Found | Shuri (Searchin' Sequel)

| T W E N T Y • S I X |

| Hazel |

The sound of thunder rumbling through the apartment caused me to jump out of the sleep that I had finally drifted into not even an hour ago.

Lightening lit up the room and the sound of pouring rain filled my ears.

Now there was absolutely no way that I was going back to sleep.

Thunderstorms were always scary to me and I always found myself in Riri's bed whenever there was one.

I knew that wouldn't be an option for tonight, but I still got out of my bed and walked over to her room, hoping I was wrong.

The door was closed and turning the knob did absolutely nothing because it was locked.

I don't know how, but I feel like I could blame this on her. She wanted me to suffer because I made her upset.

Thunder shook the apartment again and there was absolutely no way I was returning to my room after that one.

My eyes landed on the door across the hall to our third bedroom that Shuri was staying in.

Desperate times..

Here goes nothing.

I walked over to the door, gently knocking on it. I was kind of hoping she wouldn't hear it then my only other option would be to sit here and wait for Riri to decide to open her door.

I heard scrambling then a few seconds later the door flew open.

She stood there half asleep with her hair all over the place.

I couldn't help but bite my lip at what I was seeing. She was wearing a pair of athletic shorts and one of those sleeveless undershirts.

She looked so good I had forgotten I was standing here because I was scared.

"Are you just going to stand there and drool or come in?"

Even the sound of her sleepy voice was attractive. It made my knees buckle almost immediately.

Snap out of it Hazel.

"Sorry." I mumbled, pushing past her and walking into the room.

She walked back over to the bed, lying down and leaving enough space for me to join.

"I'll just lay down here." I suggested, sitting on the floor.

"Hazel, get in the bed."

The amount of sass that she was giving me told me that she was annoyed by me waking her up.

I stood back up, slowly walking over to the bed and laying down beside her. She lay on her side, facing me with her eyes closed while I was on my back, looking up at the ceiling.

The loud bang from outside made me jump yet again and I scooted closer to her.

I had never had this experience with her, but she knew how afraid I was.

When I first told her about it she thought it was the silliest thing ever and teased me about it.

"Remind me again how you are this old and afraid of thunderstorms." She chuckled, not opening her eyes.

Just like that.

"Shut up." I mumbled under my breath.

I knew I wouldn't be able to fall asleep anytime soon, but it did feel comforting being beside her.

Her eyes were closed, but I knew she wasn't asleep.

Every time I jumped from the sound of the thunder, she would wrap her arm around me and hold me tighter.

It was like we weren't even arguing just a few hours ago.

There were flutters in my stomach as I thought about it. She was always there when I needed her, even if we weren't on the best of terms.

I think it was the feeling of being in her arms and feeling vulnerable that made me do what I did next.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, turning on my side to face her.

She opened her eyes slowly, looking at me and waiting for an explanation.

"For saying that night meant nothing."

She shrugged, closing her eyes again.

"You're just saying that because I'm letting you sleep with me." She smirked, making me roll my eyes.

"Maybe, but I really do mean it. It meant a lot, I just didn't know how to react or feel about it."

"Yeah, your reaction was perfect." She responded sarcastically.

"It was confirmation that I didn't want."

"Confirmation?" She opened her eyes again, basically staring into my soul.

I stayed silent, debating if I actually wanted to dive into this conversation that was long overdue.

I didn't know if it would change anything between us, but I knew it would get it off of my chest. Which would change something for me.

"Confirmation that I'm still deeply in love with you." I confessed.

A smirk appeared on her face from hearing me say it.

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Maybe not for you."

"But it is for you?"

"You don't get it." I sighed.

"Help me get it." She said, resting her hand on top of mine.

I shifted in the bed, turning on my back to look at the ceiling again.

I don't think I could say everything I needed to while staring in her eyes.

"It hurt.. It hurt to know that someone I had given so much of me to could just stop loving me."

"Hazel, I never stopped loving you."

"It felt like it. You gave up on us so easily. You gave up on me. I was trying, I really was, but you didn't see that. Why didn't you fight for me?"

I could feel the tears on the edge of my eyes as I started to relive the pain that came at the end of our relationship.

"You said it yourself, you were never this insecure person until you were with me."

"Because I was afraid to lose you. Because you didn't always make me feel secure."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I really am."

"Why did it take you so long? I never thought I would heal, but I finally did. You didn't cross my mind as much. I hadn't shed a tear about you. Then you just come back and you act like nothing happened. Why did you wait until I finally felt okay to decide to come back?"

She sighed like what I had just said broke her heart.

"I had a conversation with someone. They made me realize that I could've been better. I couldn't come back until I knew that I could be better for you. I needed to work on me too."

She wiped a tear that somehow had managed to escape.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you. That wasn't my intention. I just wanted us to grow separately so that we could grow together. You deserved that."

I looked over at her to see the same tears filling her eyes.

The same hurt in her eyes.

We had both experienced the same heartbreak, but I hadn't realized that until now.

"I thought I knew what love felt like before I met you. I thought I knew how to love, but I realized I really didn't. I love you, Hazel. That never went away. It won't ever go away."

I couldn't find words to describe what I was feeling at the moment.

I just wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into a hug.

I don't know what this meant for us, but I do know that I had never been more grateful for a thunderstorm.