"May I kiss your forehead, Crimson?" She doesn't recoil or say a word, so I press my lips gently against her forehead. It's a tender and fleeting moment, but it fills me with a warmth that I can't explain.
"Just because a relationship has an expirat...
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DREXEL GENESIS
My body becomes as immobile as a stone, causing my muscles to seize up and my breath to abandon me completely. In a moment of startling intensity, my thoughts vanish into a void as I struggle to make sense of what had just occurred. Her tender lips, which had suddenly graced mine, causes my body to quake in shock.
Let me rephrase that;
Her tender lips, which had suddenly CRASHED mine...
...Our eyes widen simultaneously and we quickly move away from each other, our clothes soaked with muddy water and dirt.
The sensation in my mouth was akin to a bag of needles. It hurt like hell. So much.
As I let out a pained groan, I notice Crimson doing the same, her hands pressed against her lips. My gaze shifts to her and I see blood seeping through her fingers. The pain in my own body momentarily disappears as I become alarmed by her injury.
As I rush to assist Crimson, dizziness hits me and my feet falter. I am caught in someone's arms. "Don't worry Drex, I've got you. Are you okay?" Zeke's anxious voice asks me. Archer's face appears beside him, but he quickly retreats in horror. "Oh, blood. I hate blood. I can't stand the sight of it."
"Huh?" I ask in a daze, as Zeke lowers me down. "Are your teeth broken?" he asks and I panic, wondering if they were chipped.
After Zeke inspects my mouth, he confirms that my teeth are intact, "but there is blood in your mouth, gross, you've got to clean up." I taste the metallic taste of the blood in my mouth and spit it out onto the tissue that Archer has prepared, and he looks away with his eyes shut in disgust.
I stand up and try to shake off the lightheadedness before hurrying over to Crimson. She's being attended to by the two girls and Jed. I kneel beside her and gently hold her chin.
"Are you okay? Let's get you inside," I say, helping her up. Her bleeding has stopped and her teeth are still in place, which is a relief.
She clings to my arm weakly as I lead her through Jed's house.
Jed asks Crimson, "Do you need anything to ease the pain?" as he bends down to inspect her with concern. Crimson responds with her eyes closed, "No, thank you, Jed. I don't think I need medicine for this. I'll feel better if I just rinse my mouth."
I realize that I should do the same and follow Crimson's lead. Jed nods and shows us to the nearest bathroom. After rinsing my mouth, I join Crimson as she leans onto the wall outside the bathroom, letting out a tired breath.
Her cheeks lightly redden as she sees me. "I'm so sorry Drexel!" she repeatedly bows her head as an apology. "I was clumsy, that was a very painful ki-fall and I'm-"
I let out a laugh to ease the awkward tension between us. "Calm down, calm down. It's okay. I apologize too, as long as no one's hurt..."
"Hey, how are you guys feeling? You okay, Crimson? Does it hurt?" Zeke interrupts us, inspecting Crimson in concern. Crimson rubs her chin and exhales tiredly. "I'm doing better now."
