*Beauty*
"Ellie Kent, will you be my girlfriend?"
My entire world froze.
It was like this moment where everything, life, people, breathing, just ended.
As if a bomb had just gone off in my head, decimating any stray thought that wasn't completely focused on Will.
And then I was just staring at him with utter shock. Staring at the beautiful boy who was peering into my eyes, expression serious, eyes searching mine.
He wasn't joking.
He was asking me, dumb cheerleader Ellie Kent, of all people, to be his girlfriend.
His question echoed in my thoughts.
Did William Johnson just ask me to be his girlfriend?
Wait.
Just stop.
Let me breathe.
Okay.
Inhale. Exhale.
William. Johnson. Just. Asked. Me. To. Be. His. Girlfriend.
My heart stopped beating.
Will. Me. Boyfriend. Girlfriend.
I think I might still be asleep. This was definitely a dream.
Right...?
Yet, Will was still watching me, waiting for a response, his gaze soft and slightly nervous.
And abruptly my heart was pounding too hard and I couldn't breathe, let alone speak.
Girlfriend. Boyfriend.
My eyes widened.
I need to reply. I need to reply.
The word came out as a breath, "Yes."
There was a beat of silence.
I waited for the punch line. The moment where I'd lurch awake in my bed.
It didn't come.
A glorious smile that knocked the breath out of me stretched across his face. He laughed, and the sound reverberated in my bones.
And, at that point, my knees turned to liquid.
Will caught me before I could collapse, a hand clasping around my waist. A bolt of electricity made a path up my torso.
I'm captain of the cheerleading team for goodness' sake.
Yet, the moment Will was in the nearby vicinity, I lost control of all motor functions.
Will's lips twitched as he looked at me. My pulse sped.
Without heels--the girls and I had worn trainers today for practicality--he appeared even taller than usual. Six foot two of utter perfection in human form.
Boyfriend.
My face hit a new shade of red.
One hand remained on my waist as his fingers brushed my cheek, sending a blast of heat through my face and down my spine.
"Thank you," he said softly.
I all but melted into a pool.
I stared up at him, still trying to catch breath.
He met my gaze, looking into my eyes. A light dusting of red covered his cheeks and he smiled. One of his fingers brushed my cheek again, setting off beautiful sparks. I exhaled, leaning into his fingers.
I never want this to end.
"I never want this to end," I murmured.
He paused, his eyes widening. The red dust on his cheeks increased.
"Neither do I," he replied just as quietly.
I bit my lip. Tentatively, I lifted a hand, brushing it down once across his face. I shivered the moment electric sparks danced up my fingers. My fingers hesitantly traced is chin, forming a path to his lips. I inhaled as my fingers left a trail of red blush.
William Johnson was blushing. Because of me.
He was watching me silently, his eyes like molten emeralds.
My gaze flickered between his eyes and his lips.
Kiss me.
Then abruptly the sound of voices came down the hallway. "Check in the rooms! Don't let any of the boys get away!"
My eyes widened.
I grabbed Will's hand, tugging him down behind the desk.
He chuckled quietly, his eyes glittering like miniature scars. I was immediately hypnotised.
Wait a second, what am I doing?
Oh, yeah, hiding.
I shook myself out of the Will daze, glancing at the doorknob. It jiggled as someone tried to open it. Through the small window in the door, I saw the figure of an unfamiliar girl.
"It's locked," someone said. "There's probably no one in there."
"Fine," another girl huffed. "Check the other rooms though."
I heard the sound of their voices disappear down the hall.
I sighed in relief and turned back to Will.
I blushed as I realised he was still looking at me. I touched my face. "Is there something wrong with my face?" I asked.
He shook his head. "No." He paused. "You look beautiful."
I blushed and my gaze abruptly fell to the ground. "S-stop flattering me." Do you want to give me a heart attack?
"It's true," he said softly.
He wrapped his fingers around mine, cupping both my hands in his. Gently, he picked up my fingers, bringing them close to his face.
He parted his lips as if he were about to say something.
The sound of squeals and paintball blasts cut off his statement. I heard a girl's voice screaming 'my hair!' then another male voice groaning about his shoes.
I giggled.
Then my eyes met Will's and we were both laughing quietly.
At that moment, the bell rang, signalling it was time for the showdown--the part of the game where the finalists gathered at the field for the final fight.
"I wonder if Gemma and Layla made it," I mused. "I bet they..."
The words died on my tongue the moment my gaze returned to Will's.
He was watching me again, in that way that made his eyes appear like they were molten.
I took a moment to take in the blinding beauty that was William Johnson. His black hair was beautifully silky, some locks falling over his eyes. Those thick lashes bordered a pair of emerald oceans that glittered despite the shade of the desk we hid behind. His skin, as always, was flawless, despite the slight eyebags that hinted at some prior stress.
His lips, the perfect scarlet, were no longer smiling, but were parted slightly, releasing spearmint breath.
Oh, goodness, he was hot.
One of his hands left my fingers. His other hand cupped both of mine as slowly, he pushed a loose strand of my hair behind my ear.
I could feel my face burning.
His fingers lingered on my face.
Then he spoke quietly, his voice low and raspy. "Can I kiss you?"
My heart spluttered to a stop. I couldn't speak, so I nodded rapidly.
He leaned forward slowly, dissipating each inch in torturous slow motion. His lips hovered literally centimetres above mine, his breath warm against my lips.
His eyes flickered between my eyes and my lips, those beautiful sultry lashes brushing his cheekbones as he did so.
My breath caught in my throat.
Can't. Breathe.
Then he kissed me.
My eyes fell shut as his lips met mine.
The brush of his lips on mine was light, tentative, but sent electricity pulsing through every single one of my veins. As usual, his lips were so gentle, so careful, as they just barely touched mine.
My heart pounded in my skull, erasing any other sound, any other thought. There was just Will.
One of my hands touched his chest, feeling the pulse of a rapid heart beat beneath his skin. His heart--shockingly--was beating just as hard as mine.
His other hand, not the one on my face, slowly slipped around my waist, holding me steady.
I leaned closer to him, overcome with the sound of our collective hearts, the scent of apple and citrus, and the feel of his warm lips.
I'm going to have a heart attack.
This time for real.
His hands made their way around my waist, splaying over the small of my back, tugging me closer to him. My fingers clutched his shirt, just above his chest, feeling bolts of electricity run up my arms.
His lips were suddenly more probing in a way they had never been before, a delicious pressure on mine.
One of my hands tangled into his hair, and I was shifting ever closer to him, till our bodies touched.
Then slowly, his tongue brushed my bottom lip and I--
We flinched apart as a voice shattered the silence.
The voice was loud, filtering over the speaker. "The showdown has been completed, and we have a victor! The girls--again--are victorious! Everyone clap for our victors, Layla Chang and Gemma Henderson from Eastern High School!" The sound of trumpets and artificial clapping followed. "Gemma Henderson is now the two year reigning champion!"
I just stared at Will, my eyes wide, my hands still hovering in mid air, frozen.
His face was almost a mirror reflection of mine. His eyes were wide, caught off guard. His hands hovered in mid-air, as if he was still touching me. His lips, a darker red, were parted and red dusted his cheeks.
Woah.
I was immediately aware that my face was burning and I was probably blushing scarlet.
Then he chuckled. The sound was shaky and quiet as he dragged a hand through his hair.
I giggled, but the sound came out breathless.
"Well, that was..." Will breathed "Something." His eyes were still wide.
I blushed. "Something."
That kiss was...
Electric currents were still running through my body.
Why did that stupid voice interrupt?
As if she'd heard my thoughts, she spoke again. "Everyone please make your way to the field at the back of the school for the crowning. If you don't know how to make your way to the field, simply follow the arrows. Girls rule!"
Will blinked, as if clearing a fog.
Slowly, he stood, his long limbs straightening. He reached a hand out to me. "We should go."
Blushing, I took his hand, staggering to my feet. His fingers brushed caresses on mine, sending another blast of heat up my arm and into my torso. We stared at each other for a moment, before I ducked my burning face and looked away.
He led us out of the room.
I gasped as we stepped out. The entire hallway was covered in paint. It covered every inch of the place in pink and blue splatter, coating the lockers, the floor tiles, the walls, even the ceiling.
"Woah," I mumbled.
Will raised his eyebrows. "Is it always like this?" he asked softly as we walked down the hallway, attempting to dodge the paint. His voice was still slightly breathless.
I made a face. "Not as bad as last year. Last year Gemma went around with two guns and literally shot everything. It was a disaster. The boys spent the entire clean up day scrubbing till our hands bled, cause they lost."
I grinned at the memory.
Then I remembered the sensation of Will's lips brushing mine.
I glanced up, catching Will's gaze on my lips.
I blushed.
My lips were still sparking.
Will looked away quickly, red dusting his cheeks.
"Leslie Porter," he muttered under his breath, "has the worst timing."
I blinked up at him. "Leslie Porter?"
He cleared his throat and another dusting of red permeated his cheeks. "The announcer. She...er...works with Catherine on the announcements."
I blushed. "Oh." My face was burning. "Right, horrible timing."
We sunk into silence. Yet, I enjoyed it. Will's scent surrounded me. I could feel my heart pulsing in my chest. I could feel sparks dancing between our intertwined hands. Will and I were walking down the school hallway, holding hands.
One of my many fantasies had just come true.
In fact, two. I was his girlfriend. Will and I were dating.
Happiness flooded my chest and I struggled to hold back a squeal. This was so perfect.
Will's fingers left mine as we reached the exit, leaving my fingers freezing despite the heat of the hallway. He pushed open the exit for me, shooting me a soft smile as I walked through.
"Thank you," I mumbled.
There were more people now, several teenagers striding around with paint splatters on their black outfits.
A throng of people filled the field, surrounding something I couldn't see over the massive crowd.
Will and I walked towards the edge of the field, where there were less people.
I glanced up at him, then, when he caught my gaze, I looked away.
His lips looked so tempting.
We were dating.
No matter how many times I repeated the thought, I couldn't believe it.
"Ellie!"
I looked up to see Tessa, my second youngest sister, running towards us, waving. Tessa was from West High, who merged with our school on Activity Days.
My eyes widened. She was covered, from head to toe, in paint. The mix of blue and pink was caked in her golden hair, which now poured over her shoulder in ringlets.
Despite that, she still looked gorgeous.
Quickly, I shot Will a glance, suddenly nervous.
Every guy I'd ever met was attracted to my sisters. But I hadn't really cared, not until this moment.
He was looking at her, eyebrows slightly furrowed as she approached.
Please don't like her Will.
Tessa slowed to a stop in front of us, a massive grin on her face.
Another girl, Cali, a cheerleader on Tessa's team, came up behind her. Cali had long black hair that brushed her hips. Her brilliant pale brown eyes stood out against her dark chocolate skin. She was also grinning and was covered in nearly as much paint as Tessa.
Tessa grabbed my hands, jumping up and down excitedly. "That was so much fun Ellie!" Her eyes glittered excitedly.
I laughed. "How did you get covered in so much paint?"
Tessa released my hands, making an explosion gesture with her hands. "There was this pool and then bam! We fell in!"
They dissolved into giggles. I laughed.
"You're not covered in any paint," Cali mused. "Didn't you get shot at?"
I grinned. "I'm just good at running."
She narrowed her eyes and her grin widened. "Darkened lips, messy hair, blushing...Kissing symptoms!" she declared.
Tessa gasped. "Ellie! You had your first kiss?!"
My jaw dropped.
She did not just say that.
She did not just say that in front of Will.
Besides, today was my fourth kiss.
I glanced up. Will was now staring at me, eyes slightly wide, lips just barely parted.
I clamped a hand over her mouth. "Tessa!" I hissed. "Shut up!"
"But I want to know who you gave your first kiss too," she mumbled through my fingers.
I glared at her.
Cali was not nearly as clueless. Her gaze flickered between Will and I, and she smirked.
Just kill me now.
"Come on, Tess, lets go see your boyfriend," Cali said, grabbing Tessa's hand and dragging her away.
"Ooh," Tessa blushed, "okay. See you later Ellie!" She waved at me.
Cali winked as they disappeared into the crowd.
I was now blushing ridiculously.
I could feel Will's gaze setting off electricity all over my face.
"First kiss?" Will echoed.
I blushed, staring at the ground.
I felt his fingers brush mine. "Ellie?" he asked softly. "Was I your first kiss?"
My face was on fire.
This is so embarrassing.
"Yes," I mumbled
Silence.
I risked a glance upwards. Will's face was caught between two expressions. His brows were furrowed but his lips were twitching. And he was really blushing this time, red covering his cheeks.
Goodness, he was beautiful.
My gaze fell back to the ground. "This is so embarrassing," I mumbled.
As if I needed help humiliating myself in front of Will.
Suddenly, I felt his fingers on my jaw, followed by sparks running up my face.
He lifted my chin till my gaze met his.
He was staring at me intently. He spoke softly, his voice like a caress, "Thank you."
I blushed a billion shades of red. Before I could ask him what he was thanking me for, a familiar voice broke through the throng.
"Ellie!"
Will's hand fell from my face.
Madison appeared out of nowhere. She was absolutely splattered with paint, but she grinned as he carted tonnes of sweets and chocolates in her arms.
Her gaze flickered to Will, her eyes expressing confusion, before it fell back on me.
She shot a friendly smile at Will before she grinned at me. "Come on, Ellie. We're heading over to a restaurant with the others to celebrate."
I bit my lip, hesitating as my gaze flickered to Will.
I didn't want today to end yet.
"You go ahead," I replied. "I just need to talk to Will..." I blushed. "I'll catch up, ok?"
Madison frowned, her gaze jumping between Will and I. "Alright, then. Hurry up though. I can't brave Layla and Gemma alone."
She gave me a departing smile before jogging back into the throng.
"Beauty," Will said softly.
I blinked up at him in surprise. "Huh?"
"The name on your back," he said softly.
He didn't meet my gaze.
I blushed. "It's Gemma's nickname for me," I explained. "I wasn't calling myself that or anything." I didn't want him to think I was arrogant. "All the girls have names on their back. Like Madison is The Lady and Layla is..."
My voice trailed off as his eyes met mine. They were soft as his lips twitched into a small smile.
"Beauty," he rolled the words on his tongue, making my heart pound erratically. "It suits you," he murmured.
I was now blushing furiously. I blurted the words out before I could stop them, "When will I see you again?"
He blinked in surprise, then he smiled. "I won't be in for the next few days."
I shuffled my feet, biting my lips. "Can I come to your house on Saturday?"
He stiffened, the smile slipping off his face.
It reminded me of the expression he'd made when he'd seen his brother.
He attempted a smile, but it was cold. "My house may be unavailable for the next few weeks."
I deflated. "Oh." Then an idea popped into my mind.
My heart pounded in my chest. What about if you came over to my house?
I parted my lips to say the words, when his phone vibrated. Will frowned, pulling out his mobile. His face darkened instantly. He tucked it back into his pocket. He shut his eyes for a short moment before glancing up at me.
"I have to go," he said lowly.
My heart sunk as a mixture of disappointment and worry set in. "Oh." What's wrong?
I bit my lip. Will's gaze flickered to my mouth.
He glanced around quickly before leaning down and placing the lightest kiss on my lips. I gasped, my eyes widening. My heart was still pounding when he leaned back.
"See you later," he paused, a smile stretching over his face, "girlfriend."
My heart spluttered to a stop.
Then he pressed his lips to my cheek and turned. And just like that, he was gone, his sinewy frame striding away from the field.
Leaving my heart beating for his return.
My entire body burned as I struggled to catch my breath.
William Johnson was my boyfriend.
My boyfriend.
Did that just happen?
*
Hello sweeties :) So, did you like the chapter? I hope you did ;) If you did, please vote, smile and tell me in a comment ;) Also, can any fellow Christians pray that my teachers give me the predicted grades I need to get into my target uni? Please, I would really appreciate it :)
This chapter is dedicated to both a good friend and a loyal reader, who was my first commenter on a recent chapter I just posted. I love reading your comments and I am truly grateful for your reads and for knowing you :)
God bless
xxx
Yemi Everest