(A/N) Friendly reminder that chapters 1-6 are on my old profile which can be found under favorite authors.
CHAPTER 8: Loving The New You
He wouldn't let it go. Whatever he was so upset over, it still hung heavy all around him. It was almost as if he had his own gravitational pull. And it pulled at her unrelentingly. From the instant they left his apartment Richard had remained in this ever consuming haze of hardly suppressed anger and it threatened to suck her into his atmosphere. Nope. Not happening. As far as Kori was concerned, he could remain this way so long as he pleased. She refused to let him bring her to his level of immaturity. The drive here had been silent for the most part, but the weather was beautiful and warm so rather than allow his mood to devour her, Kori simply enjoyed the scenery. But no, there was more. Alfred had business to attend with Bruce elsewhere and could not carve out the time Richard demanded of him to fully stock the beach house with his spoiled needs. As if Richard had never walked the aisles of a grocery store before.
The sun grew more forgiving the closer the ocean waves became and Kori tried her hardest to poke the ridiculous moody bubble Richard remained in. But alas, no such luck just yet. So, fine, Mr. Grumpy could linger in the quiet as she pranced through the market store in search of their basic culinary needs. It was not until they had lined their arms with grocery bags and stumbled into beach house that Kori finally decided to address his sour mood.
"It's not a big deal that Alfred could not do this for you," She smiled, setting a few bags upon the island counter that separated them. "I wish you'd stop being such a baby about it."
From his end of the counter, Richard rolled his eyes. "I've not said one word in complaint. It's not a big deal."
Of course, she knew, that this was less about the grocery stop and more about whatever deep seeded darkness and stubbornness that resided within that thick skull of his, but she had no intention of drawing attention to that fact. Rather she was hoping he would take the easy way out and accept the simple excuse of being too 'billionaire' to do his own shopping.
"Tell that to the scowl on your face."
Richard paused and stared over at his gorgeous Kori, his teeth barely reeling in the severe grinding they were doing. What the hell was she thinking? Had they really spent a simple year apart from one another and were doomed to now be incapable of reading one another's frustrations? There was no way she couldn't pick up on the reality that he wasn't upset merely over something so simple as buying his own food for the weekend. How could she not understand where his anger had come from? How could he explain it to her if he couldn't shake this feeling that he didn't have all the information? Because if one thing was clear to him, he was obviously missing something. He was upset over how her behavior around Xavier upon their departure had been so present with such spark, fluidity even. As if they had done this dance before. And who the hell was this guy really? One year he was gone and X got to step right in and claim all the perks he once shared being friends with Kori? Richard had earned that close comfort and bond with her. Certainly, X's minor blimp of existence in her life had nowhere near such an affect. Where the hell did he even come from? He couldn't get passed the fact that Kori had not only kept his existence in the dark, but then had the audacity to be so openly playful with him.
Richard had hoped things could have been kept just as they were before their dramatic leave. It appeared to occur like a flick of a switch. Long lost were the days where X avoided him completely. Since when did he find the courage, the nerve, to show up at his home and practically fondle Kori in front of him? This would not do. Again, there was something he was missing and the fact Kori acted none the wiser seemed to infuriate him all the more.
She had ignored his temperamental air the entire drive here, she galivanted through every aisle of the store, and now looked to him as though he were the issue? Where was the loyalty he had grown to love and lean on where she was concerned?
Even now, as she riffled through the bags on the counter, each item finding its perfect place among the shelves and refrigerator, he found himself inexplicably annoyed. But, hey, if she wanted to fake the happiness this weekend than he would play along. Long enough to remind her that it was truly only him that could provide a level of happiness that she had clearly forgotten over their time apart.
"Trust me, everything's fine," he announced and turned to the sliding glass door which overlooked the ocean that brushed up against the beach house property. "I'm just looking forward to some surfing action."
Kori was stunned by his sudden change of attitude, a hopeful vibration now in his tone. "Then get your ass in your board shorts and get out there. I'm not stopping you."
Just then, as she gathered the emptied grocery bags from the island, her breath caught for some unknown reason. That tightness in her chest sank heavier at the sight of Richard removing his shirt, flinging it across the room. It landed on the counter just before her paused hands and he stretched unaware of her suspended thoughts. He was truly perfection bottled in that arrogant and sly billionaire body and she was unsure if she would ever quite get used to it. It wasn't as though he had changed immensely within their time apart and yet... maybe he had; physically that is. Or maybe she had? One would think so, permitting the unrelenting side streets her mind was taking. Was this a side effect of her ridiculously inappropriate dream that morning where she found herself caressing him in a dreamlike haze of misunderstanding?
Before Kori could analyze such incredulous thoughts her mind flashed blank again. Richard moved toward the hallway to his room. Perhaps this weekend truly was a bad idea. Forget her confused feelings when around Richard, what was more important was the fear also coexisting in her emotions. She had to tell him about X this weekend. There was no more avoiding it. Would he ever look at her the same? Shit! This was almost too much for her. When would she tell him? As if there would ever be a perfect moment to shatter the illusion of her innocence.
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"This is complete bullshit," He said. "Tell me you didn't know."
Rachel sighed, of course she was in the center of this drama she had skillfully tried to avoid. Looking to Xavier, she raised her shoulders in defeat. "It's not what it looks like." She continued swiftly as X rolled his eyes and turned away from her. "I know how that sounds. Trust me, but-"
"Trust you?" Xavier laughed humorlessly. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, eyes cast down at the phone in his hand once more. "I had no idea it would be like this. How could Kori honestly think I'd be ok with this?"
Rachel pinched the bridge of her nose at the rising of his voice. She warned Kori this would happen. She begged Kori to leave her out of it, but somehow it always seemed that her friend's drama always found a way to strangle her without remorse. She understood the anger spewing from X. It was a lot to take in. Hell, this was more than unfair to him regardless of any warning Kori had tamed him with when it came to her level of closeness with Richard.
"I thought we were friends Rae?" X shouted. "You couldn't be bothered to give me a better warning than this?"
"If you just call her, I think she can shed some light on the situation."
X full body laughed now. "I can't call her when I'm this heated. To what... only hear some pitiful explanation meant to console my feelings? There's no explanation in the world that could make this ok. Have you even seen these pictures?" When Rachel lagged in response, he shook his head and tossed his phone onto the nearby couch. "Of course you have. Probably before me. Before I even came over hear to tell you about them."
Well, he was right about that. She had attempted calling Kori numerous times to ask her about said pictures which had been uploaded to the internet via paparazzi. Thank you again, social media.
"Honestly, X, I think you should-"
"Oh, we're going for honesty now?" He said, slumping back into the sofa.
Narrowing her eyes, Rachel leered over him. "No matter how much you're enjoying taking your anger out on me. This isn't my fault. Not even a little bit. So watch your fucking tone."
"I know," Was his response. He leaned forward on a heavy exhale, arms resting at his knees and his head cradled into his hands. "I just don't know what to do. I am sorry. I just... I love her, Rachel. And I'm not ok with this."
At the gentle sweep of his tone, almost surrendered to agony, Rachel hesitated. These pictures, only two, had been posted several hours apart, but were clearly from the same day. This day. The most recent one was of Kori and Richard in the beach water, waste high in expected bathing attire. The incriminating part, was that this paparazzi had managed to single out a delicate moment shared between the two. Kori's legs wrapped around his waist, arms snug around his neck and their smiles but a breath away from one another's. As troubling as this picture was, it was the initial photo that caught Rachel off guard. It was the scene she had walked into this morning of the two a tangled mess and asleep on the couch. Rachel had been the only one there. There was no paparazzi, no one else in the apartment, nothing. So how then was this photo leaked?
She knew the moment Kori saw these pics, she would be frustrated, but there was no way Rachel would be blamed for this. Right? No Kori knew her better than that. But who then took it? Had someone been in the room before she had arrived there? Richard and Kori's friend group was small. And trusted. None of them would do such a thing. If Kori would just answer the damn phone then maybe we could all get a little insight.
"Look," Rachel said, holding back her inner thoughts to console him. "I'm sorry too. Just calm down and when you're ready... just call her."
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The day had taken a pleasant turn. Richard was all smiles as he retreated from the water and onto the softer area of sand where Kori lay beneath an umbrella. What had started with a pity party of his own making, the day had also been made right again by his own doing. Swept under the rug was his swirling thoughts and sheer happiness was all that remained. They had been in and out of the water for some time now and with the sun on its decent, it was hunger that struck him now. It almost felt as if nothing had ever changed between them. As if nothing outside of their own little world even existed. Which, was exactly the intent Richard knew this weekend without interruption would bring. Their closeness was slowly weaving itself back together and just by the look in her eye, even now as he moved toward her, Richard felt at peace.
"You looked great out there," Kori said with an easy smile. "Almost as if you've been surfing everyday your whole life."
Plunging his surf board into the sand, Richard pushed his wet hair out of his eyes and smiled. "I'd look even better if you weren't so stubborn and had joined me."
Kori lingered in that signature smirk of his before snapping herself back to reality. Today had been fun. Out here with just him brought her back to the summers in high school when not a day went by that they weren't engulfed in one another's presence. The laughter, the fun, the games, but there was also something new that had surfaced since those easygoing days. And she was struck with this heavy amount of hesitation where he was concerned. It was easy to get lost in the old ways, but somehow something felt off now. It was hard to define and she wanted nothing more than to ignore it but was there, popping up in all their moments together now. And it was something far too close to guilt.
Guilt for what, she wasn't sure. Was it more than one thing? Was it everything?
Like right now, his hand reaching down to her, that smirk still intact, the guilt washed over her like a tidal wave spinning ang spinning. "I was rather enjoying my tanning and being lazy, thank you very much."
"You're probably just hungry. I know I am," Richard smiled. He pulled her to her feet and walked backward toward the beach house as she followed slowly. "A glass of wine will loosen you up."
That sounded actually really nice. Shoulders slumped and a playful whine, Kori made her way up the porch steps. "I really don't feel like cooking. I think the sun got to me more than I thought."
"Uh, that works out," He replied, handing her an empty wine glass as she sat at a barstool behind the kitchen island. "Because I have no intentions of eating your cooking."
That statement got a more energy filled laugh. Kori rolled her eyes and admired his smooth pour of the wine into her glass. "I might not be as bad a cook as you remember." She narrowed her eyes over her wine glass at his raised brow. "I've always definitely been better than one particular spoiled pretty boy that I know."
"Sure you were. Still, I'm not taking any chances."
An hour later and the two were huddled over their empty plates in laughter, a bottle of wine gone, another freshly opened, and eyes a little dazed.
Richard cleared his throat to calm his laughter and caught himself mesmerized by Kori in this moment. This was the Kori he had missed for so long. The Kori that was his. The smile that he had fallen for.
Woah... Hold up. Where the heck did that come from? Fallen for? No, that was the wine talking, he convinced himself. He'd just missed her and was enjoying the moment alone that he had yearned for. That's all this feeling was. The fact her smile made his chest tighten, the way her eyes seemed to engulf his attention, it was all just fondness.
Clearing his throat again, Richard set his wine glass down, pushing it away along with those random thoughts. "I had fun today."
Kori smiled down at his hand. It reached across the table and held hers, his warm fingers tracing the back of her knuckles gently. There was a severe gleam in his eyes she had caught more than once today and it practically stopped her breath. Swallowing hard she allowed herself to linger in his intense gaze. "It was way over due."
A small beep in the distance seemed to snap him out of his thoughts, his hand removing itself from hers. He stood and crossed the room leisurely, picking his phone up from the charger port and attaching her dead one.
"Finally all charged up." His fingers tapped across the screen before a soft melody began to play. He turned to her with a smile his hand reaching for her once more. "Dance with me?"
Kori giggled at this, accepting his hand without hesitation. "I never thought I'd hear you say those words voluntarily."
Twirling her into his hold, Richard held her closely, swaying. "I never thought I would either."
It was as he dipped her back, lingering in one another's gaze that Kori's eyes narrowed. His eyes were on her lips in what seemed a knowing manner. As if they'd been in this place before. The room felt heated now, her eyes trailing down to his lips and the softness they would surely hold. One thing was for certain, she knew they had never been in a moment quite like this together. Never this fierce vibration exuding one another. Never the hesitation quite palpable as this. After everything they had shared, she knew, there was never a moment quite so fierce as to melt the world away in a manner which only a single thought of possibility and desire could be processed without concern for consequence. Her breathing picked up, short and quick intakes. Her eyes snapped up to his, seeing the same mirrored emotion. What was happening? Her chest heaved back and forth as he slowly brought her upright, his own quickness of breath scrambled with hers. She had never felt anything quite like this.
It was as he spared a glance back down to her mouth again, his arms bringing her ever closer that she was able to force her eyes shut. Because, yes, she had felt this before. She had felt this same version of intensity with Xavier. She shook her head slightly, a hand brought to her forehead as she forced a giggle.
"The wine," she explained, adding a bit of space between them. "It has my head all fuzzy." She dared not look back at Richard until he cleared his throat, almost as if he too had to force himself back to reality. "I think I'm gonna shower and head to bed. Thanks for dinner."
Snatching her phone from the charger, she practically ran to her bedroom, the door shutting behind her with an unnecessarily loud thud. Once in the bathroom, phone discarded on the sink, arms braced against the countertop, Kori finally looked up at her reflection.
"What the fuck was that?" She whispered to herself.
The longer she stared at herself, the more confused she became. Splashing water on her face she dared to look again. Yep, that didn't help. She wasn't just experiencing the feeling of guilt, but she looked the part as well. It was all there, every feature tearing through her pores in obviousness. This was a problem she had not seen coming. Had she missed Richard so much that she was confusing her habits normally shared with Xavier and forcing them all over him? He must think she was going crazy. Was her mind convincing herself Richard was reciprocating such affections? How could she allow herself to feel such a thing? To almost act on such a thing? Ugh, she was never drinking again. The lines blurred too much too soon. As it were, the moment Richard found out the truth about X he would hate her. Was that what was driving her sudden need to keep him so close?
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Her lips had been right there. Just as they had been the night she had drunkenly kissed him. Now he had the pained pleasure of her actually looking up at him with such emotion to add to that memory. It was almost as if she had wanted to kiss him. Did he want that? He certainly couldn't stop dreaming about it. Involuntarily. Was her pulling away so suddenly a sign that she remembered kissing him? It hadn't been too intimate the first time, if anything it left him shocked and confused, but the mere thought of it had changed something for him. It was probably the source of most of his frustrations when it came to her lately. She had plucked his sanity with that kiss.
No. The wine. Just as she had said. It was the wine. It was a silly notion to think anything else. They had just missed one another and he needed to remind himself of that before this friendship was ruined by such ridiculous contemplation. It shouldn't be that hard. Kori had clearly reminded herself of such. That's why she had literally ran from him just now. So why then, had his heart rate not returned to normal? Why did the mere anticipation of a possible second, more meaningful kiss, leave his heart pounding? Instead of allowing himself to dissect this thought pattern, he merely cleaned the dishes and headed to his own room for the night.
That is until he got about three feet from Kori's door, opposite him in the hall. Her voice was sharp, whispers of argument on her tongue and it made him curious. Moving to the door, slowly, he brought his ear close to the sounds.
"Why would he think that?" She whispered violently. "What pictures? I would never cheat on him, Rachel."
Cheat? What the hell was she talking about? His anger sparked now and before he could stop himself, he gave one swift knock before cracking the door open. "Kor, you ok?"
"I have to call you back." She sighed, taking in Richard's presence as she tightened her robe around her. Her eyes shut in a moment of frustration and then her voice raised. "I said I'll call you back."
"What the hell is going on? Who was that on the phone?"
Kori took another deep breath to center herself. The fact that she just stared back at him wordless seemed to only piss him off. Throwing her hands at her sides, Kori laughed crazily. "It was Rachel, ok."
"And you guys were in a screaming match because...?" He asked, crossing his arms, a brow on the rise in suspicion.
Kori swallowed hard. How was she going to navigate through this unscathed? All she wanted at this point was to be asleep.
"So, you aren't planning on telling me?" When she lingered further, a thought crossed Richard's mind and his mood changed drastically. He took a step toward her in worry. "Is she ok? I mean, is everything ok?"
"Why are you here? I just got out of the shower and I'd like to go to sleep please."
Ok, I guess her mood had changed drastically too. There was no reason to be upset with him. Which of course simply made him resort to anger towards her. This was that feeling he had felt before they left. The feeling that he was being left out of something.
"You gonna tell me what you've been hiding from me since you got here?"
The tone behind that delivered question shook Kori. Suddenly her nerves were prickling beneath her skin again and she could feel the guilt shadowing her features right in front of him. "What are you-"
"Save it," Richard snapped, a hand cutting through the space between them. He was over her secrets. She was making him crazy living in this limbo of uncertainty. "You've been weird since you got here. So come on, I can't stand to hear another avoidance from you. Just fucking tell me what's going on."
Her lips twitched in regret as she spoke, her tone nervous, her voice shaking lowly. "There's pictures of us." She cleared her throat for more strength. "You and I. From today."
Richard's eyes narrowed. She was really going to blow him off after he'd just called her out? "So? There's always pictures of us going around. Who cares? I'm talking about how you've been insanely weird since you came to school." His anger spiked as she swallowed hard once more, refusing to answer. "Just fucking tell me! Don't insult me further by pretending like I can't tell you're hiding something."
"It's about Xavier," She finally whispered, eyes building small tears in the corners at the sight of his fists clenched at his side now.
"Did he do something to you?" His voice rang back with hardly contained rage. "If he touched you, I'll kill him."
"No!" She shouted back, raising a hand toward him to try and calm him. "I lied to you."
His chest heaved as she continued on. It was obvious to him now. Before entering the room she had mentioned cheating. Now she mentioned pictures. But for the life of him, he begged his mind to believe that she wasn't about to say what he clearly knew she was. Maybe it was because he needed the torture of her words to accept the truth, because he needed to hear her same them.
"Say it." He growled.
"I've been dating him for the past six months."
And there it was. The 'something' he had been missing. The 'something' that should have been a hell of a lot easier to realize because it had been all in front of his face; the whole time. It seemed so obvious. What an idiot he'd been. He stared back at her completely silent as the truth spread through his memories. The mistaken drunken kiss he thought was his. The misinterpreted emotions of lust he thought she was feeling too. The need to develop a respectable roommate boundary. The need for space and late night dinners without him.
It was all because of Xavier fucking Redd.
"Say something," she begged. "Please."
With this, Richard laughed and shook his head, taking a step away from her. "I flat out asked you about him. You lied, straight to my face."
"I know, but I-"
"I'm impressed." He interrupted, plastering a nonchalant façade over his entire being. "Gotta say. Didn't see that one coming. I am loving the new you."
Kori's eyes narrowed. That was it? He was just gonna act like it didn't matter? Like he didn't care? "Where are you going?"
He gave her an overly confident smirk that confused her further. "I'm gonna head out for a bit. Don't wait up. We got some pretty fun plans tomorrow. Call Rachel and tell her to hang out for a bit. Hell, call lover boy too. We can make a party of it."
Kori stood motionless, staring at her door for what felt like forever. How was he capable of just shaking off his anger like that? Did this mean they were ok? Did it mean anything at all? He was right, she had lied. He had asked her if she was dating X and she lied. Like he said, straight to his face. And this was his only response? There was no way she was calling anyone over for this mess. She'd let him go out for a few drinks and then hopefully sleep off any residual feelings. He just needed time to think. She was certain of it. They would talk in the morning when there wasn't so much wine soaking their veins.
Tomorrow was going to be interesting, that was for sure. It felt like a trap but there was no going back now. The most terrifying thought that she couldn't stop from forming over and over was that perhaps she didn't really know him anymore.
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(A/N) I have the next chapter written just need to edit a bit so I'm hoping it will be up this weekend. Don't forget to review!
