half/closer

half / 20

"Are you insane?!"

Giving her a sharp look, I gripped the ski poles in my hand, keeping my patience in check. We ignored Alec who was hollering in excitement as he slid through the snow surface ahead of us.

"Ry, this is Khloe we're talking about," Arisa exclaimed before detaching her boots from her ski plates. "She's-she's bad news and of all people, you clearly knew that she loves to play tricks. I swear, Ry! I swear that you're gonna get hurt."

"Love hurts, A," I defended, pulling the helmet off my head and carried my equipment.

My best friend frowned. "Love? Oh gosh, Ry! Listen to yourself. You sound like a poet worshipping her lover."

I rolled my eyes and began to head back to the luxurious chalet Arisa rented for tonight's party. Hiding my hands into the front pockets of my ski jacket, I roamed my eyes around the icy resort, hoping I could find my girlfriend. It had been two hours since the party started but I didn't see even a strand of her hair yet.

"You can't love her, Ry," Arisa continued her nonsense blabber as she trailed behind me. "She's so wrong with you. I can't even imagine you both in the same place together, you know, in that way."

Even though the cold air was crawling into my skin, I turned, my blood was boiling hot in irritation as I glared at my best friend. "You're asking me that I can't love her like you can't love Quinn because she won't be able to sense you physically. Did you stop loving her because you can't satisfy her in bed?"

Arisa stepped forward and glared back at me. "That's foul, Ry. We're different from you!"

"How's that different? Khloe may have a lot of flaws. She might be difficult but I would always choose her, a thousand back. And in the first place, you don't know sh!t about her. You've only seen her surface but I saw her for what she truly is."

Although her eyes remained piercing on mine, she didn't let out another word before she walked past me, leaving me behind.

I let out a huff then turned to watch Arisa's back disappeared through the busy crowd. Shaking my head, I stomped my way through the partygoers, giving the equipment to the resort staff. Heading to the lounge bar, I sat on the stool and ordered a glass of Cocoa Buie II hot cocktail to warm myself up. The indie music playing around sort of gave me a fuzzy feeling. Arisa was also hosting this type of party- the mild one which I preferred more compared to those wild ones.

I observed the surrounding, giving small smiles to my friends who greeted me as they passed by. I rolled my eyes as I watched a deer mascot dancing out of beat at the top of the table then I saw Bailey in the middle of the crowd with her new friend, Chase. I wondered how she managed to look like fine when in truth, she was dying inside. We still haven't heard anything from Tiana yet. Bailey's mother said she was certain that Tiana was still in a coma but that was it. We still didn't know any specific details about her condition. They were doing everything they could to reach her but Tiana's biological family was stubborn as hell.

Speaking of stubborn, unfortunately, my Mom was against the idea of her daughter falling in love with someone of the same s*x. However, she had considered Cassie's last will so she let me do what my heart speaks. I had no idea if she told Dad but I was hoping to keep that information between us until I graduate high school.

In the first place, once I go to college, I would be somewhat free controlling my life, not that I wouldn't respect them anymore though.

"Trouble in winter paradise? Oh no, maybe trouble in 'summer' paradise," an unfamiliar voice caught my attention causing my head to tilt sideways.

A man so hot was sitting beside me with a Budweiser bottle in his hand. He had a chiseled jaw donning a perfectly cut thin beard while his curly hair was so sleek styled with side undercut. He was wearing a red ski jacket with a branded pin, telling me that he was an invitee which made me wonder why I hadn't seen him before. I looked into his dark eyes and you could easily fall into them. But he was so unlucky that I had a girlfriend with a gorgeous pair of eyes or else, I would flirt with him right away.

"Sorry?" I muttered, his words earned a frown from me.

"Oh, forgive my rudeness. I'm Jethro," he said, offering his hand out to me. "You know, the Jet. Khloe's friend."

It seemed a bulb lighten over my head. "Ummm, yes. Jet, Jethro... Nice to meet you," I politely said, shaking his hand awkwardly before looking behind his shoulder. "Wh-Where's Khloe then?"

He pulled an oblivious expression on his face. "I don't have any idea. I'm looking for her, actually. This is her crowd so I'm not really familiar with all these faces. Except for you, of course. I've seen you that night with Khloe. You know, when you guys tortured a wailing boy in the middle of the night."

I nodded, a little disappointed that Khloe was nowhere to be found. "It's better if we leave behind what happened that night."

Jet chuckled. "Right... So, you and Khloe, huh? Cute couple."

I instantly smiled at his compliment. I was surprised that he was the first one who would accept our relationship despite not knowing us closely. Compared to Quinn who was adamant at first but I could feel that she wasn't totally approved yet while my parents and Arisa were not really happy about us being together.

"Thanks."

Jet gave me a gorgeous smile. "You love her, don't' you? I can see it in your eyes. They are always twinkling whenever I mention her."

I blushed. "My- My eyes are not twinkling. You- That's not really true."

"But you love her, right?"

I looked down shyly at my drink and bit my bottom lip. "Yeah, but she doesn't know yet. Can you keep this a secret between us?"

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," he assured, c*****g his bottle lightly before drinking his beer. "And I could tell Khloe also loves you. Maybe she's aware of it already or if not, I'm sure that from the bottom of her heart, she loves you, too. She doesn't realize it yet."

"How come?" I asked eagerly.

"I've known Khloe long enough to see what her heart speaks," Jet stated, his voice was full of admiration I didn't know if I should feel threatened by it. "And you know what? Beneath all her intimidating façade, she's truly an amazing person. There's something about her that I couldn't grasp in any words­- a beautiful word."

After hearing his words, I unintentionally glared at him and once I realized it, I snapped out and just nodded in agreement with a laugh- a fake laugh. "True, she's perfect... for me. That's why I won't let anyone steal what's mine."

"Woah, there, Jaguar," Jet laughed out. "Possessive, are we? I understand... I'm a possessive type, too."

I forcibly laughed back at him. "Oh yeah? But I'm not really worried at all," I confidently told him as I gazed harshly into his dark eyes. "As you said, Khloe.Loves.Me.Too."

I saw his jaw tightened faintly before he letting out a bitter smile, his black eyes not leaving mine. Then a few seconds later, he averted away, breaking the mounting war between us. "Right, good luck with that."

Scoffing at myself, I grabbed my warm glass, tilting it upward before downing the cocktail. "It's nice meeting you, Jerome but I have to go look for my 'girlfriend' and kiss her senseless," I said resentfully before storming off through the crowd without looking back.

The nerve of that jerk!

I knew it! There was something up between Khloe and that scumbag. I couldn't believe that I fell to his kind approach at first. Uggh, Khloe, where the hell are you?

As I turned to the deserted hallway, which leads to our private room, to look for Quinn because I was certain she knew Khloe's whereabouts, someone dragged me suddenly inside a room, catching me off guard.

Once I cracked out of my surprise, I glared at the deer mascot who was my abductor, and fought myself out of their hold. "Whoever dumbsh!t you are, let me go!!" I yelled, thrashing my body but this deer freak was not giving up on me.

"Ski-Boots, it's me!" a voice I've known too well uttered out, making me stop.

"Klo," I panted out and the deer mascot released me then took the mascot head off, revealing herself.

"Hi," Klo wheezed out with a small smile.

I instantly smiled back and hugged her into my arms. "Klo, I missed you."

I heard her laughter after a long while. "Missed you too, girlfriend."

My heart exploded with happiness, drawing away an inch and held her cheeks. I showered kisses all over her face causing her to giggle. I felt her arms around my waist and she pulled me closer to her body, making my heart flutter.

"W-Wait-wait! Hilary? I thought you're not going to this party," my girlfriend managed to ask despite distracting her with my sweet smooches.

Pecking her lips first, I gazed into her forest eyes which I missed this past few days. "Surprise?!"

She laughed again. "Yeah, you surprised me good but I bet you were more surprised, asking why a deer mascot snatched you out of nowhere."

A giggle escaped my mouth. "You got me there. But for the record, it was a cute deer mascot, cutie."

Khloe groaned, giving me a playful glare. "Uggh, how many times did I tell you not to call me cute?"

"But you're cute."

"Am not."

"Yes, you are."

"No," she snickered back. "Seriously, are we going to argue about this inside a cleaning closet?"

"You're the one who dragged me down here, missy," I countered, pinching her cheeks.

Caressing my lower back, she leaned forward and rubbed her nose against mine. "Can't help it, you're so beautiful."

"Now you're being cuter," I muttered, caressing her cheeks with my thumbs as I closed my eyes, relishing our moment together after a long time we'd seen each other.

"So you've met Jet," Khloe whispered and I frowned at the mention of that hard-faced scumbag.

I shrugged my shoulder. "Yeah, I guess. You invited him, huh?" I assumed, irritated by the idea of Khloe wanting to spend time with that two-faced dampsh!t

"No. In fact, I'm shocked he's here. Although I mentioned to him about this party, I wouldn't expect him to go here. I would say 'hi' to him but you see, I'm currently in disguise."

I grimaced at Khloe's statement. It was proof that he had a hidden agenda coming to the party. Maybe to get a better sight of his competition which was me. He was clearly enunciating war to me because he knew that I had Khloe already.

"Is there something wrong? Did he say something to you?" Khloe questioned, her tone was laced with worries.

I shuddered myself out of my own uncertainties and just smiled at my girlfriend. I didn't want to ruin my day anymore now that Khloe was with me. "Nothing, he just introduced himself then we had an unimportant small talk and that's it."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded with a genuine smile. "Yeah, sure."

Khloe smiled back as we stared into each other's eyes, losing ourselves again in a hazy wonderland. I sweetly stroke her jawline while she swayed us side to side lightly.

"So what's with the mascot, deer?" I asked, breaking out of our fairyland.

Khloe chuckled at my joke attempt. "It's nothing. I just don't know how to blend in here because it's not really my people. It's yours and Arisa's crowd. At first, I was refusing to go but Quinn forced me and now, I know the reason why."

"I'm glad you're here," I mumbled, pouting my lips.

"Me, too," Khloe uttered devotedly.

Pulling me impossibly closer, she bent forward and entrapped my lips with hers. I kissed her back passionately as our heads tilted accordingly to our lips motion. Licking my bottom lip with her warm tongue, I gave her access and I moaned once our kiss became more heated.

I scratched the baby hair at the back of her neck as our tongue tangled in a wet mess. Khloe's hand explored my body and once they ended up on my ass, she groped its cheeks shamelessly, earning a loud moan from me. I would like to feel her abdominal muscles but she was wearing a complicated costume so I settled on dropping my left hand and rubbed her stomach, trying to feel those muscles.

"Gosh, Klo...," I breathed out her name between our molding lips.

Khloe let out a moan once I started to grind my hips against her. "Fvck!"

I would like to go all the way with her inside this cleaning closet but an idea popped in my head. Stepping away, I tried speaking out but she slammed me against the back of the door and attacked my neck with her lips.

"W-Wait, Klo... Mmmmm," I moaned out as I felt her bite a little skin on my neck.

"Yeah?" she barely let out, licking the spot she bit to heal the small ache.

"I h-have an idea," I muttered, my eyes closed at the sensation she was giving me.

"Hmmm?" Khloe stopped her ministration on my neck and focused her attention on me. Well, her attention was already on me but this time, she was ready to listen to what I was trying to say. One of her sweet qualities I loved was that she would always listen to me.

I gulped first before speaking again, "Will you go out on a date with me now?"

"Where? Here? Inside this cleaning closet," she teased playfully.

I laughed. "No, I mean we can enjoy the whole resort for ourselves or maybe if you're not comfortable with our circle then you can wear the mascot and go on a date with me without worries."

"I'm not worried about going out with you with my bare face," Khloe reassured, lifting her chin to prove her self-confidence. "But you like cute things and you're claiming that the deer and I together are cute so it's gonna be extremely cute if you date us together. And it's going to be more fun with us together, right?"

"Right," I chuckled, kissing her chin.

Khloe grabbed the mascot head she put aside but I stopped her for a moment and kissed her hard on her lips before she wore the cute deer head again.

"So shall we?" she said, offering her covered hand to me.

We headed out from the closet and hand-in-hand, we stepped out through our crowd. Some of my friends were giving us weird look while the rest were hollering excitedly at us.

"Oh deer, you got one of a big antler," Xander exclaimed causing me to roll my eyes. If only he knew who was inside the mascot, he would poop bricks.

Khloe and I walked out of the chalet and I immediately pointed my finger up to the gondola lifts. "Let's go there, deer!"

My girlfriend nodded her mascot head and we both hopped our way to the starting station, our hands swaying between us. Seeing that we had our pin on our chest, the staff let us easily to one of the lifts. Before getting in, Khloe gave the staff a high five before dancing her way inside.

I snaked my arms around hers and we sat on the leather couch, both excited.

"You can take off your cute head now, cutie," I said and I helped her to pull off the mask.

Khloe breathed out in relief while I fixed her messy hair. "Are you sure you wanna date a deer?"

I snorted. "I wanna date you."

Khloe looked through the window and I followed her eyes, getting a sight of a snowy landscape. "Beautiful, right? This is my first time here."

"Really? Do you know how to ski?" I asked, resting my chin on her shoulder.

"Actually, nope," she answered, placing a kiss on my head.

"You want to try? We can rent an equipment at the end of the station. Don't worry, I'll teach you."

"Should I be worried?" She pouted, distracting me again on how cute she was.

"No," I mumbled, kissing her lips then sliding my tongue inside. I was not kidding when I said that I would kiss her senseless.

As the lift was moving slowly towards the other end of the resort, I lifted myself up and sat on her lap. She snaked her arms around my waist as our mouth glided to one another in a wet dance. We made out for a few minutes until we realized that our lift was almost at the end of the cables.

Khloe put her mascot head again and we excitedly ran to the equipment station to rent our ski gear for both of us. We went to the beginner slope and whilst fixing my boots on the plate, I heard Khloe groaned beside me. I tilted my head up to look at her and once I saw her struggle, I burst out laughing.

She was shaking her deer head while trying to put her foot inside one of the boots.

"Oh god, it won't fit because you have fat deer feet," I cried out in glee, laughing even more when she tossed the boots like a spoiled kid.

I stood on my plates and slid through the slope leaving her a meter behind. I maneuvered myself with my ski poles to face her and stuck my tongue out. "Race me!"

Jolting up, she chased after me and I glided through the snow surface expertly. I may be looked weird playing with a mascot but I didn't care about the people around us. It was always fun spending time with the person you're in love with.

I applied pressure to the ski edges and bent my knees to find my balance, causing me to stop. I turned my head to watch my girl attempting to slide through the snow with her deer feet and ski poles in her hands but she tripped on the way down, her body rolled three times at the process.

A loud laugh escaped my lips at her mishap but slowly stopped when I realized she wasn't moving.

"Klo," I called out, beginning to get panic and gliding towards her.

However, once I got near her, she suddenly moved and quickly dragged me down. Then she tossed snowballs against my head while I struggled to get up, hearing her booming laughter.

I groaned, getting up while shielding myself from her attack and when I completely put myself up, I gathered snows in my hand and threw it on her sharply.

Bull eye! I hit her exactly on her face but in my dismay, she was wearing a stupid mascot so she was clearly unfazed by my attack. To mock me, she hopped straight and lifted her arms up, showing off a 'victory' sign.

"You suck!" I whined, throwing her another snowball which she instantly cut with her deer hand.

My girlfriend did a victory dance before running towards me.

I squealed, reaching for my poles but it was already too late. She attacked me down the snow, hovering above me then tickling me on my stomach.

"N-No, Klo! Stop!"

I could hear her muffled laugh behind her mask. "You suck!"

"No!" I screamed out in glee and luckily, she stopped and rolled over beside me. We were both panting at playing too much in the snow. We gazed at the gray sky together, watching the cloud mist moving above. We listened to the people in the background of our world, our breath was melding our existence in a perfect combination.

I angled my head to the side, gazing up at her. Khloe took off her mascot head again and she gazed back at my ocean eyes with the warmest smile. The windows to her hazel-green soul were projecting her feelings for me. But it didn't matter how deep her feeling was for now as she pulled me closer and I cuddled against her body.

It didn't matter as we laughed together, gazing at the sky, forgetting our worries aside. Making memories, creating warmth in each other's heart and hoping this would last forever.

Nothing mattered... only my feelings for her.

Because I am deeply in love with Khloe Summer.

•••••

Author's Note: Sorry for the late update. I was looking for an internet connection and I'm glad they have it here in the airport. Publishing this first before I go ahead again to the next flight.

"Question: What do you think about Jet? Is he the storm?"

Few more chapters to go and we're done with Hilary's POV.

*wink*

Here I am, waiting in this boring huge terminal.

Edit 04.23.2018 This terminal ⬇