Apricity✓|Editing

Chapter EIGHTY-TWO

Nicholas's P.O.V

Guess who ghosted the person they like for days after sharing a passionate kiss with them ? Yeah, this asshole did.

I was laying down on the couch in the sitting room with grandma and Zoey. We were watching TV. Well, atleast they were, I was busy trying to figure out my thoughts.

I took my phone again and my thumb lingered on her contact. I've been doing that alot but then I stop and switch off my phone. I mean, technically it's not my fault. I didn't know what to say to her.

Funny. What's gotten into me? I always know what to say. My ego won't let me ask Zoey or grandma because they would figure it out immediately.

Plus. She didn't pick my call when I finally got the balls. It's only natural that she's mad after disappearing for a week. Heck, I would be mad if I were her.

Holding my breath, I clicked on her contact and watched it ring.

Ring

Ring

Ring

Rin-- "Hello" she answered and I felt my heart race.

Shit. "Urm, hey"

The background was a jumble of voices and car horns. "I'll call you back when I get home" she said like she read my mind.

"Oh okay, sure" Then she hung up. I dropped my phone on my chest and heaved a sigh. To be honest, if she didn't hang up, I wouldn't have known what to say. Thank you, universe.

"That was Alex, wasn't it?" Zoey said, loud enough for grandma to turn her head to look at me.

I rolled my eyes at her and she wiggled her eyebrows at me. "Damn, she's got you in a lock"

"Don't" I shushed her.

Daisy smiled at me, knowingly. "She's not exactly wrong"

"I'm going to my room" I stood up and adjusted my knickers as they started laughing.

See? Do you get my point now?

"Nick and Alex, sitting on a tree--" I cut Zoey off with a pillow I flung in her direction. She screamed and Grandma gave me a scolding look.

"It wasn't me. She started it" I whined as I walked to my room with a playful huff.

I laid on my bed. Should I go to her place? The doorbell rang and I clicked my tongue. It was followed by Daisy's voice yelling my name.

I lazily dragged myself from the bed. "Coming!" I answered as I opened my room door to be met with Alex's face.

She was about to knock my door, I presume from the way her fingers already in a fist was held mid air. I wrapped my hand around her fist and let our hands drop.

I looked past her to see Daisy and Zo wiggling their eyebrows at me. I did a face palm. "Did you call her over?" I asked and before they could answer, Alex spoke up.

"No. I decided to" she said with a straight face.

"Oh"

"Can I come in?" She raised an eyebrow and I stepped aside for her to enter. Her hands unlocked and that made me a bit sad, for some reason.

She sat on my bed. She was holding a big grocery bag. Out of it, she brought out a sketch book.

My sketchbook

Shit. Shit. No

"This belongs to you?" She asked. She knew the answer to the question, obviously.

I collected it from her. Right, I hope she doesn't think I'm some creep now.

I shut my door and sat beside her, maintaining the distance between us. "How did you get it?"

"Don't worry about that. Why have you been ghosting me?" She changed the subject.

"What? I was? No, I was not" I nervously coughed and she glared at me. "Fine, maybe I was. It's wasn't my fault you know"

"I didn't even know you got discharged from the hospital, Nick" she rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry, okay? I was just very weird after the stuff that happened" I said and she burst out laughing then stopped.

"Wait, you were not joking?"

"I was not" I said with a straight face.

She looked at me for a long time and chuckled as she looked at her lap. "Oh"

I ran my hands through my hair. "I did know what to say. Or how to say it I didn't realize I had trouble expressing my thoughts and emotions when it comes to situations like this"

"Then say it how it is" she almost whispered.

I paused. Say it how it is. "Well, for one. I don't like the distance between us" I said as I scooted closer until our legs were touching.

"What again?" She breathed. Her scent had filled up my room and my nose.

"I want to do this" I moved her hair to her back and cupped her left cheek.

Now she was looking at me under her dark brown lashes. "What again?" Her chest heaved up and down. My heart raced even faster as my eyes darted to her lips.

"And this" Her eyes closed instinctively as I moved my face closer to hers until our noses were touching. I closed my eyes and inhaled her smell.

"What.."she trailed off as she swallowed. I could feel her breath on my lips. "What again?"

Our lips are barely touching and it was like punishment for me but I didn't want to rush. I wanted to relish every feeling, every tingle. I wanted to feel every breath and every soft beat of her heart. "And..." I drawled. I let her lips graze mine when she leaned it.

"This" I captured her lips in mine and I felt drunk. I felt high. Not the kind of highness you get from drugs. A different kind of high. The type that controls you but lets you have the control as well. The type that keeps you wanting more and more,the deeper you dive. The highness that drives you mad yet eases every part of you. The type that fills up your senses and makes you completely forget everything around you. It makes you feel like a conflicted contradiction.

Her hands are in my hair but I want them everywhere. My heart is racing and my hand slides down her back and rests on her waist before pulling her on my lap.

"Oh shit! Sorry!" Zoey's eyes widen but a smile is playing on her lips as she stood in my door way. Her hand is still on my door handle.

Alex and I sprung apart and her face is red with embarrassment as she struggles to get off my lap.

"I'll just leave now" Zoey grinned as she slowly closed the door. I'll never hear the end of this.

"You should" I snorted. Then it was Alex and I in the room again.

Alex adjusted her hair while clearing her throat. I stared at her. What are you doing to me?

"I still haven't forgiven you" she muttered.

I pouted and playfully placed my hand on my chest like I was hurt. "Come on, after all of that?"

She narrowed her eyes at me." That was not an apology"

I dropped my hand. "Fine, I'm sorry"

She smiled and patted my head. "Good boy"

I rolled my eyes as I tried not to stare at her smile too much.

Damn. Grandma and Zoey were right. Maybe Alex does have me in a lock.

Well, shit.
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20/02/2023