The silence

11:46

I was sat at the table in the dining room opposite my mum, indulged in the bowl of porridge I had made. She was talking to me but what about, I couldn't be sure. My mind was still wandering back to the scene in Dans bedroom this morning, the kissing, his grip, I hadn't stopped thinking about it since I had left his front door. And that scared me, more than I cared to admit. But Dan was different. Wasn't he?

I was snapped out of my morning daze by my mum slamming her laptop shut.

"Right, that is all the emails I am dealing with today" she exclaimed, giggling at her non-existent work ethic considering it wasn't even 12pm yet. "Are you seeing Dan again today" she poked, with that mischievous look on her face as if she was getting absorbed into an episode of Eastenders or something.

"Maybe. Why do you care so much anyway?" I replied. I wasn't sure my mum had any interest in my personal life like that.

"I'm just glad to see you happy, and SMILING, Alex. I haven't seen you like this for a long time." She stated, maybe my mum could be cute sometimes.

"He's an amazing guy. Really. Maybe we'll venture into town or something later". In the back of my mind I knew what I really wanted to do with him later.

"Young love! Fills my heart it does!" she sang, walking over to the kitchen to make herself yet another tea.

I smiled to myself thinking, is that what this was? Love? Maybe I could allow myself to open up this time. For Dan. And just like that, my thoughts were interrupted by a loud ping from my phone, and knowing it would only be him I picked it up and opened my messages.

"Since your mum now knows you're in fact alive, wanna come back to mine asap xx"

"I'm getting colder by the minute please don't leave me hangin"

I giggled; he was cute. All kids of cute.

******

12:30pm

After a prompt shower and gathering some bits together to spend the day at Dans, I shouted goodbye to my mum and shut the door behind me. I hadn't even walked down the 4 steps to my porch before I saw it. The figure. Again. It took a human form but once again was almost clear. As if it was made of fog. It sent chills down my spine and the baby hairs on the back of my spin stand up, and my stomach churn. However, I pried my eyes away and continued to Dans front door. Was I absolutely insane for ignoring this? One time is weird enough but twice!? That's a coincidence. It dispersed into the air once I looked away, so it couldn't be harmful.

I internally agreed with myself to not tell him, I didn't want to freak the poor guy out. I reached Dans front door and knocked, deciding I wasn't quite at the point where I could just walk in yet.

I heard his heavy footsteps come running to the door like an excited puppy waiting for its owner after work, and it stirred those crazed butterflies from their slumber.

"Hello, you" he mumbled, lifting me up and embracing me. Tucking his head into my shoulder and nuzzling my neck. "I missed you, I've since realised I don't like being left alone for extended periods of time" he laughed, lessening the embrace but resting his nose against mine, my stomach aching for him to kiss me, and so I did. I pushed my lips against his, not as gently as the first time we had kissed, but firmer and more confident. Which I liked. He directed us back towards the stairs, throwing my bag onto the floor.

"Do you wanna finish what we started this morning" he smirked, his hands grappling at my waist, fingers toying with the waistband of my jeans, yearning to go further.

All I could manage was a shakey 'yeah' and just like that we were racing up the stairs, in a flash of clothes and desperate glances. He pushed me up against the wall at the top of the stairs, mere inches from his bedroom door, he couldn't wait to get me to his bedroom to start undressing me. And I guess that just egged me on even more.