kids • jude bellingham

fourteen

I wipe my eyes as I come up from under the water, and as the blur wipes away, I see him, stood at the door of his room. 

I stare as he walks forward. He sits by the side of the pool, his presence casting a shadow over the sparkling water.

"What"

"I'm sorry-" he utters, his voice filled with remorse.

"You said that the first time-" I interrupt

"You never let me explain, Chloe," he pleads, his eyes searching mine.

"Fine, explain," I relent, curiosity overtaking my anger.

"Jessica was my physio back in Germany," he starts 

"She's weird and obsessive, she always was. I never invited her over; I don't have a damn clue how she got my address. The only reason I let her in the house is because she asked to use the bathroom, but she wouldn't leave after. On my mum's life, Chloe, I didn't cheat."

I stay silent, absorbing his words. Maybe I should have let him explain then and there.

"Jude," I finally respond, my voice softer, "I was scared. I wish you knew how much you leaving hurt me. I didn't want to feel that pain again."

"I get you, Cee," he says, his eyes filled with emotion. "But you know how much it hurt to see you with another man? It fucking hurt. I got kicked off the team; that's how bad it is. A manager doesn't send a player on holiday mid-season unless it's bad, bad."

"I promise it was all fake, Jude," I explain, my voice tinged with regret. "Besides, I was trying to help Joao too. His ex wasn't leaving him alone, so I agreed to fake date him for a bit until she stopped bothering him, and maybe to piss you off a little." i admit "And for your knowledge, she left him alone. The whole thing is over."

he smiles and begins to smirk at me 

"Just kiss me, we can talk later" i smile, knowing exactly what he wanted

he leaps into the pool towards me, and as our lips meet, all the pain and confusion melt away, replaced by the familiar taste of his lips.

The kiss is long, It's as if we're trying to make up for all the lost time, all the misunderstandings, and all the hurt. The world fades away, and it's just us, tangled in each other's arms, hearts beating in rhythm.

I break the kiss, our breaths ragged. "I missed you," I confess, my voice barely a whisper.

"I missed you too, Chloe," he replies

"Promise me we won't let anything come between us again," he says, his eyes locked onto mine.

"I promise," I smile, leaving a small kiss on his lips

As we sit there on a pool chair, side by side, watching the stars in the dark, Greek sky, I realize just how much I needed him.

.

he picks me up and carries me to his room, placing a towel over my bare shoulders as i sit on his bed

"it's shivering" i laugh

"maybe because you're in a bikini" he smiles

"fair point"

i scrunch myself up under his duvet

the boy, still only dressed in his swimming shorts, sits himself next to me, as i lay my head on his bare chest

"you know, i've liked you since about year 4"

"seriously?"

"mhm, i was just too shy to say a word"

"but you still chatted up Tia" i joke, laughing

he rolls his eyes "she chatted me up, besides you've always been so fucking intimidating, i could never build up the courage to speak to you"

"oh really?" i tease him as he kisses my lips

"definitely" he smirks

...

finally some stability between these two for once

and finally a relatively long chapter