Till It Last (Shattered#2)

Chapter#20

| Hailey Pickett |

I should have said it.

Should have poured acid all over his gorgeous smile so, he could feel the burn but, I gave him a tight smile.

And immediately his smile faltered a little.

Slowly, he stood up to his full height , shadowing me with his frame from prying eyes of my teenage fellows.

"Usually when a girl don't smile back, it means trouble in paradise. What happened? Or , what did I do?" He asked in a dead straight voice.

I looked in his green eyes , Ian had such clear eyes where I couldn't help but want to drown in them, no matter how cringey that sounded.

"Nothing happened. At all."

Ian analyzed me for a moment and then he pursed his lips like he knew I was lying . He took my hand in his as he turned around , giving me his back and pulled me behind. Honestly, I was torn between wanting to smash my mouth against his or. .smash his head with a baseball bat!

He kept walking until he got us in an empty classroom. As I stepped in , he shut the door behind.

Crossing my arms, I stood awkwardly in the class. I felt his presence behind me , every cell in my body told me to turn around and demand for a make out session.

If only I didn't have a set of standards. .or, an issue of being a jealous scarlet lover.

I heard him sigh and his fingers curled gently around my elbow as he tugged me along . Ian reached the teacher's table and then , his grip still on my elbow, he turned at me while tucking his hips on the edge of the table .

Ian pulled me in until I was standing between his legs, his hand slipped from my elbow to my hand.

"Hailey, " his voice got heavy with an emotion I couldn't name.  . maybe I didn't want to.

I had to look in eyes when he called me like his existence depended on me.

"I know how to read eyes. I see doubt in them . .your eyes. I know I haven't said it out loud , maybe that's why you're doubting me. .yes , I like you, love you , can do anything for you." He shrugged. " You make me happy, an emotion I haven't experience for so long. You stepped in my life and all the shit stepped out. I hope that sums it up." His lips curled into a beautiful smile. .

Each word that came out of his mouth blew my mind and floored my heart. With wide eyes , I stomached his confession.

And I blurted out.

I had to.

"I love you more."

He smile morphed into a full blown grin as he stood up and greedily, my heart jumped in joy when he leaned down and kissed me on my lips! The sweet touch of his mouth made me grab a hand full of his shirt and I definitely wasn't ashamed to admit I tried to deepen the kiss and he let me take the lead.

It was safe to say, I had my first French kiss!

And things went up a notch when he shifted our position, the back of my thighs hit the table and he didn't let me go! Oh no! One of his hand went around my waist as he laid me down on the mahogany table , I may have giggled in his mouth.

He bent over me and I quite liked my position—he broke off the kiss . .his breath fanned across my face . .we had a wicked smile on our faces.

"Time out." He said , gently pecking on my lips.

"Yeah, time out."

And we still dived into another passionate , toe curling kiss!

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"Well, that was wild."

Ian chuckled.

"I can't remember the last time I had a kiss that long."

I tried to punch him on his bicep, not that it affected him.

"You're not allowed to think about anyone but me." I fired away.

Ian nodded , smirking.

We were sitting on the table, our legs down , my arm around his bicep , my head on his shoulder.

"Hailey. ."

"Hmmm?"

"I have to tell you something." He said in a sombre voice that made me look at him.

He was staring ahead.

Afraid to meet my gaze.

"Yeah?"

"Before I lose the courage , I gotta let it out. After the. . . Jeffrey episode, I got into self harm." His voice turned into a heavy whisper.

Self harm?

"You. .cut yourself?" I asked slowly.

And he nodded, before I could speak, he lifted his hand and pulled the sleeve all the way back . .at first I could see nothing on his pale skin and then. .they revealed themselves as he held his hand to the light.

A crescent shape cut right on his wrist, it was healing.

A horizontal cut that was disappearing in the skin.

A—he ripped the sleeve down.

Covering his hand.

"It may seem too much but I don't want you to know it later. .much later. I want you to know all my good and bad, Hailey."

I didn't answer, instead I slipped my hand into his.

His hand closed around mine. .

"Everyone has bad days , Ian. But yours were the worst. I wish I could say I understand what you have been through but that would be a lie. . the truth is, I'll be there for you. Always." I said it from my heart.

It hurt to know he had been through such a dark phase and he was still struggling. .

He glanced at me , his eyes shining in pride and he kissed the side of my head.

"It's the bad days that define us. Bad days test us and only the strongest of all can beat them up. Turns out I'm not that strong. I never wanted to overwhelm you with my baggage but I couldn't lead you on without telling you who I really am. This is me with all my glory."

"All the glory shall be mine." I mocked and the both of us laughed , not at my sad attempt at a joke but . .because our hearts intertwined at that moment.

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