The Final Wait

Chapter 23

Song: Bruises

Artist: Lewis Capaldi

Chapter 23

It was a timed routine when Ezekiel came over to work on the portrait, Octavia walked in ten minutes later. She'd sit on the sofa and play random music while he worked. They both waited for Dustin, who checked up on them twenty minutes later with snacks. Once he left to make dinner, she'd join her boyfriend on the floor and watch his brush strokes.

The portrait was so huge that Ezekiel had to start in the middle, then work his way out. Today he added detail to what had been Grandma Mora's beautiful hair. The thin grey strands swirled from her roots and into the low bun. 

Octavia waited until he set the brush in the jar. He crawled toward her and touched her with his damp fingers. Blots of paint got on her cheeks. She giggled and tried to wipe it off herself before it dried. She smeared it on his chin and instead of pulling away; he rested in her hold. She tugged him forward and brushed her lips against his. It always started like that.

They laid between the sofa and portrait. Slight nose brushes and goosebumps whenever they'd touch. Ezekiel pulled her closer and wanted nothing more. She laid on her back and let him hover over. That's how it was. She never wanted to be on top, and he never questioned it. He rested his elbow next to her face to deepen the kiss. His other hand ran along her side where she'd suck in and hoped he never discover her odd curves.

She loved it when his hair fell and tickled her forehead. When he smiled while they kissed, and she ended up smiling too. Everything was a dream so far. More than she could ever ask for. Until she felt his hand slide beneath her shirt. This time it was harder to keep it all in when he had direct contact with her skin. She got a shiver, but it wasn't the exhilarating kind. His hand went across her stomach so fast, then up toward her bra.

'Whoa, there cowboy.' Octavia turned her head and shifted.

 Ezekiel stopped and looked down at her for a moment, then laid beside her. She laid on her side so that all he could see was her back. 'I—I'm not ready for that.'

'I'm sorry, I wasn't intending to...' he sighed. 

'Look, I'm not complaining but... Octavia, that day in the pool, it's the most I've seen of you. I've never seen your thighs or... abdomen. We always make out with clothes on and... I just wanna know if you'll ever feel comfortable with me seeing you. If you'll ever be comfortable seeing all of you.'

Her mind couldn't help but travel back to all those times people teased her. Ezekiel was the only boy who's ever touched her so gracefully, understood her and didn't care what she looked like. Why was it so hard to give in to what he wanted? What she wanted? Her fists curled to her chest, and she bit her lip. 

'I don't know. I'm sorry.'

'Don't be sorry.' he inched closer and slowly wrapped his lanky arm around her torso. 'I know it's hard and we don't have to if you don't want to. I just want you to trust me and feel comfortable.'

'I am comfortable.' She looked up and closed her eyes when her head rested against his chest. 'Like this.'

Ezekiel kissed the top of her head and looked across at the portrait. An idea lit his eyes up, and he slowly pulled away. Octavia opened her eyes and watched him sit up with a grin.

 'I have an idea. For you to start feeling comfortable in your own skin, to like what I like.'

'What?' she sat up. Any idea that had to do with her body image, she knew she'd hate.