Chapter fourteen #2
We all do a double take when she welcomes it like it's the most natural thing in the world, and watch as Sebastian just wraps one arm around her.
The car goes dead silent.
"Am I missing something here?" I ask, my eyes jumping between the two. They seem to realize their mistake quickly after as they look at the rest of us. Mia's eyes widen a bit.
"Wait, what? You two are a thing?" Jenny chokes out, surprised as she remains in the middle seat, and Kyle leans over right beside her.
"Dude. Since when?" He lets out, surprised before he gives me a subtle glance. Both me and Elias are turned back in front our seats.
Mia bites her lip, trying not to smile too hard. Sebastian wraps another arm around her waist, unfazed.
"I mean... yeah. For a little while now," she says softly, looking at Sebastian for back up. He just grins—dimples and all—and the rest of us explode with overlapping voices, shock and excitement.
"No way," I say, surprised, because I feel like I missed an entire season of our lives. "You didn't mention anything."
"We were just waiting for the right moment."
"Apparently that moment was right now?!" Jenny says, mouth still ajar. "This is getting truly chaotic."
"At last somebody tamed your slutty ass. Fucking finally," Kyle says to him and leans back in his seat.
All of us laugh, the initial shock giving way to teasing and curiosity.
"At least I'm getting some." Sebastian laughs back, earning a middle finger.
The drive goes by fast, and when we arrive to the rooftop bar, music is already playing. We order some cocktails and settle behind a round bar table. At some point, the rest of them go dancing, and I stay back with Elias on my side.
It's weird because usually we'd be talking and whispering things to each other that others shouldn't hear, but now it's just strange. I don't know what to say to him. I truly don't have anything to say right now.
He's in a fucked up situation, and nothing comes to mind right away that I could help him with. If the deal for the contract was made, nobody truly can. And it makes me feel frustrated.
"You look stunning," he says suddenly, voice low and his eyes meeting mine.
I give a small chuckle, just because I don't know what else to do with the weight of the moment.
I nibble on my lower lip, feeling nervous.
The moment from earlier is still stuck in my head, and I wish I could just turn back time and never even find out how his touch feels or how he kisses. Now, everything is stuck inside of me.
"Don't tell me that," I murmur, twirling the stem of my empty glass. I don't have it in me to look at him again, too afraid of what I'll see there.
Elias shifts closer, and my breathing almost stops when he brushes his hand along my bare arm. "I know I shouldn't," he says. "I just—" He sighs, and it sounds like it's been sitting in his chest for days. "I wish it wasn't like this between us."
That gets me to glance at him, and he's looking at me like he's still trying to memorize something that he already knows he's going to lose.
"I don't know what to say to you, Eli." I admit, softer than I mean to be. "It is what it is. I just feel sad. For you. For everything."
"I wish I could call it off."
"I know," I say. And I do. I've known since the day we all gathered for his explanation.
Elias turns to me fully then, keeping his voice low. "I miss you."
A lump forms in my throat and I let the silence sit, just long enough to feel the truth of it. My chest tightens painfully. Why does he have to make this so hard?
"Don't say that to me," I shake my head slightly, standing there with everything I don't want to say.
My eyes shift back down at the table. I can't have this conversation right now.
I don't want to make a mistake and end up doing something that we'll regret.
"We just hooked up a few times, that's all."
And before he can answer, I walk away, aiming for the restrooms because I'm not sure what else to do.
As the night continues on, I don't let myself be alone around Elias anymore. I stick to having the rest close at all times, and as more drinks come, so does more recklessness.
"Sierra?" A voice calls right as I'm ordering another round with Jenny, and I turn to see a familiar face.
Curly hair, black glasses. Theo.
I smile a little. "Oh—hi. Didn't expect to see you here."
I step closer so we can hear each other over the music. He has a lazy grin on his face, which means he's had a few drinks as well. I feel his hands get on my hips, and I'm tipsy enough that I don't mind.
We talk for some more, and I'm in a really oversharing mood. The very opposite of the usual. I'm smiling more, talking a lot. Honestly, I don't even know what all we say to each other. I just know that I'm having a good time.
From the corner of my eyes I can see Elias watching from the table. And I'm feeling rebellious. In need of an escape. My eyes drift lower and stop on Theo's mouth, contemplating. He catches up to that, doing the same, most likely out of instinct.
And suddenly, the gap between us is closed. I don't even know how it happens. It just does. Feeling his lips on mine is like a reprieve. Just a temporary anesthetic to feel something else. Anything else.
And at the moment, it sounds much better than it will in the morning.
But right now, I need it.
And with that thought, I deepen the kiss.
??
This one was a little longer ;)