Burn // NH

24. A Dick is Understated

Sometimes, sorry isn't enough, Niall. Her words struck through my core like a freshly sharpened dagger. Although, I knew she was right. As much as I hate to admit it, Ellison tends to be right about a lot of things in life.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment, just in time for her instructor to step out from behind the wall, the small clicks of her heels identifying her presence. "Ellison, you should go get yourself some lunch. We meet back in here in just a couple hours."

I felt Ellison exhale a deep breath of air, "Yes, ma'am." Peeking my eyes back open, I watched as her instructor left and Ellison bent down to pile the bands in a small, tangled circle.

When she stood straight, my hands were suddenly on her hips and her eyes were giving mine a harsh glare. "Go out with me." She looked taken back. "For lunch, I mean. Come'on we can find something around town and maybe talk a little."

"What's there to talk about? You seemed to have made everything very clear a couple weeks ago." She glared once more and pulled away from my grasp to grab her water bottle and fling her white shirt over her head.

"Ellison." I trailed behind her like a lost puppy begging for their owner's attention. "Please come out to eat with me." Her small feet slid into her socks and tennis shoes after slipping into her black Nike Elite sweatpants.

"I'm sorry, Niall, but no." She looked at me once for a heartbeat before she turned to walk out the door. However, I didn't let her get too far before I suddenly called out from behind her, following her down the grand, wooden staircase.

"Please, Ellison. Just a small lunch."

She was headed towards the large double doors leading to the freezing cold parking lot. Despite it being 18° F outside and snowing, I was willing to step out without a jacket for her. "I'm sorry, Niall. I just can't. You really need to stop, I'm over you and all of whatever that was." She waved her hands in the air before pushing against the freezing glass of the door.

A sudden heat rose through my veins as anger stuck my nerves. She was over it? What the hell did that mean?

Following along on the heels of her feet, I suddenly grabbed ahold of Ellison's forearm and yanked her back against the old, brick wall of the school building. My body braced itself in front of her and in an instant, my head had bowed down, lips pressing softly against her's.

I'd been craving the taste of them since the day I watched her walk out of my house, but even more so since I'd watched her nervously bite her lips every five damn minutes, today.

Ellison was stunned at first and she stood as stiff as a board, but as soon as I went to pull back, it was like her brain clicked into power again as she lifted her fingers to my hair, keeping me there. I gently held her waist in my palms, my lips softly pressing back down onto her's as she fully slid her arms around my neck. I was surprised to feel her body respond so quickly.

Slowly opening my mouth, I felt as her's followed, only to close together gently in unison. Pulling her waist closer in my embrace, I felt her stand to her tippy-toes as my left hand pulled away to trail up to her cold, but soft cheek. I could feel the wind blow through my thin shirt, but I was nonetheless heated inside out from the feeling of having Ellison so close under my touch. Little snowflakes littered our hair and faces, only to melt away moments later.

And the kiss was just that. A kiss. Not some make out session, not filled with lust, or with neediness. It was just a simple, but effective kiss.

We pulled away at the same time as she slowly lowered herself back down onto the heels of her feet before leaning back against the cold and grainy brick. "Niall..." she trailed off in a whisper, her eyes staring at the ground, but her hands still holding onto the shirt that wrapped my ribs.