Love Is In The Air

Counting Stars and Fighting Sleep - Andi Wank x OC

I roll out of bed and check the clock hanging on the opposite wall. 8 pm already! How did I manage to sleep that long when I just wanted to get somr rest this afternoon? I really need to get ready for my best friend's birthday party now!
I quickly jump out of bed and have a shower before blow-drying my dark hair and braiding some strands to the back of my head to keep them out of my face.
Thankfully I have already laid out the dress and accessories yesterday evening. The dress is a light coral colour decorated with some stones at the top and then flowing down to my feet. I match it with a silver bracelet and silver strap sandals.
After putting on the tiniest bit of make-up as I don't like those caked up faces, I am ready to go and quickly grab my silver purse.
You might wonder why I am dressed up that much for just a birthday party, but you will notice soon that everyone at that event will be dressed just like me. Lily is one of the richest girls in town which is why I soon pull up in front of a mansion-like house which hides the enormous garden with a pool and everything behind it.
Loud music is what I hear as soon as I enter the house and move through to the open space with the huge pool where half of our university year's students as well as some people I don't know are gathered.
All are wearing beautiful evening gowns or suits and I spot Lily in her golden dress close to the pool where she is talking to a group of friends. I quickly go over to give her the present I brought and after joining the conversation for a while, I move over to the buffet table to have a look at the delicious food.
"You really need to try that couscous, it's the best I've ever eaten", says a deep voice and I turn to face a tall, handsome man with dark, brown eyes that immediately catch my attention. He seems somehow familisr to me. A small smile dances around his lips and I cannot help but smile, too.
"I know, it's Lily's specialty. Just like the chocolate layered cake."
Now surprise flashes in his eyes and he asks: "How come you know Lily,...?"
"Aliz", I smile and extend my hand for him to shake, "we're from the same university and she's my best friend. That sounds weird, with all the posh people around, doesn't it? I don't really fit with them, but I do with Lily. We've met, clicked and it just went on from there."
The man nods: "I know that feeling, it's like when you're at a party of univeristy students and you say you're a skijumper. The name's Andreas, but you may call me Andi."
He winks at me and vanishes in the crowd.
It is only now that I realise why he looked so familiar. I've seen him on TV before. He's Andreas Wank, a German skijumper!
I feel the desperate urge to facepalm myself. How did I manage to not realise it was him? To defend myself, he looks so different in a suit. And why did I talk about stupid things like me not fitting into this social group?
He will surely think I'm weird now. Cheers, Aliz, great way to scare your favourite sportsman away.
I quickly shake my head to get rid of those thoughts. It's not like he will talk to me again. And he will surely have forgotten everything tomorrow.
I sigh and take my food back to one of the small, round tables under a huge tent-like thing without walls. While I listen to the conversations at the table, I sometimes look up to see if Andi is anywhere near, but I never can spot him. Deciding to clear my head, I stand up and walk away from all the noise and take a walk in the park-like garden. As I pass by the rose bushes, I see a figure standing in the dim light of some candles that cast the whole garden in a soft light.
Hearing my footsteps, the person turns around and looks at me as I am only a few steps away. Deep, brown eyes gaze down into my own once again and my breathing starts to accelerate just like my heartbeat. Why is he having this effect on me? Cross that out, I actually don't care. It feels good and reassuring somehow to look into his eyes and just be aware of his presence.
"Hey again", he says softly and I smile at the sound of his voice.
"What are you doing here?", I whisper and Andi looks like he's lost deep in thoughts before answering: "I was just wandering the garden...it's so beautiful. We have rose bushes at home, too, but they don't blossom as much as those do."
He pauses for a while and breaks a rose from the bush which he carefully tucks into my hair.
"The colour fits your dress and your lips."
I am glad the candles don't burn bright enough to reveal the blush that covers my cheeks now. Thankfully Andi continues: "And I was watching the stars, I always do when I am at parties that my friends made me go to, it's like a tradition."
He grins sheepishly and then laughs silently: "You must think I'm crazy."
I violently shake my head no: "I do not. It's not any more weird than a girl talking about social structures that she doesn't fit into, is it?"
Now it's Andi's turn to disagree which honestly surprises me a bit.
"You are very open, that's...I don't know how to put it...intriguing, maybe? You talk about things that everyone realises but nobody dares to say out loud as to not offend anyone. So it's pretty cool that you do."
I feel my cheeks heat up again and just smile at the ground. Suddenly Andi puts his arm around my waist and his comforting warmth surrounds me while he guides me back to the house. My mind is completely blank and all I realise is the feeling of him holding me close to his own body.
"So, tell me about yourself, Aliz", he whispers into my hair just above my ear and the feeling makes me shudder.
Andi senses how I squirm and releases his firm grip on my waist. I miss the feeling but I'm too scared of his reaction to dare to move closer to him again.
"I'm Aliz, I'm pretty average, you know...22 years old, a university student, I have a small flat and I like to dance", I whisper, not knowing what he might be interested in.
Andi smiles as we walk back to the buffet table where he grabs a plate and puts a piece of Lily's famous chocolate cake as well as different types of fruits on it.
When he takes my hand in his free one, I nearly forget how to breathe. Sparks run through my body and I hide my blush behind my hair.
We have been walking away from the big crowd again until Andi sits down on the edge of a fountain and pulls me down next to him.
He feeds me some chocolate cake and I don't dare to look at his eyes at first but when I do I see the reflection of all the stars in them.
"You're beautiful, Aliz. And you're far from average. You recognised me when you saw me, I noticed it when you looked at me. But you didn't jump at me or scream for a selfie or anything like that and you don't ask many questions. You accept me, and that's pretty awesome, you know? It makes me feel normal, not like I am a crazy sportsman who risks injuries every weekend."
I grin and jump at him to hug him which makes him fall to the ground with me on top of him.
"It's your own fault", I laugh at his puzzled face and soon he joins in. He pulls me up with himself again and hugs me close to his body while his chest still vibrates with his laughter.
It makes my stomach heat up because it's an endearing sight how Andi throws his head back and laughs so carefree and honest.
"You're mean", he smiles when he has regained his breath and throws a grape at me. I childishly stick out my tongue at me which results in him throwing even more grapes at me.
I pretend to not be bothered by it and instead steal his fork so I can continue eating the chocolate cake.
Andi gives in and doesn't realise that it's a trap, so he puts his arm around me protectively and when I shiver because his touch makes my skin burn, he takes off his suit jacket and doesn't listen to my objection when he puts it around my shoulders.
It smells like him and being surrounded by his wonderful smell somehow makes me feel at home.
"Who knows if I really am not a crazy fan who wants to kidnap you?", I ask as a distraction while I dip my finger into the smooth chocolate cream that covers the cake.
"You could have done that by now. And if you still plan to do that, I might not really object", Andi promises with a wink that makes my heart jump to my throat.
Instead of an answer I wipe the chocolate cream onto Andi's nose. He screams and wants to jump on me, but I have already seen that coming and run from him.
Right as I run around a corner of the huge mansion, Andi gets a hold of my hand.
He turns me around and pushes me to the wall where he traps me with his body. He's so close to me, I can nearly feel his heartbeat as his chest is so little away from mine. His breath caresses my cheek as he stares down into my eyes.
I shiver again and bite my lip to keep myself from screaming because he's so close and I feel so hot inside.
"Don't do that, darling", Andi whispers and touches my lips with his finger.
That only makes me bite my lip harder, so Andi shrugs and says: "I guess I will have to do this the serious way."
He winks before he leans down and connects his lips to mine. Carefully and slowly he starts moving his lips against mine and I feel like I'm in heaven.
When he pulls away, I am out of breath but the kiss has ended far too soon. Smiling, Andi leans down another time to press another quick kiss to my lips. Then he looks up and starts laughing. I tremble. What's the matter? Have I done something wrong?
"You've got chocolate all over your cheek, let me help you", Andi laughs and softly takes my face into his hands to kiss the chocolate off my cheek.
The skin there tingles as he trails kisses down to my lips.
"Wow", I whisper before I can stop myself. Andi smiles cheekily and his beautiful eyes sparkle. "I agree", he murmurs against my lips, "and I've decided you can go crazy fangirl on me and kidnap me."
That's all it needs for me to pull the man who managed to make me feel all special through the crowd and to my car.
I barely manage to drive us home because Andi doesn't seem to be able to keep his fingers away from me, but then again I don't really mind.
That night we spend making love in between of long talks about anything that crosses our minds.
"Can I keep you?", is the last thing that Andi asks me before we fall asleep in the morning and all I can answer is yes before I kiss him.

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TO ALIZ MY SWEETIE!!! I hope you like it. ;)

Word count: 2015 words