She blinked rapidly. "What?" She forced out a laugh. "Why the hell would you kiss me? Why would I want you to kiss me?"

"Didn't you?"

She stared at me.

"That day outside the cafeteria? After you accidentally sent me—"

"Yeah, yeah, I remember," she huffed.

I leaned in a little closer to her. "Did you? Want me to kiss you?"

"No," she mumbled, looking away from me.

"Hmm," I nodded, staring ahead of us, at the bridge. "That's too bad. I wanted to."

"What?" I turned back to her and found her already looking at me in surprise and somewhat relief.

"What?"

"Y-you uh, you wanted to ki- kiss me?"

I nodded again, "Mm-hmm."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because I didn't think you'd be okay with that. Why would you? Unless you... like me?" I leaned in.

She didn't even pull back. She just sat still, staring at me. "What?"

I lifted a brow at her. "Why would you want to kiss me at all unless you like me?"

"I never said I don't. In fact, I told you that I like you."

"I didn't know you meant it in that way! Plus, you said it was hypothetical," she scoffed.

"It's happening right now. Is it still hypothetical?"

She swallowed, looking away from me again.

"I mean, you didn't want me to kiss you. Did you?"

She rolled her eyes, looking at me. "Of course not."

"Huh, you really are a horrible liar," I chuckled.

"I'm not lying. Why the hell would I want you to kiss me? Just because you like me, I have to like you too? No. I don't like you," she rambled.

"Not even a little bit?"

"No."

"Just a little?"

"Nope."

"So, you don't want to kiss me right now?"

"Not at all," she said, keeping her chin up.

"Not even—"

"No!" She slid off the car. "Let's go under the bridge."

"Why?"

So I can act like the water is interesting.

Her thoughts are just...

"I want to see, come on," she lied.

I slid off the car, walking behind her slowly. She carefully climbed over the railing and I stood behind her. "Try not falling into the water and landing on that patch of grass," I explained, pointing to it.

She spun around to face me, holding onto the railing with one hand. "What happens if I fall in the water?"

"You'll be going back home completely soaked," I answered.

She leaned all the way back, only holding the railing with one hand still.

"Hold on, Clara."

She laughed, switching hands. "Aw, are you worried?" she taunted.

I stepped closer, the railing touching my torso. "You never listen to me when I tell you to be careful and you always end up—"

She yelled, losing her grasp on the railing but I grabbed her hand in time and yanked her forward. She let out a shaky breath, holding onto my shirt.

"Nearly falling," I finished my sentence. "You're lucky I catch you every time. What if I'm not there to catch you one day?"

She took a breath, looking up at me. "Then I don't know what I would do," she said softly.

I swallowed, my eyes scanning her face. I don't want to read her thoughts because I'm not too sure what they would be and if I would like them at all. She could very well be thinking about never speaking to me again because I just said I like her a minute ago. Realization flickered in her eyes and she let go of my shirt, throwing her arms around my neck and hugging me.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked, trying to pull back to get a look at her face but she held on tight.

"I just want to hold you like this. For two minutes. It feels nice," she whispered.

I adjusted my arms around her waist, hugging her back.

After a moment, she spoke up. "I feel like I shouldn't like you," she mumbled.

I stared at the water below us, trying not to feel too affected. But that did hurt just a little.

"But I do." She pulled back and looked at me. "Am I in trouble?"

I nodded, "Yeah. You are in trouble. It's not a good thing to like me."

We're being honest here, I shouldn't just be honest about my feelings. I should be honest about the rest too. I don't know what in the name of hell the principal is waiting for, but if she won't tell Clara, then I will. About me being a darkling, about the others, about Atticus, and about Kiara. All of it.

She deserves that, to know the truth. She deserves that chance to change her mind and run. She should know who she's getting involved with before she does. "And now that I do?" she asked, bringing me back to the conversation at hand.

"I don't know," I whispered.

"Me neither," she said, looking down at the water.

"Clara?"

"Hmm?" She turned back around to look at me.

I pulled her forward by her waist and her hands flew to my chest to balance herself.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"What I should have done that day but I was too stupid not to," I answered bluntly.

"But—"

"Be quiet," I mumbled, pulling her closer and leaning forward, and drawing her into a kiss. Almost immediately, her hands formed into fists and she clutched onto my shirt tightly. It took her a second to comprehend but then she kissed me back. I pulled back to look at her, just to look at her.

She blinked, pulling her lips into a thin line. "Why did you just do that?" she cleared her throat.

"Because I wanted to."

She nodded, looking anywhere but at me.

"Can I do it again?"

"Huh?"

I chuckled, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I said, can I do it again?" I raised my brows, ducking my head down so we were eye to eye.

She nodded in response soI tilted her chin up with a finger before placing my lips on hers. She kissed me back quicker this time. This kiss was faster this time, maybe because we both were now sure that we wanted to do it. Her grip on my shirt loosened and I pulled her closer, making her tighten it again. It feels good to know that she's pulling me in just as much as I am her.

I lifted one hand from her waist and grabbed her wrist, guiding her hand to the back of my neck while her lips moved in sync with mine. When I let her hand go and pulled back, slowing down the kiss, she used her hand and pulled me back down.

"What are we doing?" she mumbled against my lips.

"Making out," I answered.

She laughed but I silenced her with another kiss. Her hand trailed down from my neck to my jaw before pushing, turning my head the other way, and breaking the kiss. We both caught our breath for a minute. I rested my forehead on her shoulder, my arms still secured around her waist.

"Can we go under the bridge now?" she asked.

I smiled, pulling back to look at her. "Hold on." I stepped to her right and climbed over, hopping down onto the grass. "Come on," I said, looking up at her. "Hop on down. I'll catch you."

She stepped onto the edge and then let go of the railing, hopping down. It was easy to catch her like that, she was falling right into my arms. She squealed, closing her eyes tightly probably anticipating the pain of landing on the ground. She opened her eyes and looked at me then looked at the way I was holding her like a bride. "Thanks."

I nodded, setting her onto her feet. We both sat on the grass, staring at the lake and the water that was flowing smoothly, the moonlight gently bouncing off the surface.

"You really like me, Callum?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked, hugging my knees.

"I don't know," I mumbled. "It's just hard to believe."

"Why?" I scooted closer to her.

"Cause you're... you. And I'm me, I guess."

"Yeah, that's why I like you. Cause you're you. And you didn't believe what everybody said about me." I turned to look at her. "And even when everyone told you to stay away from me, you didn't listen."

"You never gave me a reason to. I wouldn't listen to them blindly," she replied.

"Exactly," I retorted.

She chuckled, scooting closer and resting her head on my shoulder.

"Why do you like me?" I inquired.

"Cause you take care of me," she sighed, her shoulders deflating like a weight was lifted off of her now that she confessed. "And you have saved me every time, in every situation. Even when you didn't know me at all." I turned to look at her while she lifted her head. "You take care of me," she smiled.

I chuckled, turning back to the water.

She leaned up and kissed my cheek. "Thank you."

"If you really want to thank me, you can do that again," I said, smiling to myself.

She laughed, leaning in to kiss my cheek. But before she could, I turned my head, my lips catching hers. I turned my upper half to face her and leaned in, deepening the kiss.

She smiled against my lips before pulling back. "Okay, I'm here for the lake," she laughed, pushing me away.

"Yeah, yeah." I rolled my eyes, pulling her closer before I moved behind her.

"What are you doing?" She turned to look at me over her shoulder.

I grabbed her waist, pulling her back. "This." I pulled her shoulders down so she was leaning against my chest, her back pressed against me with my arms around her from behind and she sat between my legs.

She deserves that chance to run. Before I get too attached and cage her in. Once that happens, I won't let go.

.

.

.

.

.

Chapter 34