I'm a Freshman- He's a Senior [22]

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Beth P.O.V.

"I don't care."

He leaned forward and kissed me again, sending jolts of electricity and heat through my body.

This time I didn't pull away, but instead I twined my arms around his neck and leaned into him, sighing into the kiss.

His strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer to him. He then softly brushed one of his hands up my arm, traveling up to my cheek and into my hair.

The kiss started off slow, but by now we were both struggling to catch our breath.

Then he pulled back and looked into my eyes, his hand stroking my cheek.

Both of our chests were rising and falling heavily from our loss of breath, and I could feel the heat in my cheeks.

I swallowed hard and continued to get lost in his deep green eyes, the ones that always made my heart melt and my knees turn into jelly.

My mind was completely blank and throbbing, but I surprised myself.

I leaned forward and hungrily grabbed his face, bringing his lips to mine again. He responded by letting his hands roam down my face to my neck, and stopped at my shoulders.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, but all I did was reach into my pocket, while still kissing Cole, and throw it across my bed.

I was through with being a coward.

********

We figured Will and Candy would come home at some point, so we walked to Liberty Park.

Hand in hand, I might add.

Instead of going to Cole's usual place first, we walked on the scenery trail, the pathway that was the longest and the most concealed.

All we did was talk.

"So, you've never had a boyfriend? That's hard to believe," Cole commented.

I shrugged, "I guess guys always thought of me as a friend, which I was Ok with. Unlike some of my class mates, my life long dream wasn't to get a boyfriend," I stated.

"Maybe you thought they wanted to be 'just friends.' Maybe they were just intimidated by you," he wondered.

"Intimidated? Of me? The girl who can't walk in a straight line to save her life?" I said unbelievably, raising my eyebrows and stuffing my hands into the pockets of my hoodie.

"You underestimate yourself, Beth. I mean, look at you," he said, stopping and turning to me.

"What about me?" I asked, stopping and facing him.

He brought his thumb up to my face and rubbed it against my lower lip.

I shivered, but it wasn't from the fall chill.

"You're beautiful," he said softly, looking me in my eyes.

I felt my breath catch for a moment, then smiled and shook my head.

I can't get caught in mind games.

"Nice try," I said bitterly, looking at the ground.

"Beth, I'm not trying to play you over," he lifted my chin and took my hands out of my hoodie, "I promise," he said so passionately that my heart bursted.

But I still held my ground.

"How do I know?" I asked softly, looking into his eyes.

"Just trust me," he smiled warmly, then took my face in his hands and gave me a soft kiss.

I smiled back at him and we continued walking, keeping our hands intact.

"So... what does this mean?" I asked cautiously.

"Well, I hope this means that you like me," he smiled, rubbing smooth circles in my palm with his thumb.

"I do," I laughed, but then grew serious. "What I mean is, are we together?" I asked, my cheeks growing red from embarrassment.

He looked at me and smiled victoriously, "Beth, I want you to be my girlfriend. Of course, if your brother ever found out he would kill me," he said, his forehead scrunching.

"Not to mention how people at school would freak out," I added.

"And what our parents would think," he continued.

We both looked at each other with wary faces.

"Maybe..maybe we're in over our heads Cole. Maybe this can never work," I said sadly, looking at my feet again.

He quickly grabbed both of my hands, "No, no! Beth, how do we know if we never try?" he pleaded.

He leaned down and kissed my forehead, "We can keep it a secret, just you and me. Please, Beth," he pleaded again.

I looked up in his hypnotizing eyes and felt goose bumps rise on my arms.

"Okay," I whispered.

He smiled and leaned down to kiss me, his lips urgent but soft.

Our arms wrapped around each other as the trees swayed above us, nature's soundtrack moving us along. I wished that everything wasn't standing in our way, that we could just be.

I was scared.

I was scared that he was trying to screw me over.

I was scared that I would dissapoint him.

I was scared that we would be found out.

But something in me blocked all of that out, and just focused on him.

I pulled away and looked up into his eyes, "I want to try and be together," I finished, smiling.

*******

"So, was Samantha a good kisser?" I asked deviously, taking a big bite of my pizza at Giordano's.

Cole made a disgusted face, "Seriously, it's like drinking throw up," he gagged and I chuckled.

"With all the experience she's had, I'd think she'd be a pro," I commented, secretly happy that she was bad at something.

"Just because someone doesn't have experience doesn't mean they aren't good at kissing, you're living proof of that," he winked, setting my cheeks on fire.

I raised my eyebrows, trying to hide my pleasure at his compliment.

I gathered some shredded cheese in my hand and flicked it at him, "Flirt," I smiled.

He just smirked and whiped the cheese off of his shirt.

"So what about that Vince kid? Do I have any competition?" he asked, flicking cheese back at me.

I raised an eyebrow, "Kid? He's my age," I stated.

"You didn't answer my question," he smiled.

"No, there's no competiton," I smiled, then took another bite of my pizza.

"But.." I continued. "What about the 500 girls at our school who like you?" I pressed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, giving me a cocky smile.

"Whatever," I muttered, sipping my drink.

We talked a little more before we both were full of greasy pizza.

After Cole picked up the tab, we walked out into the cool late afternoon breeze and headed for home.

"You know they'll probably be home when we get there," he sighed, looking at me.

"Yeah," I mumbled, dissapointed.

He gently grabbed my hand as we walked and smoothed out the creases of my palm.

"We'll sneak out tongiht," he winked, and I smiled.

"Who says I want to?" I teased, looking at him.

He let go of me and playfully shoved me gently. I squealed as I had to keep myself from tumbling face- first into a pole.

When I was back at his side I shoved him into a passerby, whom he had to apologize to, and I laughed at.

We went on like this the whole walk home, laughing and teasing each other as if we were five-year-olds.

Our feet were standing across the street from my house when we spotted Will's car in the driveway.

"Ugh, great. What's our excuse for being gone?" I asked, turning to Cole as we waited for a car to pass by.

Cole shrugged, "We'll just say that we were hungry," he answered.

I looked at him in the dimming light of the sky. Behind him was the sunset, with colors of all kinds inhabbiting the clouds and surrounding the sun. His green eyes, which were scanning the passing car, were magnificently radiant.

I gulped when I analyzed the sharp muscle in his jaw, and he turned to me when he realized I was staring at him.

He looked into my eyes, which were full of awe for him, and took in a breath.

I let my gaze fixate on his lips, then back up again.

"Don't do that to me," he whispered, passion in his voice.

I realized that the car we were waiting for was long gone and crossed the street as he followed.

When I reached the front door, I slowly opened the door to see Will and Candy watching a movie.

Candy looked at me and smiled, "About time, what were you guys doing? Making out in the park?" she joked.

You have no idea how right you are.

I smiled nervously, "Very funny, we were just getting something to eat," I explained.

She seemed satisfied enough and Will was still tranced into the movie.

"Didn't you guys just see a movie?" I asked, crossing into the living room.

Candy shrugged and looked at Will, "We didn't know what else to do other than watch another movie," she answered, looking around the room.

I sat on the couch and leaned my head back on the pillow, closing my eyes. I let today's events finally catch up with me and sigh.

It was as if I was a different person in my same body, more mature, more interesting.

High school was changing me, too.

********

That night Candy ended up staying over.

Dad was sleeping in his room with his big fan on high; he had a migrane when he came in today.

I was aching to kiss Cole again, but that was impossible with my brother and his sister around. I kept replaying his words in my head over again:

We'll sneak out tonight.

All four of us dressed into pajamas, I let Candy borrow one of my huge shirts and running shorts.

I felt kind of silly in my oversized T-Shirt and Will's boxers around Cole.

By the time I had brushed my teeth and braided my hair, Candy was sound asleep on the couch next to Cole, who was watching a movie with my brother.

Will's eyes looked drousy, with dark circles beneath them.

I felt my own eyes begin to slip as I watched his, and decided that it was time for bed.

"I'm going to bed guys," I yawned.

Cole looked up at the sound of my voice and gave me a confused look. All I did was give a small, but tired smile back.

He nodded in understanding; no sneaking away tonight, my eyes were deciding that for me.

As soon as I was in the small space of my room, I collapsed on the bed, not bothering to even turn the television off of the Home Shopping Channel.

My sleep was delicate, images flooding my mind.

I let my shoulders relax and my mind show me the memories.

Flashes of my mother and father when I was a child reeled, as well as shows of my friends and I growing as time went on. Memories of first meeting Cole and fighting with him collected, and finally up to the point when he kissed me.

I sighed as that thought replayed in my head, until it went on to today's conversations.

I remebered the feeling of Cole's arms around me, and his soothing voice through the cloud of sleep enveloped my head.

I almost succumbed to sleep when I vagely heard the sound of my door opening.

I knew who it was before he spoke.

I felt Cole's lips press gently against my forehead, and then his mouth at my ear, reciting impossible words to me,

"In darkness, I see your face, in lightness, I feel your touch. When the sky is clouded, and when the sun doesn't shine, I look to you in fear,"

"And when everything is wrong, you stay right. You are the answer to my confusions and the cure to my terrors,"

"Goodnight, my Beth," he finished, kissing me on my closed eyelids and brushing the hair out of my face.

I couldn't tell if his words were a dream, but whatever it was, his songless lullaby pulled me into a slumber so great I never wanted to wake.

________

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