Let's Fall in Love at 17

Let's reveal some secrets

Hold me in your arms,
Take my hand.
The world will stay silent,
It won't do any harm.

***

Romeo stood a little distance away from Ashton and me. His head of curly blond hair was starkly visible against the black suit and tie he wore. My eyes held his as he narrowed them, a sea of blood unleashing on sacred land.

For me the world had stopped. And I tried to answer why but I didn't know. Maybe because I didn't want him to see me with someone else. Maybe because I still wanted to be with him. But my emotions were out of control. I didn't recognize and I didn't have the strength to will myself to recognize my emotions.

Ashton waved his hand in my face, "Earth to Ella!" Which made me jump in my seat as my eyes snapped from Romeo to Ashton. I abruptly stood up, trying my best to keep Ashton looking towards me and not the guy staring daggers at him.

"I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back." I hurriedly told him and strode towards Romeo, grabbing his wrist and directing him with me to a secluded corner of the restaurant, away from anyone's sight.

I was glad when he followed me without any reluctance. It was only until we were out of everyone's sight that I felt his skin on mine. It brought an unusual pleasure to touch him like this and lead him away from the crowd, almost as if we were together. As if he would follow me to the ends of the world or even beyond. My grip on his hand loosened as I marveled at the way his skin felt, soft and hard at the same time. Mine.

We stood facing each other in the corner which could easily be called an alcove. I was glad for such a place in this moment. I let go of his wrist only to have him grab my hips and direct me against the wall.

He was too close.

"I don't like this." He began, his eyes lingering on my lips.

I had never been treated like this by a guy before so it took me a while to recover but when I did, I pushed against his chest. That, it seemed, had not effect on him. Why I wasn't doing more I couldn't tell myself.

"What part?" I asked innocently, not forgetting the venom that seemed to accompany everything I said to Romeo these days.

"You out with strangers." His eyes held a secret that I wanted to find out. But what else his eyes held was not jealously. Or at least not completely jealously. I saw a hint of fear in his eyes that I hadn't ever seen there before.

It was enough to compel me to pull my hands up to cup his cheeks, hold them and stroke the subtle stubble growing on his jaw.

"What are you afraid of?" I whisperingly wondered. His hands on my hips tightened. Lips parted, he stood stock still; trying to find an answer or forge an answer that would satisfy me. But I could read him now. I could tell when he didn't want to tell me the truth.

I dropped my hands and gently pried his hands away from my hips, pushing his shoulders so he could step back. This time he did.

"Look I have a date waiting out there for me so if you could please just leave..."

"Juliet, you can't be serious about this date. You don't even know him. You met him on the bell tower for fuck's sake!"

"That's almost an adventurous if not romantic place to meet a person." I smiled, knowing how this would affect him.

"Don't say that." His voice broke. David had been right about Romeo's sensitivity.

"If you have anything to say to me just say it. Don't think twice. I know you have. And no, don't shake your head at me. I know you think too much. That's why you pulled away from me that night on the cliff, didn't you?" I laid a hand on his chest and saw him close his eyes in comfort.