Long Time, No See

IIIIIIIII: III

A.N.: This is weird I've never done one of these in this book but I want to explain something so that people won't be too upset with what happened in the last chapter.

I really want to communicate (sorry if I'm doing this badly) that although Denver seems to have ways of handling it, he still has problems with anxiety. This anxiety has been "programmed" (for lack of better wording) into his mind at a young age and is pretty serious. He has issues with trusting people to handle things by themselves and feeling out of control, because of the trauma he faced with his parents. As a result of this, his struggle with anxiety has followed him into his adult life, and like aforementioned though he tries to control it, it does affect how comfortable he is with trusting people he holds dear to him to handle issues by themselves. Especially if he thinks they could be in danger. To put it simply his anxiety has manifested into a sort of hero complex.

Furthermore, Denise has issues trusting people, because of what happened with Denver as well as other issues that she has going on in her life (I'll get to that I promise). With that said, please read this chapter with this information in mind. Thank you.

Denise

How the hell did this happen?

It's been a few hours since Denver left and I haven't been able to sleep a wink — and not just because of my head injury.

After crying my eyes out on the stairs, I got the worst migraine and had to retire to my room to lay down.

Thoughts were swarming my mind like bees in a cramped hive.

Flashbacks of the incident from tonight, the state Carina was in when I left her with Ava, and my conversation with Denver running rampant on repeat whenever I'd let my mind wander even a little.

I desperately wanted to sleep tonight away but I knew I would get no rest from things plaguing my conscience — and besides I wasn't allowed to sleep anyway.

So now I'm left here, alone with my thoughts.... Great...

I sit up against the wooden headboard of my bed with my laps pressed against my chest and chin laying in the apex between both knees.

The first thoughts to step up to the plate are about Denver. Naturally.

Tonight was... Rough. Not made any better by me offloading on to Denver how I felt about him. 

My timing... Not so great. 

The outcome of it... To be decided?

Honestly I have no idea what happened tonight. One minute he was turning me down and the next he was promising to stay by my side through anything. And not only that, but making me promise to share my problems with him.

Y'know, because I'm so good at that to begin with.

I didn't even have time to think about what he was asking before he was kissing my head and then - for a literal minute- my mind went blank.

This man. He stupefies me. One kiss and I'm rendered immobile.

It wasn't until he was down the stairs on his way out that I'd even realised he wasn't in front of me anymore and then I'd realised what he'd just said.

I was frustrated. He'd confused me tonight— But then again so had I.

When I kissed him tonight I had no idea what I'd be in for.

And don't even get me started on THAT KISS.

What was only supposed to be me calming him down became so much more.