Broken Prodigy | COMPLETED ✓

Chapter 18

My vision of Mars! ^ Maybe a bit more reddish/darker though. But you get the idea.

This is my favourite chapter (I wonder why... ;) lol I'm sure you figure it out) so please enjoy. It was also one of my favourites to write. This is a longer chapter too, because why not?

And I also need your help. I feel like the first part of this chapter was rushed into, so I'm begging you to let me know if it is. In fact, I think the whole chapter was rushed. Don't be polite, because I need to know if it's something I should work on. I love constructive criticism!

Like, I'm seriously begging for feedback. If I knew you guys in real life, I would be on my knees.

*

After Imogen and I share that intimate moment, she leaves to go back to her horse float, but not before I remind her that she should tell her parents, and at least try to face her fears. She called me out on being a bit of a hypocrite, trying to get her to do what I'm too afraid of doing.

She's right. It's not my place to tell her that when I'm also doing the same thing.

I walk out to the horse wash to fill up two water buckets, when Gus appears beside me, his annoying-as-ever smirk pulled up lopsidedly.

"Whatcha doing?" he asks.

"My job," I tell him. "Can you go tell Georgia I need her help?"

"Why would you want Georgia, when you have me?" he asks cockily, grabbing one of the buckets as I fill the other up at the tap.

"I don't want you."

"Why not? Because you're worried you'll realise how awesome, smart and strong I am?"

"No. Because you're arrogant, annoying and-"

"Irresistible?"

"You're not irresistible," I find myself saying, in spite of the feelings I feel myself gaining for him.

I back away from him, from his tempting warmth, from everything I've felt for him that I know I shouldn't. He takes a step forward, and my back is against the wall of the horse wash now, and he leans in closer. I feel his warm breath tickle my cheek. His blue eyes are soft, alluring. So are his lips. Oh no. I just proved my previous remark wrong. And Gus knows it.

"Are you sure about that?"

"No," I find myself admitting.

His gorgeous blue eyes flicker to my lips, then back to my face. "I really want to try something," he tells me, leaning back a tiny bit.

I hold his eye contact, challenging him. "What? I swear, Gus, if you pour water on me, I'll-"

"No," he interrupts me, shaking his head with a small smile. "This."

Then, ever so slightly, he presses his lips to mine, and he winds his arms around my waist as I relax into him. It's not a fiery, urgent one, like in any of those romance movies, but a soft, gentle and cautious one. To say I'm awkward is the least. My first kiss was one on the cheek by a boy in grade 10 who I thought wanted to kiss me.

Nope- instead he moved his face and let me kiss his cheek. So that was weird, if it even counted as a first kiss.

My legs turn into jelly and I grab his upper arms for support. I feel a warmth in my stomach as well as nervous flutters, I can feel the heat on my face, which is no doubt tomato red. It's amazing.

Gus pulls back slightly, his face a little flushed and his eyes uncertain.

Do I make him nervous?