I DO

Chapter 9

 CHAPTER NINE

Nelly

Past

It wasn't love.

I'm not an expert in this field, at all. Mainly because I had zero past relationships, so I couldn't exactly compare anything to what I was currently experiencing with him. With Elijah.

But one thing was for sure. It wasn't love. Yet, at least. But it surely was growing into something more. Inching closer to the 'L' word. Maybe it was an attraction or infatuation. I couldn't deny the strong feelings I had for him. He had a way to make me forget all my problems, he could make my heart flip and butterflies explode in my stomach. Every day my feelings were growing stronger, expanding until I'd lay at night thinking about him and wake up in the morning with him still on my mind. It wasn't the thrill of having attention from a guy. What Elijah and I have wasn't a fling, it couldn't be...because it was so real. It was beautiful. Sweet. Innocent.

I walked through the park as the autumn leaves fell to the ground, one by one, slowly turning the trees naked. It was early Sunday morning and not many people tended to visit the park; only the elders who were currently walking their dogs. I sat on a bench that faced a small lake, my hands heating up by hugging my Starbucks cup. I sighed and cuddled deeper into my thick scarf.

Before I could take a sip of my coffe hands covered my eyes, shielding my sight. My heart hammered wildly against my chest, but it wasn't fear that made me gasp. It was anticipating and warmth that always accompanied him when he was close to me. There was tenderness in his touch. I smiled when his lips tickled my ear as he whispered. "Guess."

I hummed, pretended to think about it before I randomly said: "Daniel?"

"Nelly..." he

Giggling, I whispered his name. "Elijah."

His hands fell away and I leaned my head back as his lips met mine in a soft caress, reenacting the iconic Spiderman Kiss. No matter how many times we had kissed, the second his lips landed on mine it felt like we were having our first kiss all over again. He got me dancing in the clouds and I never wanted to touch the earth again.

"Jealousy looks good on you."

I smiled but didn't respond. He came to sit beside me, his hands shoved inside his pockets. I looked at him, enjoying the hazel eyes that blended well with the autumn colors around us, all while being anxious at the unexpected news I was about to drop on him.

"You have something to tell me." He stated, not asking.

"I do."

He faced me, so I had all his attention. "Go on then."

I chewed on my lip, giving it a second before I began to talk. "I'm going to France and Italy for two months. There are a bunch of events and runaways shows that I have to attend, and fabrics that need to be bought and meetings that I have to attend...basically, I'm leaving for two months." I quickly rambled but I knew I was making a mess out of this.

Elijah cocked his head; a questioning look on his face. "Why do I feel like you're upset about this? You love fashion shows and traveling for inspiration."

I looked away. Yeah, and I lo-

My brain froze. The words almost naturally caressed my mind as if it was the most logical thing that my heart knew. My pules moved quicker as blood began to boil inside with warm emotions.

"Nelly?"

"Huh?" I snapped my eyes to him and realized I had dozed off completely. A blush settled over my cheeks and I had a hard time calming my erratic heart. Could he sense my unspoken feelings? For some reason, I wasn't ready to face my own feelings, let along to say it out loud. "I'm sorry, what?"