"Butterflies?"
Vylad's grasp on me tightens. I squirm around, but I have no luck in breaking free. "Shut up," I pout, placing my hands on top of his to try and pry them away. I'm at a disadvantage here, and I don't appreciate it.
He messes around some more, removing one hand away and pulls me against his chest when I try to dart away from him. He grabs onto my hands with a single hand and snickers from behind me. "Let go of me, you kinky fuck."
"Swearing isn't nice," Vylad comments, letting me go instantly. I stand on my feet and face him. He's still lazily sitting at the side of his bed. With our position, I'm finally taller than him. That makes half of the Ro'meave siblings now.
"Neither is being kinky," I retort, rubbing my wrists from his previous actions. Vylad stands up and grabs onto my wrist, pulling me towards him. His smile is crooked, hair in his face. "See, you're doing it again. This isn't how you get the girl."
He laughs, tilting his head back in the process. He looks back up at me, and his hair is out of his eyes. The smile never goes away. Vylad makes a comment of how we can dance, and he playfully spins me around the room. It's poorly done, but it's Vylad. I've always been dreadful at dancing. None of this makes sense.
I don't realize the door opened until a feminine voice breaks into the room. Vylad halts and looks in the direction of his sister, picking up on her confused state like I do. She makes a comment, but I can't comprehend the words. A little interaction is in the works, but the words go in one ear and out the other with me. She leaves, and I'm suddenly swung around.
My feet tumble over a shoe, and I land onto the bed. My side aches from laughing, and my hand reaches over to clutch the pained body part. "I look like a mess now," I say, looking up at him.
Vylad doesn't seem to move and stares down at me. His eyes are shining, and the breath leaving his lips is uneven. "Is that how you get the girl?"
A smile takes over my lips. I break my gaze from him and to the pillow next to me. The sheets are a mess, and the pillowcase looks wrinkled. Zianna would be horrified. "Yeah, something like that."
The bed curves down from Vylad's weight as he plops into the mattress. His hands hold his weight behind him. I take this moment to admire how he looks. He's in a relaxed, overjoyed, state. I don't remember the last time I saw him like this.
"Did you ever do anything like that with Garroth?"
I stop admiring him. This brings me back to pained memories around this time last year. Back when I was naive and stupid. "The closest was dancing at prom. Never something out of the blue like that."
"What was it like?"
"It was mainly sneaking around and lying. I wanted to be public, but he said no. It was fun in the beginning. But after a while. . . it begins to take a toll on you. I broke before Garroth could. Maybe I just needed something to escape with."
Vylad puts his hand on top of mine. It cups around mine, and the familiar warmth returns once again. I lay my head on his shoulder and close my eyes.
In truth, this would be a relationship that I wouldn't be afraid of. Laurance would approve. I don't see why Kandi wouldn't. It's the relationship everyone expects to happen. Zianna adores me. Dad approved of him when he assumed we were dating. I don't have to pretend or hide. There's no one to hurt me for it. We've had these playful talks before. For me, they were "what if" scenarios, but I'm unsure it was the same for him.
We agreed if we ever got into a relationship, unless it went horribly wrong, it wouldn't change our friendship. What relationships could I ruin?
"Travel the world with me."
"What? Vylad, I won't have the money for that."
He stands up and grabs onto my hands, squeezing them. I look down at our joined hands with a blush, feeling the butterflies return once more.
"We don't have to worry about that. We'll make do and continue from there. That's what I'll do. I don't plan on returning, and I want you to come with me."
My eyes widen. I slowly rise to my feet and pull my hands away. They drop to my sides, and I shake my head side to side. I can't believe his words right now. "We're in high school. Juniors! We still have college in front of us."
He shrugs. He's always had this plan in his mind for years now. I just don't know how long I've been a part of it.
No matter what I say, nothing seems to sway Vylad away from the idea. We're not together. Just friends. Friends with feelings. This is six years down the road. So much can change by then.
Vylad's words continue to sound crazy as they become never ending. All the plans we'd make. The places we'd go. A picture is painted in my mind. Six years from now. I could walk down busy city streets, window shopping. Lights light up towns in the dark. Landmarks I've always wanted to see in a picture with me. Suddenly, the timeframe shrinks.
I nod my head with a smile. "I'll go."
"On one condition," he says, trying his hardest to look serious. "You become my girlfriend first."
I chuckle, wrapping my arms around his shoulders in a hug. My cheek nuzzles into his cheek. "That's one condition I'm willing to accept."
