Why Don't You Just Kiss Me Then.

Advice

  Worry worry worry. . .

        "So, you and Thomas are staying at a hotel together." I raise my eyebrows and my stomach flutters with nervousness. I hate it when people are mad at me, and Lilia is no exception, whether she stole my best friend or not.
"Oh, hi Lilia. Well. . . Yeah. You guys have just been hanging out a lot lately, and Thomas thought that it might be a fun idea. . ." I say into the speaker, trailing off and biting my lip with fear.
"Amabel, I'm not mad at you, if that's what you're thinking. This is a good thing for you guys. You are best friends, after all." I sigh in relief, the adrenaline that had previously filled my veins retreating.
"Oh. Right, good." I reply, not sure of what else to say.
"But Amabel, could I. . . Could I just say something really quickly?"
"Yeah, sure." I say, my heartbeat picking up again.
"Please, please don't let anything happen. I know that you and Thomas would never intentionally hurt me, but I just know that you guys like each other. But if you're gonna end up together. . . Amabel, please make him break up with me first. If you see any hesitation in his eyes when you ask about me, tell him to end it. I want him to be happy, as well as you. You've been a great friend to me this summer, Llama." I am taken aback, and my defensive side kicks in.
"Lilia! I would never knowingly let Thomas cheat on you, and I'm sure that he really likes y-"
"Just say that I've been a good friend as well and let me do my laundry in peace." I smile sadly and pull my legs up under me.
"Yeah, Lilia, you've been an amazing friend. It's been great frantasizing about Connor together, and hey, the summer isn't over yet, okay?"
"Yeah, I know. I just can't believe that you guys are leaving so soon." I can hear the sadness in her voice, and I try to perk up despite her shocking plead.
"We should go to the mall or the movies or something this week, just you and I. How's that sound?" She immediately sounds happier at this.
"That sounds great! I'll text you and we can make a plan." I smile at her enthusiasm.
"Alright, cool. I love you, Lilia." I say, and I mean it.
"Love you too, girly. Text ya!"
"Bye." I say and promptly hang up the phone. I never realized how self-conscious Lilia is until now. She has absolutely no reason to be, because she is beautiful and hilarious and should, in no way, be worried about Thomas straying from her, but she still felt the need to call me. I sigh in worry as I continue to pack, finishing off by packing my ugliest bathing suit, a teal one-piece. I zip up the backpack that I had decided to take on our trip and sling it over my shoulder, skipping down the stairs in my flip flops to find Thomas.
"Yo Thomas! Let's go!" I shout in the direction of his room as I reach for the front door handle.
"Bye Amabel!" I hear my aunt shout from another room.
"Bye Aunt Evie!" I yell back as Thomas meets me at the front door.
"Bye Aunt Evie!" He shouts as well, and her response comes soon after.
"Bye Thomas!" She says, and I giggle as we skip out the front door happily.
        We walk as usual to the shopping center where the hotel is, being silly and earning odd looks from passerby the entire way there. When we arrive, the clerk stationed at the front desk does not take us seriously at all. I guess we deserve this, as we do act like children. But still.
        Thomas decides to initiated a race to our room in this fancy and beautiful hotel, and I stop caring about everything but beating him in order to win. I ignore the gorgeous scenery and old people glaring as we run, laughing and nearly tripping over ourselves to get upstairs. Thomas decides to take the crowded elevator and I make an educated decision by taking the stairs. I race up them, panting and quickly look at the signs that indicate where the rooms are when I arrive at the first floor. I dash down the hall to the right as I hear the ding of the elevator. I check the room doors as I run and soon hear the pounding of footsteps behind me. I turns around to see Thomas chasing after me and I laugh, squealing with fright as I run faster. I see the room, number 234 ahead and Thomas is gaining on me. I am slowing down to hit the door and hence win the race when I feel a pair of arms wrap around my stomach, lifting me off of the ground and sufficiently keeping me from my destination.
"No!" I whine as Thomas laughs in my ear. I squirm in his grasp, but he holds me tight against his chest as he walks towards the door. I manage to turn to face him in his arms and I wrap my legs around his torso to attempt to pry myself from him. My struggles are proven futile when Thomas swipes the keycard and walks into the room, dropping me on a red couch. I laugh silently to myself as I realize the mistake he made. He narrows his eyes at me.
"What?" He asks suspiciously.
"You walked in with me hanging on the front of you, therefore I have won the race." I say, and his eyes widen.
"No!" He says, putting his hands over his eyes. I laugh mockingly.
"Believe it, honey." I say, and get up to explore the room. There is a small living area with a couch and a TV as well as a bedroom with a pair of twin beds and nightstands. There is a large bathroom as well as a balcony, and I walk out onto it to see a gorgeous view of the ocean and the infinity pool that lie at the back of the hotel. I let out a breath as Thomas walks out through the sliding door behind me to join me at the railing.
"Wow." He says, and I nod in agreement. The sun is just beginning to set over the sea and I soon feel Thomas' gaze on me. I want to look back at him, but I think of Lilia and turn to walk back inside, a sadness pulling at my heart.
"How's about some dinner?" Thomas asks in a silly voice, and I smile sadly to myself.
"That sounds great, Thommy."
        After we eat at the restaurant downstairs, we come back up and slouch on our beds, satisfied after the delicious meal. We sit quietly, scrolling through social media for about an hour before Thomas decides to perk up again.
"Hey, I've got an idea." I turn on my side to face him, propping my head up with my arm.
"What." I ask, a small smile gracing my face.
"Two words. Pillow. Fort." My smirk grows into a large toothy smile, and I understand why this man is my best friend.
"Yes, Thomas. Yes!" He laughs and we get up, immediately tearing the pillows from our respective beds and calling the front desk to ask them to send more. We let the blankets fly over our heads with glee as we push the beds closer together and drape the comforters over the top of them. The pillows arrive soon, accompanied by a handsome bellhop, and we put them on the carpeted floor underneath our, I must say, pretty large fort. Thomas and I grin at our work proudly when we finish and get into the soft structure. We last about ten minutes before I get an idea.
"Let's go swimming." I say, and Thomas glances at the clock.
"It's nine p.m., Amabel." He tells me confusedly, and I nod.
"Yeah. Let's go swimming." He smiles and obliges immediately, and I run into the bathroom to put on my ugly bathing suit. We grab our towels and practically run downstairs to the pool, our stomachs now settled from our large dinner. People give us strange looks as we chat excitedly and go out onto the patio, which is completely deserted at this time of night. I jump in right away this time and Thomas follows soon after. We splash and swim around until our fingers are pruny and most of the hotel has gone to sleep. Soon our conversation changes tone, and I suddenly remember to ask about Lilia.
"So, how are things with you and Lilia?" I ask casually, leaning over the edge of the beautiful infinity pool and looking out at the moonlit sea.
"We're good, I guess. I really like her." My heart breaks slightly at that, and I make a mental note to assure Lilia with that evidence.
"Oh. Great." I force out, my chest filled with pain.
"Hey Amabel?" Thomas says after a few minutes of comfortable silence.
"Yes?"
"Do you think that I'm a good kisser?" I turn to face him, an eyebrow raised.
"Why?" I ask suspiciously.
"Well, I kissed Lilia, but she hasn't returned the favor since. So am I a good kisser?" He asks again. I feel baffled at this.
"Well I don't know." Thomas scoffs.
"Why not?" He whines, acting like a baby.
"Cause we don't kiss all the time. Therefore I have no opinion."
"Well you tried to kiss me." I roll my eyes immediately at this.
"It was the third grade! Will you ever let that go?" I ask.
"Probably not." He replies, smirking.
A few seconds pass before he speaks up again.
"So?" I turn to face Thomas again.
"I don't know what you want me to say, Thomas." He frowns.
"Fine. Why don't you just kiss me then?" He asks in a serious tone, and my heartbeat picks up. I know what he is talking about, and I don't know what I'm thinking when I say the next sentence that emerges from my mouth.
"Give it your best shot." I say, and he raises his eyebrows, but doesn't question me. His eyes flicker to my lips and he begins to move closer. I stay still, acting as his practice dummy, his stupid practice dummy, and my thoughts consist of the white static that appears on a TV screen when the cable goes out. I close my eyes when I feel it is time and wait. I just wait.
Then I feel the touch of his lips against mine.
It is soft, just a butterfly of a kiss, but it sets off fireworks and causes a warm feeling in my stomach. I feel his hesitation as he pulls back from the light kiss, but stays close to my face as if he isn't done yet. I keep my eyes closed, soaking up the moment with hunger and wait for what he is going to do next. I knew that he was thinking of Lilia, I knew that he knew that this was wrong, and that we were just justifying this by telling ourselves that we are best friends, that we are just giving each other advice through experience. But his hesitation only lasts a few moments, and rather than pulling away, he rests his palm on my cheek and pulls me in closer, connecting our lips once again. This kiss is like no other I had experienced before, especially with Thomas of all people, and my heart thumps in my chest as I kiss him back, wanting nothing more than to make it last.
He pulls back after way longer than it takes to prove that he is a good kisser, his hand travelling away from my face and down to my shoulder, still quite close. His breath fans against my face, and he takes a few moments before he decides to talk.
"What did you think?" Honestly, I could've fallen back into the water, sighing with passion and happiness, but I look him straight in the eye and decide to give him my honest answer.
"Yeah, Thommy. You're really good at kissing."

WOAH HOAH HOAH HOAHHHH
SORRY TO BREAK THE MOOD BUT HEY I ALWAYS DO THAT, RIGHT?
IT FINALLY HAPPENED Y'ALL.
IT TOOK THIRTY THREE CHAPTERS AND TWO SCREWED UP RELATIONSHIPS TO DO IT, BUT THEY FINALLY KISSED.
#THOMABEL4LYFE
THIS WAS A REALLY LONG CHAPTER AND I WORKED PRETTY HARD ON IT SO I HOPE IT WASNT A LET DOWN CHAPTER, YA KNOW? LIKE WHEN THE CHARACTERS FINALLY DO SOMETHING BUT ITS A REAL LET DOWN?
I HOPE IT WASN'T THAT.
AND HEYYYYY PERSON IN THE COMMENTS I INCLUDED YOUR PILLOW FORT
YOU ARE VELCOME ;)
SEE I GIVE YOU GUYS WHAT YOU WANT JUST TELL ME AND ILL TRY MY BEST TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND FIT IT IN.
YEA SO PLEASE CHECK OUT MY NEW STORY FEATURING THE BEAUTIFUL AND SEXY BRENDON URIE AND I HOPE YOU ALL HAD AN AMAZING CHRISTMAS/ WINTER HOLIDAY!
YES, THIS CHAPTER WAS INTENDED TO EASE THE POST-CHRISTMAS DEPRESSION.
ALRIGHT YOU BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, ITS ABOUT TIME FOR THAT OUTRO YOU ALL SEEM TO LOVE
HAVE AN AMAZING WHATEVER YOURE HAVING (DAY, NIGHT, CHEESEBURGER).
BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!