Ch. 11
POV: KORI
Honestly, I don't know what we're doing. We're not yelling at each other anymore, so I feel like we've solved something. Though, this is probably just another problem.
I'm kneeling in front of Ryland Park. And I'm kissing him.
And surprisingly, I don’t hate it. Quite the opposite, actually.
406Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qxWgj6u8N
POV: RYLAND
406Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVN5ycZSRK
Is this a good kiss? I have no idea.
She's done this before. I mimic her mouth movements, and she tilts her head, pushing me back farther. I let her. Waves of heat are pulsing through me, starting from my mouth and traveling down my body. She’s a living flame, igniting me more and more as the seconds pass. I'm scrambling to figure out how we got here, but her mouth is killing everything I'm trying to think.
406Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgPvTWDyrb
POV: KORI
406Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVIJ45NuhQ
Ryland's tense, his body completely frozen in place. But finally, I feel him loosen up. Slowly, his hand reaches up to cup the back of my neck. His touch is light, the faintest skin on skin contact, like he's afraid I'll disappear if he gets too close, too comfortable. I’m damn near in his lap at this point, and he lets out a low, growling noise in the back of his throat when I push him up against the tree trunk.
Ryland spreads his knees apart and tugs at my waist. I fully lean into him now, crushing our bodies against each other. I cup his face in my palms, feeling something molten ignite in my stomach. My hair falls around us like a curtain as I move. The last of his tears wet my thumbs, and his fingernails dig into my waist as he kisses me back.
Ryland Park...
406Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSevdZ3psR
POV: RYLAND
406Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTvxcEnRZx
So this is...
Well, it's nothing like anything I've ever felt before.
She's rubbing her thumbs across my cheeks as she sucks on my lips, and it feels like my heart might just sail right out of my body. My fingertips tighten on her waist, a silent request, and she rewards me by opening her mouth against mine, her tongue brushing against mine, which is, wow. Yes, quite good.
I'm having a really hard time remembering what my name is.
406Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvzGBHMKoc
POV: KORI
406Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazbsZ1bsqF
My phone suddenly blares to life, my ringtone blasting like a thousand trumpets.
Immediately, a jolt of panic shoots through me and I break the kiss. I rock backwards onto my heels, then fall onto my ass and scoot away from Ryland. I yank my phone out of my pocket and fumble with it. "Yes, h-hello?"
"Kor, are you good?" Kansas's voice rings in my ear, and my heart plummets. "It's getting late. Are you still with Ryland and Archer?"
"Yes!" I spit out, stealing a glance over at Ryland despite myself. He's got a hand pressed to his lips. "I'm fine! We're just finishing up. I'm coming home now."
"Okay, cool. Just make sure your home for dinner." He pauses for a minute, and then says, "By the way, I need your...help finding a Halloween costume."
His request almost distracts me from my embarrassment. "What?"
"Well, since Dad and I are leaving before Halloween, Milo wanted to do something before I left. Said he wants to go uptown to some neighborhood. Honestly, I think he wants to trick-or-treat."
I'm barely listening to Kansas, mostly because Ryland's finally lifted his gaze from the ground to me. Those silver eyes flash with curiosity, surprise, and a bit of annoyance.
"Y-Yeah, sure," I mutter, tearing my eyes away from his. "I'll be home in a sec."
I hang the call up and immediately shoot to my feet.
His eyes follow my every movement. “Did you just-“
“No!” I blurt out.
His eyes widen more, if that’s possible. “No?”
Someone shoot me. "W-We should go," I choke out. "It's getting late."
I spin on my heel and start walking in the direction of his car without waiting for his response. I know he’s pissed. Why wouldn’t he be? The girl he’s hated since elementary school basically just assaulted him. Oh God, I just kissed Ryland Park.
There's a deafening silence behind me for a little, and then I hear the sound of his footsteps. I slowly cast my eyes up towards the sky and pray for a lightning bolt to strike me down.
There’s loud music blasting from the TV speakers when I walk through my front door 30 minutes later. The house smells of pasta, and I follow my nose until I find Milo perched on top of the kitchen counter, swinging his feet back and forth.
He breaks into a wide grin at the sight of me. “Kori, babes! How lovely of you to join us.” He leans his head backwards towards Kansas, who’s hovering over the stove. “Kansas, love, say hello to your baby sister.”
Kansas wiggles the spatula in his hand over his shoulder at me without turning around. “Hello, baby sister.”
I wave meekly at my brother and his boyfriend, my head still spinning. The car ride had been so silent, I’d almost begged for Ryland to yell at me. “Hey, guys. What’re you cooking?”
“Just lasagna,” Milo says, waving me into the kitchen. I haven’t seen Milo since school started, so it’s nice to see he’s still as bubbly as ever. He’s got his hair pulled back into a little ponytail, and he’s dyed it bright pink.
Kansas turns to face me, and he takes in my tense shoulders and scrunched up face. “Whoa, what’s wrong?”
I shake my head. “Nothing, just tired.”
Kansas moves away from the stove, eyeing me strangely. Milo takes the opportunity to scoot to the edge of the counter and lean forward, winding his arms loosely around Kansas’s neck and his legs around his waist. He rests his cheek in Kansas’s thick curls, securely locking Kansas in place.
Not that he seems to mind. My brother continues to frown at me, the weight of Milo behind him as normal as the sun rise. “Dad’s not home. He won’t be until tomorrow night, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
I watch the way Kansas leans back into Milo’s warmth, and the way Milo’s eyes flutter shut, and I feel the pit in my stomach that had ignited earlier going out completely. “It’s just been a long day. I think I’m just gonna relax for the rest of the night.”
I hurry up the stairs before they can say anything else, shutting the door behind me. I stand there for a moment, pressing my forehead against the cool wood. Then, I shuffle towards my bed and drop onto the covers like a stone into the sea. I grope around for the remote and flick the TV on.
It’s Friday night, a week before Halloween, and I’m going to spend it curled up in my bed with Supernatural blasting. Though, not even Dean Winchester can distract me from the memory of Ryland Park’s lips, softer than anything in this world.
Groaning, I throw the covers over my head.
406Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnyrVFOmKL
POV: RYLAND
406Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVYNbbLGsG
I don’t remember dropping her off at her house.
I don’t remember driving home.
I don’t remember how I got onto my front porch.
The only thing I can remember is the taste of her. I can still see her, still feel her in my hands, on my lips. It’s every childhood fantasy I ever had come true. Better, actually. God, she’s so much better than I ever could’ve imagined. So much sweeter. Her hips fit perfectly between my hands, her lips perfectly against mine. I was breathing her air, our scents intertwined. It was like pieces of a puzzle clicking together. Every part of her against me was right.
And now…now I don’t know what to do.
Shoving my house key into the lock, I stumble inside on shaky legs. Archer’s passed out on the couch in the front room, but his eyes snap open at the sound of my footsteps.
He’s on his feet in an instant, all trace of sleep gone from his face. “How is she?” he demands.
How is she? She’s like a dream. Something completely unreal. If she didn’t take up every space in my head before, she most certainly does now. She tasted like peppermint and everything that’s good in this world. And she kissed me tonight like she’d been wanting to kiss me for as long as I’ve been wanting to kiss her.
I don’t say any of that, instead choosing to shuffle past him towards the kitchen. I head straight for the top left cabinet in the corner. Though he’s back in town, my father still hasn’t stepped foot in the house yet, and all his booze is still untouched. I grab a bottle of Hennessy and pop the cap off.
“Whoa, Ry, wait!” Archer reaches for the bottle, but one glare from me has him dropping his hand. He doesn’t step back, though. “What happened with your mom? Tell me.”
I freeze, my lips a breathe away from the bottle as his question sinks in. I’d completely forgotten about my mom. I hadn’t thought about her in the last hour.
Something painful clangs through me at that thought, and I set the bottle down on the counter in defeat. Staggering backwards, I drop into a squat. “She’s…bad.”
Archer steps towards me. “How bad?”
“Really bad. And I can’t afford anything right now.” More time. I need more time.
He inhales sharply, pain flashing across his face. “Dad won’t…help?”
I grit my teeth. “No. The bastard told me himself. It’s all my fault.”
Archer goes silent, and I know he’s reading between the lines. After a moment, he reaches for the bottle. Grabbing two cups from the next cabinet over, he looks at me and says, “Then I guess we’re drinking tonight.”
Something that feels an awful lot like relief squeezes my heart.
Tomorrow, I’ll start figuring out how I can help her. Tomorrow, I’ll rummage through my savings and count everything. Tomorrow, I’ll be able to focus on something other than my first kiss.
But tonight, I need a drink.
406Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTAPZlbc3u
TO BE CONTINUED...406Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6enPy66Ggr
406Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Z1NKMAiax
Hello again :)
-Zuffy <3
ns 15.158.61.48da2
