The next few days flew by with the same routine every day, Avery would come over after her work and spend dinner here with me. She even cooked me a meal yesterday, and I don't know how to feel about all of this. I was so attracted to her, especially when she's here for me, doing everything to help me even when she doesn't need to, she's caring and so careful with me and it makes my heart flutter every time she gives me a smile or a smirk. I just wished she liked me too. But I know that's just a silly dream.

"Sam, I wanna ask you about your parents." Avery suddenly said in the middle of the movie we were watching. I tensed and turned to look at her. She paused the movie and sat so she was now facing me.

"Why do they hurt you?" she starts off and I look away, immediately not wanting to have this conversation.

"I-I don't know.. I think they regret taking me in." I mumble and I feel her get slightly closer to me, giving me comfort.

"Did they tell you that?" she asks again wanting to look at me but I kept my eyes down, shaking my head.

"I heard them one day." She got quiet. And I was scared for a moment. I didn't know what she thought of it. Did she think I was lying?

"Why don't you leave?" she says in slight anger, my eyes snapped to hers and I could see that she was angry.

"I can't. I don't have anyone else. I want parents and a home." I say explaining myself.

"It's not worth getting hurt Sam, not this, they hurt you too much, and I want to report this." Her eyes studied mine as she says this and I was surprised at what she said. Report them? No. Then where will I go? I don't want to go back to foster care or the orphanage. I started panicking.

"Wait, hey, it'll be okay," she says and I shook my head in fear.

"No, no, please don't do that. I don't wanna go back there." I say with tears in my eyes now, my heart squeezing and I saw sympathy in hers. She reaches for my hand and calmed me down by rubbing the back of it.

"You won't have to. I told my parents, and they don't mind taking you in." Avery says which shocks me even more. I looked at her like she had three heads. Her parents are gonna take me in? As their own? I'll be her sister?

Is that why she's been here taking care of me because I'm gonna be her younger sister? I was slightly angered by this and hurt, she was here because of that?

I panicked again and pulled my hand from hers and moved back. No. I don't want that. I like her. I can't be her sister. That's just wrong. I don't want that. I don't want to see her with anyone else. No. No. No.

"Sam, calm down, you're overthinking this." she tries again, reaching for my hand. I shook my head and pulled my hand away, holding them to my chest again and stared at her.

"No. I don't want that." I stated and her eyes turned into confusion and sadness?

"Why not? They can take care of you, you know. And love you, and I-I, I can make sure you're okay too." She tries to reason with me and I shook my head. No.

"No, I'm okay with my life now," I say again and she sighs angrily now, getting frustrated. I winced slightly, I don't want her mad.

"But Sam, they're hurting you, why would you wanna stay with them?" She enquires again looking at me full of questions and demanding an answer for me and I wished I could say that I don't wanna be here sister. But I can't. She doesn't like me like that. This is stupid. I'm stupid.

"I'll be okay," I mumble hugging myself now. I felt so small around her again, as if she was oozing out power and making me submit to her.

"You're not okay, Sam. You're not. You're hurt and in pain, and I don't like that. I don't wanna see you like this anymore." She whispers softly, in the most soothing voice ever, full of concern and care.

"Then just leave me alone," I say and I knew what I said hurt her, I didn't look at her, scared to see the pain in her eyes. It's better if she leaves. She doesn't need to care for me. I'm a nobody.

"I'm not gonna leave you." She promises and I look up at her green eyes.

"I want you to be okay. Please consider what I said. Please?" she begs now, and I just nod, not trusting my own voice and she seems to be happy with what I said.

"Okay. Good, great. I'm gonna convince you either way." She says again, glancing at me, smiling slyly. I bit back a smile.

"And how are you gonna do that?" I asked back challenging her with newfound bravery. She smirked and leaned close to me, making me gulp and move back slightly, I could feel her breath on my cheek, she was that close. Oh God, my heart. Oh, God. Fuck. Fuck.

"I have my ways," she whispered, her eyes glancing at my lips, then to my eyes and then she pulled away, a slight smirk still on her face as she looked ahead and continued the movie we were watching, not caring that I was in a puddle on the couch.

My face felt so hot. I was blushing so hard. She, oh God, she was so near, so fucking near, I could kiss her.

I threw that thought away and tried to control my breathing and calmed down trying to focus on the movie but I couldn't. I couldn't at all. I thought of her lips. And how much I wanted to kiss her. I really wanted to kiss her.

I glanced at her from the side of my eyes and saw that she was already looking at me. I turned to look at her now and her eyes were on my lips again. Does she want to kiss me? I look up into her eyes, I was so sure she could see me asking for it. I could see how hers were hard as if she was thinking and unsure. She bites her lip, as if stopping herself from saying something, and then looked away finally and I felt a little ache in my chest.

We stayed silent for the next 15 minutes and finished the movie and I dreaded this part because she would be going home. She doesn't make a move as the credits start rolling and I turned to look at her again before clearing up the table, trying to stand, wincing only slightly, smiling as my ankle's getting better.

"Sam." I stopped what I was doing I looked at Avery who was now standing in front of me. She took a step closer and stood close to me now, we had a little gap and my eyes followed hers, my head tilting up slightly. She looks down and I feel her hand reaching for mine. I let out a small breath as she laced our fingers together, closing my eyes slightly. I feel her getting closer, I could feel her warmth now, her clothes touching mine, her hair touching my shoulder, her lips at the crown of my head. This whole time I held a breath in. She let out a shaky breath and placed a small kiss on my forehead and it took a lot in me from not collapsing in her arms. It's been so long. She let her lips stay there for a while before wrapping her arms around my waist now. My heart was racing, and my breathing was erratic as I buried my head in her shoulder, my hands wrapping around her waist as well.

I felt so safe. This right here is something else. How does she do this? Why does she affect me so much?

Her hand trailed up my side, leaving a hot trail, making me sigh and moan softly on the inside, her fingers touched my waist as she pulled up my blouse by just a little, letting her touch linger there and I gulped, my hand in a fist now, controlling myself from giving any other reactions that would embarrass myself. Her hand continued up, till my shoulder, and collarbones, her fingers dancing lightly on them, making goosebumps rise, then to my neck and cheek, stopping there, as she held my jaw in her hands. I was biting my lip hard, waiting for her to do something else, but she doesn't, I hear her breathing heavily against my ear and I took the courage to pull back slightly and meet her eyes.

"Kiss me," I muttered softly, hoping she heard me and I knew she did because her hold tightened around me, her arm, pulling me even closer. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.

I trained my thought on her, her eyes, her lips. She angled her face closer to me, her nose skimming against mine and I let out a small whine, which made her smile. Oh God, I slapped myself internally for sounding so desperate. Then I froze as I finally felt her lips touching mine.

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