Just One Kiss

Chapter 16

"Um, hey." I said awkwardly. I stepped out to the patio.

"Can I talk to you? Alone?" He added after he looked over my shoulder and saw everyone.

"Chloe." Julian warned.

"I'll just be a minute." I said and closed the door before anyone could protest.

"Wanna sit?" He asked, gesturing to the bench I just realized was there.

"Sure."

We sat down and he grabbed my hands. "What.." He stopped, struggling for the right words. "What happened today?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"One moment, you're happy and looking amazing and you seem like you like me. Then the next I try to kiss you and you totally snap."

"I didn't snap." I said defensively.

"Okay, well, you stopped it." He said, eye brows raised.

"Alek, I just have alot going on right now." I said.

"Oh, that's what your going with?" He stood up. "That old line? You know, if you don't like me, you can say it. You don't have to lie."

"Alek I'm not lying! I do!" I stood up, too.

"Chloe." Sierra opened the door. "Don't." She said.

"Don't what?" Alek asked her.

"I'm so sorry Alek." I said, lowering my head.

"Can't you just tell me what's going on? Maybe I can help." He offered.

"I don't think you can." Sierra made it clear he couldn't know. And, sadly enough, I had to respect that. Even if I was mad at her right now. I looked at her over Alek's shoulder, she was standing still, keeping her eyes on me.

"Chloe, I don't know what happened earlier. When we met. But whatever it was, I liked it. Something happened, and you felt it too." I did feel it, whatever it was.

"Felt what?" Julian said, emerging from the door. He ran up to me and asked, "What was it?"

"Not now, Julian." I said through my teeth.

"Chloe, you don't like this guy, right?" Luke said, standing a few feet from Sierra.

"Yes, I do." I said, looking right at Alek. "And the rest of you need to leave."

"But Chloe, what did you-" Julian started.

"Later!" I said. I watched as they all left, one by one. Sierra was the last to leave, giving me one last threatening look. She was still scared I was going to tell him.

"You do?" He asked.

"Like it wasn't hard to pick up on." I said sitting back down.

Silence fell over us, and we sat there alone. I didn't know what to do. I got back up, but Alek pulled my from my side closer to him.

"I like you too Chloe." He said before leaning down to kiss me. I moved my face just in time for him to kiss me cheek. "What?" He asked.

"I can't." I whined. This situation was so unfair.

"Why not?" He asked.

"I just met you today." I lied.

"But it feel longer then that! I know it does to you too." He said grabbing my hand. "Can you honestly tell me right now, that you don't want to kiss me?"

I sighed. "Alek, I'm sorry. I have to much going on right now. I can't think about adding another boy to the fight and Sierra will be pissed at me-"

"What fight?"

"You actually aren't the only guy fighting for me right now." I admitted.

"The two guys who were just out here?"

"Yeah."

"Oh." He said, dropping my hands and backing away.

"Alek, wait." I said. He stopped walking and looked at me. "I'm sorry. Maybe as soon as I clear things up."

"Maybe." He scoffed. He turned around and ran off into the forest.

I felt tears forming in my eyes and opened the door. Everyone stood up from the couch and waited for me to say something.

"Are you all happy?" I asked, my voice cracking from the tears.

"Chloe, we never ment-" Luke tried.

"Save it." I said, letting a tear escape from my eye. I made my way to the stairs. I was 5 stairs up before someone talked again.

"I'm sorry, Chloe." Sierra said.

"I would believe you. But you don't really care." I said sadly. "If you had told your brother YEARS ago about wolves, then we could have avoided this. But, you just couldn't could you." I felt more tears spill over as I fought with my best friend. "Talk to me when you wake up from your dream. Cause, some day, he'll find out."

I ran up to my room and locked the door. I heard footsteps follow me up the stairs, and soon there was a pounding on my door.

"Chloe, I'm sorry!" Sierra cried. "Please open the door." She continued pounding it.

I layed down on the bed and cried. I heard the doorknob jiggle for a while, but it stopped.

"Chloe, open the door." Luke said.

"Go away Luke." I said.

"No. I was the only one you didn't yell at yet." He joked.

I got up and threw open the door. "Okay. Let's start. You shot me with an arrow, and tried to kill me. Almost did actually. Which I don't think I can forgive. And, I really liked the guy you all just chased away. So if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone. Go be yourself, somewhere else." And I slammed the door in his face.

"Ouch." I heard him say.

I layed back down on the bed and cried myself to sleep.