Page 32 of I Blame the Rival

Skylar turns and stares at me, silence falling between us once more. I can see countless emotions flickering through his eyes, the steady rise and fall of his chest.

“You make me feel normal too.”

His face breaks into a smile and my world stops.

Lips tilted up at the corners, Skylar’s face transforms in front of my eyes. His stoic features soften into a boyish grin, his mismatched eyes crinkling at the corners. The sharp definition of his cheekbones somehow become more prominent while the white hair falling in his eyes gives him an angelic glow.

In the blink of an eye, my new friend went from beautiful to devastating, and my heart is having a hard time comprehending.

I swallow, trying to tear my gaze away from the radiant boy beside me. I almost succeed when my eyes decide to do something stupid.

Stop and stare at his lips.

There’s a shift in the air, or maybe I’m the one who shifted, because suddenly there’s a lot less space between us than there was before. The warmth of Skylar’s body is close enough to touch and the space between our faces has shrunk down to mere inches.

He sucks in a breath and it’s drawn straight from my chest. Excitement and fear charge through my system, the heady combination of adrenalin and Skylar’s proximity making my heart slam against my ribcage.

“Tell me another secret.”

The tip of our noses brush and my stomach goes into a free fall.

The world falls away until all I can hear is the erratic beat of my heart. He shifts closer, nudging his nose against my own. My core clenches at the simple movement, a single trail of heat making its way down between my legs.

“I, uh…” My eyes dart between the two beautiful colours in front of me. One iris shines through the night while the other welcomes me in the dark.

“Flower?”

The weight of Skylar’s stare caresses my cheek, his warm breath painting my lips. The nickname enfolds me like a blanket and it’s all I can do not to burst into tears.

“You’re more perfect than I could have possibly imagined.” I breathe out the words and Skylar breathes them in, “In every way.”

I watch his eyes flutter down, the delicate lashes brushing his pale skin. Raising my hand, I stroke his cheek and whisper the rest of my secret.

“And I’d really like it if you would kiss me now.”

Skylar

She thinks I’m perfect.

My chest feels hollow as I bring my eyes back to her face. The broken organ that should be beating inside is gone, stolen right in front of my eyes.

I come from a family of monsters and she thinks I’m perfect.

Before the doubt can start to creep in, I lean forward and press my lips against hers. Lacey lets out a gasp at the first contact, but it doesn’t take long for her to welcome me home.

Tracing the seam of her lips with my tongue, she parts them eagerly, threading her fingers through my hair while I explore her mouth. She strokes my face as I kiss her, the gentle press of her fingers against my skin leaving me breathless.

My hands itch to slide over her warm body and discover every curve and dimple she has to offer, but I hold back. There’s too many unknown variables about her past to let my hormones take over.

Lacey’s fingernails glide down my neck and I shiver, fighting the urge to roll over and press into her. A breathless moan slips past her lips and I swallow it whole, drowning in the one person who helps me remember what it feels like to be alive.

Pressing my lips against hers for one last time, I leave a silent promise behind. No matter what happens after tonight, I will always take care of my flower.

Even if her future doesn’t include me.

Opening my eyes, all I can see is Lacey’s smiling face. Swollen lips, sparkling green eyes, and rosy cheeks stare back at me in the most beautiful combination of broken pieces.

“Maybe you were right about empty football stadiums.” Slowly easing away, I give her a hesitant smile, “They’re kind of awesome.”

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