Chapter 94: I Can Feel Your Love for Me

~“I’m gonna love you, like I’m gonna lose you. I’m gonna hold you, like we’re saying goodbye. Wherever we’re standing, I won’t take you for granted. Cause we’ll never know when we’ll run out of time.”—Jasmine Thompson.~

Chapter Theme Song: “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” by Jasmine Thompson.

HARMONY

“Harmony Skye, I am talking to you.”

My mom turned my weekend into a nightmare.

I get it. It must have been a shock for her to walk in on her daughter getting hot and heavy with the son of the man she’s in love with. But it’s not fair. Blaze and I found each other first.

Now we’re parked outside Homewood and she’s giving me a lecture. She’s warning me to stay away from Blaze or she’ll pull me out of college.

She’s being mean, and I never thought my own mom could be this cruel.

“If I catch you even talking to that boy, you’ll be packing your bags and leaving that school. Do you understand?”

I stare out the window, swallowing hard. I wish I could run away. Somewhere far from here. Just Blaze and me.

“Harmony, answer me. Don’t ignore me, young lady!”

~God.~

“I heard you,” I mumble.

“Suddenly you’re quiet? I bet you weren’t quiet when that boy was whispering sweet nothings in your ear!”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes and let out a soft sigh instead. She took away my phone and laptop for the whole weekend. She didn’t care if I had homework or anything.

I even heard her answer my phone once, telling someone not to call back.

I knew it was Blaze.

“If you don’t follow my rules, I’ll disown you. Then we’ll see who pays your tuition.”

Again with the tuition thing.

This time, I don’t hold back the eye roll, and she gasps, glaring at me.

“Harmony Skye, don’t you dare roll your eyes at me!” she snaps, and a few kids passing by turn to look.

I shrink in my seat, pulling my hoodie over my head. I’m so embarrassed. She’s done enough to humiliate me this weekend. She even slapped me in front of Blaze.

“You think because you’ve had sex, you’re all grown up? If that’s the case, then go pay for your own tuition!”

I sigh. She’s been saying this all weekend, and it hurts more each time she reminds me that she controls my life.

I’m frustrated, hurt, embarrassed, and heartbroken. But I let her continue with her verbal abuse.

“You’re a disgrace! I used to brag about you to my friends. Now look at you, acting like a stripper!”

She rants for about thirty minutes, telling me how disappointed she is and how much of a disgrace I am. When she’s finally done, I open the door and get out of the car.

I don’t say goodbye and neither does she as she speeds away. She’s acting crazy over a man.

I tuck my hands in my coat as I notice a few kids staring at me. They must have heard her because she was screaming.

I hang my head, hiding my face behind my hoodie when a hand grabs my elbow.

I turn to see Blaze. He’s wearing a sweater and he smells like strawberries. The morning is windy, so his black hair is tousled.

The sky is filled with dark clouds, signaling rain. It matches my mood.

Blaze sighs, looking at me with kind eyes. “You okay?”

I nod. I was strong until now. Seeing him reminds me that I might have to transfer to a different college soon. I won’t see him anymore. The thought is unbearable.

I wipe my eyes. “I’m okay...”

“You’re not, babe. Come here.” He pulls me into a hug, and I rest my head against his chest, breathing in his scent.

“Did she slap you again?”

I shake my head against him. “No...” I sniff. “But I wish she did. She said some really hurtful things...”

“It’s okay.” He kisses my head. “Do you want to come to my dorm? We can talk and I’ll try to cheer you up.”

I look up at him. “We have English...”

“Yeah, but how can you learn if you’re upset?”

I smile a little. “I think you just found the perfect excuse to skip class.”

He chuckles. “Well, if it wasn’t because you’re crying, I’d be happy. But I hate to see you cry.”

I smile, a real smile. He makes me so happy, but my mom is about to ruin that.

***

Blaze and I watched a few movies on Netflix before we decide we’re really tired. We lay down and I rest my head on his chest while he plays with my hair.

The rain is hitting the window now, just like I predicted, so the room is cold. I snuggle closer to Blaze, and he wraps his arms around me, kissing my head.

We should be in class right now but there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than here in his arms. This feels like ~home~.

I can hear his steady heartbeat and how it beats for me. I trace small circles on his chest with my finger while we enjoy the silence.

We don’t need to talk to enjoy each other’s company. That’s the beauty of it. It’s just sad that I won’t be able to enjoy this simple, beautiful moment after the musical.

“Blaze,” I say, my voice a soft whisper in the room.

“Yeah?”

“My mom...”

“What about her?” His voice is laced with worry. “Did she hurt you?”

“She’s...she’s sending me to a new school,” I admit.

The room falls silent again. His fingers stop their soothing dance in my hair, and I lift my gaze to see his reaction.

His eyes are filled with sadness, and I wish I hadn’t looked. It’s like a punch to my heart. “Blaze.”

“Which school?”

“Hayston’s Institution for Girls.”

“That’s far from here, isn’t it?”

Yes, it’s a long way from my hometown, let alone Homewood or Blaze’s hometown.

I know my mom. She’ll probably make me live there. She’ll be happy knowing there are no boys around, and it’s the perfect chance for her to get rid of me.

“Yeah...,” I mumble.

He sighs deeply, and sits up. I move away, sitting up too, and watch him as he meets my gaze.

“So you’re leaving me,” he says quietly, pulling his legs under him and looking at me.

I sigh, feeling the sting of tears. “I don’t want to...”

“Then don’t.” His face softens. “Then don’t...please.”

His voice is desperate, his eyes so vulnerable, it makes me want to cry.

“It’s hard...she’s so hard to convince, and I don’t know what to do. She’s paying for my tuition. She has my life in her hands.”

“I can get a part-time job or something. My dad has plenty of money. I can pay for your—”

“No, Blaze.” I shake my head. “I can’t do that to you.”

“But you can’t do ~this~ to me,” he mutters, hiding his face in his hands.

It’s strange to see him like this, so open and vulnerable. He ~wants~ me to stay. He ~needs~ me to stay.

“I’m sorry, Blaze...” I push my hair back. “I don’t want to go, but I can’t put all the responsibility on you. And with my school schedule, I don’t know how I’ll find a part-time job...

“I just don’t know what to do...”

He sighs and looks away, hiding the hurt in his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, my voice shaking as I cover my eyes with my hand.

He sighs again and moves closer to me. “Okay, don’t cry. We’ll figure this out, okay? Just please don’t cry.”

He pulls me into his arms and holds me tight.

He kisses my forehead, and I close my eyes, trying to hold back the tears.

“Please don’t cry...,” he whispers, lifting my chin to look at him. My teary eyes make him frown, and he leans down to kiss me.

The kiss is gentle and full of emotion. It’s a mix of pain and love, and I can tell he’s begging me not to go with his lips.

He’s scared of who he’ll become without me there to keep him grounded. And to be honest, I’m scared too.

He’s changed so much. I’ve seen him grow, start to care for someone, start to become more human. It’s not a lot, but it’s something to be grateful for.

He gently guides me down onto the bed and his lips find mine again as he hovers over me.

Our tongues dance together, and we touch each other, not speaking with words but with our eyes, our touches, our kisses, our hands.

Soon we’re naked, his lips on one of my breasts while his hand caresses the other.

My thighs jerk off the bed as he swirls his tongue around my nipple. His hand gently squeezes the other one, giving both equal attention.

He kisses his way down to my stomach while his hand moves between my legs. The sensation is intense as he slips his fingers inside me, moving them in a slow, torturous rhythm.

I feel like I’m about to lose control, but before I can, he pulls his fingers out and pushes my thighs apart.

I’m panting, staring up into his blue eyes, which are already looking into mine. He rolls a condom onto himself, then lowers his body onto mine.

He keeps his eyes on me, making sure I see the need in them, then he thrusts into me. It’s not as gentle as the first or second time, but it’s not painful either.

A gasp escapes my lips at the immediate pleasure, and he leans down to kiss me, moving in a steady rhythm.

“I don’t want you to go.” He whispers, out of breath. “I don’t want to be without you...”

I want to say ‘me neither,’ but the words come out as a moan as I dig my nails into his back. He groans at the mix of pain and pleasure, and I know I’ve left marks.

“You feel so good...,” he murmurs, sweat gathering on his forehead as he thrusts deeper, his muscles straining as he brushes my damp hair away from my face.

He kisses me hard, his tongue exploring my mouth, and I moan at the pleasure building inside me.

His movements are demanding, and he kisses me all over while he continues to move.

I close my eyes, feeling my climax approaching. He can tell too, and he grips my chin, tilting my head up.

“Open your eyes and look at me, Harmony. Tell me how it feels.”

My mouth opens, but words fail me. It just hangs open as he moves rhythmically. He kisses my open lips. “Talk to me, baby.”

Normally, I wouldn’t be a fan of the pet name, but the way he says it, all sultry and sexy, makes me rethink my stance.

“It feels good,” I manage to whisper. He smiles against my lips, but his intense gaze quickly returns, a clear sign that he’s also on the brink.

“Oh God, you’re so sexy...you’re so beautiful,” he murmurs, leaning down to kiss me again, a groan escaping into my mouth.

I can’t kiss him back, his movements are too overwhelming. My lips are frozen in an ‘o’ shape.

He grasps my thighs, lifting them higher onto his hips, thrusting deeper. My eyes roll back in my head.

“Keep your eyes on me,” he orders.

I fight to refocus my eyes, but my head quickly falls back as the promise of an earth-shattering orgasm looms. “Oh God...”

Blaze holds my face, forcing me to look into his lust-filled eyes. His lower lip is bitten, and the sweat dripping from his hair onto his chest triggers the explosion.

His name slips from my lips as I unravel beneath him, my climax leaving me shaking and moaning uncontrollably.

Blaze silences my cries with a kiss, continuing to move until he follows me over the edge. A soft groan escapes him, and he shivers before his body finally relaxes. He exhales before collapsing on top of me.

Wow. I’ve never felt anything like that before.

He rolls off me and onto his back, his chest heaving with heavy breaths, and I’m struggling to catch my own.

He disposes of the condom and pulls me into his arms. I’m still recovering, so my arm falls limply over his waist as I pant heavily.

“You okay?” He plants a tired kiss on my forehead.

“Yeah...” I smile up at him, and he returns it before leaning down to kiss me again.

That moment was everything. I could feel it—his love for me. He didn’t need to say it, it was palpable.

We lay in silence for a while before I look up at him again. “What are we going to do?”

“About what?” he asks.

“Me...leaving here.”

He pulls me closer. “I don’t want to talk about it today, babe. It’s hard to think about. Can we talk about it another time?”

I nod. “Okay Blaze. Let’s do that.”

He kisses my forehead, and the silence returns but this time, he breaks it.

“Harmony.”

“Mm?”

“Can you sing for me?”

I smile, looking up at him. He hasn’t asked me to sing in a while.

“You want me to sing for you?”

“Yeah...I miss your voice.”

I nod. “Okay, what should I sing?”

He intertwines his fingers with mine, staring at them intently. “Anything you want.”

I smile. “Okay.”

I take a deep breath and nestle my head against his chest, our fingers still perfectly entwined. The room is quiet, save for the sound of rain against the window.

I close my eyes and part my lips, then begin to sing “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” by Meghan Trainor/Jasmine Thompson.

“I found myself dreaming in silver and gold like a scene from a movie that every broken heart knows. We were walking on moonlight when you pulled me close.

“Split second and you disappeared and I was all alone. I woke up in tears with you by my side, a breath of relief and I realized. No, we’re not promised tomorrow.

“So I’m gonna love you like I’m gonna lose you, I’m gonna hold you like I’m saying goodbye. Wherever we’re standing, I won’t take you for granted. Cause we’ll never know when, when we’ll run out of time.

“So I’m gonna love you like I’m gonna lose you. I’m gonna love you, like I’m gonna lose you.”

I feel Blaze hold me tighter, and I know the words are resonating deep within him.

“In the blink of an eye just a whisper of smoke. You could lose everything. The truth is, you never know. So I’ll kiss you longer, baby. Any chance that I get. I’ll make the most of the minutes. And love with no regret.

“Let’s take our time to say what we want. Use what we got before it’s all gone. No, we’re not promised tomorrow.

“So I’m gonna love you like I’m gonna lose you, I’m gonna hold you like I’m saying goodbye. Wherever we’re standing, I won’t take you for granted. Cause we’ll never know when, when we’ll run out of time.

“So I’m gonna love you like I’m gonna lose you. I’m gonna hold you, like we’re saying goodbye, wherever we’re standing, I won’t take you for granted.

“Cause we’ll never know when, when we’ll run out of time so I’m gonna love you, like I’m gonna lose you, I’m gonna love you, like I’m gonna lose you.”

The song ends and the room falls silent again. Blaze doesn’t say anything, but a warm tear lands on my cheek. I look up at him, surprised to see him crying.