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“So, he pushed you over the railing of that staircase?” She points to the one we’re about to go down.
“Yep. I landed on the carpet, but broke my ankle. He was a fucking nightmare.”
“Who found you?”
“Well, they rushed down to help me– the rest of my brothers. When OldOtetshad to break away from important business to help, he didn’t believe I was injured, so I walked around on it for a couple of days until mom flew in and… Well, moms always know when their kids are hurt. Needless to say, she was furious with my father. Kinda funny, actually.” I rake a hand through my hair as we bounce down the steps, and she grabs my arm as we turn down the next flight.
“Huh? What’s wrong?” I stop and turn to her.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“What?” I chuckle, trying to meet her eyes in the dim light of the torches on the walls.
“Pretend things don’t hurt by saying it’s funny.” She looks up at me, empathy making her brows turn up at the inner corners, eyes going round and sad. I shake my head because I won’t stop making things funny that aren’t. I’ve had enough pain in my life, and I shouldn’t have to feel it anymore.
“Espie, I’m okay.” She doesn’t seem convinced, so I throw in, “Really, I am.”
“Okay.” She quietly accepts it and I take her hand, pulling her down to the theater room.
I walk us through the doors and flick on the lights, showing off the rows of chairs on an incline and the theater screen bigger than most standard theaters. Her eyes grow wide, and she squeezes my hand, turning to me.
“Olive would love this.”
“Oh yeah?” I don’t care, but her being excited is making me feel good. So, I let her rant about all the old movies Olive likes and how she would never get to see them on a screen this big unless I let her. Somehow, I get roped into agreeing to do a screening party of whatever Olive wants tomorrow. By the time we make our way back to our rooms for the evening, she’s onto another topic, talking a mile a minute.
I nod along, trying to keep up, but mostly admiring the way she gets when she rants about something she likes. Now she’s on the topic of clothes and I can get behind that because I think anyone with money should invest in knowing about fashion. Otherwise, you’re a bit of a disgrace in my opinion— I think Espie would share that.
“Well, goodnight.” She turns towards her door, but I catch her hand and pull her into me. She lets out a breath when our chests touch, and I tuck some hair behind her ear with my fingers, resting my hand at the side of her head after.
“Goodnight.” I whisper. “I had a great time with you.” She licks her lips and nods slowly. I watch them part, and then I look deeply into her eyes, fixated on breaking the first rule of courting, so we can move this seducing thing along.
My chest is shaking with the rapid beating of my heart, skin is burning like I need this to live, and I think it’s because I really need a cigarette. Usually, that’s why I’m like this, this persistent. I lean in, lowering my lips to hers, breathing in her sweet scent as her breath brushes my lips.
She isn’t stopping me, almost looks frightened, but the hint of curiosity in her eyes is enough to edge me on. This is it, I’m less than a millimeter away, I can almost feel the tingle of our collision.
11
ESPIE
“Espie! There you are! I was getting worried, you’d never come home.” Olive’s loud greeting alarms Adrik and I and we split apart just before our lips get the chance to touch.
Holy shit! What was I doing? How did I let it go that far again?
He leans against the wall, looking pissed and biting his lips. I touch mine, the longing left on them like a residue. Olive tugs my arm, but I’m in a daze, as if there are stars swirling around my head like a cartoon and Adrik’s face is on every single of them.
“Good night Adrik.” Olive’s cutting tone causes him to press his lips together sarcastically and just as she yanks me inside, she slams the door in his face.
“What the hell were you thinking?!” She whisper-yells, eyes a little crazy, like I’m the child, and she’s the parent, scolding me for staying out too late with a boy. She’s not in the wrong, though, I am.
I almost kissed Adrik after ranting about clothes of all things to him, and he actually listened. and then for some reason that was enough to make me want him. Maybe it started earlier than that, with him telling me little snippets of his childhood, something I didn't know he would do…
Whatever the reason, let’s be completely clear, I do want him. But I shouldn’t and can’t have him.
I fell right into his trap, played his game and he out-played me. All I do is shake my head, fingertips not leaving my lips as I recount the events of tonight.
“I have to be better at this.” I shrug, looking nowhere in particular and turning towards the fireplace.
“I’m not following…” Olive crosses the room to face me again.
