What Lies Beyond You | ✓

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Dedicated to elmirafh

41.

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"YOU'RE FROZEN, DAESYN," Caelum whispered against my lips. "Again."

His words sparked something in me, because the next thing I knew, I was kissing him back. His hands snaked around my neck, pulling me closer and I let out the tiniest gasp.

When Emery had told me about being Caelum's first kiss, I'd expected him to be innocent. He wasn't innocent. He was touching and grabbing like he'd had a lot of experience. And maybe he did have a lot of experience. Being someone's first kiss didn't mean he didn't do other things with other girls.

"And now you're frowning."

And with a sigh, I decided to not overthink and just enjoy the moment because I'd wished for this to happen in weeks, if not months. But then the guilt from the day in his bedroom came rushing and I instantly pulled away, tears forming in my eyes.

The look of rejection in his eyes was enough to start the waterworks from my eyes. I really did tear up.

Caelum immediately pulled me into his arms, while panicking. "I'm sorry Daesyn, I shouldn't have done it. I just... stop crying, okay? Please?"

I shook my head. "It's not that." I hiccupped, my voice muffled because my head was still on his chest. "I know this was like meant to be your night with opening up to me and all, but I still like you. I like you so much more now, I don't even know what's happening anymore," I said. "I like it when you're in a good mood, the way you smile when I talk, or when you're willing to listen to what I say even if you act like you don't care. I like the way my heart beats when I'm around you. I like the way I feel around you, Caelum."

I bit my lips, but I couldn't stop myself. "I hate that all of those things happened to you, but I want you to know that I still like you. I really didn't want to say any of this—at least, not tonight— but with the way things turned out, it feels like the right thing to say. I'm just sick of getting mixed feelings from you and bottling everything in."

I could hear his heartbeat quicken under my touch, and I realized I affected him much more than he made me believe. "The night we went to The Hangout, you kissed me. And I didn't say anything because I knew you were going to either go back to being an asshole, and I would get hurt. I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, but—"

This time around, he cut me off with another kiss, and believe me, I gave in. His mouth parted my own, demanding yet gentle, his tongue, soft and gentle. And even though I knew we were going to eventually part for air, I couldn't think of anything except kissing him.

I didn't know when it happened or how it happened, but I was literally sitting on his lap. And when his teeth grazed my lower lips into the kiss, I blanked. The butterflies exploded. I was on fire. My insides were on fire.

When I was pretty sure I'd die from the lack of Oxygen, I pulled away, resting my forehead on his, and smiled. He returned my smile with a huge grin. "I like you too, Daesyn."

I wrapped my hands around his neck, pulling him closer. "You're not mad at me for not telling you about the kiss that night?"

He shook his head. "I'm not."

And that was all I really needed to hear because it felt like a huge weight was lifted off of me. "I like you, a lot."

He grinned, placing his lips back on mine. "I'm pretty sure I like you more than you think I do."