Impossibly His

Chapter Thirty-Two

The heat in the room was almost unbearable, the sweaty bodies around us moving together as the music boomed throughout the house.

I had been to Trinity's house several times now; a nicely decorated, two-story with a pool, spacious and almost always clean. It looked completely different during the parties; messy, with the smell of marijuana and booze in the air. I was learning to have fun at these kinds of events, learning to enjoy myself, without getting wasted.

The company of our friends was always a breath of fresh air. Raquel and Natasha's constant bickering, Maya's laughter, and Blake's nonchalant attitude never failed to set me at ease.

Jules, who had been absent thus far, approached our lounging group, hand-in-hand with a boy. "Hey, guys," he said shyly as he walked over. "This is who I've been seeing for a while now."

The person beside him was familiar. Glancing over his frame, I struggled to put a name to his face. Brown shaggy hair, piercings, and that grin.

"Hey everyone, I'm Quinn," he offered us a small wave, and the pieces came together in my head suddenly. The boy from the bridge, who had painted the wall I'd loved so much. He had wiped spray paint from my face and praised my wall. It had been months, but I remembered those days fondly.

"Holy shit, I haven't seen you since we finished our mural!" I exclaimed, and Quinn looked over at me curiously.

"Clare?" He said in recognition. "It's good to see you!"

"I didn't know you were...you know?" Raquel offered.

"I doubt I'm the only gay emo kid in existence," Quinn rolled his eyes, his grin getting wider. "It's good to see you too, Raquel."

"You've got a good one right there," Natasha pointed at Jules. "Don't break each other's hearts or I'll whoop you both."

"Yes ma'am," Jules blushed.

Reth pulled me closer to his side, taking a sip from his glass of whiskey. He clearly remembered his jealousy over the boy in front of us, and I found him humorous.

"Come outside with me?" He asked.

"Okay," I giggled, letting him pull me away.

We wandered out back, moving around the pool, and came to a stop at the side of the house. He spun me around playfully, pushing me against the wall and cupping my face in his hands. I stared up at him in awe, loving the feeling of his warm body against my own. His eyes shimmered in the moonlight, his hair dripping down his forehead like a dark waterfall. 

"Do you remember this?" He asked me, his thumb brushing over my cheek tenderly.

"Remember..." I trailed off, suddenly at a loss for words. He rested his forehead against mine, my eyes never leaving his. My heart raced in my chest. My hands slid under his shirt. This warmth was intoxicating; it drove me crazy.

"Remember that night? When I first kissed you, right here?" He began, his breath tickled my lips, and I felt frozen, entranced by his voice. "Remember me telling you how beautiful I thought you were? How I kissed you, and you kissed me back? Remember the way you looked up at me, the way you let me hold you? Remember that feeling?"

"I remember," I breathed out. His nose brushed against mine; we were so close. I didn't know what I wanted, feeling confused.

His eyes traveled down to my lips. "Do you want to feel that way again?" He whispered.

"I- I-" I stuttered, struggling to form words. He leaned in, his mouth a centimeter away from mine. The memories came rushing back: his lips on ones that were not mine, his hands touching her body. The feeling was too overwhelming. "Reth, please."