𝑩𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒍 //𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝑲𝒊𝒅𝒔 𝑭𝑭//

~𝟱𝟳~

(Third person)

Ava stood there, looking up at Lee Know who still hadn't turned his head to look at her again. She was getting worried. And the confidence was still buzzing in her body. So she slowly reached her hand out towards his face, hesitating ever so slightly before gently resting her fingertips underneath his chin. She turned his head towards her and smiled at him. His gaze barely connected with hers when he pulled away again, looking at the water splashing up against their ankles. She gently took his hands in hers, but even then he didn't look at her.

"Why won't you look at me? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, not at all," he stopped her. "I just... I shouldn't be feeling the way I'm feeling. You're not ready. It's wrong."

He was staring at their connected hands, a look of apprehension crossing his features. He slowly pulled his hands out of her grip, turning to walk away. Ava grabbed his wrist, making him stop. And finally, he looked at her.

"Your feelings aren't wrong. You have the fullest right to feel the way you do, and I don't judge you in the slightest for that. In fact, I really admire that you had the guts to tell me in the first place. Besides..."

Ava hesitated, unsure whether she could say what was crossing her mind in that moment. She knew it was a risk. But she also knew that if she didn't say it, she might lose the nerve and never say it at all. So she took a deep breath, getting her thoughts together. She took both Lee Know's hands, looking for the much-needed comfort in his touch. She took one more deep breath before she looked at Lee Know.

"Besides, I never said I didn't feel the same..."

She let the words hang in the air, her breath stuck in her throat as she waited for his reaction. Meanwhile, Lee Know was trying not to blush, his heart hammering in his chest. He hadn't realised that while he was trying to keep to Ava's agreement, he missed the signs that it wasn't necessary. He was still doubtful, though. And he told himself that he had to be certain.

"Are... Are you sure? I mean, I don't want you to be unsure or feel like you're obligated to do this just because I told you about my feelings. I... I don't want to push you."

"You're not pushing me at all. I want this. I'm sure of it. I've been thinking about it ever since you looked at me with that emotion in your eyes, and I realised that I'm ready. My only question is... are you?"

Lee Know was quite shocked at Ava's question, but appreciated it, nonetheless. He took a step closer to her, his body only inches away from hers. He moved his hands in hers, interlacing their fingers. He looked into her eyes. He felt as though he could drown in their rich brown colour if he looked at them too long.

"I've been ready since you confessed to me that night in the pool," he admitted softly.

He reached his hand up to her face, tucking a strand of hair away before gently brushing along her cheek with his knuckles. His hand went to rest just below her ear, fingers reaching into her hair. She leaned into his touch, and his heart leapt.

"Gosh, you're beautiful," he whispered, his eyes still glued to hers, not wavering for a moment. So much tenderness in them, it made her insides turn to mush.

A blush slithered its way up her neck, settling in her cheeks as she gently rested her free hand on Lee Know's chest, feeling his steady heartbeat underneath her fingertips. The hand that was still tangled with his was suddenly cold as he let go of it, Ava looking down to see why. She saw his hand wavering millimetres away from her waist.

She rested her hand on his forearm, his hand moving onto her waist in the process. The touch set a fire off in her stomach, the sparks breaking off and skittering through every nerve in her body. It dawned on Ava that the last time anyone had touched her like that was when she and Damian had still dated... She pushed the thought down.