The Space Between Us | L.S

The Telling

All I could think about was his lips on mine.

I didn't realize how much of a distraction he was until a surging pain raced up my hand in response to slamming my middle finger with the drawer I was closing.

"Ah! Bloody hell." I exclaimed, cradling my victimized hand to my chest. 

"What's got your head in the clouds?" Jonas asked from the kitchen table, his eyes staying fixated on the document he had curled between his fingers.

"Uni." I quickly lied. "This term is hard."

"Mhmm." He mumbled out, reaching down to grab the steaming cup of tea. I watched as he slowly took a long sip before placing it down and meeting my gaze. "I'm sure that's the hard thing that is on your mind." A small smirk grazing his lips.

"Ew." I scoffed. Although I had not seen Louis since our quick whatever-it-was almost a week ago. Jonas had been sprinkling playful (and sometimes not so playful) accusations my way about the nature of relationship. "Like I have said multiple times." I gave him a targeted look when spitting out the word multiple. "There is nothing going on."

My phone buzzed then, and I almost slammed my head against the cabinet reaching for it so fast. I didn't dare let Jonas catch a glimpse at who it was.

Although I had not seen Louis in almost a week, he checked up on me every day. I felt like a giddy schoolgirl every time my phone vibrated at the chance it was him – either asking how my day was going or telling me a small quirk of something that happened to him.

"I digress." Jonas scoffed mockingly, slurping another sip of the hot liquid. I quickly shot him a look, the smile that had formed on my lips transforming to a snarl.

"It's actually an alert from my bank, telling me your mom's monthly payment to me for being your mate came in."

"Hardi-har-har." He rolled his eyes and swiftly got up from his seat. In three long strides he was across from me, lazily leaning against the counter. 

"I'm just confused on why you have this sudden desire to be mates with him? Being mates with your ex is never the move." He placed his mug down beside him,  folding his arms and looking pointedly at me.

"The circumstances are different." I mumbled, slightly distracted as I read Louis' name on my screen. Before I could get a chance to read the message, my phone was being plucked out of my fingers.

"Hey!" I yelped, attempting to swipe it back. Jonas just held it over my head.

"How? Tell me how this is any different to last time?"

"He's helping me through something." I tried to shrug it off as no big deal but I could feel the overwhelming confession bubbling up to my lips. I had to tell Jonas, he was my best mate. He should know. Was I ready to tell him though?

"What?" He asked confusion written all over his face. "What could he help you through that I couldn't?" I watched as he placed my phone gently on the countertop next to his tea that was cooling by the second. My eyes followed his arm up to his face, he looked upset.

I took a shaky breath, gaining an ounce of composure. "Sit down for a moment. Got something I need to tell you." He walked straight to the sitting room, plopping down on the sofa. I sat across from him on the coffee table, the coldness of the wood biting my thighs through my thin pajama bottoms. "I'm not quite sure how you are going to react to what I am about to tell you but if you could, please wait until I've finished talking to react. What I'm about to say is hard for me to get out."

"Are you alright?" He sincerely asked placing his hand on my exposed shoulder.

"Yes, I will be once I tell you." I paused, grabbing hold of his left knee gently and gave it a soft pulse. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, it's been...a long process of taking it in myself."

I began explaining everything from the beginning. Trying my best to explain everything clear and simple and hover any topics that didn't need to be told. I watched as his eyes widened a bit and his mouth slacked as I went on.

"Wen." He finally said, his voice cracking when pronouncing my nickname. I nodded my head a bit with a sad smile ghosting my lips.

My eyes burned with hot tears as I stammered out. "Yeah-h." He pulls my body into a hug, as I awkwardly fall limp into his arms. 

"I- why didn't you tell me? I get why you didn't but I could have been there for you. I've been a cheeky cunt to you these past few days," he said, running his fingers through his chestnut hair. 

"It was a lot." I mumbled. 

"How did Louis find out? I'm so confused." He breathed out.

"He was just there. I feel like-," I took a moment to recollect my thoughts, trying to make sense of what I was trying to articulate "I think he was meant to be there. That sounds so idiotic, but we just ran into each other and I was a millisecond away from walking into traffic. He's been helping me make sense of it." 

"Jesus Wen. Well, I feel like a bloke." He let out a humourless laugh. 

"Well at least we can agree on something." I joked, hitting him slightly. 

"You should see him." He said, nodding towards the kitchen where my discarded phone sat. 

And he didn't need to tell me twice.