Chapter 22-A Promise
“I’m ready,” I said flipping through the clothes in my closet, pulling items down and shoving it into a duffel bag.
Draven paced awkwardly beside me like he wanted to say something, but the words just weren’t coming out. He knew that after I was well enough I was bound and determined to go on this mission. There were only a few more months of school left, but I could just get my GED later. My parents wouldn’t understand, but I had to do something to repay Draven for all of his kindness. Then there was Zilla who barely texted me these past few weeks except to say that she didn’t have fangs yet. I was taking that as a good sign even though Draven remained unsure. I didn’t mind leaving Cole behind either, he had shown up only twice to feed, but I had the sneaking suspicion that he actually just wanted to see me and didn’t’ really need the blood. Plus, he would follow me anyway so I wasn’t worried.
“Will you cut that out,” I said grabbing him by the arm and holding him still. “If you’ve got something to say just spit it out already.”
“I won’t let you do this,” he said eyeing me warily.
Not again I groaned internally. “Stop,” I said waving him off, “I already told you that there is no convincing me otherwise.”
He pulled me towards him resting one hand carefully at the small of my back and brushing my cheek with the other. We hadn’t been this close in so long that I had forgotten how amazing it felt. My heart beat in time with his as he pressed his lips to mine. We kissed slowly and kept the pace up until he grudgingly pulled away. Why did he always play this cat and mouse game, either he liked me and wanted to be with me or he didn’t. He was so confusing.
“I hope you don’t think that’s going to detour my decision,” I said with an edge of cockiness I hoped he could read between the lines of.
He scoffed and stepped away. “Please don’t underestimate me, that’s not what I was trying to do.” Another cryptic message and I blushed as he continued. “It’s just that I have been doing a lot of thinking and you only have a few months of school left, not to mention Zilla might need you and I don’t want to take you away from that.”
“You’re not taking me away, I am going willingly,” I said trying not to sound offended. Was he really acting like this decision came from him forcing me into something?
“That’s not what I mean,” he said looking flustered.
“Well then you better try again,” I said frustrated. I turned my back to him and began rifling through the closet once more.
“I want you to finish school and graduate. It can wait a few months until then, but your education is important to me.”
“And you think your life isn’t important to me? More important than say I dunno, lousy school?”
“I didn’t say that,” he said defensively “I know you consider my life valuable and I would love to go back home, but I’ve been this way for such a long time now that a few more months isn’t going to hurt anything.”
I could see the logic in his response, but I knew he would want to leave until then and that left no guarantee he would come back. In fact, I am fairly certain he wouldn’t. Why would he since he already doesn’t want me to do this to begin with? He must have taken my silence as acceptance because he said, “Good, I’m glad you agree. Now, I’ll be back as soon as school is finished and we can head out.”
“Hold it,” I said putting my hand up. “You’re not going anywhere, nor are you getting off that easy. If you think for one second I am stupid enough to believe you will come back at the end of the semester after you’ve so blatantly confessed your opposition to me going in the first place, than you’re dead wrong.” I thought about this predicament a bit longer, there had to be a solution he would be willing to agree to.
“I have an idea,” I said grabbing his hand and leading him over to my bed. I pushed him back gently straddled him and held his wrists with my hands to hold him down. I didn’t want him to try to escape and he didn’t resist so I took this as a good sign. “I promise to finish school and wait to go on the quest if you promise to stay here with me until then.”
He wore an unreadable expression as we stared into each other’s eyes for a long time. I was afraid he wasn’t going to say anything, but then he said, “I can’t.”
All the hope I had that this would work out deflated and I felt my cheeks flush with anger. “Fine,” I said squeezing his wrists, “then I will just pack up and go without you. You can’t stop me and if you don’t want to go with me then I can do it alone.” I didn’t let up on my grip and held my ground.
He shook his head defeated. “While this doesn’t make me happy, I consent, but only on one condition.”
My face lit up. “What’s that?”
“You let me get some feeling back in my hands,” he said laughing.
“Oh sorry,” I said embarrassed as I released my hold. I didn’t make a move to get off of him and he didn’t push me away so I leaned in again and kissed him. In between breaths he mumbled, “You're going to be the death of me.”
“Tell me how you really feel,” I said giggling.
He pushed me back gently and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “As much as I try to fight it, there is just something about you that I can’t get out of my head.”
My pulse quickened and heart beat faster. “Finally,” I said playfully, “I wondered how much longer it was going to take you to figure it out.” He rolled me onto my back and pressed his lips to mine again. We kissed for a bit longer and then he stood and pulled me up. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s unpack your stuff.”
I nodded as we headed back to the barely filled duffle bag. I didn’t know what the next few months were going to hold, but I knew one thing for certain; I had Draven here with me and at this moment, nothing else mattered.
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