Sudden Bite

Chapter 14: Glad it's over

When mum left the house I wasn’t sad… when she originally left us it took a long, long time to heal and honestly from what I could see already was that she would only cause drama and conflict and it wasn’t worth opening old wounds. In fact I felt content with my decision… I could move on from this whole thing and get back to my regular routine. Drama really wasn’t my thing and I liked to move on from it as quick as possible whenever it did happen. However… moving on was a lot easier when you had a distraction.

“That one is my favorite,” I explain, pointing across the room.

“Why?”

“Because it’s just so… not me,” I tell him as we both glance at the pencil drawing of a skull wearing a traditional first nation’s head dress. Most of my art that was pinned and taped to the wall involved nature and even color but that one was just so different compared to the others.

“Well I think that they’re all amazing, I don’t even know how you can pick a favorite,” Alexander comments, gently knocking his knee against mine. We sat on either side of my window seat, leaning against the wall, legs bent and intertwined.

“I should get back to it, other than doodling in my notes I feel as if I haven’t really done any art,” I tell him with a sad sigh. I haven’t even been able to break out Sam’s birthday gift and it’s been a month already.

“Get back to it now then.”

“But you’re here; it’s late but you came over for me anyways, it’d be rude to bring you here and then ignore you,” I protest knowing that if I started sketching away I’d get so absorbed into my work. After dinner and the sun set I had wanted to stop overthinking about the whole situation with mum so I had called to see if Alexander could come over and he’s been here ever since he agreed to come. Unlike a normal person who uses the front door he had once against crawled through my window when he arrived.

“I like watching you concentrate on what you love,” he explained making me raise a teasing brow at him. If anyone else said that to me I’d totally be creeped out but this was Alexander, he was a man of few words and having all his attention even when I gave him none was kind of flattering. Was I really that interesting?

“I like concentrating on you the most,” I reply almost jokingly, but Alexander didn’t seem to get the memo because he suddenly grabbed my legs and pulled me forward in one swift motion, hands quickly coming to my waist when I was close enough to pull me onto his lap.

“Are you flirting with me Miss O’Neil?” He asked slyly as I tried and failed to not blush.

“Um – uh, no?” I quickly came to regret my chose of joke – but only because of how Alexander reacted and how flustered it made me. Just being close to him was electrifying. Not to mention that I wasn’t the most experienced person when it came intimacy. Without thinking much of it I brush my fingers through my hair and pull my hair away from my face in the process.

“You’re killing me,” Alexander groans making my eyes grow wide and cheeks turn redder.

“Wha- what do you mean?”

“Can I kiss you, Kit?” He asks just like every time, so close that his lips brush against mine when he speaks. The room was suddenly warm and my eyes darted down to his lips before looking back up into his whiskey irises, falling deep instantly. The feeling of his hand running around my waist and up my back, fingertips light against me and head spinning.

“Most definitely,” I agree, without stuttering for the first time as I find myself desperate for the little space between us to disappear. Without wasting another second Alexander had done as I so badly wanted and slotted his lips against mine, making me gasp from surprise; I might have asked for it but the intensity and the passion completely caught me off guard before I melted into the kiss. Unlike other kisses we’d shared in the past, something was different this time. Instead of cradling my face gently and tendering kissing me with emotion Alexander’s hands roamed my body, each touch setting me on fire, and his lips moved against mine more fiercely than ever before. My heads snaked around his neck, fingers extending into the bottom of his hair line and gently gripping onto the shorter hair.

When we broke for air our lips chased after each other and we were soon kissing again. My bottom lip caught between his teeth and the teasing bit made me gasp and allow him to slip in, deepening the kiss and making me quietly moan at the new – but nice – feeling. The moment had quickly escalated into a full blown make out session – my first ever. I felt dizzy and yet never wanted it to stop. Our lips moved in rhythm with force but care, love but uncertainty, passion but mindfulness.

Who knows where the moment would have gone had the sound of knocking on my bedroom door not snapped us apart.

“Catalina? Can I come in?” Sam’s familiar voice called from the other side of the door. Eyes wide with panic I hurriedly replied,

“Just one second, I’m getting changed.” Not knowing what to do I shoved Alexander on the ground and waved frantically for him to get under my bed before I opened the door to let Sam in, trying to appear as normal as possible.

“I thought you were getting changed?” Sam asked as he came in, noticing that I wore the same thing as I had today.

“Um, ya I was in the middle of changing and just put my shirt back on to let you in,” I quickly excuse feeling bad about lying. I just really didn’t want him to know that Alexander was here – via my window – or that we had been making out. Sam might approve of Alexander now but I’m not too sure how he’d feel knowing about that.

“Oh okay. I just wanted to check up on you, past couple days have been a little… well busy for the mind since mum showed up so suddenly and left just as quickly too,” he says, shifting from one foot to the other and then back, almost like he was swaying.

“My brain has just felt a little full the past couple days,” I admit, running my fingers through my hair and sighing quietly. It was amazing how suddenly she could return into our lives and create such drama over just a couple days and then leave just as easily. It might not have been the drama that included screaming and throwing glass vases against walls but the emotional pain and memories of the past being brought up that was its own kind of drama.

“What about you?” I add.

“I’m just glad it’s over, you know? It hurt so badly when she left but now I’m just wishing she had stayed away. I’m happy with our little family and I don’t want her ruining it or making things complicated.” I nodded my head along to his words completely understanding it. Sam might like rumors and gossip, but just like me he didn’t like being involved in drama. It just seemed to drain us mentally. “I don’t know if I’m gonna go to school tomorrow, I’m just exhausted.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, suddenly getting very worried. Sam smiled softly at my apparent concern.

“Don’t worry about me little sis, I’m just fine. Just need to reset is all,” he explained before pulling me into a hug. I basked in the embrace before suddenly pushing him away.

“You are like not even twenty minutes older than me what do you mean little sis?” Sam chuckles at my outburst and messes up my hair before saying goodnight and leaving, closing the door behind him on the way out. I was still glaring at the door when Alexander seemed to crawl out from under my bed to come and stand in front of me.

“Aren’t you just adorable when you’re mad,” he teased making my expression deepen. “You look like a grumpy puppy, not to mention that cute pout of yours,” he adds, gliding his thumb along my bottom lip and instantly making me blush. Alexander chuckles lowly before removing his hand and letting it fall back to his side. “Speaking of school, I should probably get going or I’m not going to be able to pull myself out of bed in the morning.”

“Already?” I can’t help but ask disappointedly. Clearly knowing what I was thinking and what I was feeling Alexander grinned before nodding slightly.

“Don’t worry, we can continue some other time,” he whispers, so obviously teasing me once again. Just for that I push him away – or at least attempt to, he was really solid. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says before pressing a lingering kiss on my well kissed lips. I could never get enough of the taste of Alexander. Nodding solemnly I let him leave back out the window after saying goodbye one last time. I closed and locked my window after Alexander disappeared from sight and finally got ready for bed.

The next morning when I noticed Alexander pull up outside the house I slipped on my yellow, high top converse, called out a goodbye to dad, and headed out. Around the time I woke up he had texted me asking if he could drive me to school and obviously I had nothing to protest against, after all it was more time spent together. I was in the midst of locking the door behind me knowing that dad would be going out through the garage and would most likely forget to lock this door as he so often does when I suddenly felt arounds wrap around me from behind.

“Morning.”

“Hi,” I greet with a small laugh and giddy grin. “Why didn’t you wait in the car?” I asked since he usually did wait for me.

“I wanted to see you sooner,” he replied making me laugh once again but also turn pink in the fact.

“Funny,” I tease turning around in his arms and tapping his nose. “We better get going or we’ll be late.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad,” he comments leaning in close and making me playfully roll my eyes in response. “Can I?” He quietly asks.

“You don’t have to ask every time,” I tell him even though I did like when he asked just to be sure. Taking that as a yes Alexander quickly leaned in to steal a kiss before leaning away and letting go of my waist to grab my hand instead. Leading me around to the passenger side he opens the door and everything for me making me feel equally amused and curious as well as flattered by the gentlemanly action.

“Am I forgetting something about today?” I ask when he slides into the driver’s seat and starts his car up.

“What do you mean?” He asks cluelessly in return.

“I don’t know… something about your behaviour just seems more… more,” I shrug in response not really sure how to explain it. It was little things that made me feel this way but I still couldn’t figure out if I was simply overthinking it like I did most things.

Even though I thought I was overthinking it the little changes in his behaviour continued throughout the day, the next biggest change happening when we finally reunited at lunch.

“Let’s go out to eat,” he suggested making me narrow my eyes at him suspiciously.

“Sure,” I agreed nonetheless, watching him carefully as he drove us just a couple blocks away from the school to eat at some café. However, just like any other lunch we spent together he didn’t eat and yet insisted on paying for me.

“You are definitely acting different today,” I declare as we leave the café.

Sighing he replied, “Alright fine, you got me. Part of it is I just wanna treat you like a princess because you are one and part of it is I feel like you really deserve to be treated so after the last couple rough days you had.” My heart melted at the thoughtfulness and I instantly reached out for his hand.

“Thank you,” I said sincerely, looking him right in the eye as I gently moved my thumb back and forth over the back of his hand.

“You are very welcome.”