Elesis found herself casting fleeting glances at the golden eyed girl throughout the day. It was like an itch that she had to scratch. She just couldn't stop herself from staring and wondering what the other girl was thinking about. It was breathtaking, the way the gentle fall light played over her features and caught in her eyes, making them glow with the color of rich honey. The redhead felt a tugging at her heart, and realized that it was longing. That just awoke her curiosity in what Ara's answer would be. Of course, there was the possibility that Ara would say that she did not like Elesis in that way, which would be saddening. Elesis supposed it wouldn't be horrible, though. After all, she would still be there at school, and they could always be friends. Even so, that thought didn't sit well with her, though she was looking forward immensely to the other girl's answer, whatever it may be. At this point, nothing she did could change it.
As she watched, the black haired girl bent over to help someone pick up the eraser they had dropped. Straightening, Ara looked up and their eyes met. Elesis sent her her usual smirk. Ara shrugged slightly in feigned exasperation, but the redhead couldn't miss the twitch at the corner of her lips.
Elesis wandered to the back of the school, reveling in the quickly cooling warmth of Autumn. By now, most of the leaves had fallen off the trees, littering the ground with a carpet of color. Noticing a certain ebonette walking over, she brightened, her face immediately lighting up like a firefly at night.
"H-Hi," greeted Ara.
"Yo."
"Umm...Listen, I've finally figured out my feelings."
Elesis could feel every cell in her body braced, waiting anxiously for the answer she so yearned for.
The air was tense and heavy, filled with unspoken emotion. It was so hard to speak, but Ara forced her mouth to move and form the words she wished to say. There was no going back now.
"I love you." Those three simple words rolled off her tongue in one great breath.
The black haired girl looked to the girl opposite her, trying to read the redhead's expression. For a split second, Elesis' face looked vulnerable - with her eyebrows turned up slightly and her crimson orbs wide with surprise.
"Sorry, I..." Ara felt her stomach tighten with dread.
"W-What I mean to say is," Elesis stammered, looking at loss for words. Suddenly, she was being pulled to the redhead, and Elesis' lips were on hers, kissing her fervently. After a moment of shock, Ara too was kissing back with a rivaling intensity. It hurt so much to be near each other, but it also felt tremendously pleasing. All too soon, it was over, and both flushed as red as the fall leaves.
"I...I love you, too. And...I'm sorry for teasing you..." mumbled the younger girl.
Despite her blush and her ecstasy in having her feelings returned, Ara still found her revenge.
"Aww, you're just a big dork, aren't you? That's cute. Even though you act so tough~"
"S-Shut up!"
The two laughed amiably, then lapsed into a moment of silence. The only sounds heard were their quiet intakes of breath as they struggled to fill their lungs and remember how to breathe again.
A/N: I hope this left you breathless, too! Maybe this chapter was a little bit too...intense, compared to how soft and fluffy (not to mention lackluster) the other chapters are OTL.