An Echo in the Wind

Chapter 20

He's sitting on top of the large bed reading a book. A dim floor light illuminates the room around us. That's a scene I never thought I'd see him in. Reading a book. There's a shock for everyone. 

He doesn't look up, "Occupied. Go find somewhere else to reproduce."

"I think that'd be kinda hard since I'm alone," I say, not moving any further into the room. 

He looks up now, "Oh, it's you. Sorry."

I laugh, "It's alright. You know, if you don't want people coming in, you should lock the door."

"It doesn't lock. I tried."

"Oh. Well, I'll leave you alone."

"You can stay," he says quickly, "I mean, if you want to. I don't mind. What were you looking for?"

I shrug, "Just somewhere to sit for awhile. I'm done hanging out with people and I don't know where Sophie and Carly went off to and I can't leave without them."

"Well, it's quiet enough in here." He says. 

I sit down on the bed next to him. He looks at me curiously, "What the hell happened to you?"

I sigh, "Some asshole downstairs dumped his drink on me."

He raises an eyebrow, "On accident?"

"Long story," I say, pulling my shoes off. I throw them onto the floor and lay back on the bed. "What are you reading?"

"Gone," he says, "I found it on the bookshelf over there."

I look up to a small bookshelf where there's a stack of old books laid throughout it. 

"So, are you drunk or is that just the drink that got spilled on you that I smell?" He asks, closing the book to sit up and look at me. 

I shake my head, "I don't drink."

"Why not?" He asks. 

"Why don't you drink?" I challenge. 

"Well, for one, we're underage. Two, the human brain doesn't finish developing until age 25, alcohol and drugs stunt that growth, pausing the brain growth at the age people start drinking at before that, and not allowing it to become fully developed."

I blink, "Wow. I didn't know that."

He nods, "Yeah. I'd rather have an actual brain when I'm older and not be a complete moron, so I'm waiting until I'm older to start drinking. What about you?"

"Uh, yeah, I just don't want to because I'm underage. And I mean, someone's gotta drive Sophie and Carly home at some point. We can't all be wasted."

I look at the comforter and start picking at it randomly, needing something to do with my hands. 

"Sure," he says like he doesn't believe me. 

Eager to change the subject, I say, "What are you doing up here all alone anyway?"

"I'm not a very social person outside of my friend group in case you couldn't tell." He says with a sly smile, "I came for Nik and Kevin. They wanted me to come."

"Is this what you do at all his parties? Stick yourself in a room the whole time and don't talk to anyone?"

"Basically," he says with a boyish grin. I'm mesmerized by his emerald green eyes that pierce my gaze. He says something but I'm too spaced out to hear him. 

He tries again, tapping my shoulder, "Echo? You there?"

"Huh?" I ask, pulling myself back down to reality. 

He chuckles, "I said, do you want to play a game?"

"Oh sure," I say sitting up so we're facing each other on the bed. "What game?"

He looks around the room, thinking, before saying, "20 questions?"

"Okay, I haven't played in a while though, I don't really know how to play."

He nods, "You go back and forth asking questions about each other. Like deep stuff. You win by asking a question the other person doesn't want to answer. In reality, it could take a lot longer than just 20 questions, or quicker too. You just play until someone wins or you don't want to play anymore."

"Okay, you go first," I say, folding my hands in my lap.

He runs a hand through his hair, "What's your favorite color? And you can't lie either."

I chuckle and say over sarcastically, "Ooo, starting with the juicy stuff aren't we? And really, throwing in that no lying rule. That really sucks, because my favorite color...that's not something I tell just anyone."

"Come on, be serious," he laughs. 

"Okay," I say. I look into his eyes, admiring the rich colors in them, "Green, but a really specific kind of green. What's yours?"

He looks at me, "Gray. Not just basic gray though. A grayish blue almost...okay, next question. If you had a time machine, would you go to the future or to the past?"

"Future, no doubt," I say quickly. No one in their right mind would ever want to relive through my past. 

I shouldn't have answered so quickly because he says, "Why?"

I smile, "It's my turn to ask a question."

"Go ahead."

I think about something really embarrassing to ask him so he won't make his next question asking about my past, "What's the most embarrassing thing you've ever done to get your crushes attention?"

He puts his hand behind his neck nervously, "I asked her to play a game with me so I could get to know her better."

I chuckle, trying to imagine him flirting with a girl. He looks confused as to why I'm laughing and it clicks in my head. We're playing a game right now. A getting to know you game. He just stares at me expectantly, waiting for me to get it. 

"Oh," I exhale. 

We just stare at each other now, not sure what to say. Neither of us are smiling now. He...has a crush on me?

He raises his arm out like he's going to touch me, but hesitates mid-air. For the first time, he looks vulnerable. He reaches his arm all the way to me, cupping my face in his hand. He just stares at me, making my stomach do flips, my nerves buzzing like crazy. 

He leans in towards me nervously, giving me every chance to back away and stop this. But I don't. I want it to happen. I want him. 

I bite down on my lower lip, my heart beating like crazy. 

"God," he says quietly, "That's so hot."

I let out a small laugh before he presses his lips onto mine. My lips part, letting him in. His kisses make me feel alive. It's not like our first kiss, this is more cautious. Less in lust, rather in passion. 

After a few light kisses, it gets more intense. He moves closer to me. I wrap my arms around him, pulling me closer, tangling my arms in his hair. We fall into each other, a tangle of limbs, intertwined together. 

I feel him against my thigh and I pull away slowly, a shy smile on my face, "We should probably stop if we don't want this to go any further."

"You're right," he says. He gets off of me and we sit next to each other on the bed. It doesn't feel awkward, like I pictured it would be when we stopped. It's comfortable. 

I look up at him, "Want to finish our game?"

He chuckles, "Yeah. Okay."

***

Last one today. Enjoy!

QOTD: How do you feel about their relationship progress? Too fast? Too slow?