𝐌 𝐀 𝐓 𝐈 𝐋 𝐃 𝐀 ; 𝐣𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫

𝟕: 𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞

He gets up from the bed. "I need you to listen to me carefully ok? This is not your fault. None of it. You did something that no one should ever have to go through. And this summer is different. Instead of trying to forget, you confronted it. You took control and you are stronger than this Tilly. I know you are. If this deb thing is too much, I can tell my mom. You don't have to do it." I shake my head.

"No, no it's ok. I want to do this for Susannah." He puts his arms on my shoulders.

"You are not ruining my summer. You're not ruing anyone's summer. We love having you here. I love having you here. It wouldn't be the same without you. Who would constantly tell me to correct my posture? Or go on 5 AM hikes with me? No one. No one, but you Matilda Hale. " He slowly creeps closer to me with every word he says. I chuckle at the mention of his posture. A life long diagnosis of scoliosis will make you tell people to sit up straight, that's for sure.

"No one?"

"Not. A. Single. Person." We're centimeters apart. I can feel his breath on my lips. I think I forget how to breathe because oxygen stops flowing through my head. It goes blank. He looks between my eyes and my lips and I know what he's thinking. I've seen this before.

The boy and girl kiss. Then they date. But this was much more complicated than just a boy and a girl.

"It's always been you too." I think I whisper, but my voice is so quiet I could barely hear it myself. Our foreheads touch and we close our eyes, catching our breath.

"Do you think we could ever be anything more? Then best friends. Because god I love you Tills, and I've loved you since we were kids, but now it's not the same. It hasn't been since you got here."

"Jere," He pulls away and looks at me.

"I know you set such a high wall for yourself, but no matter what you say, I'm never leaving you. I promise. You never have to be alone again. Ever." A surge of hormones runs through me and I pull him towards me. A single centimeter separates us. Our lips graze each other's and I feel my eyelids get heavy.

"I love you. I love you so much. Even when we were kids. You were right. I never was alone. I always, always had you." He pulls my lips towards his and all of the world melts away when our lips touch.

His arms snake around my waist and pull me close to his body. My hand clasp around his neck and I stand on the tip of my toes. I pull him towards me, pushing his body into me. Our lips move together and we don't stop. We kiss and kiss until we pull away for half a second to regain our breath. Then we kiss again.

He bends down slowly, not pulling away from our kiss. He picks me up from my thighs and I wrap my legs around his waist. He kicks the door closed and sits me down on his lap.

We make out for what feels like hours. My hands run through his curly hair. I pull at the ends, hearing him moan. Our lips start to swell, but it seems both of us are past the point of caring. I feel our tongues push against each other and his lips move down to my neck.

"We..should.." I talk in between breaths, not able to open my eyes.

"Jere," He makes a sound of acknowledgment, not pulling his lips away.

"We should stop." He pulls away and rests his head on my shoulder. He kisses my collarbone before looking at me.

My skin burns where his lips have touched. My lips, collarbone, all around my neck. It feels like I'm on fire on the inside and outside.

The butterflies erupt in my stomach and I sit on his lap resting my head on the wall behind him. He gently lifts me off of him and places me in between his legs. My head lays on his stomach and I look up at him. My breathing pattern sounding a little more normal.

"I love you." He pushes the small strands of hair away from my face.

"I love you too Tilly. I love you so much."

"What are we going to do?" I ask quietly.

"Whatever you want." I sit up and hold his hands in mine.

"I want to enjoy summer. I want to have the best summer ever. With you, and Belly, and go to the deb ball and dance until my feet hurt. I don't want to think about my parents until the last day of summer. I just want to be here. With you." I sigh. A smile crosses his face.

"I like that idea." I nod, biting my lip. I bend over and attach our lips again. We kiss slowly and not fast and heated like we did before. This one was sweet and not at all rushed.

"You knew what you were doing!" A voice yells.

"And what was I doing?" Another voice yells.

"Uh oh.." We sigh and untangle ourselves from each other. I stand on my tip toe one last time leaning against the closed door. I pull him down to my lips and kiss him.

"I'll never get tired of doing that." I grin, my cheeks and ears bright red.

"Me neither. Now come on, before they kill each other." I giggle and bite my lip. I pat my face and put on a straight face, following Jere down the stairs.

"You were reminding me you existed!" Belly yells. They continue to argue as we get closer to the kitchen.

"Fine. Forget it. Why don't you go smoke some more pot?" Belly scoffs.

"Why don't you go look in the mirror some more?" Conrad spits back. My mouth gapes open. He did not just say that.

I open the door and Belly's walking out. I look at Conrad. "Belly! What's going on?"

"That was a shitty move Conrad." I shake my head and walk towards Belly's room. When I get there the door is closed.

I sigh and let her have the time to cool off. I walk to my room and see the light on in Jere's room. I smile and close my door.

I climb into bed and pull the blanket over me. My hand runs over the spot me and Jere had sat and kissed for minutes before. My room still smelled like pizza and the Coke bottle sat on my desk.

What if I just kept that bottle forever?