Shutter ❋ Joe Sugg AU

21 ❋ Amelia

Time lost it's meaning as we sat there, lost in each other. I couldn't remember the last time anything had felt this right, and I didn't want the moment to end. Eventually we had to part for air, and our breath mingled together in our proximity.

"Joe." I breathed, staring at his pink lips. It was so tempting to close the gap between us again, but I knew what had to be said now. I was tired of withholding the truth.

"Yes, Lia?" Joe said, and for some reason we didn't move away from each other. All of my senses were overwhelmed with him.

"There's something I've gotta tell you..." I whispered, and I felt him shift away from me, so that I couldn't feel the softness of his breathing on my face.

I was comforted immensely when I felt him grab my hand and intertwine my fingers with his. I stared at our joined hands - they fitted together perfectly.

"What is it?"

"Well... I have a boyfriend. I've had one since before I met you."

Joe blinked, and I felt my heart sink when he removed his hand from mine. He stood up from the bed and ruffled his hair, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I don't know. I think it's because I was developing feelings for you and didn't want to ruin that. It was stupid and selfish of me. I'm sorry."

"I mean, I wish you told me this yesterday when I tried to kiss you. It would've made so much more sense. Instead you kicked me out of your flat with no explanation whatsoever."

I bit my lip, and I wished that I could go back a few minutes earlier, when his lips were locked on mine and there was an illusion of perfection around us.

"I know. There's nothing I can say except for sorry."

Joe sat back down on the bed and locked his gaze with my own.

"Why didn't you tell me when we first met? I could've lived with friends. Hell Amelia, I would be happy having you as an acquaintance."

"I think it just slipped my mind when we first met. I was too distracted by you Joe."

Joe sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He suddenly looked exhausted. "I'm always distracted by you Amelia. Even before we met, I thought about you all the time."

I felt my heart flutter and I wanted to kiss him again. But there was a wall between us now, just like I knew there would be.

"Well, what now?" He said.

"I'm going to break up with Dan. It's going to break his heart... But I never felt it with him. He was my friend this entire time but never my boyfriend."

"Okay... Is that really what you want?" Joe said, his eyes looking uncertain.

"Of course Joe. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want that."

"I'm just confused, that's all. You must be very good at hiding things Amelia."

I felt a pang in my chest because of his sudden drop of the nickname. I could tell that I had hurt him, just by the way he avoided my gaze and hung his head. I wanted to cry and scream, but I simply let out a sigh.