Page 13 of Honest With You

I take a deep breath and he does the same.

I feel the tension dissipate from my shoulders, now just realizing how tight I was holding them.

This is weird… being in his arms feels right somehow. Like this is where I’m supposed to be.

All his hard edges perfectly complimented my every curve, soft in contrast.

I feel flutters in my chest and belly. Tingles all the way down to my toes, making the hair on my arms stand on its end.

What’s going on?

I feel his arms loosen and he starts to pull back.

Right.Time to let go now, Ava.

I lean back and school my expression. Is this…Am I attracted to him?

His eyes light up as he scans me from head to toe, shaking his head like he can’t believe it’s really me in front of him right now.

It’s been a while and though I never forgot about Jesse, life simply had other plans for me that didn’t leave much room for me to maintain friendships, let alone a long distance one.

Friends.

We’re friends. I should remember that.

“I missed you.” He’s leaning back on his hands now, still grinning at me.

“Back at you. I can’t believe you’re here!”

“I live here!” He laughs incredulously, and I swear with the way his eyes keep flicking to my legs, he’s checking me out. Either that or I missed a spot shaving my legs.

I look down at my lap, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “Me too, actually.”

“Yeah?”

I look up and our eyes meet, closer than they were mere minutes ago.

Without a doubt, he has the prettiest blue eyes I’ve ever seen.

The rest of him isn’t so bad either.

He’s at least a foot taller than I am now anddamndid the last few years do him good.

His hair is so bright, it looks like the sun kissed it. His shoulders are so broad, the polo he’s wearing stretches to showcase a body he must work out regularly to maintain. Basically, Jesse is the living embodiment of every teenage girl’s dream.

Did he always look this good?

Oh my God, Ava. Stop.

I need to get out more if this is my reaction after a guy hugs me.

It’s been a while since I went on a date. If you can even call it that. I’m almost eighteen and I’ve only kissed two boys, present company excluded. I never really dated because when you’re raising your little sister when you’re just a kid yourself, life kind of gets away from you.

I feel a warm hand cover mine and I blink the incessant thoughts away as Jesse lowers his head to my line of sight.

Blue eyes like the crystal waters in the beaches in Boracay.

I read that line somewhere and it’s fitting.

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