Keeper (bajancanadian) editing/re-writing

twenty

I think Keeper is only going to be one more chapter long, and that's probably going to be the feel-killer epilogue.
~~~

Mitch pulls me downstairs. I look up to the large windows, the evening light fading, it's dying rays shining into the house. It's just me and him tonight; everyone else had decided to go out for the night.

We get to the kitchen, me nearly slipping on the tile floor in my socks. Mitch grins at me as we get to the fridge. "Wanna make me food?"

"Nope." I grin, leaning my back against the fridge and looking up at him.

"Why?" He whines, making me giggle quietly.

"Because," I say back in the same whiny voice.

He gets really close to me against the stainless steel appliance, putting his hands on either side of me, trapping me there and staring me down. "Please."

I shake my head, still grinning like an idiot. "Nope."

"What if I-" He cuts himself off by pressing his lips against mine.

I kiss him back a little bit before pulling away, grinning and shaking my head. "Still no."

"Why not." He pouts.

"Because you need to learn to be a big boy and make yourself your own food."

"But Bri!"

"But Bri what?"

"You always make me food."

I poked his nose, escaping from in between his arms and going to the pantry to get myself food. "Well you can do it this time."

***

After Mitch almost burnt the house down, I finally agreed to make him food. "Alright, fine, fine. I see why you never cook."

He nods, leaning against the counter. "See you should've listened to me in the first place."

"I don't like listening to you." I say, putting the food I'd made onto a plate and handing it to him. "There, happy?"

"Very." He grins, sitting down and eating his food.

I lean against the counter, sighing quietly. I've always wondered if he loves me, even after all of this's happened. He's never said it to me, it's always been through hints.

I don't know, it just worries me.

This is stupid, I think to myself, shaking my head. I look back up to see Mitch looking at me, already finished with his food. Wow was I thinking for that long?

"You okay?"

"Fine," I give a small smile, but he looks unconvinced. "Really."

He nods slightly, still a little weary, but leaves the question alone. "Wanna watch a movie or something?"

"Sure." I reply, still pretty confused about what I was feeling, but I let him pull me to the couch, where he turns on the tv and wiggles his eyebrows at me.

"Netflix date?"

"But Jerome's not here."

He stops scrolling through the movies to look at me. "Ha ha, very funny Bri."

I raise my eyebrows, looking over at him and playing innocent. "What's so funny?"

"I, uh.." He looks confused, like he didn't think I'd answer like that.

"I'm being serious, Mitch." I say in a sing-songy voice, grinning and kissing his cheek before standing. "I'm gonna get popcorn. Pick a movie."

I pad over to the kitchen, sliding open the pantry and grabbing two bags of popcorn, putting the first in the microwave. I set it to cook and lean against the counter facing the windows that shone out to the backyard. The moon is barely beginning to show its light, it's gentle strands reaching out and caressing my face, my hair.

That's when the microwave beeps and wrecks my moment of pure bliss.

I groan quietly and walk over to it, opening it and putting the next bag in as I let the first cool. I quickly glance back to the moonlit yard, but the same feeling as before doesn't envelope me like the first time, which is highly disappointing.

Why can't I just be normal.

I shake my head and put both bags of popcorn in a large, red bowl and walk back over to the living room, nearly tripping in the process.

Good job, Bri.

I mentally facepalm as I walk back in, immediately sleepy as I find my spot cuddled against Mitch, who smiles and slides his arm around me. I lean my head on his shoulder, sighing quietly as the movie starts; something I'm clearly not paying attention to.

I'm about to fall asleep when I happen to hear something, which is highly suspicious and provocative. I snap my eyes back open, looking up at Mitch. "The hell is this,"

"I don't know, I picked a random movie!" He lifts his hands in surrender, obviously not expecting my reaction, but nonetheless finding it funny.

I lean away from him, pushing his shoulder gently. "I think you knew."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He laughs a little, looking down at me.

"I think you knew this scene was there." I get close to his face, feeling his hot breath on my lips as he spoke after me.

"What if I did,"

I lean forward even more, our lips inches apart. "If you did-"

He doesn't even let me finish my sentence, but instead captures my lips in a kiss. It's gentle and innocent at first, until I unknowingly start leaning backwards. "Do you even know what you're doing," He mumbles against my lips as we break for air, and I'm laying against the plush couch, my eyes still shut.

"I think I have a vague idea." I answer, and soon our lips are together again, tension rising with each kiss and every touch.

He pulls away from me again, his hand running down my side. "Are you sure?"

This time I open my eyes to answer him, looking him in the eyes. "We're not drunk, Mitch."

"I wasn't drunk the first time."

My eyebrows scrunch in realization. That had to mean everything he'd said to me that night was true. "Would you lie to me?"

"I wouldn't."

I suck in a shaky breath, a question rolling off my tongue. "Did you mean what you said?"

"Every word." He replies, and I can see his smile as he looks away from me for a second. I grab his chin, turning his head towards me.

"Don't be embarrassed."

"I'm not,"

"Then what are you?"

"Afraid."

"Why're you afraid?"

"Because I want to say what I said again," He stops for a second, meeting my gaze. "But I'm afraid you'd change your mind."

"Change my mind?"

"You said you loved me." He continues, looking away from me again.

"Mitch, look at me." I say, taking a deep breath; I wasn't very open with my feelings, but I felt like this was an appropriate time. "That wasn't drunken babble. I mean it came out because I was drunk, but you know how people say a drunk man is an honest one?"

He nods, his gaze boring into mine, making me nervous and almost causing me to stop my ramble.

"What I'm trying to say is that-" I bite my lip, looking away from him before locking stares again. "I love you, Mitch."