my apartment door feeling wondrously drunk, albeit not having consumed any alcohol. Is this what it felt like to let happiness in? Had I been depriving myself for so long I forgot the feeling?

No, I hadn't kissed Elijah but feeling his lips on my hand, his nose brushing against mine, his fingers cupping my cheek... the entire car ride home I touched those spots, wishing he'd touch me again because the feeling was already slipping from my memory.

Reva wasn't back from class yet, which gave me enough time to decompress and change into my clothes for work.

My manager at Ruby's Tavern called and asked if I would pick up a shift and since I had nothing better to do, I agreed and now was ready to leave. It was better than sitting at home and staring at my phone waiting for him to text me, because even though I could, what would I possibly say?

"Long time no see. How was your trip?" My manager asked while brewing a fresh pot of coffee. I tied my apron and vaguely told them about my trip to see my sister. I wasn't close with my manager, but our relationship could've been worse.

"It's a slow day. You've got tables three through five."

I wiped down table four and took orders from table five, listening to the News Castors on the TV laughing.

"They weren't lying when they said April showers bring May flowers," the female said. "We've now broken records for the most rainfall between March and April since 2003."

"I'd keep your raincoats and umbrellas nearby folks. The rain just might follow us throughout April into May."

I wanted to groan at the news. I loved taking my canvases and paints outside in the spring, but that has not been an option lately.

During my fifteen-minute break, I pulled my phone from my pocket and saw a notification. My cheeks hurt from the smile that formed on my face, and I gripped my phone with superhero strength.

I looked over my shoulder as if I was doing something I wasn't supposed to, then waited a moment to send my message.

Stupid reply.

My phone vibrated almost immediately.

It vibrated again and an image appeared. Holy smokes, I swallowed. It was a picture of him in the locker room mirror. Sweat saturated his shirt and skin and his arm muscles looked chiseled from the fresh workout.

Not to mention, his brows were drawn together like he was deep in concentration while taking the picture. It was adorable. If I thought my smile couldn't get any wider, I was wrong.

Jumping from my seat, I walked to the employee bathroom and took a picture in the mirror six times before settling on the sending the seventh, also mentioning I was stuck at work.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek. Keep it cool.

six o'clock when I was hanging up my apron and hiking my purse over my shoulder. I pushed through the swaying traffic doors to leave and froze when I saw Elijah standing in front of the hostess with his baseball friends.

My eyes nearly bulged from my head. I wanted to turn around and walk back into the kitchen and hide, but Elijah looked directly at me. His stoic expression turned mischievous as he waved three fingers in my direction like he was saluting me.

He did not just come to the place I work.

The hostess guided the four roommates to a booth while I scurried back into the kitchen. I was not expecting to see him again today, let alone with an audience. Had he told the guys about my visit earlier?

My phone vibrated.

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

I straightened my spine and stepped out of the kitchen. The boys' laughter carried throughout the room and Elijah glanced at me again, a teasing, playful smile still on his face.

One of my coworkers, Sam, set waters on the table as I made my way over.

"Ayo! Sadie!"

"Whaaa—"

"Art girl? What are you doing here?" Brant asked.

"Just got off my shift." I pointed to the kitchen. "You guys aren't regulars, so what are you doing here?"

I was avoiding making eye contact with Elijah even though I could feel him burning holes in the side of my head with his stare.

"Elijah recommended it."

"And now I see why," Jayce muttered under his breath, only for me to hear. Then he scooted over and patted the seat beside him. "Join us, Sadie."

Not-so-reluctantly, I sat beside Jayce and finally met Elijah's stare. He was slumped against the backrest, his arm propped up behind him on the top of the seat. I assumed his legs were slightly spread open like he was the most comfortable guy in Ruby's.

He looked damn good just sitting there while I looked greasy from work.

"Did you guys have practice?" I asked, even though I knew. If I hadn't, the powerful scent of Axe body wash emanating from each of them was enough to clue me in.

"Yes, we did." Elijah played along, tapping his finger.

"How was it?"

"Too long."

"At least it's over now."

"Yeah, thankfully. I am starving." The look he gave me made my muscles tighten. A look only the two of us understood, and that's when I realized he had kept our encounter today a secret. I wanted to smile. It almost felt intimate keeping what happened on the roof between us.

"Are you guys ready to order? Oh, Hey, Sadie," Sam said.

I smiled. "Hi, Sam."

Something grazed my foot, and my leg stopped bouncing. My attention darted to Elijah as he said, "Yeah, we're ready to order. Sadie, you wanna go first?"

"Oh, I'm not hungry."

Jayce ordered instead, followed by the rest of the guys. All I could focus on was the feeling of Elijah's leg rubbing against mine. Feeling a lack of control, I moved my legs away so he couldn't reach me.

"Sadie, weren't you looking for Elijah earlier?"

I folded my hands. "Yeah, but I never found him."

Elijah's lip twitched upward at the game we played. "Why were you trying to find me?"

"You left something at the studio."

"His manhood?" Brant chimed in, and Elijah cast a deadpan glare.

"You guys haven't been to the studio in a while," Jayce said.

"I finished the project I was working on. Now I just use the studio during regular class time."

"That means you're available to hang with us Fridays then?" Aiden asked. "And bring your roommates?"

I laughed. "I can see what their plans are. Is this weekend going to get busted?"

"I think it was that fucker from my finance class," Brant seethed.

They still had no clue who called the cops. It could have been anyone, and there were too many factors to narrow down to one answer. The kid from Brant's finance class (apparently), annoyed neighbors, bitter students, someone simply passing by... it could've been anyone.

"Well, we're taking a break from having more than just our close friends over. Our coach didn't find out about the bust, and it needs to stay that way," Elijah said.

Our close friends. "Oh, I'm a close friend now?" Warmth bloomed through my navel and Elijah's leg found mine under the table again. He smiled while his friends answered for him.

"Hell yeah you are, art girl."

"Sadie Lane! Woo! Woo! Woo!" they chanted like beasts, pumping their fists into the air. I frantically reached to pull them down as other restaurant-goers stared, appalled by the sudden shouting, but I couldn't keep my laughter at bay while scolding them.

Elijah just smiled.

That's all he did most of the evening.

No hint of jealousy or anger, no annoyed or unpleasant expression crossed his face. He sat across from me, cool as a cucumber, while I interacted with his friends. Every fleeting look, I caught him staring with that stupid, beautiful smile, his attention rarely leaving mine.

Our roof conversation changed the dynamic between us, and now it was up to me to decide how much of Elijah I wanted to let in.

When Sam the waiter reappeared, he set their plates filled with delicious food on the table. My stomach grumbled at the sight, and I sipped my water.

"French fry?" Elijah pushed the basket toward me.

"It's okay," I said, but he didn't pull the fries back. He left the basket on the table between us and continued eating his burger. Unable to keep my love of fries at bay, I took one and ripped a piece off, popping the bit into my mouth.

By the time they were done with their food, I had finished almost all of Elijah's fries and tried to give him money for them, but he waved his hand at me and gave the waiter his credit card.

"You good to drive in the rain?" Elijah asked as we exited the restaurant.

"Yes, I am fully capable of driving in the rain," I chuckled. "Why? Were you looking for an excuse to drive me back?"

His friends said goodbye and ran to their car, trying to cover themselves from the downpour while Elijah stayed by my side and walked me to my car.

"If you need a chauffeur, just say so," he teased and opened my door for the second time today. I was glad the sound of the rain drowned out my laughter. Even seated, he did not leave my side.

"You're getting drenched."

"It's fine."

"Do you want to sit in my car for a minute?"

He looked at his ride, contemplating, then jogged to my passenger side. My heart thumped wildly in my chest as he slid into the seat beside me and closed the door. The deafening storm outside turned into a quiet pitter-patter on metal, mixed with the sound of our breathing.

I watched beads of water slide down his face as we stared at each other.

Instinctively, I reached over the console and wiped them away. He leaned into my touch, his skin soft under my fingers, and he smiled—shit. My cheeks blistered, and I shoved my hands in my lap, fully aware of what I had done.

But he didn't recoil. Instead, he reached for my face and made the same motion as he wiped the rain off of me.

"Why'd you come?"

"I wanted to see you."

His words resonated inside my chest.

"Why?" The insecure part inside of me begged for reassurance.

With his hand still on my face, he said, "Because I like you, Sadie Lane."

Hearing him say those words felt like a dream. Like I was hallucinating. It had been a long while since anyone told me that and meant it, and from the earnest look on Elijah's face, I could tell he was telling the utmost truth.

The windows turned opaque with condensation from the heat of our bodies.

The rain continued its rhythmic song against my car as my stomach turned upside down and my brain screamed at me to say something.

"What if I told you..." Gathering all of my courage, I asked, "That I wanted to kiss you?"

"I'd let you."

If the car hadn't already been one hundred degrees, it surely was after he spoke. What was I thinking? I wondered, yet there hadn't been a thought in my head to answer my question because I wasn't thinking. I was simply feeling.

"Kiss me, Elijah," I breathed.

He scanned my face for any signs of doubt, even though certainty branded my expression. I had known he was interested in me for a while now, though I didn't trust him until the night he told me he had volunteered in the studio.

He volunteered.

And here he was, sitting in my car after a long day at practice, all because he had to see me one more time today.

His thumb brushed my bottom lip like before, then he held both sides of my face, his hands warm against my cheeks. I leaned forward. That was the last sign of consent he needed to connect our lips.

My eyes fluttered shut as we took in the sensation of our lips on one another. Then, his fingers drifted to the back of my neck, pulling me as close as possible with a console wedged between our longing bodies.

His skin was warm against my own, his lips sweet, his touch gentle... I forced the lump forming in my throat downward.

He pulled away, observing me. "You do not know how long I've been waiting for you."

I rested my forehead against his own, not wanting him to see me overcome by my emotions. "You'll keep your promise?"

He lifted my chin and forced my eyes to meet his. "I always keep my promises, Van Gogh. You don't have to worry about me. Remember, I'm a nice guy?" He nudged my shoulder, and I felt the tension break out of my body as laughter.

"Okay, go on. Get out of here before your friends yell at me for keeping them waiting."

"Are you kicking me out now?"

"I am," I said, starting my car. "Can we keep this between us for right now?"

"Yes." He leaned forward one more time, pressing a long kiss to the corner of my mouth, which felt even more intimate than my lips. "Don't ghost me now, all right?"

I went still from his joke. "I won't."

He climbed out of my car and waved goodbye, not realizing how his innocent parting words had struck a chord inside of me. Unable to decide if it was the weight from today or the memory of Ben that overwhelmed me, the lump in my throat reappeared and I began to cry.

I cried for my past self, whom I had realized was healing, and for my future self, who had happiness and peace to look forward to.

─── • ───

:):):):)

: Have you had your first kiss?

(also if you haven't noticed, my updating schedule is shit. I have no self-control and couldn't wait for Friday lolz)

╔═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╗

annasteffeyy

vote • comment • follow

╚═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╝