Everything I Didn't Say

t w e n t y - f i v e

TWENTY-FIVE

I'D SPOKEN TOO quietly; he hadn't heard me.

Jared was hurrying across the car park, hastily stuffing his car keys into his pockets. The neck of his grey jumper was slightly askew, revealing a bit of his collarbone, as if he'd just thrown it on hastily. He hadn't noticed us yet.

The present I was holding slipped through my fingers in slow-motion and whatever was inside smashed on the ground with a threatening crash.

His head snapped up and our eyes locked.

I was glad my Mom and the rest of my family were back indoors and it was just me and Jenna. I didn't need them witnessing how my breathing hitched, my empty hands grasped nothing but air and my mouth open in disbelief.

"I think I'm going to just excuse myself here" Jenna mumbled and began backing away. "I'll keep everyone away for a while" she called out to me before I heard a door shut softly but it was all background noise. All I could hear and feel in my ears was my own heartbeat.

There was a short span of two minutes where neither of us spoke, just stared at each other, faces flickering with a range of different emotions.

Then,

"Am I too late? Have I missed the party?" he asked, checking a silver watch I hadn't noticed on his wrist.

"Uh ..."

"Am I too late?" he repeated, starting towards me. His strides were powerful and strong, no hesitation at all.

"For what?"

It was almost as if he hadn't heard me. He was still advancing towards me, with such a heated look in his eyes that I took an involuntary step backwards.

"Jared ..."

He didn't stop, didn't retreat, just kept coming closer. His eyes were on his face and I knew he could see my lips moving but it was as though he'd just switched off altogether.

I backed away again, breathing increasing rapidly. What was he doing? Oh my god, what was he doing?

"Jared, w-what are you-"

I was cut off by Jared's cold hands closing around my wrists. I jumped at the touch, starting away from him but he dragged me forwards with surprising ease so that our chests collided.

"Isla ..." he whispered, hot breath fanning across my face, my lips.

"Jared, I-"

"Shh, don't speak" he lifted a finger that lightly grazed my bottom lip.

It seemed as though he was memorizing my face, every freckle, every plane, every indent. The silence was suddenly thickening, all too much and I couldn't handle it anymore.

So, for the first time ever, I took control.

I closed the distance between us, earning a surprised intake of oxygen from Jared, before I kissed him.

It had been two years.

Two years since we'd last kissed and yet, I still experienced everything the same way as I had when I was fifteen. I still felt that lightning shock down my spine; I still felt my stomach flip over in a repetitive somersault, I still felt every nerve system in my body being switched into overdrive. It was like my whole body was on fire.

They were weird - his lips, I mean. At first he was too stunned to respond but then it was like a gunshot had been fired and he responded with such enthusiasm I was almost knocked off my feet.