The player and the shy girl (ΒΟΟΚ2)

Whispers of the Heart

Lucas stands up and gently pushes me back. I glance at him as I walk to the living room, leaving him with Mike.

I see my aunt sitting on the couch.

"How can you do this? We agreed to hold the memorial for Mom and Dad!"

"Emma, it's not good for you. You've been through a lot."

Mike enters the living room with Lucas, watching us closely.

"Emma, your aunt might be right. You've been through so much," Mike says.

"Don't speak, you don't have the right to say anything."

"Emma, stop. The memorial isn't happening!" my aunt shouts, and I look at her as tears begin to well up in my eyes.

"You'll listen to me for once! This is the only thing that gives me strength, the only thing that stops me from crying when I'm sad. You never understood that!" I yell at her.

She looks at me and sighs.

"Emma—"

"Enough! If you want to destroy me even more, go ahead. Just know that those are the only reasons I'm still alive!" I say, glaring at her as I storm off to my room, feeling both angry and heartbroken.

I sit on my bed, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably.

The door to my room opens, and Lucas looks at me. He steps inside, closes the door, and sits on the bed, watching me.

He pulls me into his arms and gently strokes my hair to calm me down. I desperately want someone to support me in this moment, to give me an embrace that will help me stop crying.

And that someone is Lucas. He holds me tightly, letting me break down.

"Calm down, I can't stand to see you like this," he says, wiping my tears away.

I look at him, feeling disappointed. "Why does she have to do this?"

"Because she cares about you and doesn't want you to go through what you went through before."

"Yeah, but this way, she's hurting me even more."

"I know, little one."

He embraces me again, and I hug him back, sitting on his lap. He tries to soothe me, and eventually, I fall asleep in his arms.

POV: LUCAS

I soothe her as she falls asleep on me. The door opens, and Mike steps in. He starts to speak, but I signal him to be quiet.

He looks at me and comes further into the room.

"What happened?" he asks in a whisper.

"She cried a lot, I have to say." He glances at her and sighs. Don't look at her, man; she's mine.

"I finally convinced your aunt, and the memorial will happen. If you want, you can come too. She needs you more than anyone else," he says, looking at me and then at Emma.

"I'll tell her when she wakes up," I reply, and he sits down, watching me.

What do you want now, man? Just leave, I'm here.

He starts to leave but turns back to look at me again.

"Do you want her?"

I look back at him. What do you want, man? What do you think?

"More than anything," I answer, glancing at Emma.

"And she wants you more than she shows," he says before leaving the room and closing the door. I'm left staring at the door, a smile creeping onto my face as my stomach flutters.

I stroke her hair and plant a soft kiss on her forehead. Pulling out my phone, I scroll through my gallery and come across a photo of us at the beach. My smile widens as I look at her. This girl has driven me crazy.

After about thirty minutes, she slowly stirs, adjusting herself comfortably on me. I watch her as she opens her eyes.

"Well, well, my sleepyhead has awakened," I say, and she looks at me, a smile forming on her lips.

"How are you?"

"Better," she replies, rubbing her eyes.

"Listen, I have some news: the memorial is happening," I tell her, and she sits up abruptly, pressing her weight onto my stomach with surprising force, looking at me in shock.

"Careful, you're going to crush me!" I say, looking at her, and she smiles.

"Are you serious?"

"Yep, little one."

She jumps on me and hugs me tightly, and I embrace her back.

"You'll come too, right?" she asks as she pulls away from our hug.

"Of course I will," I assure her as she looks at me, her eyes starting to glisten again.

"No, no, you're not going to cry again!" I tell her, wiping away her tears, and she smiles.

She leans in closer and kisses me before sitting up.

I kiss her back unexpectedly, and she pushes me down onto the bed while she's on top of me. I flip her over and climb on top of her, kissing her again as I position myself between her legs.

Emma's aunt's voice echoes from the living room as she calls us both.

Emma glances at the door and then at me, rolling her eyes.

I get up from on top of her, and she rises from the bed as well. We both head to the living room to see what's going on.