â TWELVE â
"Chase, could you give us a moment?" I asked as soon as James had put his car into park.
"Yeah, I'll be in my room," Chase replied, climbing out and grabbing his bag.
The door closed with a thump and silence filled the car. James lent on his door, one hand resting on the steering wheel. "Is everything okay?" I asked, turning my body to look at James properly.
"Everything is fine," he replied stiffly.
"And you call me a horrible liar," I stated.
Turning his head, he looked at me. "It's fine Christie, drop it," he said, turning the car off.
I crossed my arms. "No, because if I was doing this, you'd pester me until I gave in so that's exactly what I'm going to do," I replied with a shrug of my shoulder.
"Stop pretending you care, it doesn't suit you," James snapped, before looking away.
"Whoa" I said after letting that sink in.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry," he breathed out.
"Talk to me James, I'm your friend and fake girlfriend," I said firmly.
"It was a mistake, this whole plan," he stated.
I frowned. "What you're still into Caitlyn?" I asked, uncrossing my arms.
"No," was all he said.
"This whole plan was your idea, I was going to find another way, you didn't have to get involved!" I exclaimed.
"I know!" He whisper hissed back.
"So why did you? If you hate this idea so much we can stage a break up and make it really dramatic so you don't have to feel guilty if you decide to ignore me again," I said, fustrated.
"Sounds great," he snapped.
My mouth fell open. I half expected him to argue with me while the other half sorta expected him to say it wasn't about me. I grabbed my school bag and without a second thought, threw open the car door.
"Where are you going!" James yelled, undoing his seatbelt and getting out of the car as I slammed the door closed and began storming away.
"Away from you, is that a dramatic enough break up for you!" I spat back.
I ran down his driveway and then up mine. "Christie, I didn't mean it, I'm just-" he didn't get a chance to finish because my front door slammed open.
"What's going on!" My father yelled.
I was in tears, because I was a weakling. I ran past my father and up the stairs to my room. Falling onto my bed, I jammed the pillow over my head.
My worthless tears soaked my bedsheet. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked over to see Dad sitting on the edge of my bed, looking awkward.
I let the pillow slide off my face. "Honey, boys are- well boys are complicated," he said, patting my shoulder randomly.
"But never ever cry over a boy, because you are absolutely worth more than that," he added.
I sat up, and my father shifted to look at me. "Did I overreact?" I asked, looking at him.
"You're a woman, it's a high possibility but sometimes you're in the right, I don't know what he did to make you upset but he made you upset and that's enough proof for me to break his no-" he was rambling.
"Dad," I warned.
He took a breath. "You know me, honey, I'm not the sweet and sensitive guy, I don't know how to read emotions, it's half the reason your mother and I are no longer working as well as we did, but if he hurt you and you want to resolve the issue, just go talk to the bloke," Dad said, pulling me into a hug.
I hugged him back.
"Thanks dad," I whispered.
"Besides, he seemed genuinely distressed that he made you cry," Dad added.
"Really?" I asked, feeling a bit awful.
"I told him to wait outside, go talk to him, go for that drive you guys did the other night, it really seemed to clear things up for you," Dad said, supportive.
Leaning forward, I kissed his cheek. "I love you dad," I said.
He squeezed me into another hug. "Now go," he said.
I stood up and wiped under my eyes, I walked out of my room and back downstairs. I peeked out the window and James was sitting on my stairs, his head in his hands.
Opening the door, his head shot up and he turned around to look at me. He pushed himself up to stand. "Christie," he said, his voice a little hoarse.
I swallowed. "Want to go for a drive?" I asked, folding my hand together.
He nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that" he said, his keys dangling in his hand.
I walked towards him and together we walked to his car. "Is Chase going to be alright?" I asked, glancing at their house.
James nodded. "Yeah, he'll be fine."
Neither of us spoke until we were on the highway. It wasn't comfortable silence but neither of us were exactly at ease.
I decided to speak first. "I just want to apologise for my dramatic shit before," I said, fiddling with my frayed jeans.
"You had every right to be mad, Christie, what I was trying to say isn't what I said and I realised what you heard," he said, glancing at me briefly.
He was taking me to his favourite spot. The spot that overlooked the city. "I overreacted," I replied.
Sighing, James took his hand off the steering wheel to reach across and take one of mine. I looked at him.
"I know my brother told you about how I liked you around the time of that dreaded party," he stated.
I wanted to ask how but he rolled his eyes. "He can't keep his mouth shut and everyone at school hears everything".
That was true. "Point is, I liked you then and I never stopped, you were someone I wanted and never could have because I'm a popular asshole and my ego would've ruined you," he said softly.
"Jam-"
"And honestly, I don't expect you to feel the same for me because I treated you like shit for years and been just a terrible person to you so I'm not pressuring you or anything," he said, turning onto the road that took us to the lookout.
"I just wanted you to know" he said before parking his car.
The city was cast in the afternoon light, the sunlight glinting off the tall skyscrapers. "Will you shut up and let me talk?" I asked softly.
He looked at me. "Truthfully, I don't want to talk" he said, his hand lifting to drift across my cheek lazily.
My breath caught.
He moved closer to me. "Ye-aah, I d-don't want to talk either," I stuttered as his nose brushed mine.
Softly, he ghosted the top of my lips. I leaned my head up to chase him but he had moved away. James tucked some hair behind my ear.
He cupped my cheek, allowing me no escape. Not that I wanted to..
James was moving too slow for me so I made the jump, pulling him towards me.
His lips brush mine. Not innocently, like a tease but hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. I wanted to pull away before I lost myself but I couldn't seem to. In this moment, I could no longer think straight. âChristieâ he whispered slowly, prolonging each letter as if to savor them.
I smiled, my heart fluttering at the sound of his voice as I clasp my hands on either side of his face. Never before had my name ever sounded so wonderful to me.
He kissed me and it felt like the whole city fell away. James's hand rested below my ear, his thumb caressing ny cheek as our breaths mingled and lips touched. I couldn't help but run my fingers through his soft white locks, pulling him closer gently until there was no space left between us and all I could feel the beating of his heart against mine.
Our kiss was hot and demanding, there was no denying the attraction between us.
But did I really want to fall for James Mareno?
A/N
What do you guys think?
Does she want to fall for him? Or maybe not?
Also yes to the kiss. I love writing their kisses because he's so gentle with her and it's my Aesthetic.
Don't forget to vote and comment, lovelies!
Lots of love from, Tavana xoxoxoxo