Loved You First (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 20: Back

Paris' POV.

To both our utter surprise, I laughed.

I freaking laughed at 10 in the evening in a deserted staircase with my best friend crying in a corner, looking at me as if I just cut myself in half. Frightening and just outright weird.

"What?" She finally asks.

"You fell in love with Shane." I said.

"I fell in love with Shane." She nodded at me. Her tears almost stopped falling and only a few drops escape her eyes now which she quickly wipes away.

I sighed and sat beside her at the bottom of the steps. "It's fine, honey. We talked about it earlier, I don't like him anymore."

"Still. I feel like I'm such a bad best friend. He's off limits, I know." She looked at me with teary eyes. "I tried to suppress it, Paris. I did."

I wrapped an arm around her and smiled. "I told you, it's fine. Don't worry about it."

"You sure?" She asked me, her tears finally stopping.

"Hundred percent. Besides, I have my eyes set on a particular guy now." I winked. "So how about you clean up and we go back to the room to discuss our next move."

"Sounds like a plan."

∆∆

"I'm gonna miss you, buddy." Ian crooned as he pat the bed we've been lying on for the last three weeks. I rolled my eyes at him and went to the bathroom to get my toiletries. Sharing a room with him for weeks made me used and immune to his weird antics.

"I don't get Shane." He started and turned around to look at me.

"No one does." I shrugged as I placed my toothbrush inside my pouch.

"No, I mean seriously. We have to admit this was a stupid idea from the start. Going to a place miles from home just to meet your soulmate? Man, that's shallow." He shook his head. "Let's be practical. He's rich. He should be getting all the girls right now."

"It's not all about wealth, you know." I said. "That's why he's so keen on finding the girl he'll marry. He's so sick of having his parents try and tie him up with just any other girl."

"Yeah, but it's wishful thinking." He nodded as he zipped up his suitcase.

I finished packing my toiletries as well and placed it inside my suitcase. "True."

"Good to go?" He smiled.

"Yeah." We carried our luggage to the door and double checked if we forgot something in the sheets, under the bed or inside the bathroom. When we were both sure everything's all packed and ready to go, we headed for the door.

"Hey." Ian stopped me just as my hand hovered over the door knob. "Can I ask you something?"

"'Course." I nodded, confused.

"Do you wish that Shane would finally see you as something more than friends? Like after this trip, are you still wishing that it could be you?" He asked as his eyes pierced through mine.

I thought about his question and then I realized it doesn't even need any thinking at all. Shane was just a long term crush. One that I would always dream about. One that doesn't really exist. A boy in my dreams. I have never seen Shane. I only saw someone I thought I liked. But it dawned on me that it wasn't Shane. It was never him. Not the man of my dreams. Not the one I pictured myself with in the future. Not the one that makes me feel as if the waves in the ocean now resides in my heart. Not the one that makes my eyes see everything in high definition or my ears hear in high quality. Not the man that makes me feel elated, peaceful and perplexed all at the same time.

That man stands in front of me.

"No." I finally answered.

Ian released a breath and grinned. "I can do this then."

"Do wha - "

He held my hand that was on the doorknob and laced them together. Before I could finish the question however, he placed his lips on mine. Soft and light as if I were made of glass and he of hammer.

Butterflies erupted.

In my stomach.

In my chest.

In my soul and whole being.

Holy shit, Paris. You're not a poet. Stop thinking and just act.

My lips finally found the rhythm and my hands tangled in his hair. It felt as if we weren't just in a hotel room. We're just here. In our own little bubble. In our own little world.

If someone told me a month ago that this would happen I would've scoffed and ignored them. But two months ago felt like a lifetime. We only have right now. And if that right now feels like you're in a cloud filled with pure euphoria and without a care in anything at all, then I'd take it.

We pulled apart and he had his eyes down. Before any of us could say something, the door opened abruptly and we both quickly stepped out of the way.

"Oh good, you guys are ready." Margot beamed. "We're already checking out, Shane is a nervous wreck."

"Here, let me guys help you out." Charlie motioned for one of the bags but Ian beat him to it.

"I got it." He said and got his own luggage and bag before leaving without another word.

The three of us watch him walk out to the corridor and straight to the elevator. "What's with him?" Margot asked.

I just shrugged and picked up my luggage.

"Let's go. They're waiting."

∆∆

The car ride home was quiet. Ian was driving because Shane was in complete shambles. He keeps on making up scenarios wherein his parents would skin him or burn him alive the moment he comes home.

Ian and I haven't talked after that incident. He hasn't even looked at me even though I'm almost pleading him with my eyes. After coming down to the lobby to meet up with Shane and Jade, we waited for a couple minutes to settle everything and went straight to the car. I think everyone was tense because we don't really know what's going to happen when we get home.

But a part of me was relieved we didn't have to talk about this right now. I still have time to really think through what happened and what to do next. Does this mean he likes me too? Then why won't he talk to me? Did he regret it?

The four and a half hour ride home only made me overthink this thing. But in the end, I have come to a conclusion as to what I'll do next.

I'll just wing it.

----

A/n:

I'M BACK YAY so that just happened... it's my first time writing a kissing scene and i hope it was not too bad??

btw, i made another story!! it's called black and white and it's very different from my other books especially the writing style. so if you guys want to check it out, it's on my profile :)

vote and comment!

xx,
kat