Temporary✔️

| Twenty-nine

EMERY WAKES up earlier than her cabin mates, throwing on a sweater, and sneaking out quietly. She goes down to the lake, where she sits on the edge, right by the water. There is so much to think about.

She hears footsteps behind her, and when she turns, Harven is there. He looks different in this new morning, unlike he did in the night. Less vulnerable, but maybe she's wrong.

He sits beside her, and they look over the water. The morning temperature is cool and still. All the wind from last night has left with their confessions.

"Can we talk about last night?" Harven asks, looking over to her.

"Yeah, I want to." She locks eyes with him, and she remembers everything again. He sighs.

"This wasn't supposed to happen. I was trying to get rid of my stupid feelings and I couldn't." He shakes his head.

She smiles softly, looking at her reflection in the water. "I'm not mad that you told me, and I'm not mad that it happened."

Harven runs a hand through his hair, having a hard time believing that she feels something for him.

"But, you deserve so much better, Emery." He shakes his head at himself. She furrows her brows, lightly placing a hand on his cheek.

"That's not true. You've been there for me, which means a lot more than you think. We know each other. I need you." She says quietly.

He smiles softly, touching his hand to hers.

"Ugh, you're terrible. We're supposed to be enemies!" Emery laughs.

"Oh whatever. You can't even begin to hate me." Harven rolls his eyes. Emery sighs defeatedly.

"What about Kade?" He frowns.

"Oh, I had a tiny crush on him."

"Had?"

"I don't know, somebody else caught my eye." She shrugs, smiling up at him. He breaks into a smile of his own. He brings her hand to his lips, softly kissing her palm.

Emery wraps her arms around him, seeming to have a newfound interest in being close to him. He wraps his around her waist, warming her up.

"Don't think I'm going too soft on you." Emery whispers in his ear. He shivers, maybe it's her or maybe it's chilly this morning.

"You already are." He whispers back. She huffs, knowing he's right.

"I like you."

"And I like you."

______________

Back on the bus, Emery and Harven share the same seat again. This time, Emery lays her head in Harven's lap, being small enough to fold up on her seat.

Harven gently runs his fingers through her curls, which he loves.

"Are you sure about this?" Emery asks. Harven furrows his brows looking incredulously.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm not... like you. I don't like parties and I'm nothing like Lana. I can't work short dresses and things like that. You might get bored." Emery frowns.

He looks down at her. "You're you, that's all I want." He smiles. She sighs quietly, nodding. They spend the rest of the ride quiet, and eventually Emery falls into a comfortable slumber.

_____________

Emery is glad to be home and in her own bed. She sits crisscrossed on it now, watching a movie, when a knock comes from her door. She pauses her TV and waits for them to enter.

Harven comes in, and she grins lightly. He jumps on her bed, sending some papers flying off her bedside table.

"Harven!" She grumbles.

"Oops." He smirks.

She rolls her eyes. "What are you doing here?" She turns over into her stomach, chin resting on hand.

"I just wanted to ask you something..." He hesitates. Emery laughs.

"Are you nervous?" She teases, poking at his tinted cheeks. He grabs them away from his face, pulling her closer.

"I'm never nervous." He says. Emery accidentally looks down at his lips, which are in a playful smile, but soon turn serious.

"I was thinking that maybe we could go on a date. A real one." He asks. Emery widens her eyes, surprised.

"Should I say yes so easily?" She wonders out loud. He gives her his blue puppy dog eyes until she gives in.

"Okay, I could do with a date." She smiles. He sighs, relieved, and lets his gaze get lost in hers again, because it was so hard to pull himself out of it.

"Please tell me the no-kissing rule is no longer in place." He hopes. She narrows her eyes, thinking about it, but knowing her answer already.

"Yes, Harven." She laughs.

He leans in, connecting their lips for a second time. It's soft and tentative, moving together like they were made for just each other. Emery wishes she didn't love his lips so much.

His hands routinely find themselves in her brown locks, and hers at his neck. They are as close as they can get, making up for all the years they weren't.

When they break, Harven traces a light finger over Emery's lips, reveling at how they are so gentle and by far the best he's ever kissed.

This was nothing and everything. The beginning of something and the end of another. It was only known to them, protected inside these four walls, and so precious.