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A/N: IMPORTANT! READ! So are you ready for this chapter? :) Ben and I are. Just a slight warning, things get a little... sour... midway through the chapter. If you want to skip it, that's fine. Nothing important happens. I'll put a page break in there with the word "LEMON" in bold so you'll know which page break it is (because there's more than one). Haha. Also, if you reviewed the AN chapter that was posted as this chapter, you won't be able to review this. If that is the case, PM us and we'll send you the preview of the next chapter. :) So here it is... the chapter you've all been waiting for... without further ado... Chapter 6!
Turning Eighteen
By cALLIEfornia BENches
Chapter 6: Euphoria
Isa POV
I was just innocently walking to lunch, minding my own business when it happened: someone pulled me from my place into the hall and rushed me outside to the back of the building where they pressed me up against the wall.
Fear was evident in my eyes, but it soon relaxed as soon as I saw those amazing green orbs staring at me, a cheesy grin on his face. I loved that grin. He had told me recently that I was the one who made him that happy. I was the one who always made him smile like that. Knowing this, his smile quickly spread onto my own face.
"I missed you," he whispered, his breath blowing a few strands of hair from my face.
I opened my mouth to retort but before I had a chance to say anything he covered my lips with his own. I let out a dreamy sigh, wondering vaguely when his kisses would affect me any less than they did right now. Hell, it had been five months since our first kiss and I still couldn't get enough of him.
His mouth opened, inviting me in. I graciously accepted, threading my hands through his hair and pulling him closer to me. He let out a playful growl as his arms slipped around my waist, pressing me against the bulge in his pants. Without thinking, I trailed a hand down his chest and rubbed it lightly. He groaned and dropped his head into my neck, sucking and nipping the skin there.
He was big into hickeys, I had learned after my third embarrassing encounter with Joey.
"I love seeing them later," Masen had told me when I asked him about it, "It's a male thing. Marking our territory, if you will," he had added with a laugh. "It fends all those other guys off. I want them all to know that you're mine." He had ended his statement with a chaste kiss on one of the little purple spots he had left just under my ear.
Now, though, he was hardly focusing on my neck and instead on keeping his breathing somewhat under control. He always got like this when I got touchy. It wasn't the first time I had ventured into unknown territory—as a matter of fact, it was quite the regular occurrence. Always the gentleman, he would pay me back for my favors with favors of his own and we'd both end up happy.
But considering we were on the side of a building, I figured right now would not be the appropriate time to continue. I tore my hand from him and wrapped it back in his lovely hair, a satisfied hum escaping my lips upon feeling the texture. He heaved a frustrated sigh but moved up and gave me a short kiss on the lips before resting his forehead upon mine.
"Spend the weekend with me," he said, more of a command than a question. "All weekend. I don't want to spend a moment apart from you."
"You know I want to," I said. "But I can't. You know I wouldn't be able to get away from Joey for two whole days. Besides, where would we stay? It's not like I can just traipse into your house and spend the night in your room." Actually, that was probably a lie. Knowing his mom, I would have next to no trouble doing just that. But it wasn't worth the risk I would be taking with Joey.
"My parents are going to be out of town for the weekend," he told me with a smile as he grabbed my hand and lead me toward the lunch room. "My great aunt is getting married or something. I don't know. Anyway, I have to stay at home so we don't have to board the dog, and my parents told me they wanted me to have someone stay with me I wasn't alone. That's where you come in," he said, squeezing my hand.
I smiled. "Masen, I'm sure they meant a male when they said they wanted someone to stay with you."
"They didn't specify," he said, smirking. "Therefore, I am entitled to bring over whoever I want. And that, my dear, is you." He tapped a finger on the top of my nose and I laughed lightly.
"If you can find a way to get Joey off my back, I'll stay over. But only if Joey has no inkling that I'm going to be at your house, okay?" I reached up and kissed him once, trying to the conversation.
When I pulled away, he groaned. "Tease," he whispered lowly in my ear, his voice dripping in lust. I shivered. He shot me a cocky smile and winked before he backed off slightly. "Tell Joey you're staying at a friend's house for the weekend. Tell him their parents are going out of town and they want someone to stay with their offspring. It's the truth," he pleaded.
I bit my lip as we reached the lunch line. "I can try...," I said hesitantly. "But what if he doesn't fall for it? Or he wants to talk to the parents? He knows your parents' voices. He's met them before, more than once. I wouldn't get away with it, then."
One side of his mouth hitched up. "Well that's a risk we're going to have to take, isn't it?"
"I don't like it, Masen."
And then he put on The Face. He had only used it twice before, and both times he unleashed it when he wanted something. The first time, we had gotten into a little fight about something or another. It had been our first fight, and I don't remember what it had been about, but I do remember that the second I saw The Face, all was forgiven.
The second time, we had been in my room. Joey had still been at work, so we were obviously having a pretty heated kissing session. It was the first time we had gone any farther than just kissing, and he wanted to take off my bra. But he had a really hard time trying to undo it. I had enjoyed watching him struggle—it was the first thing he wasn't incredibly good at—so I didn't help him. But then he gave me The Face, and I couldn't unhook it fast enough.
When I saw it this time, I let out an irritated groan so loud that a few people in the line ahead of us glanced back to see what was wrong. "Masen, you know how I feel about that face. That's not fair and you know it."
His eyes grew fractionally bigger and sadder; the angle of his head increased slightly; the little pout that covered his lips became all the more sad. The effect increased tenfold. I could already feel my resolve crumbling away.
"No, no, no. I will not give in," I said stubbornly, looking away from him and folding my arms across my chest. But it wasn't working. I could still see his face from the corner of my eye. I sighed. "Fine, I'll talk to Joey about it. But I hope you know that using The Face just then was a low blow."
"Oh, I know," he said, wrapping an arm around my waist and anchoring me to his side. "But it worked, didn't it? Now I have the chance to spend the entire weekend with the lovely Isa. Who else can say that?"
"Not Joey," I joked.
He laughed quietly. "Not Joey," he repeated as he grabbed an apple from the fruit basket and tossed it in the air before he caught it and took a bite out of it.
"Please?" I begged.
He sighed, glancing around the room as if he'd find a reason hanging on the wall. "I don't know, Isa. A weekend is a long time. Whose house are you staying at?"
I had thought up this answer long before I had this conversation. "Emily's. She's been over here a couple times. You like her, remember?" I said, making a mental note to call Emily later and make sure she'd be home for the weekend.
"Is that the short one with the blonde hair?"
"Yes," I said. "Please, Dad? If she doesn't find someone, she's going to have to go with them. And she doesn't want to go to her parent's high school reunion."
"It's such late notice, though," he said.
"And that's exactly why you have to say yes. She won't be able to find someone else in the short amount of time she has. Her parents are leaving tonight." I bit my lip in anticipation. I didn't like lying to my dad, but I knew that it would eventually be worth it. It would so be worth it to spend the weekend with Masen.
His face twisted in thought before he let out a defeated sigh. "Fine," he said. "You can go."
My smile spread like wildfire. "Thank you, Daddy!" I all but shouted as I wrapped my arms around him in a hug. He awkwardly patted my back twice before I let go. Without another word, I rushed up the stairs to my room and called Masen, telling him the good news. He was just as excited as I was.
"That's great!" he yelped when I told him. "Come over as soon as possible, okay? Bring enough stuff for the whole weekend. Don't worry about shampoo or conditioner or anything like that; we've enough for a small army here."
I smiled and got ready as quickly as I could, probably forgetting a few things, but not caring in my haste to get over to his house. I rushed out the door with a quick goodbye to Joey and I sped over to his house as fast as my car would let me. I hadn't even gotten all the way to his door when he swept me up into his arms and spun me around once. I giggled.
"Come on," he said with a tug on my hand. "Let's go watch some TV until my parents leave. Then we're going out. I have big plans for us tonight. We're going to conquer the city of Seattle." He laughed.
He pulled me back against his chest and draped an arm loosely around my waist as we lay down. Maybe it was the rush of excitement finally wearing off, or maybe it was just finally resting after being so busy today, but all I know is that as I rested against his chest, I was beyond tired. I hoped he didn't mind when I closed my eyes. I vaguely heard him chuckle before kissing my temple and holding me closer.
I wasn't quite asleep—maybe half-so—when I heard Masen's mother announce that they were about to leave. The noise made me slightly restless, so I turned my body from where it was laying so I was facing Masen and attempted to go back to sleep with the comfort of his smell enveloping me.
"Shh," he said to her, "She's asleep."
Unconsciously, I snuggled closer to him, burying my face in his warm chest.
"Sorry," I heard Ellie whisper. "I just wanted to let you know we're heading out. We'll be back on Sunday night. Isa's staying here all weekend, right?"
"Right," he said. "And please, don't tell her dad. He'd freak if he knew she was over here. He thinks she's staying at a friend's house."
She hesitated. "Alright," she said warily. "I don't like it, but it's not my place to go about telling him. As long as you two are safe, I'm fine with her staying here. And Masen?"
"Hmm?"
"I put some condoms in the drawer of your nightstand for you."
"Mom!" he whisper-yelled, trying to still stay quiet. Had I been completely awake and fully comprehended what she said, I would have been beet red. I could hardly believe, in my coma-like state, that she would have done that for her son. It seemed awfully considerate.
"I'm just saying," she said all-too innocently. "Be safe."
He sighed. "Bye, Mom," he drawled, pretty much telling her to leave.
"Bye sweetie," she chirped. I heard her kiss his cheek before her footsteps became more and more faint in the background. "Have fun," she called from another room.
Masen took a minute to reply. "Mom?" he asked quietly.
"Yes dear?"
He coughed once awkwardly. "Uh, thanks."
"Anytime, baby."
I heard the front door open and shut, followed by the distant sound of an engine turning on. I could feel Masen breathe a sigh of relief, and I wondered what he was thinking. The tension I could feel in his body was nervous. What was he expecting tonight? I wasn't sure if I was ready to take our relationship to the next level or not. I knew I wanted to, but I wasn't exactly sure if I was ready. It was a big step.
And was it too much to ask for me to want him to be in love with me first? I didn't just want to hand over something important to me without the assurance that it wasn't just a one-time thing.
That's stupid, Isa, I thought to myself. He's not like that, and you know it.
I did. He wouldn't do that to me. But still, it was something I wanted to happen before we took that step. I wasn't a virgin and neither was he, but we had already talked about how this wasn't something either of us took lightly. I just wanted to be sure we were both ready.
"Isa?" he asked, bringing me out of my semi-conscious stage. My eyes fluttered open to see his beautiful green spheres staring back at me. "Isa, you need to start getting ready to go. We're going out tonight," he said to me.
"Right," I murmured, my voice groggy. "Just give me a few minutes to wake up," I said, turning my face into his neck and kissing it once. He shivered slightly. I would have to remember that spot next time.
"If you stay here much longer I'm not going to be able to resist ravaging you right here on the couch," he joked, "And we wouldn't want that, now, would we?"
I giggled and wrapped my arms around his neck and touched my forehead to his. "Where are we going tonight?"
A devilish smile appeared across his face. "Well, it was supposed to be a surprise but...," he trailed off in suspense, "but I guess you need to know what you need to wear, huh?" I nodded and he sighed dramatically. "Fine. We're going out to dinner at a nice restaurant, and then we're going to the Space Needle."
I backed my face up slightly. "How did you know I've never been to the Space Needle?" I asked him.
He raised an eyebrow. "I didn't. I assumed you had. But I haven't, so I figured it'd be nice," he laughed. He playfully pushed me towards the edge of his massive couch. "Now go get ready. Dinner reservations are in an hour."
I kissed him quickly before I bounded up the stairs to his room.
The city was beautiful.
Dinner had been a blur—we had gone to a pretty restaurant in Seattle that overlooked Lake Washington. Masen had pulled my chair out for me and all: always a true gentleman in every sense of the word. But I was so excited to go up to the top of the Space Needle that it didn't even matter. By the time we were traveling up the elevator, I was practically vibrating with excitement. Masen had to wrap both arms around me in order to keep people from staring.
I had practically run from the elevator to the ledge.
And it was amazing. The city lights were like beautiful twinkling stars, winking at me as I watched from above. My breath hitched as I watched cars pass down the streets and freeway.
"Wow," I breathed. A low chuckle sounded from behind me. But before I had a chance to look back, Masen's arms were around my waist. "It's beautiful," I said, awestruck.
He placed a kiss on the top of my head, gingerly. "I think I've grown to love Seattle."
I sighed happily. This moment couldn't possibly be more perfect. I was here, at the top of the Space Needle, wrapped in the arms of the man I adored. Life was perfect.
But then I felt Masen tense from behind me, and when I looked back, he was biting his lip.
"What's wrong?" I asked, reaching a hand up to cup his cheek.
A smile briefly touched his lips before he turned us quickly so I was facing him, but neither of us had our backs facing the city. He grabbed both of my hands in his. "Absolutely nothing," he said. "That's what's wrong. I'm standing here looking over a beautiful city with a beautiful girl and I couldn't think of anything I could possibly want more."
My grin broadened. "It's like you can read my mind," I told him.
He squeezed my hands. "Shh," he said. "Don't say anything right now. If I'm interrupted, I'm afraid I'll chicken out. And I don't want to chicken out of this. It's too important to me. I can't mess this up." My brows furrowed, but I kept quiet. "Isa, I've messed so many things up when it comes to you." I opened my mouth to protest, but he simply raised our clasped hands and put a finger to my lips. "No," he said, "I need to finish.
"I've messed so many things up. I almost failed history, I got attacked by someone else with the last name Swanson, and I got up at two in the morning to plant flowers on a lawn that wasn't even yours. I publicly humiliated myself in front of the entire class in telling you how I felt, and you got suspended when I tried to ask you to be my girlfriend." He chuckled. "I just want this one thing to go right. And I don't want any interruptions.
"This night is perfect. There isn't a cloud in the sky; it's not even cold. It's like someone out there finally wants me to do something right. And I'm not going to let this opportunity pass me by. I know I'll only regret it later if I don't." He took a deep breath and looked straight into my eyes. "I love you, Isa Swanson. I love everything about you.
"I love the way your brow furrows when you dream. I love the way your lip twitches just slightly when you find out you're right about something; it's like you're itching to rub it in someone's face, but you're too polite to do so." I laughed and he smiled. "I love the little crease you get right here," he touched the middle of my forehead lightly, "when you get frustrated.
"I love the way your heart beats after I kiss you and the smile on your face when I pick you up for school in the mornings. I love the sound you make when I kiss your neck and the way you bite your lip when you're anxious or nervous," he added with a knowing smile. I released my lip from my teeth and let out a nervous chuckle before he continued. "I love the texture of your hair and the passion you put into everything you do. I love your contagious smile and I love the blush that creeps onto your cheeks when you're embarrassed." He laughed as I felt the heat rush into my cheeks.
"I could go on forever but I won't because all I'm trying to say is that I love you. So much, Isa. I've never felt like this about anyone in my entire life. But I knew the minute I tripped over you on the stairs that I had fallen hard. No pun intended," he laughed light-heartedly. "You're all I think about, all the time. And I just—"
I didn't wait for his approval. Hell, I didn't even wait for him to finish his sentence. I simply threw myself against him and kissed him with everything I had. He stumbled back a few steps, but as soon as he realized what was happening he tightened his arms around me and kissed me back.
"I love you, too," I said between kisses. "So much."
He was smiling so hard he was making it difficult to kiss him. I broke away, laughing. "Masen, you're going to have to stop smiling if I'm going to kiss you," I said.
He smiled sheepishly. He looked so cute I had to kiss him again. "I love you," I said quietly.
"I love you more," Masen said against my neck. I shivered.
"Mmm," I hummed as I took a deep breath of the marvelous air around us, taking another look over the city as I lay my head on his chest. I felt him rest his chin on the top of my head and sigh.
A few moments of silence were given to simply bask in the happiness of first love. I couldn't remember the last time I felt this euphoric. I felt like if I wanted to, I could jump off the top of the Space Needle and land so perfectly on the ground that Olympic judges would give me a 10. I closed my eyes as I inhaled him and his wonderful scent. The smile that was plastered on my face right now would never be able to be replicated.
I moved my chin so it was resting on his chest and I was looking straight up at him. He kissed me gently, his lips finally having relaxed enough that kissing was no longer an issue. This kiss was different than our last few had been, though. The last ones were happy ones; ones that expressed how deeply we felt for each other. And though this one didn't lack that, it certainly had something else.
Lust.
The kiss was hot, to say the least, and it was obvious that both of our demeanors had changed severely in the last thirty seconds. I wanted to be able to show him how much I loved him. I had never felt more ready to take this next step before in my life.
Our tongues clashed and my hands went into his hair, clutching him to me. He moaned quietly, causing me to smile. I took his bottom lip into my mouth and ran my teeth along it, causing him to shudder.
I broke away from him just long enough to whisper in his ear, "Let's get out of here. I need you. Alone."
The rising bulge in his shorts gave me a hint as to his acquiescence. Before I even knew what was happening, we were in the nearest elevator on our way down. We weren't by any means the only ones in there, but that didn't stop Masen from gathering me in his arms and kissing me deeply. Even the older man that obnoxiously cleared his throat at us didn't hinder his determination. Our kissing wasn't nice anymore. It was rough.
"Excuse me," the older man said firmly, putting a hand on Masen's shoulder.
If looks could kill, the poor man would have been murdered by Masen. "What," he all but snarled.
The man's hand quickly retracted, but his tone did not. "There're children on this elevator. At least wait until you're alone to go at it. It's rude to do in public." My face flushed and I buried it in Masen's chest. I didn't know there were kids in there with us. I was mortified.
"Shh," Masen said into my ear. "It's fine, love. We won't ever see them after tonight. No big deal, okay?" He punctuated his statement with a kiss just below my ear. "Only a few more moments until we can do whatever," his hands cupped the back of my thighs, "we," he moved them a little higher so they were resting on my backside underneath my dress, "want." With that, he traced the top of my thong and snapped it lightly against my skin once.
I bit my lip to keep from making an embarrassing noise. Thankfully, we reached the bottom and the bell tolled as the doors opened. Even though we had been standing in the back, Masen pushed through the crowd and rushed to the spot where his car had been parked. He opened my door and all but buckled me in himself. I giggled at his eagerness.
(WARNING: LEMON)
As soon as we were in the car, he was speeding back towards his house. It was cute how focused he was on the road. I didn't even mind when I saw the speedometer surpass 70 miles per hour on a backstreet.
Feeling bold, I reached over and placed a hand lightly on his lower-thigh, squeezing lightly. His mouth twitched. I wanted more of a reaction from him, though, so I moved my hand a little higher and started massaging the middle of his thigh. His breath hitched as he glanced quickly from my hand, to me, to the road.
I giggled and simply moved my hand higher so it was resting against the now very prominent strain in his nice jeans. His eyes shut tightly.
"Watch the road," I whispered, my lips not-so-accidentally brushing against his ear in the process. He shivered, but his eyes opened and attempted to focus on the road. "You wouldn't want us to get in a crash right now, would you?" I asked him, massaging his erection lightly.
He gasped quietly and shook his head.
"Good," I said. "Then watch the road." I kissed just under his ear as I gently unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. As soon as he sprung into view I couldn't help but let out a little moan of pleasant surprise. "Commando?" I asked breathlessly.
His mouth turned up into a wicked grin. "Commando," he said.
I had to close my eyes and try to focus a moment. I had seen him naked more than once before. But I still found it hard to get over the initial shock of him. I ran my hand softly up and down his shaft with just a whisper of a touch.
He groaned. "Come on, Isa. Harder." I simply smiled and repeated my action, my hand lingering on the tip before spreading around the already leaking fluids as lubricant. "Tease," he muttered.
I wrapped my hand around him and squeezed, just enough so he could feel it before I took my hand away completely and set it in my lap. "What was that, Masen?"
"Nothing," he backtracked, "Please don't stop."
I laughed quietly. "That's what I thought." I started stroking him, but at a torturously slow rate. As ticked off as I knew it made him in the moment, he was always grateful later when he came that much harder.
His hips shifted slightly in the seat and I knew he was eager to get back to the house. Smirking, I reached over and started sucking on the spot where his neck met his shoulder in hopes of leaving a nice spot for him in the morning. I could tell he was getting close now after all the teasing I had done, so I started moving my hand a little faster.
But before I could get any farther, his hand landed on top of mine, stopping the motion. I looked up at him with curious eyes. He had never stopped me before.
"I want to wait until I'm inside you," he whispered with a kiss on my forehead. "Besides, we're home."
I sighed, a bit defeated, but gathered my things up anyway. I noticed Masen tuck himself back in before shutting off the car and getting out. Before I knew it, he was at my door, opening it for me like a true gentleman—as if I hadn't just been groping him in the car. He smiled at me, which effectively made me smile. I took the hand he held out for me to help me stand.
But then in a complete ungentlemanly gesture, he pressed me up against the car door as soon as he shut it. "That wasn't nice, Miss Swanson," he said. I was confused, but I wasn't sure if it was the statement or his nearness that caused the cloudiness in my memory. "That whole thing in the car. It was very, very mean."
He pressed his hips to mine as he trailed his nose from my ear, down my jaw, and to my cleavage. He placed a small kiss there before looking me in the eyes again. "Attacking poor little me while I had no way to retaliate. You knew I wouldn't be able to return the favor when I was driving. It wasn't very nice of you." His voice all but dripped sex. My panties were already wet, and he wasn't helping the situation. "I might have to punish you for that little stunt."
I hummed in anticipation as he placed a wet kiss on the sensitive spot on my neck.
"Inside," I managed to spit.
I felt him nod against my neck, but he didn't make a move towards the door. Instead, he cupped my ass and lifted me up. I squealed, wrapping my legs around his waist as he carried me into the house and up to his room. Before I could register what exactly was happening, he had thrown me down onto his bed and was hovering over me, his lips anything but cautious on mine.
"Isa," he managed to moan as I thrust my tongue into his mouth. He broke away shortly, staring deep into the depths of my irises. "I don't know if I can wait much longer. I don't want to pressure you; I know we talked about us both wanting to be ready, but I need to know now or else I'm not going to be able to stop."
Aw. He was cute when he was worried about my feelings. "Masen," I said with a smile, hoping to get the worried look off his face. "Get your beautiful ass over here and make love to me."
His smile lit up his entire face before he hurriedly pressed his lips to my neck, peppering wet kisses from my jaw to my collarbone. His mouth traveled slowly down until it reached the top of my dress. He paused for a moment before looking up at me, making sure it was all okay. I nodded.
Gently as ever, he rolled my dress up over my body slowly, making sure to kiss each new inch of skin that was revealed to him. The sensation made my back arch in an attempt to get closer to him, and I could feel his lips pull into a smile somewhere over one of my ribs. His fingers danced lightly over the lacey fabric of my bra before he pulled my dress over my head, sealing the deal with a kiss.
He tried to reach around the back to unhook my bra, but I wasn't having any of that. I couldn't help but chuckle at the look on his face when I stopped him. "You're overdressed," I told him as I started unbuttoning his shirt. He rolled us over so I was on top of him, making it easier for me to relish him. His breath hitched quietly as I licked my way down his chest, using my tongue to toy with each nipple shortly before making a trail with my tongue down the middle of his abs. He groaned.
I unbuttoned his pants and drew them down his legs without hesitation, kissing my way up from his ankle to his knee, to his inner thigh, to—
He stopped me and flipped us over again. He brought our lips together, our tongues battling for dominance, at he unclasped my bra and threw it somewhere across the room. I heard it hit a wall, and then slump to the floor.
His lips crashed into mine almost violently, both of us moaning at the contact of our now completely bare chests. The only thing separating us now was my thin underwear. As if Masen realized that the same moment I did, they were off. I wasn't even sure if they came off in once piece. The thought was out of my mind as soon as it entered when he moved down my body toward my center.
"God, Isa, you're so wet," he said, running a finger from the top of my slit to the bottom. I quivered, both at his touch and his talk. I swear, whoever taught this boy his bedroom skills knew what they were doing.
"Please," I pleaded.
He gasped in fake shock. "What's this? You want me to stop teasing you? What, like you were doing to me in the car? Now, that hardly seems fair."
I groaned and slapped the bed, seriously regretting my actions in the car. He needed to touch me before I burst into flame. "Masen, please." I didn't care how pathetic I sounded as I begged him. I was desperate. I needed something—anything, his tongue, his mouth, his finger, anything—to bring me the kind of release that only he could bring.
"Damn it, Masen," I all but yelled, "Touch me. Now."
His eye brows wriggled suggestively. "I love it when you get bossy," he said. I was about to retort, but my voice only came out as an embarrassingly loud moan when he started kissing and nipping any area he could reach. His finger traced around my clit while his tongue dove inside of me as far as it could go.
It didn't take long for my fingers to clench around the bed sheets and my hips to thrust off the bed and closer to his face as I screamed out in pleasure. Masen always teased me about how loud I was in bed, but I couldn't help it. As big as his ego got when I said it, he was really good. And there was no denying that. Plus, he loved my screams, and he knew it.
I lay defeated on the bed as Masen peppered butterfly kissed on my eyelids, cheeks, nose, and forehead.
"Hmm," I hummed. "That was amazing."
He got a shit-eating grin on his face before he kissed me, not even waiting before opening his mouth. I could faintly taste myself on him, and he knew it; I think that was his favorite part of the entire thing.
He broke the kiss momentarily as he reached over to his nightstand and pulled out a little foil package. We had talked about this before, too. I was on birth control, but neither of us planned on being parents anytime soon. You could never be too careful nowadays.
I watched as he quickly rolled it on before positioning himself on top of me. I bit my lip anxiously.
"You're one hundred percent sure you want this?" he asked, his face serious. He brought a hand up to caress my cheek gently.
I leaned into it before nodding. "More than anything."
His face twitched into that lovely crooked smile that I loved so much. "I love you," he said.
"I love you, too."
His hips moved and he easily slipped into me. We both groaned at the contact. He was big, and I had to stretch to fit him in, but it was worth it. Boy, was it worth it. "You're so tight," he muttered. His voice was strained, but it only made him that much sexier.
"God, I love you," I said. I leaned up and kissed him. He stayed at a steady pace for a while, both of us adjusting to the other. It was the most sensational feeling ever and I never ever wanted to give it up. I felt like nothing would ever be able to touch me again. We fit together like a puzzle and I couldn't remember ever having felt so completely happy or so completely in love than I did at that moment.
His hips started thrusting faster and I was eagerly meeting him halfway. He groaned loudly and buried his neck into my chest. He was close. Very close. And I was right behind him. It only took three more thrusts before I could feel him convulsing within me. The feeling alone brought me to the edge and threw me off.
We laid there a few moments after we were both done, simply basking in the love of one another. He was absently sucking on part of my neck while I was tracing his spine with my fingers.
"Wow," I said.
"You can say that again," his muffled voice came from my neck. "You're amazing, Isa. I don't know what I ever did to deserve someone as great as you." I blushed as he rolled off me and curled me to his side. "I love you so much, Isa Swanson."
"I love you more, Masen Edwards."
And there we stayed for the rest of the weekend.
END LEMON
Sunday
Masen POV
I woke up to a very naked Isa hugging a very naked me. Friday night came rushing back into my memory like wildfire in a drought.
She loved me.
The simple thought made my arms tighten around her involuntarily. She sighed once in sleep before pressing her face further into my neck.
"Masen," she breathed. But I knew she was asleep. It wasn't the first time I had heard her talk in her sleep. Most of the time it was nonsense, but every once in a while I could hear her say my name, or that she loved me. It was moments like those where my heart swelled so much it rivaled the Grinch at the end of the movie.
We spent all day Saturday in bed, doing nothing more than talking and occasionally making love. Neither of us had worn clothes since Friday night, either, aside from a sheet; and she once put on an old shirt of mine so she could go grab us some food from the kitchen without being completely naked. And really, that was the only time we had any reason to leave my bedroom. We showered twice—though not much showering got done—in the bathroom that was attached to my room, and we took turns getting food to eat, but that was it.
We had seriously spent the entire weekend in my room. And it had been fantastic. I hadn't imagined it could be that amazing; not even in my wildest dreams. Everything about her was perfect; her face, her body, the sound of her moaning my name—
I had to stop before my erection—which was happily resting on the inside of her thigh—woke her up. Sure, I knew she wouldn't mind it. But she needed her rest; we hadn't gotten much sleep the past few nights, and if she was going home to Joey today she would have to pretend like she had gotten some sleep this weekend.
Maybe I could make her breakfast in bed, I thought to myself with a smile. She would like that.
But a sigh escaped my lips as I realized that that would entail actually leaving her for longer than five minutes which, up until now, I hadn't had any reason to do. Not to mention I wasn't sure how I would be able to pull it off with the way she was clinging to me. I wanted to do it, though, so I would have to make some sacrifices.
Holding my breath, I peeled her arm from around my waist and set it gently on the bed. She stirred slightly, but didn't wake up. I spent the next five minutes trying to untangle my legs from hers without moving her too much. I couldn't help the breath I let out when I accomplished that. And last but not least, I needed to remove her head from my neck. This was going to be the hardest part.
As gently as I could I moved a pillow that had gotten shoved to the side so it was under my neck, right by her face. I somehow then managed to back away, using the pillow as a replacement. Her brows furrowed slightly, almost as if she was confused, but as soon as she felt the pillow she grasped onto it and sighed contentedly. I had to resist wiping my hand across my forehead in relief.
I got up from the bed and threw on some boxers—I figured she might want the food relatively sanitary—before making my way down the stairs and into the kitchen.
I couldn't stop myself from humming happily as I made enough pancakes, eggs, bacon, toast, and fresh sliced fruit for the both of us to eat. A smile crept upon my lips as I picked a wildflower in our backyard and put it in a little vase as a decoration for the mini-table. Just as I was about to pick it up and take it to her, I heard a little noise from the stairs.
When I looked over, Isa was standing there, gloriously naked under my bed sheet, which she had wrapped around her like a strapless dress. Her hair was tousled from not drying properly after either showers, and her neck and chest had multiple visible hickeys from where I had branded her last night and the night before.
She smiled sheepishly. "I woke up and you weren't there. I didn't like it."
I held up the tray as if it was an explanation. "I made you breakfast in bed. But it can't be breakfast in bed if you aren't, in fact, in aforementioned bed," I told her with a little laugh.
She giggled and ran back up the stairs to my room, my bed sheet trailing after her like a train on a wedding dress. I couldn't help but hope that maybe one day we would have a wedding, and hopefully her dress would be even more beautiful than that. The thought brought a smile to my face as I followed her up the stairs to my bedroom.
And there she was, spread gloriously between the black sheets of my bed, smiling at me. I couldn't help but smile back at her. She looked so, unbelievably sexy. I immediately sprung to attention, and I could tell by the direction of her gaze and the smirk on her face that she noticed, but we were past the point of embarrassment now. We had already spent the entire weekend with each other completely nude—an erection was like old news now.
I set the food down on the nightstand before I stripped myself of my boxers and hopped back into bed next to her. "I love you," I told her with a short kiss on the crown of her forehead.
Unfortunately, it was Sunday, and we both knew that meant she had to go home. It was a sad ending to the greatest weekend of my life, but I suppose it couldn't have gone any differently. Still, it hurt to watch her get in her car and drive away.
Monday couldn't come soon enough.
The sun shone in my face with a positively brilliant ray, waking me up from the best night's sleep I had in the longest time. I carelessly stretched and silenced my blaring alarm, the only annoyance in my perfect life.
Today was going to be a good day. I was in love.
And I just had sex with the most amazing girl in the entire world. Nothing could go wrong.
All the while I brushed my teeth and got myself ready for school, I couldn't help but smile and continue on with my upbeat manner.
Morning went by quite well. I tried texting Isa if she wanted me to pick her up for school, but received a hasty reply that she'd meet me there.
I paid little to no attention all throughout the day, but had the silly grin plastered on my face like a default. My cheeks were beginning to hurt.
Oddly, I didn't see Isa at lunch or before school. Perhaps she was busy? Tired? Sore? Just the thought that she might be sore invigorated me and, honestly, made me feel like more the man than I felt before.
I hardly even recalled Mindy making her annoying advances on me that day. Or I simply ignored her and didn't care.
By the time history rolled around, I was jumping in place like a lovesick puppy, dying to see Isa and hug her. Possibly kiss her. Or tell the class how much I wanted to do all that and more at this very moment.
I felt like the king of a castle atop a large hill overlooking everything.
Ecstatic was an understatement.
I nervously twitched in my seat as I waited for Isa to glide in through those doors. But when she finally did, the mood was quite the opposite from what I was expecting. She wasn't cheery or smiling. On the contrary; her eyes were a blotch of red and her hair was messy.
Something was wrong.
But before I could ask her, the bell rang and Mr. Lucas started the lesson. I hardly paid attention, and resorted to making sideways glances at Isa, worried and confused as to what she was going through.
Did I do it wrong? Was I really that bad? Was she too sore? Was she pregnant?! I quickly set aside the last one, as it was by far the most ludicrous question of the century. But I had to know. Her downcast expression was simply killing me.
I hastily took out a piece of paper and wrote down a message, secretly passing it to her when Mr. Lucas had his back turned to the class.
What's wrong?
Isa immediately teared up and I regretted thinking about asking her. I mentally slapped myself, closed my eyes, and pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. I was so confused.
I opened my eyes to a folded note on my desk. Quickly, I flattened it out and scanned the message.
I'll talk to you later. Meet me in the parking lot?
I could do nothing else but nod my head to her in confirmation.
I just dearly hoped nothing was too out of the ordinary.
The bell rang loudly and I watched Isa scamper out of the class first, her head facing the floor, letting her hair cover her beautiful eyes.
I slowly stood up, dreading what was to come, and walked to my locker. In a matter of minutes, I was walking to the parking lot, scanning the area until I saw Isa leaning across my car, waiting. She still looked as though the devil had managed to clip her angel wings.
I quickly jogged over.
"Hey, babe. What's wrong?" I softly whispered.
Ever so smoothly, I tried to lessen the distance between our bodies, longing to touch her and throw away her troubles. But this time she surprised me.
She slid off my car, creating more space, and took a long, almost difficult sigh.
"I think it's best that we don't see each other for a little while, Masen," she whispered, almost too soft to comprehend such words. Her head hung low, and she let her beautiful brown locks cover her face. But I could see those traitorous tears escape her eyes and fall from her face unto the hard floor; each drop seemingly sending me further into a numbed oblivion, void of all other sounds and people.
Time passed by with each supple tear sliding down her red-stained cheeks that rested atop her chin like some poor faucet holding its last remaining quenches of water.
Drip, drop.
What was happening? My stomach wanted to swell upwards toward my lungs, expelling all the possible air I had managed to muster within. My arms and legs suddenly weighed ten times as much as before; they were simply burdens. But most of all, I felt dirty and used, like I had rummaged through a pile of garbage for hours on end.
This couldn't be happening. Not now.
I stood there motionless, eyeing nothing and yet staring at everything, wanting more than anything to find out that this was just some sick and cruel joke and any minute now she would laugh and apologize. But the silence lingered on, bringing me closer to the realization that something had happened. And I had a feeling it had nothing to do with my poor lungs begging for a simple breath of air, nor the feeling of mud caked on my skin.
It was this girl—the girl I loved so much that my entire body was her property—denying what was rightfully hers. She was standing before me, ashamed and battered, bruising me with her words and tears. And I was standing here, dutifully taking each punch and hit that I couldn't understand why I deserved.
My heart was finally slowing down, and I looked down at the girl who was responsible for it. My confusion played on my features as my brows scrunched in disbelief.
"What are you talking about?" I snapped. My voice echoed with a pained hoarseness that seemed too angry already. She cringed slightly at my defensive tone, and continued to keep her head bowed down low. A part of me wanted to hold her and whisper hushed words to calm her; the other simply wanted to keep shouting.
"Joey found out about what happened over the weekend."
It took a while for the words to seep in.
Oh, no. My prepared retort stopped itself quickly in my throat. Joey found out? Is she alright? I'll take full responsibility. I softened my gaze as I watched her reel out more tears.
"What happened?" I asked warily. Though I knew my mother was aware what kind of stage my relationship with Isa was at, Joey understood very little when it came to the subject.
"Well, I left my wallet in my room in my rush to get over to your house, and," she hiccupped, "he called Emily's house to ask me if I wanted it, because that's where I told him I would be staying." She sniffled and carelessly wiped her eyes with the tips of her soft fingers. "Of course, I wasn't there, and Emily didn't know that I had told my dad I would be staying with her, so she told him that she didn't know what he was talking about.
"When I came home that day, he was there waiting angrily, demanding me to tell him where I've been and why I was so foolish into thinking I could lie to him about it." By now, her tears had stopped, but she still made no attempt to show her face. A vulnerable side of Isa was showing itself, and I wanted to do nothing more than hold her and tell her how much I love her.
"He looked through my duffel bag, Masen." She was quiet now, and I strained to hear her speak. "And he stumbled upon one of the condoms I took from your drawer to be prepared for, well, next time..."
I took a sharp inhale of breath as I tried to puzzle this information together. We stood there, silent and still as statues, neither of us willing to make the first move, and neither willing to make an affirmed decision.
There was not doubt in my mind that Joey had concluded correctly, complete with evidence to bear. I felt so guilty for being the fault of all this. And yet, I couldn't bring myself to really, truly care. I loved this girl, and we both felt that it was the right time and the right gesture to show our love. Joey would need to accept it and be happy for his daughter. Be happy for us. Because I never felt more complete than when I was with her.
"...and he still hasn't said anything to me except..." she trailed off and finally peered over her lashes to me. I braced myself for what she was going to say, already knowing what Joey would have told her, and already preparing for my rebuttal.
She started crying again and each erratic breath pulled the strings of my heart.
"He said I couldn't see you anymore." Her voice was airy and tired.
My face maintained its stony complexion. "Well, you're not going to listen to him, are you?" She wouldn't give up so easily. That wasn't the Isa I knew, and I loved her too much to step aside now. I was assuming her answer would side with my own.
But she surprised me.
"I don't know," she murmured, bringing forth an onslaught of weak tears.
Anger boiled over the brim suddenly, and I couldn't control my emotions.
"What do you mean you don't know?! This isn't much of a hard choice, Isa! We're not little kids anymore. Your dad isn't the boss of you, and he has no right to tell you what you can and cannot do!" I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding and tried as hard as I could to control my anger. How could she not choose? Didn't she understand how much I loved her? What in the world could make her so indecisive when before this moment I felt so sure of us, and so void of regret?
"Well, let's just say I definitely wouldn't give it another thought if he forced me to let you go." I regretted those guilt-given mutterings, and softened.
I walked slowly up toward my crying angel, intent on trying to console her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled and I shouldn't be making you choose so quickly. But I can't see why this is so hard," I raised my hand up to her cheek and gently stoked her face with my thumb, all the while lifting her gaze toward mine.
"I love you Isa," I murmured, "I love you so much. To me, that's all that matters. I could give a rat's ass what Joey thinks. Same goes for my parents. No one changes me and you. Every moment is great when you're here with me. And to take that away is to tear me in two." My voice got lower as I shifted nervously where I was. She needed to know all this. She should know all of this.
"I don't know what I would do without you. And I sure as hell don't want to find out. I just want you." I started to slightly panic at the notion of being without her. I had to make some sacrifices; anything and everything would be given up to be with her. "If you're not ready for sex or if you're feeing pressured to do these things, if you want to spend a little less time together and focus on school, then we...."
I felt her grip my shirt tighten before she pushed me away. I stumbled back a few steps, surprised.
"You don't understand!" she snapped. Angry tears blotted her beautiful eyes as she stepped in the other direction. Her hands were knotted in tight fists, with white, pale knuckles as a painful result. Her shoulders were shaking heavily, and her teeth slightly chattering. She looked like a beautiful mess.
"I can't do this anymore, Masen. I don't want to get hurt."
"I won't let you get...," I trailed forth.
She thrust her arms to her hair and turned to face me again. "NO! Listen! This feels so fast, so unreal! I feel like every second that goes by is some crude reminder that my fairytale ending is coming to a short close. Are you going to leave? How am I to know! I keep telling myself that it's alright, that it doesn't matter that it's been five months since I met this boy that can make my heart stop with a lopsided grin. But I can't fool myself for long, Masen. Everyday I spend with you is better and better, but that just makes it that much worse.
"It's too good to be true. And it's too fast, much too fast. But I can't slow down and that scares me. Don't you understand?! This 'happily ever after'... it'll end. And I won't be able to recover if I continue on this path by going deeper into this relationship. Joey's speech last night only made it so much clearer how inevitable the difficult ending is coming." Her eyes lingered upon mine only briefly before they traveled down to the floor, which swayed beneath my feet, cautioning my weight with what small amount of sturdiness they held.
"This is what you think?!" I shrieked. "That this is some pathetic phase of our lives bound to end? Are you listening to yourself talk right now?" I couldn't contain my anger anymore. She didn't understand. And I would have to shout for her to know. "Or perhaps for the past few days? Didn't you fucking say 'I love you' only yesterday, huh? Do you just throw those words out like answers to a damn quiz? I don't know about you, Isa Swanson, but when I say those three words, I fucking mean them!"
I was in angry tears now.
"Is this what your conscience tells you to do? To rip away this incredible thing because of a minuscule doubt? Is this what your Dad wants you to do to yourself? To cry over and over because you're not happy? And is this what your heart tells you to do?! Does it want to break? Does it want to lie to itself and to turn down this love that we share?" I was breathing faster than normal; this fight was taking the energy out of me. I waited until it slowed slightly before I finished, the silence stretching like a rubber band, waiting to snap. "Do you want to break my heart?" My voice, shaking, went back down to a whisper.
I kept silent, hoping my last statement gave her some recognition of what she was doing. I looked up to see my angel staring at me with doe eyes, not leaving my face, studying me like some famous piece of art.
"Because if you aren't listening to your heart, Isa, you're definitely not listening to mine now."
There was silence to follow.
I barely whispered my next words, afraid that they'd bring me the wrong answer, and afraid they would scare her.
"Do you want to see me anymore or not?"
Her eyes stayed on mine for what seemed like hours. And for a while, this fight, this tension ceased, and it was just two people staring heavily in each other's eyes, asking for something neither could say, but wondering if what they were asking could even be answered.
I was placing all my chips into a positive reply. I had showed this girl everything I had; my family, my personality, my fears. If she turned it down, what was I to do? I was now but some poor beggar hoping she'd just love me.
Simply love me.
"I don't know."
I just stared at her, looking to see if I could truly see that answer in her eyes.
And I could.
No tears. No gasps of shock or fainting of any kind. I didn't bother speaking or acknowledging this shattering message. I was aware of only turning my back on her for the first time, opening a door which didn't need to be held for another body to pass by, and experiencing heartbreak from the only girl I would ever love.
I felt as though someone was pressing bricks to my chest. Like it was the olden days, and I was being executed. Like they had just laid me down and started piling on the heavy stone. And I wasn't surviving. I wasn't surviving at all. I was reaching my crushing point, and she was ready to add that last heavy stone.
She just didn't know. She couldn't decide what to do, whether to love me unconditionally, or to follow some poor excuse for a status quo and leave. She had turned my body upside down, draining me of every last drop of precious energy I had left. I was some empty shell that ran away; a pitiful excuse for a man that was breaking more and more with the sound of tires screeching.
I didn't dare look back in fear that I would see her standing there. I wouldn't be able to handle that, and I'd end up back in her arms. But she didn't want that. She didn't want me.
Truth was I didn't know either. And I was never so scared in my entire life.
Nighttime filled the bright sky in what felt like mere minutes. Hours must have passed.
I was glued to my bed, staring aimlessly at the ceiling above, unwilling to come to terms with what had just happened between Isa and me. It seemed like only hours ago we had been together in this very bed, closer than ever; her scent was still potent among my pillows. I was unwilling to breathe too heavily, afraid that the very unbalanced gust of breath escaping my lungs would eventually disrupt the small bubble I was trying to so desperately to wrap myself in. Small inhales. Little exhales.
I hadn't bothered on moving ever since I stormed into my room and bounced onto these comfy sheets. What was the point? I had never felt so empty, so used, in my entire life; like I was yesterday's newspaper, kicked to the curb to be recycled. Everything I knew was crumpled and torn. There was nothing in my wake that I wanted to salvage anymore.
My heart wouldn't listen when my mind constantly tried to get it to stop beating. My arms and legs, once accustomed to feather-light airs, no longer moved on my command; I didn't even know if they could function at all. In these past hours, I told myself to just stop thinking. It never did any good. And yet, there still flashed that torturous image of the girl I was madly in love with.
Love. It hurt how much I loved Isa Swanson; it delivered true pain that she didn't love me back. How could she not love me? How could she lie and say those stupid three words, as if they didn't mean anything?
How could she not choose?
There's a fine line between love and hate. One can be so deeply infatuated in something, they are sometimes blinded by how much they truly should hate it. That the thing can't bring any happiness or benefit. A fraud. A simple joke that masks one's eyes and snickers while a person runs around without sight, bumping foolishly into everything.
I wanted to hate her so much. I wanted to lift that stupid veil she put over my eyes, and chuck it to the ground. My life had adjusted to this unknown path, where every turn was a dark route. And it was she who made it so black all the time. I had no idea where to go when I was with her.
But I could never hate her, no matter how much she denied me.
She could have spat in my face and pushed me over a bridge in that instant, and I couldn't hate her. And while I was blindfolded to everything and I had the attention span of a mouse in her presence, I was never completely inattentive.
I could see I loved her. I could see her and me, forever. I could see myself laugh just because she laughed. And like now, her tears brought floods to my eyes. My dreams might have faded from the norm of what to do the next day or a week from now. But those petty expectations fared little when all I could do was dream her. Her.
I loved her so much.
In that instant, I shot up from my bed and wiped my wet face with the back of my hand. I had to win her back. It didn't matter what he said or whether she couldn't decide which path to follow.
I had chosen. I had decided to pick the road I couldn't see. The road I hoped she would join me on. That very path where I was blind.
I hastily shot my phone from my pocket, my adrenaline coursing through my veins.
"I need you to understand," I sniffed to myself.
Taking out my cell, I quickly shot a quick text to Isa, defiant on getting things back to the way they were. I couldn't stand moping around miserably, and it wasn't even a whole day!
Isa,
I don't care what Joey thinks! I love you and I'm sorry I walked out.
I'm coming over in 10, even if I have to talk to your father myself so he can understand.
Masen.
I sprung from my mattress, grabbed my jacket, and headed out of my room. Twisting my car keys with my finger, I yelled to my parents that I was going out.
The cold air pierced my lungs and seemed to invigorate me with so much more energy than before. I can do this, I chanted. I wasn't going to let her go. Ever.
I all but sprinted my way towards my car, jamming my finger in the process. I jumbled with the keys until I started the engine, and sped off towards her house. I was going to have a talk to with Joey; he needed to know. Hopefully he already understood. Isa and I belonged together, that much I could feel. The only thing standing away from acclaimed love was his blessing. And in the end, I would see her whether or not he approved. Besides, love never fought on both sides.
Romeo would be so proud of me.
I made quick haste in parking my car in her driveway, and killed the engine. "Now or never," I quipped. With that, I slowly got out of the car.
I don't ever remember walking up toward the door, nor do I have any recollection of pressing my cold and pale fingers upon her bell, or perhaps rapping my knuckles on her door. I only was aware that my breathing had come to a standstill, the night air freezing whatever was left in me. Duly noted was the erratic heartbeat that put the speed of a hummingbird's wings to shame.
Owls hooted as I stood still, listening intently for light footsteps that would end in front of me, with only a wooden slab separating us. I was only met with loud stomps and hushed cursing that reverberated loudly until the door unhinged itself as a barrier, and I was met with the panicked eyes of Joey himself.
"Where is Isa?!" he yelled. His eyes darted all around me, as if expecting another figure to be transported beside me. He wore a tired and worried expression, his clothes reeking of sawdust and sweat.
What?
"Umm... well, I actually came to see her and perhaps talk to you, sir. Isn't she here?" I asked. The jostled complexion of Joey immediately set off red flashing alarms in my head. How did he not know where Isa was?
"She isn't with you?"
"No. Is something wrong?"
"Oh my god. I've got to call the police," he cried in an exasperated tone. Hurriedly, he dashed back inside and retrieved his phone, dialing three numbers I never thought would be for Isa.
"What happened?" I managed to yell. I had somehow followed Joey into his house, and my stiff posture only portrayed so little of my anger.
Joey didn't bother answering me, as he was rushedly giving the police information.
What had happened? Joey's panicked voice rang deep in my ears, like a small bell signaling a warning. An alarm. Was this my fault? I should have stayed with her. I shouldn't have yelled at her.
Tears began to well in my eyes. I had to find her, stop her wherever she was going.
Was she running away?
Joey finished his call with the police and turned to coldly stare at me. I knew he blamed me. For everything that was happening. But my mind was working with gears fiercely moving. I had to find Isa.
Without even bothering to speak or argue, as I merely didn't have the voice or will to do so with Joey, I stormed out back toward my car, determined to find Isa.
I scoured the streets for the rest of the night, well into midnight, visiting areas I thought she might be; the Space Needle, Alki Beach, my house, school, her friends'. She was no where to be found. The knot wound deep in my stomach continued to strike another row of tangled rope with each destination that lacked her presence.
How did something so amazing end up like this? When did the best nights of my life turn into the worst?
I continued tirelessly looking. I vowed never to rest until I found her.
And somehow, I ended up near a small bridge overlooking a pond, shaking with the cold bitter air, and heaving large gulps of air like a refreshing glass of water. I had checked everywhere I could think of. And I knew I failed.
Was I really such a monster? Such a horrible person that an angel would run away from me? From her father?
I collapsed weakly on the wooden planks in the bridge, too damaged to go on. My legs were overcome with a frostbitten numbness, and my voice hoarse from yelling out her name. My eyes stung from the frozen air.
Damn February.
I believed I stayed where I was, hunched, waiting for a sign, for quite some time. It didn't matter anymore what happened. Romeo had lost Juliet. I felt so ashamed of myself, so beaten and downtrodden with complete failure.
I wanted the cold to swallow me up whole.
But my mind was sucked out of it's thoughts by a low, scratchy voice.
I cocked my head up toward the moonlit night sky, and gasped at the sight before me.
In front of me stood the largest and most muscular man I had ever encountered. He wore a dark uniform, almost blending in with the very shadows around me, but his sheer size and crop-cut black hair intimidated me to no end. He had arms thick as tree trunks, it seemed like, and a neck that looked hard as metal.
And those eyes.
Topaz.
The large man spoke up once more, his pierced glance, almost familiar, boring in my very own awed gaze.
"Edward."
Who was Edward? Who was this man?
I glanced around me quickly, to see if there was someone else that he might be talking to that I just hadn't seen. But there was no one but him and me. I had to get out of here. I had to continue looking for Isa; getting away from this menace of a man didn't seem like a bad idea either.
I hobbled up, wobbling over my jelly-like legs until I regained balance. Slowly, almost as if to not disturb the peculiar man before me, I made my way off the rickety bridge.
The man behind me boomed his deep voice.
"You won't find her, Edward," he boomed.
I stopped in my tracks. Why was he calling me Edward? Was he trying to say my last name?
I turned around, backed up by a strength I didn't know I had.
"Who won't I find?" My voice scratched and sounded greatly worn. It was.
"Bella."
I stood still. That name sounded familiar. But I was still confused. And this giant was only wasting precious time. Time I needed to devote to my love.
"Who's Bella?" I managed to choke out.
A low rumble of laughter escaped the large man's lips, and his uncontrolled bellow shook the trees around me, sounding almost like lightening, if not louder.
But before I could ask what was so funny, another pair of golden eyes immediately appeared mere inches from my face, bringing forth a deep scent that was pungent to my nose. I was taken aback by the sudden speed, and almost toppled over.
I never touched the ground.
Instead, cold hands caught me on my back, and a black bag was speedily placed over my bag. It smelled very strong.
My screams were muffled as my eyes began to droop due to the stench from my encased bag.
The last thing I heard was that deep bellowing laughter.
It seemed so familiar...
A/N: I don't know how you guys will feel about this, but it's a bit of a bittersweet moment for us. This is the last chapter where Masen and Isa will be completely Masen and Isa. The transition starts now—you'll see it take place in the coming chapters. It'll be a gradual transition, but it's there nonetheless. And as glad as we'll be to have Edward and Bella back, both Ben and I have grown to love Masen and Isa. We weren't expecting it, but it happened. It's a bit sad for us to lose them, but it's necessary. :(
Also, there is a very slim chance that we will be updating on time next week. No only was this chapter late, but our school's football team is going to the state championships (WOO!) and the game is on Friday night. Needless to say, both Ben and I will be there, screaming our hearts out as we kill the other team. :)
!!!!!!!!!! OME!!! Now do you get how this connects with WHWHW? Once again, I'm so sorry (this is Ben) that we posted so late. But I hoped we made up for it in this chapter size plus the juicy and sour lemon!
Don't expect us to always be perfect on our time in posting. Allie and I are both currently enrolled in difficult classes, and school always comes first. Sorry. It's mostly me who has the hardest time to find writing breaks.
IMPORTANT:
We have had this question asked quite frequently, or statements to this nature that Allie and I could not disclose until now. The whole human concept, when I thought of it, was supposed to portray the whole thing about fate and love. Love is, in this story, the main focal point, and the sequel drives this message of importance home by portraying the lovers as humans, symbolizing that even immortality or different stages in life cannot break this powerful bond of love between these star-crossed lovers! Hint: this is also seen in Alice, who indeed becomes a human...
I've said too much!!!
REVIEW is mandatory for our love!!!!
Until next time,
cALLIEfornia BENches