Silently Falling | √

•Chapter 23•

HIS LIPS WERE so soft and warm and I froze. Nick immediately pulled back.

"I'm so so sorry," he apologised. "Alex-"

I don't know what I was thinking, heck I don't think I was thinking at all. I cut him off by placing my lips on his and kissing him. He froze as well but soon began kissing me back. I didn't know what to do or how to move my lips but he seemed to know what he was doing as I let him lead the way. For whatever reason my hands instinctly found themselves in his silky black hair.

He pulled back and placed his forehead on mine. "You've no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he said breathlessly.

"And how long is that?" I asked breathless as well.

"Three weeks ago," he replied. "If someone told me I'd be here kissing you, I'd have laughed at them and dismissed them as being delusional."

"Why?"

"When I first met you five weeks ago, I actually didn't quite like you because you reminded me so much of someone I lost and each time I saw you, I'd feel a sharp pain in my heart," he answered as he closed his eyes and took a deep breathe.

I didn't know how to react to that revelation so I decided to change the topic.

"Who are those two girls in the portrait?" I asked pointing to the portrait which I undoubtedly knew Jake painted.

"The one with the dark hair is Kayla and the one with the brown hair is Hayley," he stated.

The girl with the dark hair looked a lot like Nick, from the way her eyes gleamed to her hair. The name Hayley sounded an awful lot familiar but I didn't quit know where I heard it.

Seeming to read my mind, Nick answered my burning question, "Kayla was my sister but she passed away last year. Both of them did anyway," he said as his eyes glazed over with hurt and anger.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up," I said.

"It's okay," he replied. "It's like each time we are alone we always talk about the most saddest depressing things," he joked.

"Okay tell me something about yourself that doesn't involve school."

I racked my brain for what to say but found nothing. "There's nothing," I replied with a careless shrug.

"Hell no, there must be something. Anything that makes the infamous Alexis Vance tick or happy."

"Oh hey Nick, I'm sick and I don't know how long I've got to live" isn't exactly something that you go around telling people.

"I have an older brother whose in University, I hate heights as already stated earlier, I only had one friend until you guys came into the picture. I love reading, I don't have a favourite colour, I hate strawberries and my middle name is Erin," I answered instead.

"You hate strawberries? Why? Aren't they like in every teenage girl's fantasies?" he asked smugly.

"No! They seriously disgust me to no end," I cringed.

"Okay! but Erin really?"

"Yes, but use it and you're dead to me," I deadpanned.

"Gotcha!" he raised his hands. "What do you want to study in University?" he asked instead.

"I'm not quite sure yet, I've got a few ideas in mind such as Astronomy, Biochemistry, Computer Science, Microbiology and Physics," I replied. "What about you?"

"Criminal law," he said in a heartbeat.

"Why?"

"That's a story for another time."