Bates & Landon [Wattys2015]

LANDON

Landon

The sunlight was reflecting in his honey brown eyes, showing me the gold flecks he had hidden in his dark eyes. My eyes traveled down to his pink lips. His teeth were biting into his bottom lip slowly and he probably didn't notice it -- but I sure did. His hands were drawing on his sketch book, he was so focused on it. His eyebrows scrunched together, in a highly cute way. Our knees were touching, spreading warmth throughout my stomach and entire body. When he glanced up at from time to time, I couldn't suppress the heated gaze and the red color that spotted my cheeks.

If he noticed, he didn't say anything -- yet, I couldn't help but notice the small smile fit onto his lips as he looked back down and began drawing once again. Those same lips I wanted to kiss until I couldn't breathe and neither could he. I pushed the thoughts away, well I tried. And I failed.

I gazed at him, watching as his hair blew lightly as the wind caught ahold of his brown mop, making it look even more untamed and messy than before. I wanted to feel his hair, run my fingers it and grip his hair in my hands.

I must've been staring at him too long and he must've felt it because he glanced back up at me, questioning look in his eyes when he kept gazing at me. I licked my dry lips, blinking at him. My cheeks went very red when his eyes went to my mouth -- making my breathing hitch and heat spreaded into my stomach. If I were standing, my legs would be jelly.

I knew I was blushing. I could feel it and I could feel the heat waves radiating off my face. I hadn't realized how close we actually were, I mean, I knew we had been before -- knees touching and all -- but now he was leaning towards me, and so was I. My God, please tell me he can't hear my heart beating fastly.

He was still looking at my lips and I was looking at his too. Holy shit. Just as I began to lean closer, he pulled back a strand of my hair to tuck it behind my ear. "Ok," he cleared his throat, "I'm almost done with the, uh, sketch."

I nodded. "Okay, good." The warmth from my cheeks slowly decreased and the butterflies in my stomach stopped fluttering. Yet my heart kept it's fast beating, he had managed to grip my heart in his hands -- hands I wished I could hold -- and grasp my heart.

"I'm not done with it. After all, it is a sketch. It needs more time to be done."

"Can I see it?" I asked, eager to see his work.

My eagerness faded away when he shook his head, closing the sketch book. "No, not until it is finished." He runs his fingers through his hair, fixing it from the wind. I watched him.

"That's not fair," I argued, "I wanna see it since I am the person you are drawing."

His dark eyes met mine. "I'll show it to you," he said, "but only when it is completely finished."

I sighed. "Fine."

"Come on, Lan," Bates said, turning his body towards me, eyes on mine the whole time.

"Lan?"

"Your new nickname," he shrugged. I had had nicknames, but they weren't shorter versions of my name. But now Bates managed to make one.

I smiled, "It doesn't sound that bad,"

"Good." He said, "Because I'm going to keep calling you that."

"I have a question," I began slowly.

"Okay, ask." Bates replied, confusion written on his face.

"Why did you want to ditch school so bad?"

His face hardened, becoming emotionless. "Why does that matter?" His voice had an edge to it.

"I was just wondering," I admitted.

"Why did you ditch?" He asked me, face still emotionless.

"Like I said I wanted to accompany you." I explained, "I actually didn't even want to go to school anyways. Not deal with anyone or anything, you know." His gaze was making me nervous.

He hummed in response, not saying anything else. Bates looked away from me, looking at the ground. His mind was in another world as he zoned out. I shouldn't have asked him anything, I realized.

I sighed quietly. Maybe he didn't want to tell me anything -- at least not yet anyway. By the way he had acted, I don't think it will be anytime soon. I wondered what time it was. I wasn't wearing a watch and I didn't have my phone because I had it taken away.

"Do you know what time it is?" I said quietly.

"I think it's something past twelve." Bates replied inexpressively.