Secrets | Watty Awards Winner 2013

Chapter 14

When I step back into my house, I am greeted by silence. The air is still and unbelievably cold It’s colder in here than it is outside.

But the cold isn't the reason that a chill runs down my spine.

“Hello? Anyone home?” My words echo round the house, bouncing off the walls. I wonder vaguely where all the maids are. Dad's probably at work and after some hasty research, I’d found out that Savannah had flown over to Japan to attend a garden expo. Still, Will should be around.

“Sofia? Walter?” I call out. I pull at my bag strap nervously. My fingers shake slightly and I steady them. "Breathe," I mumble. "Just fucking breathe. It'll be alright."

I lie to myself a lot. But I never believe my own lies.

“Out here,” Will’s voice floats through the open door that leads out to the back porch. I drop my bag onto the floor, hearing it fall with a dull thud. I wince when I hear that. I'd forgotten that my laptop's inside.

I find Will perched on the lower branches of an old elm tree. His back is against the thick trunk and his legs are slung casually over the branch. The slanting rays of the setting sun slide through the leaves, dappling him in a shadowy pattern. He looks calm and collected like he knows how fucking good he looks without having to even try.

His eyes follow me as I cross the porch and reach the base of the tree. There's something disconcerting about the way he watches. It's like he's analysing my every move, memorising them and storing them into his memory so he can use them against me in the future.

Fuck. I must be going insane.

“Climb on up,” Will says. I'm so relieved that he can't read my thoughts that I almost don't respond to him.

“No thanks. I would rather stay down here."

“There’s a much better view up here.”

"Do I look like I give a crap about the view? You wanted me to be home and I'm home. Now cut the bullshit and tell me what I want to know." My voice is a lot stronger than I expect it to be and I couldn't be more grateful for that. I bring my eyes upwards to meet Will’s. Goosebumps rise on my skin when a lazy smile crosses Will’s face.

“I'll tell you everything when you come on up here,” Will says.

“I'm not going to play your stupid game,” I grind out. Will laughs.

"Then I guess the truth means nothing to you. It must be all bullshit then- that stuff you said about your little brother.”

His callous statement stings. I open my mouth to retort but decide against it. Reaching up, I take Will’s outstretched arm and pull myself up. My legs are the last to swing over the branch and when I’m finally upright, I can see the ground a couple of metres below me.

When the branch steadies, I swing my fist at Will's jaw. His neck snaps to the right but his arms shoot out to grasp mine before I can throw him another.

"Don't you fucking dare say anything like that again," I hiss. "Or I will not hesitate to rip your vocal chords out."

I relax my arms, feeling the tension melt away. Will must have felt it too because his tight grip around me loosens. When he releases one arm, tiny red marks are left on my skin from where his nails had dug in.

“Fair point." He wipes a thin trail of blood running down from his mouth with the back of his hand. "I deserved that."

He fixes his grey blue eyes on me and they suddenly burn with such intensity that I'm caught unawares. The hand he has still wrapped around my wrist loosens further, the pad of his thumb gently rubbing circles on my skin.

“What're you doing?” The words leave my mouth in a ghost of a whisper. He blinks and I suddenly remember that he's young, not much older than I am. He probably has as much idea about what's happening between us as I do. Which means he has no clue.

Will's mouth falls open but he says nothing. Instead, the tip of his tongue darts out and runs across his bottom lip. I watch it snake in and out, quick as lightning.

"I don't know," he whispers finally. "But all I know is that I want to kiss you so badly that I can't think straight."

For a moment, I'm too stunned to move. Kiss? Me? This must be some special kind of absurd dreaming.

But when Will begins to lean closer, it's enough to snap me out of my bubble. Without thinking, I raise my free hand and bring it across his face, resulting in a satisfying slap that makes the palm of my hand sting.

Will recoils, blinking rapidly as if he's just woken up. It's refreshing to see his usual calm composure shattered, even if it was only for a few moments.

"Can we stop playing this stupid game and get down to business?" My tone is almost desperate now. I can't control this situation for much longer.

Will bites his bottom lip. He doesn't respond immediately. Instead, he slides closer to me until our knees touch.

"Fuck this. I can't play this fucking game anymore."

I have barely a second to register his words before his hand is on my neck and his lips are on mine, hot and demanding. Shock renders me inanimate as his tongue plunders my mouth.

Eventually, I push him away and he pulls back, his lips swollen and glistening and curled into a satisfied smile. He runs his hand through his hair repeatedly, his grin only widening as each seconds passe.

And that's when I realise, with horror, that I had kissed him back. That's why he's so happy. I hadn't slapped him like I should've.

And worst of all, I hadn't slapped him because I had liked it. I'd liked the way he'd kissed me.

I am so fucked.

 *****

Some Will and Ari action... finally! i think it was long overdue. Now I'm feeling overly critical of Ari's character :P Anyway, i hope y'all like this chapter :) I love all you guys! Don't forget to vote and comment what you think. 

As always...

TEAM WILL OR TEAM OLLIE?