Okay so wow I'm really sorry. I never thought I would go this long without an update so I really apologize. Life's been kinda crazy lately. But hopefully you all will enjoy this chapteras much as I enjoyed writing it. I have a feeling you will so if you do let me know. Anyway I promise I'm going to try and do my best to not wait this long ever again to update. So please enjoy, this is at least I thinka pretty good chapter.
They both got in their cars and were on their way to Madison's. Once they got there they ate in Madison's living room on the floor. She had tons of throw pillows that they threw on the floor covering it completely. They set up all their food on her coffee table like a mini-buffet. Each had their own plates in their laps and were conversing and eating away. Madison took her fork and ventured towards Ephram's plate and took what she wanted and playfully put it in her mouth and chewed it with a wide grin on her face.
"I was wondering how long it was going to be before you did that."
"Did what?" she asked innocently.
"Ha ha don't act like you don't know. Just like the good ole days huh. You always used to love eating off my plate."
"Yours just always seemed to taste better is all."
"Right, see I never understood that. If all you ever did was eat off my plate why'd you ever bother to order a big plate of food for yourself."
"What, I used to eat mine too," Ephram gave her a look, "a little of it anyway."
"Man the money I could've saved back then"
"Oh come on you know you loved it."
"I did, but still."
She wandered over to his plate again and helped herself. "Umm…delicious." Ephram laughed at her playfulness.
"Well now if it's so much better let me try." He reached over and grabbed some of her food with his hand and put it in his mouth. "It does seem to taste better." He smiled a goofy smile.
"Hey, use your fork." She scolded.
"What? Now there's rules?"
"Of course you always use a folk." She then took her hand and took some of his food again.
"Hey now I thought there were rules."
"You know me, I always break the rules."
"Wooh…boy I remember." Speaking of other things and lowering his voice.
"Ephram!" she said giving him a face and wide eyes.
"What?"
She couldn't help but laugh, "You're crazy you know that."
"When it comes to you I always have been."
"Well from now on we play by the rules okay."
"Really?"
"My rules and since they'll be mine I can bend and break them as I see fit." Pleased with herself.
"I see, forcing me to be creative." He reached over for her plate that was in her lap and placed it on the coffee table along with his.
"What are you up to?"
"Who me? Up to something never." Suddenly he lunged forward and began tickling her.
Laughing, "Not fair" She laid back on to the pillows behind her as Ephram now had her pinned between his legs and continued to tickle her.
"Who said I couldn't tickle you?"
Laughing almost uncontrollably, "You know…I'm extremely ticklish, ahh you jerk." As she continued to laugh not able to speak she tried to fight him off with her arms.
"No need for name calling."
"Okay, okay you win. Now stop. Please!" She couldn't take much more.
"Alright" He took his hands and found hers and grabbed them taking them and putting them above her head with his on top gripping on to her and keeping them in place. He also used them to support himself with Madison now trapped he had her between his legs unable to move her lower body and now he had control of her upper body as well.
"You're such a child." She said jokingly as she looked up at him in his eyes, he was so close to her. She realized he was now in complete control of her as she was unable to move. But she didn't care he'd won, "always on top he was" she thought. She was completely under his control and she liked it.
"You are too and you know it" He leaned down further onto her their faces just inches apart.
"Now what?" She whispered as his lips became more irresistible and began to come closer to hers.
"This." He touched his lips against hers softly for just a second before pulling away. "God, Madison I'm, I'm so sorry."
Her eyes were still closed she was frozen she didn't know what to do.
Ephram released her hands and got up off of her. He had wanted that for so long, he had wanted so much more but he didn't want her to feel like he was taking advantage of her or the situation. He looked back down at her she was so beautiful her eyes were still closed and she hadn't moved. Ephram didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing. He wasn't sure if she was okay.
"I never meant to make you feel uncomfortable or do anything you didn't want. I mean we were just joking around and then we got a little physical I don't know just one thing lead to another I'm, I'm just really sorry Madison." He blurted out nervously not sure of what was the right thing to do in this situation.
Madison opened her eyes and remained on the pillows she propped up one of her arms to support herself as she laid on her side. She couldn't help but think how cute Ephram looked he was talking fast because he was nervous like he always did. Talking because he didn't know what to do, he was flustered and she could tell. He had gotten up so quickly and couldn't keep still she followed him with her eyes as he moved. Madison decided to make it a little easier for Ephram.
"Ephram-" she was interrupted.
"I know, I know God I'm so, so sorry Madison."
"No, Ephram stop just stop okay. Here come here please." She patted a few pillows that lay beside her.
"You sure?"
"Ephram"
"Okay" he sat down on the pillows and propped his elbows on his knees and brought his hands to his head.
"Look at me"
Ephram moved his hands and arms down to rest on the pillows as he turned his head towards Madison. He looked at her but not directly.
"In my eyes" he followed her request. She took one of his hands and placed it in hers, "its okay Ephram."
"No it's not. I shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that."
"You didn't okay," she said sternly to let him know she meant it, "we were just having a good time okay we were being us, this is what we do. We've always just been really comfortable with each other. We used to do this kind of thing all the time it's normal for us. We slipped back into the old Madison and Ephram, the couple we used to be. It's not just your fault because I went back to that place too."
"I know, God it's just so hard to not be that way with you Madison. I've been trying so hard to just be a friend and not say or do anything that brought us back to how we used to be."
"Look I don't want you to worry about anything or blame yourself for what happened. I just want you to be Ephram, that great guy that you were, the amazing man that you are now. Let's just take a second and regroup and go back."
"Yea umm sounds good." Ephram didn't really mean it. More than anything he wanted to reach over and kiss her again and not stop this time. But he couldn't tell her that so he was just going to do what he could. Changing the subject and trying to just go back to before the kiss.
"Ah… the fortune cookies." Ephram said.
"Oh yea I forgot we had them."
"Me too. That Chinese guy was really weird wasn't he about who got which cookie."
"It was a little strange, especially what he said about the fortune's."
"I know and then how he was gone when we turned back around. Well let's just read them and see."
"I'm kind of curious." Madison said as she reached inside her back to grab her fortune cookie.
Ephram did the same and opened the packet and tossed the plastic to the side and held the cookie in his hands, "So how do you wanna do this?"
"I guess we can both open them at the same time and read them to ourselves and then each other."
"Alright here goes it."
Ephram and Madison both opened the cookies and pulled out the little slip of white paper that was inside. Their faces were both intense as they studied their little slips of paper.
Madison couldn't believe her fortune it was bizarre. It was almost like the little Chinese man knew everything that had been going on between her and Ephram. It was actually a little scary, could she really share this with Ephram especially after their kiss. She wasn't sure.
Ephram couldn't help but stare at the paper in the palm of his right hand. He hadn't ever really believed in these little fortunes but his was so true. His fortune scared him; the Chinese man's advice was even scarier like he had known what would come. He would have to make a choice before one was made for him, reality was really setting in.
"So… you read yours first." Madison was still deciding if she wanted to share hers.
"Umm… no come on these things are silly." He said nervously this fortune would get her thinking. Once she had something in her head she wasn't going to just let it go, which would give him trouble. Madison would be able to tell that it was true as soon as he read it. Was he ready for that? He didn't know.
"Come on now we agreed." Madison encouraged him; she could already tell that whatever it was it had to be true she could just tell.
Ephram began his fortune, "Secret's bring burden to the soul, and always have a way of coming out. Be careful or much pain will come yours and others."
Madison responded, "You've got a secret your keeping from me don't you Ephram?" She was worried about what pain would come and to whom.
"You don't believe in these things now do you?" he asked nervously, "Come on now read yours."
Slowly she began a little above a whisper, "Second chances are precious gifts, be wise and take the leap, for true love awaits."
They were both silent for a long time.
"Okay so I'm a little freaked out." Ephram said.
"Why?" she questioned.
"Maybe because I want that one to be true."
Madison just looked at him, that's all she could do. She was surprised that he would actually admit that to her. But she also knew that deep down she wanted the same thing.
"Ah, just forget I said that okay. But umm… I really think I should probably help you clean up here and then be heading home it's late and I'm getting tired." He didn't move waiting for her response.
"No, I'll get this don't worry about it. I mean if you're tired or not feeling well then you should go home and get some rest."
"Yea it's probably best." He stood up and Madison began to do the same, "Oh here let me help you." Being the gentlemen he was he reached out his hand to take Madison's and helped her up bringing her closer to him.
"Thank you."
"Your welcome, so do you have any plans for tomorrow night?"
"Actually, I've got to work. I've had trouble focusing lately."
"Sorry I don't mean to take you away from your work."
"It's not just you; I mean I've kinda been avoiding the next step in my line."
"Why's that?"
"Trying to avoid the stress which comes with it, it's going to be hard is all."
"Well I'll send positive thoughts towards you." He said as they moved to the door.
"Thanks I appreciate it." She opens the door.
"Not a problem if there's anything I can do to help don't hesitate to call or ask."
"I just might do that. Drive safe and have a good rest of the night."
"You too, bye." He says as he kisses her on the cheek and leaves.
Madison closes the door and brings her hand to the cheek Ephram had kissed and then to her lips which he had also kissed that evening for the first time in years. Even though it had been only for a second and ever so soft it had left her wanting more. For the first time tonight while saying there goodbye's he had kissed her on the cheek which felt good. They were touching more and becoming much more comfortable with each other. She wondered how much more comfortable they would become with each other.
