing. They hadn't seen us yet, but I still take a huge step away from Elliott.
It was Daniel and Carter.
I got t my locker to slam it shut and both bys look between Elliott and me.
"What are you doing?" Elliott asks Daniel slightly annoyed.
I wonder what Elliott was going to say. My breathing was really fast and my heart was still hammering so hard I was afraid that Carter and Daniel could hear. And that would not be good.
"Well I came to check what you and Elliott were doing, it was kind of weird that you and Elliott left the class at the same time and both of you hadn't returned in a while"
"We thought you and Elliott were hooking up in the closet. You know getting it on" Carter explains.
Daniel looks horrified that Carter said what he was thinking out loud. Elliott looks amused but it was me who spoke first.
"Elliott and me, I wouldn't get in to a guy like Elliott, you know I'm not like that, What do you think of me some kind of slut. I wouldn't hook up in the school with a player like Elliott, I have standards" My eyes glare at Daniel and Carter who both look slightly embarrassed.
"And anyway" I carried on "Why would you think I would get in to your best friend Daniel. Elliott knows he can never touch me, well not without loosing you" I sat matter of fact.
I was just blurted out words, mostly because that it was embarrassing of them to think that something was going on between us. But there was something in the back of my head telling me that I did wish that maybe, just maybe something could be going on between us.
Daniel comes up to me nod pats my shoulder "I'm sorry for thinking you were having sex in a dusty old cupboard with my best friend"
Wow it did sound really bad when Daniel said it out loud. Carter looked equally happy that nothing was going on between Elliott and me. I glance towards Elliott, who I thought would be happy about me explaining that nothing was going on between us.
Instead his blue eyes were cold towards me, his jaw was set and his posture looked tensed. His face looked almost pained, I crease my eyebrows in confusion.
I shake my head at him, trying to subconsciously ask what was wrong but he just walks straight past me knocking my shoulder with his.
"Yum" Daniel says enthusiastically when he grabs the Doritos and other snacks. He instantly opens the packet, stuffing his face. When he offers me one I refuse. My huger had completely disappeared for some reason.
Even Elliott didn't want anything to eat. I hated it that whenever Elliott suddenly changed his attitude towards me in was the only thing I thought about. I hated it that thoughts of him were consuming my head. I hated it that all I could think about was the way he made me feel when he was close to me.
As we walk down the corridor towards the stairs we were talking but Elliott was trailing behind us lost in his thoughts.
"What's up with you man?" Daniel thumps Elliott on his back.
"I'm cold"
His words make me stop and I look at him feeling really bad "here you can have your hoodie back" I say feeling bad.
"No" He says loudly I look at him confused.
"I think I need to get laid or go for a smoke" He replies I hated it when him and Daniel spoke about smoking, I knew it was something they did rarely, but I hated it with a true passion.
I flinch slightly when he says he need to get laid, but I compose my self
"You can't smoke in school, you'll set off the fire alarm," I tell him.
"What if I want to go out in the storm, your opinion doesn't count you're my best friend's sister"
I felt like Elliott had stabbed me in heart. His words burning in my head making it throb.
.
'His best fried's sister' and that's all I could and will ever be.
"Man what crawled up your ass, you don't need to snap at her, even I don't think it's a good idea to be lighting a fag at this time" Daniel sighs.
Carter holds the door open as we all pass through it in to the nearly pitch black staircase. We had to feel our way towards the banister.
"Shit Cress did you just elbow me in the throat" Daniel groans painfully.
"That was me" Carter responds sheepishly.
I slowly climb each step carefully, one at a time. As I lift my foot up to reach the next step, but my foot looses it's balance and I feel myself slowly about to fall back. I let out a tiny squeal knowing that I'm probably going to fall to my death.
Then strong protective arms wrap around my shoulders, practically saving my life. His heart was beating against my back. He doesn't let go when I regain my balance; he was guiding me up the stairs, like he has night vision.
I feel a sense of relief when we get back in the normal corridor and the class was close by.
I strain my neck to look behind me, to see Elliott who was already staring at me, but when he sees my eyes he looks away and lets go of me.
As we open the door to class, the teacher was slumped in his seat, most definitely asleep. Some people were actually lying on the floor asleep,
Winter's eyes look at me surprised that I was with all the boys, but she doesn't forget to give me a death glare. Then Aribella, she had almost gone red with rage her eyes never moving form me.
Emily was sitting with a group of girls looking bored. She perks up when she sees me. When I sit next to her I offer her the big bag of haribo's, which makes her smile.
"So you and Elliott were out for a while" She raises a eyebrow. I take a deep breath and explain to her in order everything that happened. When I'm done she looks at me
"It's like one of those love stories, where they can't be together. Like Romeo and Juliet"
"Excuse me" I ask her, what on earth was she on about.
"Isn't it obvious, Elliott likes you, but he doesn't want to ruin his friendship with Daniel" she adds matter of fact.
"Your delusional " I scoff. That was definitely not what was going on, this girl needed to get of her romantic books.
"Then please explain to me why, Elliott keeps glancing up at you every 2 seconds"
I didn't want to turn around; I didn't want to see his adorable face.
"Apologies to him" Emily says causally.
Apologies for what. I haven't done anything, that boy had more hormones than a pregnant women.
"What did I do" I ask her moving my head to the side slightly I was confused.
"Crescent all you do is push him away. Whenever he makes you laugh you stop instantly like your holding back, he's trying to patch up whatever previously happened between the two of you. You move away every time he holds you"
Emily still looks at me waiting of me to get up. I bite my lip and try to wipe my mind clear; I get up and walk over to the wall Elliott was leaning against next to Alec.
I didn't know why the thought of him being pissed at me hurt so much.
I slide down the wall to sit next to him, when he looks to the right to look at me he looks like he has seen a ghost.
"What the hell..." but I didn't let him finish.
"I'm sorry Grayson, I am, I didn't mean to say what I did" I blurt out.
He gives me a hard look, 'oh god he is till annoyed' I think to myself.
Then it's as though he can't help it the right side of his lip quirks up and he's smiling.
"And if I can ask, what are you sorry for' he asks curiously.
"Erm..." I think, well I didn't really know, but I don't know why but I couldn't stand the fact that Elliott was annoyed at me.
"It's cute that your apologizing for something you don't even know that you did. Don't worry Dawson I know it's that you can stay away from me" he winks and I smile back because he wasn't acting aggressive towards me anymore.
I let out a yawn. "So why were you pissed at me? " I genuinely ask.
"It was nothing really" but I don't miss the fact that he glances at Daniel before looking back at me. "You seem tired Dawson"
"Of course I am but I'm never going to fall asleep without my bed and that storm brewing outside" I sigh getting my phone and earphones out my pocket.
"Put your head on my shoulder" He whispers low enough for only me to hear. I look slightly startled. We were barely friends and friends don't usually do these kind of thing.
"Come on Dawson it's not like I'm asking you to put your head in the center of my lap on top of my dick" I give him a hard look for saying that.
"Why" I ask. I wanted to slap myself, god Cress he was being a gentleman, not that he usually was.
"Because I'm cold and I need somebody heat, and you're warm because your wearing my hoodie, so it's like killing two birds with one stone" I knew that wasn't how you used that term but used that term, but I slump to the side to gently place my temple on his shoulder.
At first he tenses and I feel my head buzzing, but he looses his muscles. I twist my body slightly in his direction. I am filled with Elliott's strong and sweet cologne.
My heart was going insane, something inside me felt right, I snuggle my head down slightly.
"Comfy" he asks soothingly, was his voice always this sweet.
"Yeh' I smile even though he can't see it. I place my earphones in my ears and put my favorite playlist on repeat. I close my eyes never feeling so close to Elliott.
"But darling we found wonderland,
You and I got lost in it and we pretended it could last forever
eh
We found wonderland,
You and I got lost in it and life was never worse and never better"
I'm sure while I'm drifting off to sleep; I feel Elliott wrap his secure arms around me and pull me closer. It's almost like his body molded with mine and I fit perfectly next to him. He runs his hand through my ponytail, taking my hair out the ponytail and runs his fingers through it.
His body heat was warming me up and I could feel his sweet breath fanning my face, the palms of my hands pressed on to his chest.
Author note:
Man how cute is this chapter, I just can't get over how much I adore this chapter; I really love them don't you? Guess what it HIT 50,000 reads. Whoop Whoop! Guys I am hitting around 4,000 words in this chapter like WHAT!?!
Does anyone have any future chapter ideas, or even any idea for their first kiss?? Because we all know that's overdue.
Please all keep being supportive, every time I see a lovely comment it motivates me to get my laptop and write no matter what I'm doing. Also can we please appreciate the cover by @mxneserz is so gorgeous!
Keep voting and commenting xxx