Through His Eyes

Through His Eyes [12]

{{Dedicated to @HumanEdition for being super sweet}}

CHAPTER TWELVE

 

Instead of sacrificing an afternoon, Caleb and Rhea decided on meeting at seven in the public library and completing the assignment then, because Caleb had a "thing to take care of" in the afternoon. Rhea couldn't understand what it was that he was being so secretive about, but she thought it could be a familial affair of some sorts, and decided to let it be.

That is how she ended up on the public library's front steps at seven in the evening, tucking at the sleeves of her denim jacket in an attempt to protect her hands from the cold and waiting for Caleb.

After school, she'd let Floyd drive her home instead of Willa, receiving suggestive jests and mimics from her best friend when she'd disclosed her the fact. Before they left, Willa half-tricked Floyd and her into agreeing to go on a double date with her and Wade as soon as possible. Rhea rolled her eyes and protested for appearance's sake, but on the inside she was beyond happy with how the last week had been turning out.

When Floyd had brought the car to a stop in front of Rhea's house, she'd leaned over and pecked him on the lips. She'd intended it to be a simple kiss goodbye, just a brush of her lips against his. But when she'd broken the kiss, Floyd had reached for her to cup her face with both hands and pressed his mouth against hers more fully. However, it hadn't been a heavy, hormone-induced make out session that all teenagers seemed to engage in in movies. It had been just him placing tender, open mouthed kisses on her lips, until she'd parted her lips to kiss him back.

They'd kissed for several minutes like that, their noses brushing against each other's' from time to time. Even though they'd kissed on Saturday already, this had been different. It had been more. And it'd made Rhea realize how great it was to be kissed like that. Given, she'd been kissed before, but those kissed had either been sloppy or rushed. This one had been different. Firstly because Floyd was apparently a pretty skilled kisser, and secondly because there was some sort of emotion behind it; be it an infatuation, a mere liking or the promise of something more.

When they'd finally broken apart, Floyd had taken a deep breath and slumped back against his seat, running his hands through his thick hair as an awe-struck laugh had escaped his lips.

"That was..." he'd trailed off, his voice hoarse and uneven.

"I know, right?" She'd let out a shaky laugh of her own, her voice sounding breathy and sultry even to her own ears.

There had been no denying how affected they'd both been by the whole thing.

Soon after, she'd said goodbye to him with a final peck on the lips and gone inside.

At around six thirty, she'd got dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a light sweater and a denim jacket and had made her way out. The library was -just like most of the things in this small town- less than a ten minutes' drive from her house. However, she'd chosen to walk the distance for two reasons, being 1) unlike every other teenager, she didn't have a license and 2) she loved to walk when the weather was beautiful. Not too hot, not too cold. It was so perfect that you wouldn't even take notice of it. So she'd walked through the town as the dusk had begun to fall upon the town's streets bustling with people trying to make their way home.

It was her favorite time of year where summer was slowly morphing into autumn. The stifling heat was long behind them, but the warm evening breezes still lingered.

It'd taken her twenty minutes to get to her destination. Could have taken fifteen, but she'd chosen to take the long way around, just to go past that second hand store with antiquated furniture, vinyl records and even a gramophone on its showcase that she loved so much.