Before We Burned - Book One| [Currently Being Rewritten]

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

My wristwatch ticked away the minutes as my Finance professor made a few points regarding investments and long-term plans. I listened attentively, noting down the essentials every now and then.

As much as I liked business and everything related to it, I just wanted to be dismissed so I could go pick up Hazel.

I wanted to spend more time with her. I felt like no amount of time was truly enough. Sometimes, time would freeze — especially when we were making out and my hands were all over her, other times — it just flew by.

And I kept craving her. Over and over again.

Because when I was with her, I was different— someone I barely recognized. I didn't need the loud music blaring through the speakers to drown out my thoughts nor the sheer need of a distraction in a moment of sexual pleasure. I didn't need all of that.

With her, I was somehow complete and unbothered.

And I liked that me that came out into the light of her presence.

I was done fighting what I felt for her, I was really done fighting how much I wanted her. These feelings were my source of happiness lately, she was my source of happiness. I didn't know why nor how.

And I didn't want to know either.

I was content with her, happy. And that was enough.

Fucking hell, I hoped it would be enough.

Because in my life, happiness always came with a price. I could never be happy just for the hell of it, I'd always ended up paying. And it was a fucking lot.

So the remorse of hiding things from her was there, always there — but for the time being, I just wanted to turn it off. Switch it down and allow myself to feel the mere tranquility of her touch. 

My chest never really swelled with such a destructive surge of emotions. She made my heart fucking beat. Hell, I'd never even known I had one. It had always been buried deep inside my ribcage, locked inside and the key was thrown away to oblivion.

But Hazel somehow managed to find it — the same girl with a gorgeous smile, a mischievous attitude, and a whole lot of stardust in her veins. She found it.

She reminded me I still had a heart.

And then she owned it.

And I gladly fucking let her.

The lecture was over, I slung my backpack over my shoulder and shot upright to my feet.