Finding 4

Chapter 26

Callum

I should've listened to Brody's words with more caution. When he told me that day that Marley was struggling but didn't show it, I heard him, but I didn't hear him. And now, fear runs through me as I wait in her bedroom for her to get out of the shower.

She cuts herself, for fucks sake.

Clearly it wasn't the first time either, I saw her wrists.

How did I not see this sooner? There were so many signs. The long sleeves, the bracelets, the way she's always holding the hem of her sleeves in her palms. I am such an idiot.

The bedroom door opens and Marley walks in. Her long hair is wet and draped over her back, leaving a spot of water on her light blue t-shirt.

Neither of us say anything as she sits down at her vanity and starts to put skin care products on her face. I keep my reclined spot on top of her bed, with my legs out in front of me and my back against her headboard.

"Marley-"

"I don't want to talk about." She says, not even glancing in my direction.

I can tell she's embarrassed. I could tell from the moment I opened the bedroom door and she saw me.

For a moment I sit there, continuing to watch her. When the pressure of what happened gets too much though, I stand up and walk over to her chair, twisting it towards me and placing my hands on either side of her.

"We have to talk about it."

"No," she shakes her head. "I'm not."

"Why not?" I pull away and kneel down in front of her, placing my hands on her knees.

Her eyes are still full of sadness that she's trying to mask. She looks down at her hands in her lap, where she's picking at her fingers. She still doesn't say anything, but I can feel the hurt and sadness from her.

Hell, maybe I'm even feeling it for her.

When her fingers start to bleed, I gently pull her hand away, and hold it with mine. She looks up at me, and swallows harshly.

"I just..." she pauses. "I don't want you to think any differently of me."

My chest tightens at her words.

Think differently of her? As much as I've been fighting the way I feel towards her, it's undeniably there, and it won't be changing.

"Nothing can make me feel differently about you." I let go of her hand and place it back on her knee, rubbing circles with my thumb.

She sighs and I can see the way she's fighting with something in her head. When she leans forward and places her forehead against mine, I know what it is.

It's the same thing I've been fighting since I met her.

Those feelings that make you an entirely new person. The ones that I get whenever she looks at me, or touches me, or talks.

She leans back again, but only slightly. Our faces are only inches apart and her eyes search my face. Those butterflies I was just talking about? They're here, and fluttering through every inch of my body.

I reach up and cup her face with both of my hands, and my fingers lace through her wet hair near her face.

Marley's breath hitches when our noses touch. This might not be our first kiss, but it's definitely the first one that's ever made me feel this way.

Our lips connect in a slow, deep kiss. My heart feels light, and when her hands grab onto my hoodie and pull me closer, I can't help but smile against her lips.

We both pull away and a small smile is on her face too. Her pupils dilate when we make eye contact, and for a few seconds we once again just sit there and stare at each other. Eventually, I lean in, still cupping her face, and kiss her forehead.

Her body relaxes, and I can feel the way she melts into my touch.

She's completely changing me into a person I never thought I would be, and I'm letting her.