Moving To Silence

Fifteen. After The Grovelling

I am like a toddler being dragged into a shopping centre against its will. Every move I make is reluctant as he takes us in the direction of his house, it might seem dramatic, but I never thought I would make it back here, mostly because I wasn't welcome.

Storm seems convinced that I won't be treated like a criminal coming back here, intent on making this a night of firsts. Let's be honest, there's no way I can say no to those green eyes when they plead with me that way, I think my giddiness is clouding my judgement, elation from our long... and rather steamy moment in his car.

For clarification, I can say no to him, and I have no doubts that I will more than once a day but his invite for ice cream and a show has turned into hoping for a sleepover. If you asked me five days ago what I would say to that, I would have said get fucked but now, now despite my hesitation I know that I can do it. That makes me want it more.

The house goes silent as we step through the front door, even after his friends call out after us, he lets me lead the way towards the stairs. A brief flicker of hope runs through my head that they might want to finally apologise, not just for mine but for Storm's as well.

I fall back slightly, and I squeeze his hand to pull him to a stop just before the first step, I nod my head in their direction. Storm is reluctant, pouting out an annoyed, "Fine"

All four of them stand in the archway to the living room, slightly awkward with their eyes flickering between the two of us and our intertwined hands. Storm's patience is thing, and I would like to think that is because of our plans, "Begin!" He prompts when silence stretches between us.

Sutton is the first to speak, "We wanted to apologise, all of us, to both of you but mostly you Nel, what we did was awful, uncalled for and rude and I am so sorry. We just wanted to protect our group and protect you if we ever needed too, our intentions were... based in good even if violating in the end, but Storm is right. Any secrets you have are yours to keep and not ours to investigate, we should have never interfered or attacked you the way we did"

"I'm sorry too, I am the biggest asshole out of all of us" Aiden apologises, his eyes are rimmed with red and even underneath the bruised eye, I can see dark bags. Any animosity towards him is buried under worry, this whole time I thought he would be livelier and instead he seems... numb.

"Damn right you are" Storm grumbles, but I elbow him in the rib and pray he notices the state of his friend.

"It was a lot to take in while drunk, I never wanted to hurt your feelings Nellie and I want you to know that we all respect the hell out of you even if we haven't been very good at showing it lately" Julian adds in.

"And I might have been trying to play mediator, but I never said anything to you and for that I am sorry too" Cedric adds, flashing a warm smile at me.

The sincerity in their words makes my chest all warm and fuzzy, "Tell them I forgive them!!"

"Do I have too?" Storm mumbles, to which I jab my finger into his side. I know that it will take some time for forgiveness to turn into trust, but I want to give it my best go, and this is the easier option if I am going to be here anyway.

"Suppose so, Nellie says she accepts our apologies and your dumbasses are forgiven"

"Thanks, Nel" Sutton beams, giving me a quick hug before Storm as redirecting us back up the stairs, after his pit stop for ice cream and cookies.

"Welcome to my bedroom, girlfriend!" He beams, as if I haven't spent hours in here before.

"I have been in here before"