Clarity

28

CLARITY

Sitting on top of Olias, his hands squeezing the sides of my hips as I bounce quickly on him, the familiar twist in my stomach approaches for the fourth time tonight.

I knit my fingers in his hair, and my lips part, quickening my speed when I see him shut his eyes. “Oh fuck,” he pants.

Lowering myself, I place one hand gently around his neck before speaking, "Look at me, please?" Tugging at his roots impatiently.

He grunts, his eyes open, and his hips lift, meeting my movement.

" Fuck me, Clarity," he pants, our eyes locking.

The sound of our skin connecting repetitively fills the hotel room as I do. He shakes under my body, his abs hardening and jaw clenched. I pause, stilling around him, feeling every freaking butterfly on the planet relocate to my stomach. Seconds later, a warmth fills the condom he now wears.

I never thought I'd love making him do that so much.

Collapsing on his rapidly panting chest, he rubs my back. "Holy shit ."

Breathing through my mouth, exhausted but high off euphoria, I smile, leaning up on his chest. I stare at him, tracing every sharp curve of his jawline with my gaze and every eyelash on his lid. The bright green of his eyes surrounded the dilated pupils. He grins his crooked smile, his dimple appearing, showing his white straight teeth. He looks like he fell from freaking Heaven.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he questions softly, tilting his head.

"I just love you."

He sighs, lifting his hand to caress my face. "I love you too, baby. You always do so well."

Leaning up with me in his arms, he walks towards the bathroom just like every time we've done something sexy.

Switching on the bathroom light, I'm lowered onto the toilet. He runs a warm bath and searches the hotel cabinets.

"How hot is it in Los Angeles?" I ask randomly.

Olias pushes his hair back, grabbing the white towels and liquid soap as the tub fills.

He doesn't look at me as he bends to the floor and pours soap into the water. "Hot." He sticks his hand in the tub, splashing the water to make bubbles.

I twist my mouth as he turns to me and holds a hand. Taking it, he guides me along with him into the tub. He sits down in the bubbled water and looks up at me.

"Sit down," he orders.

I lower myself between his legs, the warm water engulfing me and my sore body, causing a soft sigh to leave my mouth. Leaning my head into Olias’ chest, he rubs one hand of bubbles between my boobs and wraps another around my waist under the water.

Above me, I glance at him, but he's already looking down, cranking his neck down to kiss me.

My eyes begin to sting with sadness, the back of my throat tightening as if someone has a hand tightly around it.

Olias frowns. "What's wrong, baby?" He pulls me closer to him under the water.

"I don't want to leave you," I whisper.

He sighs through his nose, rubbing his wet hands through my hair. "Do you want to go to college?”

I sniffle, thinking long and hard.

Then nod.

"Then you will. And I'll be waiting for you when you finish." He kisses my forehead. "I promise. If any Frat fucks try to get you to go upstairs at parties, you don't follow them. Alright?"

I sniffle, nodding. "Okay."

"I'm serious, Clarity. I don't want to hear about you getting hurt. I'll end up going to jail again."

"I got it, Sunshine."

"You buy yourself Frosted Flakes. Don't go into anyone's house for any reason. You hear me?"

I nod, smiling at his jealousy seeping through his words despite me not even being in college yet.

"What if I don't have any money?" I ask.

He smirks. "You will. Don't worry."

I raise my hand covered with bubbles and turn sideways to trace my finger down his chest, connecting his freckles. "I don't want you to be sexy with someone else either. Only me."

He shakes his head. "It's physically impossible for me to do that. I get sick and shit."

Oddly enough, that feels good to hear.

***

" This is your new home?!" My jaw drops as I step into the penthouse in downtown Manhattan.

It's furnished, and the lights are dim, dimmed by lamps. A large window shows the nearly setting sun illuminating the room.

I hear Olias drop keys on a counter as I pad my way toward the living room, dragging my hand along the soft couches. He laughs. "I wasn't going to show you it yet since I didn't expect you to find me yesterday. It was supposed to be a graduation present. But yes, this is our new home."

My mouth drops, and I spin. "Our?"

Olias, standing tall, taking off his coat and throwing it across the couch, smirks and nods.

I bite my lip, grinning ear to ear with happiness before running to him, nearly throwing myself against his front.

He grunts, laughing into my neck. His hands come to my butt, gripping it. Then my thighs, picking me up so I can wrap my legs around him into a hug.

My arms cling to his neck and I kiss him. "You got us a freakin’ house that rich people live in?" I exclaim.

He walks me over to the spotless large kitchen island and sits me on it, standing between my legs.

"Mhm. And every break you get, you'll come back to me and I'll make you remember everything you've been away from." Olias drops his head, kissing my neck. I hitch in a breath at the delicate move.

"Do you mean... being sexy?" I pant.

He grabs my waist. " Very sexy, my pretty girl. I'll make you daydream in each class about my nine inches."

I gasp, pushing his chest. "Absolutely not ." My cheeks burn as I smile uncontrollably.

He smirks at my blush and raises his eyebrows. "Or maybe," He starts, his fingers finding the back of my head, pulling my hair back to peck his lips onto mine. His other hand travels under my shirt, squeezing my waist "Or maybe you already are . Where do you want me to take you for the first time in our new house, Clarity?"

Oh God .

He sucks on my neck, my lips parting and my eyes shutting. He glides his hand to the hem of my leggings. "Maybe on this counter, hm?" His teeth graze my collarbones and I let out a soft sound, gripping his solid arm.

"Or maybe I can take you against our new bedroom walls. Or bent over our new couches? The balcony." His low voice escapes his throat, touching every part of me, causing shivers to run down my body.

My hand runs along the thin material of the black shirt he wears, my hand coming up his abs over the snake tattoo he has on them.

He looks down, his jaw clenching, then back up at me just as a squeak goes through the air.

I gasp, looking at the ceiling at a bird flying across the house.

A small brown bird.

Immediately, I scrap the alert expression and replace it with a grin.

"Olity!" I laugh. "Olias, watch it." I nudge his shoulder.

He groans, dropping his head and mutters something along the lines of hating animals.

I drop onto the counter and follow Olity for several minutes around the house until she lands on top of the top of the TV and reaches up to the cutest thing ever, taking her in my palms.

"Hi, girly, I missed you so much. Where's your brother? Dog? Hm?" Just as I ask, Olias clears his throat. He's wrapping around a corner, walking towards me.

Looking at him, he holds the brown fur ball kitten in one hand.

My eyes travel to his other hand where he holds another brown fur ball... puppy ?!

My jaw drops and I nearly hit the floor in surprise.

A puppy, brown and fluffy, wiggles in his hand. " Olias ," I gasp.

I set Olity on the coffee table gently just as Olias kneels, setting loose the puppy and Dog. I drop to my knees, lifting my hands as the hyper little animals come running to me.

"Hi! It’s mommy," I laugh, picking them up in my arms, feeling overjoyed. The puppy, twisting and yelping small barks, licks my hand. I giggle while turning to Dog who meows, biting at the strand of hair hanging loose from my ponytail.

I look up at Olias, his hands in his pockets. "I didn't want to be... completely alone," He admits.

I nod, understanding him.

When I met him, he only had Dog. Now he has Olity, me, Dog and...

"What should we call the new puppy?" Holding the small girl in my hand.

Olias leans against the wall, his gaze holding nothing but admiration as he watches me struggle with the two animals in my lap tackling each other. I make it a mission to keep olity flying in the air.

He shrugs. "I was going to call him Dog, but... that's taken already."

I twist my lips, petting the puppy, "Kat. With a K."

"Kat? You want to name our puppy, Kat? Why am I not surprised?"

"Unless you have another name? I think Kat is a genius name. It's so... us ."

He only shakes his head walking towards me, kneeling. "Whatever you want, baby." He picks up Kat and looks at him in the face. Kat sticks his tongue out and licks the tip of Olias nose.

My babies.

From behind us, across the room, a knock at the front door causes us to pause.

I turn to Olias. "Expecting someone?"

He sighs, looking up at the ceiling, lowering Kat on the floor. "No, but I've told only one damn person where I live now."

Walking over to the door he opens it, on the other end I pick out Michael, Tanner, and Kyle.

Michael, who I can barely make out through the crack in between Olias arms, cheers. "Olinda, let us in the new spot—"

"Ollie, I got the Hennessy!" Kyle yells.

"Shut the fuck up, Kyle, I was talking." Michael shoves Kyle, getting shoved back, and looks back at Olias. "I have to piss and we got alcohol for your sad days without the missus around—"

Tanner stops him, tiptoeing over Olias Shoulder. "Oh shit, Clarity's right there. Sup, Clarity— Is that a fucking dog?" He pushes his hair back, staring at Kat.

I laugh at them and nod and Olias just huffs an annoyed breath. At least I know he'll have these guys as company when I'm gone. Along with our fur babies.

Olias steps to the side. "I don't remember inviting... any of you, actually."

Michael walks in first and I stand up, a big grin on my face to see my friends.

"Good thing we aren't here for you," Kyle sips a bottle of alcohol and walks with his hands out to me. Olias shakes his head.

"Hi guys!" I greet as they all surround me, pulling me into a group hug.

Olias clears his throat and all their hands slip from around me. Tanner drops low, picking up the puppy with a gasp. "What's his name?"

"Kat. With a K."

Tanner looks at me, then bursts into laughter. "You know what, I like that. Kat and Dog."

In the middle of my conversation with everyone, Olias, from behind me, grabs my waist, "Do you want them to leave? We can be really sexy again if they do."

Thinking about it, my cheeks spark a flame, I look over at the guys checking around the new house.

I shake my head, whispering. "No, we can be sexy later." Olias groans, pressing his forehead into my neck. I ruffle my hand in his hair. "Don't be a horndog."

"I can't. Not when you're around me."

Kyle, digging in our refrigerator, shuts it, popping a can of Soda open and lifting it to his lips to take a sip. "Clarity, I thought y'all broke up. Ollie even called me and he never calls me for mushy stuff, that's what Michael's for." He called them? My heart softens.

I smile, watching Olias annoyed expression. He really needs to work on this anti-social thing.

"I guess some things changed over the holidays. I'm going to college! UCLA." I specify. Following Olias to the couch by his hand he sits down, pulling me on his lap.

Michael, sitting on the love seat sofa, gasps dramatically. "Shit, a 6-hour plane ride? You're telling me our sexy mama is leaving us?"

Olias grips my waist squinting at his friend. "Fuck off."

My grump is back. I wrap my arm around his neck, assuring him that I'm his.

"I'm leaving, yes. But I'll be coming back for breaks after a few months!" I can stay for a few months away from Olias at a time. I can do that...

Kyle snorts. "I'd like to see Ollie survive without you for that long. He'll be moping all day the second you leave, I bet two hundred dollars.”

Tanner shakes his head. "No, dumbass, Ollie's loaded. Add two more zeros." Laughter fills the room, a large grin on my face.

Turning to Olias, he's staring at me laughing, a content look on his face. Eyelids low, with a small smile pulling up his lips.

As the guys talk amongst themselves, Olias grabs my hand housing the red ring, and twists it on my finger. "One day," He starts, in a low, scratchy tone. "This finger will hold the ring that'll make you my wife."

My eyes soften. Wife ? I can't even express how excited being a wife would make me. Being Olias wife.

"Don't make me cry in front of our buddies." I squeeze his hand in my lap and he smiles

"I've said this before, I don't care who's around. If I want to give my girl some attention, I will." Cupping my cheek, he lifts his head, kissing me as I melt into his body.

A snap goes through the room, breaking our kiss.

Turning, Michael holds his phone in his hand. "Now that was cute as shit."

For the first time, with nothing in the way of us, no problems willing to rip us apart, I feel like my life is the best it's ever been. I can't believe those months ago I was willing to end it all. Seconds before meeting the one man that I'll love forever.

But there's one thing bugging me. One thing I have to fix before the year ends in a few days.

Lifting off of Olias lap, he grabs my hand. "Where are you going?" He asks, almost disappointed.

"There's something I have to fix... with Natalie," Fiddle with my fingers.

He nods, reaching into his pocket to pull out keys. Car keys. And throws it at me. "Down stairs, in the lobby is my employee. He's meant to look after you and he'll drive you wherever, give him the keys and address."

I squint. "So… a bodyguard? I don’t need a–"

Olias only smirks and stares at me. “His name is Charles. I’ll see you when you get back.” He puckers his lips briefly, knowing to end the convo before I protest having a bodyguard and leans back into the couch, joining in on whatever weird banter is going on with the guys.

***

Approaching Natalie's building, I feel my veins begin to drain themselves. Nerves are rising rapidly.

"We're here, Ms. Red." Charles says from the driver's seat. He's not very young. Probably in his forties, but he's a big fella. But very nice, despite his scary serious face.

"Thank you!" I dig into my pocket, pulling out ten dollars, handing it to him.

He turns his head, and looks at the money, then back to the road, shaking his head no.

"Is that too little?" I twist my lips, digging for the extra four-dollar bills, and add them to the ten. "Sorry, that's all I have."

"I can't accept money from you."

I tilt my head. "Why not? You were my taxi driver."

"I've been given orders not to accept any payment from you by Mr. Grey."

I furrow my brows. "Well, tell him his girlfriend told you not to listen to him." My arms cross across my chest.

"That's not how this works. He will fire me, ma'am."

"Not on my watch, Charles. I pinky promise." I lift my pinky, and he only side-eyes it and then looks back at the road.

I drop my hand in distraction. "Let me guess, he told you not to make pinky-promises with me?"

"Correct."

I roll my eyes, nearly laughing at how unbelievably extra he is.

"When we get back, I'm giving him a piece of my mind about his rules."

Charles sighs. "I have no inclusion in this... piece of mind."

I laugh, assuring him he won't be in trouble with Olias before stepping out into the snow. He keeps the car on because I'm sure I'll be back soon.

Getting into her apartment, I go to her floor, find door twenty-nine, and knock.

"Natalie!" I call out after a few seconds of silence.

More silence.

"Natalie?" I knock again, putting an ear to the door to see if she's home. It's nearly seven at night. She should be here.

Digging out my phone, I dial her number. From inside the apartment, I hear her phone ring. Curiosity rises in me. Soon after, worry sets in as I knock again, only to be met with more silence and an iPhone ringtone.

My heartbeat quickens as I kneel to her doormat and fling it up, the key to her apartment she made for me revealing.

She's only told me about this once. After what happened with Jonah, she left it there so I could get back in whenever.

I push the spare key into the lock and open her door to a dark house.

"Natalie?" I call out.

Maybe she left her phone before leaving?

I scan the living room. Her coat is on the back of the door, and her keys, including her car keys, are on the coffee table, along with her phone.

I walk inside slowly, pushing open her room door. The bed is made.

My head tilts. Where the heck is she?

It's now that I notice the only sound running through the house consistently comes from the bathroom—running water.

She is taking a shower, of course. Relief floods over me.

I walk over to the bathroom, a hopeful smile on my face as I step to the door and knock, "Natalie, it's Clar—"

My voice halts to the sound of a splash under my shoe.

Water.

Water.

Water. Everywhere .

My heart begins to panic as every single possibility runs through my head.

I look up, my eyes widening. "NATALIE! Open the door, please, Natalie." I try the knob, but it's locked.

I know this too well. I thought of it as an option months ago.

Quickly, my eyes blurring with tears, my face steaming and throat drying, I try to prevent myself from completely panicking. I race to the kitchen, rummaging through drawers and under cabinets until I find the weird drawer she keeps the tools in, pulling out the hammer.

I run back, water oozing through the crack under the bathroom door, and without a second thought, I send the hammer down into the doorknob. A shock from the compression vibrates through my arm. It takes three hits before the doorknob snaps open, letting me barge into the bathroom to see the tub overflowing.

Natalie's body is underneath the water, fully clothed.

"NATALIE!" Her name leaves my throat cracked in a heart-wrenching scream before finding myself kneeling beside the tub, digging my hands into the water.

Tears stream down my face as I pull my closest friend halfway out, her face paler than snow and her pretty curls soaked with water along with the rest of her body. Her once laughing face is now engraved into a frown, her unconscious body sitting in my hands.

Inaudible sobs shake through my body, pulling her onto the floor, freezing water soaking my clothes as well, but nothing on my mind matters besides saving my friend.

She only tried to help. She only ever wanted the best for me. And I was too selfish to see she was hurting within herself and fighting battles hidden behind her smile.

I grab her head, tapping her cheeks consecutively. " Natalie ! Please ans— answer me. Please, don't be gone." Unresponsive. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Unable to see, I bring my hands to her chest, one hand over the next, on my knees, and haul all my weight down onto her, a grunt leaving me.

Beginning CPR.