- twenty eight - dana
The bouquet rests against my chest like something warm.
A blend of dusky browns, soft creams, olive green stems tied with rustic twine. Eucalyptus, dried lavender, tiny white wildflowers scattered like stars between it all. No cliché flowers and colours. Just. . . me.
It's perfect. Too perfect.
And I can't stop looking at them.
Alex, the same man who once looked at me like I was a cockroach with glitter, got me flowers.
Who would've thought the boy who once glared at me for existing, who groaned at my playlists and made fun of my fairy lights, would ever hand me flowers like this?
It hits me suddenly, how lucky I am to have found him. This human contradiction. This rough-edged boy who pretends he doesn't care, but will secretly notice which flowers I like and buy them for me.
He's always acted like the world owes him something. Like he's been on guard since birth. And maybe he has. Maybe life made him this way-sharp-tongued, emotionally constipated, annoyingly hot.
But somewhere deep beneath the sarcasm and stupid smirks, there's something soft. Sweet. Gentle.
And I hate that he's had to build such thick walls just to survive. I hate that he doesn't think he deserves softness himself.
The door creaks.
And then- Alex walks in like a storm.
Black shirt hugging his arms, backpack slung over one shoulder, hair messy like he's just run his hands through it a hundred times. His eyes flick to mine, then to the flowers still in my hand. His mouth twitches.
"Haven't they died already?" he says dryly.
I blink. "Hello to you too."
He rolls his eyes, stepping inside like he owns the room-because let's be real, he kind of does. He's all long limbs and brooding heat, and I don't even think he knows how much space he takes up.
I cross the room in two steps and wrap my arms around him. "I missed you."
He freezes. Like his body forgot how to human.
This is always entertaining- doing something affectionate that catches him off guard.
But then, slowly, awkwardly-his arms circle my waist. His hand rests just above my hip, tentative like he's scared I'll disappear.
It makes my chest warm.
I tilt my head up, brushing a kiss to his jaw. His breath catches. And then I kiss him.
He drops the backpack like it's on fire and yanks me closer so fast I yelp against his mouth.
It's not a soft kiss. It's Alex. It's messy and greedy and absolutely no thoughts, head empty, just him. He bites my lip, I dig my fingers into his hair, and when he pulls back, he's smirking with a glint in his eyes.
"What was that for?"
"Just wanted to thank you for being so sweet to me," I push him back until he drops onto the bed.
I straddle him.
His fingers splay across my thighs as I straddle him, the weight of me pressing him down into the mattress. His gaze drops. Lingers.
I'm still in my skirt-this time, a soft, olive green that brushes just above my knees. One of my favorites. I paired it with a fitted, rust-colored top that's snug around my waist, the sleeves pushed up to my elbows.
The soft brown boots I always wear, scuffed and well-loved, peek out under the hem. My hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail, strands escaping to frame my face.
The look is casual, but there's something about the way I'm sitting on him now that turns it intentional.
He looks up at me, a cocky grin spreading across his face. "You know, you're not exactly helping my self-control here, Archer."
I raise an eyebrow. "And what self-control would that be?"
He tilts his head slightly, eyes flickering down to where my legs are pressing into his, a low chuckle escaping his lips. "You know what I mean. Or, I could just show you."
I smirk, leaning in closer, giving him a soft kiss on the edge of his jaw. "I missed you."
His hands tighten on my thighs, but he doesn't move. Just watches me, eyes full of that self-assuredness that drives me crazy.
"Yeah? You sure it's me you missed, or just the way I make you feel?"
This man.
I kiss him again, just below his jaw, trailing down to his neck. His breath hitches, and I can feel him tense beneath me. I continue my descent, tracing his skin with my lips, and then slowly dragging my tongue across the hard line of his abs.
Finally did it.
He groans, though it's mixed with laughter, and he tilts his head back against the bed. "God, you're dangerous, Dana. Keep going, baby."
I smirk at him. "You act like you're the one in control here."
He grabs my hips, pulling me closer with a grin that says I own this situation. "Babe, I'm always in control."
I pull back slightly, locking eyes with him as I slowly sit up. My gaze flicks to his abs again.
I lick another slow line across his abs, my tongue tracing the dips and ridges like I've always wanted to.
His breath catches. He's completely still, his body tensing like a coiled spring. I can feel his control slipping by the second.
Finally.
I pull away, a little smile on my face, and meet his fiery, desperate gaze. "Oh," I say sweetly, "I'm going to be late for class."
He curses under his breath.
"You're a fucking tease."
I slide off him, adjusting my skirt with a casual little shrug. "Maybe. But I gotta go."
I grab my bag, glance back at him one last time-his hand still gripping the sheets like he's trying to hold onto some sliver of control-and I can't help but giggle.
"Bye, Alex," I call over my shoulder as I make my way toward the door.
The sound of him groaning in frustration follows me as I step out, and I can't help but feel a little victorious.
. . .
It's funny how quickly things change, how the space between us has shifted.
There's no denying it anymore.
Alex has become a complete paradox in my life-everything from arrogantly infuriating to irresistibly sweet. One moment, he's that devil-may-care guy with the cocky smirk, the next, he's looking at me like I'm the most precious thing in the world.
And I'm starting to think maybe it should've happened a long time ago.
This. Us. The bickering, the crazy chemistry. The push and pull. The affection.
We've wasted months fighting about the dumbest shit-things that, now, feel so insignificant. Like, if I'd just let him be the asshole for a second, if he'd let me in without the games, maybe we'd have been here sooner. But then again, maybe it was all meant to happen this way.
It's late. I'm curled up on the couch, half-watching a movie.
The door creaks open, and my heart practically leaps out of my chest when I see him. Back from uni, and he looks beyond perfect. His hair's all messy, his black shirt clings to his muscles, and there's that unmistakable cocky grin on his face.
Before I even think about it, I leap off the couch and practically dive at him, jumping into his arms.
"Hi!" I say with way too much excitement, my grin so wide it might as well be contagious.
He lets out a laugh, effortlessly catching me like I weigh nothing. "Well, hello to you too, Archer."
I wrap my legs around his waist and arms around his neck, squeezing him tightly, and I feel the warmth of his body against mine. His arms go around me, steady and strong, as he carries me over to the bed.
I let out a little squeal of joy, not even caring how ridiculous I probably look.
He gently sets me down on the bed, laughing softly. "You really missed me, huh?"
"Of course, I did!" I giggle, bouncing a little on the bed. "Who else would make life so interesting?"
His eyes soften just a little, that same playful grin tugging at the corners of his lips as he lowers his face to mine.
He presses a soft, teasing kiss to my lips, then another to the tip of my nose. I feel like my chest might just explode from how sweet he's being.
But then he pauses, his eyes locking onto mine as if he's searching for something, making sure I am okay. There's a shift in the air, something subtle but there.
"You good?" he asks, voice a little quieter now, his gaze intense but gentle.
I smile, squeezing his arm. "I'm more than good." I lean up to kiss him again, but this time it lingers for a second longer.
He pulls away just enough to grab a large chocolate bar from his bag, my favourite one, handing it to me with a smirk. "I got you a little something."
I glance at the chocolate, then back up at him, my smile widening. Is this what heaven on Earth feels like? "Oh God, you're the best, Alex."
Without hesitation, I take the chocolate, breaking off a piece and popping it into my mouth. It's perfect, and I lean in to kiss his cheek, then his lips, then his jaw, showering him with quick kisses.
His smug grin never fades, but there's a flicker of something softer in his eyes.
"I know," he says, his voice low and teasing. "But you don't have to spoil me like that."
"I want to," I reply softly, my smile matching the warmth in my voice.
His smirk grows, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Well, if you keep giving me these little Dana kisses, I might just get used to it."
I can't help but grin wider, leaning in again to peck him on the lips. "Guess you'll have to live with it then."
He laughs, his hands lightly pulling me closer.
We stare at each other wordlessly, the moment light and easy, but then I notice something peeking out of his bag.
My heart skips a beat. I don't have a good feeling about this.
It's shiny, maybe a little too shiny. A small glint, just barely visible. I force myself to act casual, not letting my gaze linger too long.
"You promised you'd take me to that café today," I say, trying to sound normal, my tone playful. "Are you backing out now?"
He groans, but I can see the smile tugging at his lips. "You really want to make me go after a full day at uni?"
"Uh, yes," I say, crossing my arms and pouting. "I do. You said we would."
"Fine, fine," he mutters, rolling his eyes but giving in. "You're impossible, you know that?"
I grin, resisting the urge to jump up and down on the bed. "Yay!"
Alex shakes his head with a smile and walks off to the bathroom for a shower, and I stay on the bed, the excitement still buzzing in my chest. But the moment he leaves, my eyes flick back to the bag.
That glint. . . It's still there, taunting me.
I sit up slowly, popping another piece of chocolate into my mouth, trying to keep my cool. My heart's beating a little faster now.
I get up quietly, walking toward the bag like it's no big deal, but my mind is racing. I reach down, slowly opening the zipper just enough to peek inside.
And then I freeze.
Drugs.
Not a single packet, but many. The familiar packaging. My stomach lurches.
I close the bag quickly, standing still for a moment, the chocolate forgotten in my hand. My pulse is too loud, my mind swirling with thoughts I don't want to entertain.
I take a shaky breath, walking back to the bed, trying to pull myself together. The excitement I felt a second ago feels hollow now, replaced by a strange, sinking feeling I can't shake.
When Alex comes out of the bathroom, looking fresh and carefree, I force a smile. "Ready to go?" I ask, my voice steady despite the shock still racing through me.
He looks at me, his brow furrowing slightly as if he can sense something's off. "Yeah, let's go."
I nod, a fake smile stretching across my face. "Let's."