It Continues [BOOK 2] ✔️

Chapter Eight: Fucking Finally

"Where there's a whisk, there's a way"

DECLAN WAS SILENT ON their way back to the café and frankly, Allie didn't know what to say either. The previous empty bag was now filled with oranges and was presently being held by Declan. Allie ran her fingers through her hair and stole a glance at him walking beside her and sighed in disappointment when he was being his usual self again – passive and emotionless. Ever since that day they first met at the café, he'd been very kind and sweet towards her, and she'd felt like she'd opened some kind of door that Declan had always kept locked.

But now, Allie could feel the door being closed back and locked, the key thrown away and never to be seen again.

Allie pursed her lips, fiddling with her fingers anxiously. "I'm sorry about that. It was just Michael, my e –"

"– It's fine, Allie," He cut her, forcing a smile and quickly turned away when Allie looked up at him, not giving her the chance to read him. "You don't have to explain anything to me,"

Biting her lower lip, she nodded and hugged her arms around herself. No, she didn't have to explain anything towards Declan but she wanted to. She could tell he was upset upon Michael's appearance.

"Declan?" She started. "I just remembered I've never really told you the day when I first notice you," Allie smiled softly as memories of that day seeped inside her head.

"Michael and I just got together as a couple at that time. I was very happy because I've a crush on him since forever. We were in middle school together," Allie pushed her hair away from her face. "Anyway, I wasn't naïve about Michael. I knew he was some sort of a player that flirted with anyone. But I knew he'd never slept with anyone ever since we became a couple. But on senior year, I found out that Michael had made out with a girl from his Biology class when he was supposed to attend his lacrosse practice,"

"What an asshole," Declan suddenly murmured and she couldn't help but chuckle, at the same time, surprised (maybe a little turned on) seeing a fierce expression on his face. "You must've felt miserable,"

"Yeah," She told him, as they stopped in the streets and facing each other. "But surprisingly, miserable isn't the exactly the right word to describe how I felt that day. I don't know, I guess I've been expecting Michael to do something like this because that's just who he is. If it were during the early days of our relationship, I'd be devastated, of course," Allie chuckled. "Probably drowning myself in a lot of chocolate and ice-cream,"

"I guess what I'm trying to say is, with time, I realize my feelings for Michael is not more than a girl's crush towards the hottest guy in the school so I forgave him," She rolled her eyes before slowly, looking up towards Declan's hazel-colored eyes, filled with emotions that this time she could read. Hurt and confusion. "But it isn't love,"

They then moved to sit on a wooden bench in front of a pawn shop. "It was during sophomore year and I'd heard some girls talking about how Michael didn't really like me and all that. I remembered feeling so upset that I ran out of the bathroom only to hear someone playing the piano in the students' lounge room,"

Declan frowned before suddenly, his facial expression altered as if he'd just remembered something. "It was you! After I got out of the lounge, I saw this girl whose nose and eyes were red, as if she'd been crying. I... I gave you the tissue,"

Allie chuckled. "Yes, you did,"

"But you looked so different. You were... you were strawberry blonde,"

"Yes, I was," She blushed, upon remembering her mistake of dying her hair strawberry blonde. It really didn't go well with her skin. "I changed my hair color a lot during sophomore and junior year. But now I decided to just settle with my original color," Allie flipped her hair to the back of her shoulder.

"I'm glad you did," Declan then commented, smiling softly at her. "I like your original color,"

Smiling back at him, she went to study Declan's face. Not like the way she did when he fell unconscious the other day at the café, but in the way as if it was the first time she'd seen him. Hell, who says he wasn't that much of an attractive guy?

Declan's eyes were sparkling hazel, despite the fact that it was hidden behind his glasses. His freckled nose was a little crooked, the freckles were present on his cheeks as well. But Allie couldn't seem to find any flaw in him. Her eyes then went to his lips, soft and a little chapped, but beautiful especially when he smiled.

"Declan?"

"Yeah?" He breathed.

Go for it, Allie! It's now or never. "I like you," She spoke, her eyes trained into Declan's widened hazel ones trying to read him better. "I like you a lot," Well, he was shocked, that was for sure. "I like the way you stutter whenever you're nervous. I like the way you push your glasses up to your nose or the way you run your fingers through your hair," She then continued. "I like the way you smile at me because I know you don't do that often to anyone else except your family. I like that you're genuine and sweet and I like that you still played the piano even when you could always say no to a weird stranger like me," She finished enthusiastically, her beautiful brown eyes sparkling and twinkling as if the idea of Declan Curtis amazed her.

As if her body had a mind of its own, Allie then slowly leaned close to his flushed face and said, "I like that I like you,"

"A-Allie," Declan then pulled away slightly. "Y-you're... b-but, M-Michael. I-I don't – but why me? A–"

"I ended things up with him earlier. He didn't seem very happy about it, but I don't care. He can sleep with all the girls in Jonathan's Prep for all I care," She pouted playfully. "I don't want to be single for long, Declan. And why not? I've already listed out some of the things that I like about you,"

Declan's eyes darted between hers in awe and disbelief before a wide grin stretched across his face, making him more handsome than ever. "Allie,"

She rolled her eyes, chuckling. "Just come over here and kiss me, Declan,"

And he did just that – although it took a solid seven minutes of him staring at her still in awe and wonderment before he actually did it. And it was wonderful!

***

"Fucking finally!"

The sudden intrusion broke their kiss and startled of being caught red-handed, Declan quickly pulled away from Allie's embrace and hit his back onto the racks of the storage room, awkwardly adjusting his glasses. "J-James!"

The twenty-five year old patisserie crossed his arms on his chest, an unamused expression plastered on his face with his pierced eyebrows rose. "I cannot fucking stand the sexual tension between you guys the minute you stepped in this café, Curtis. Good thing you guys did something about it,"

Allie, in contrary to Declan's completely embarrassed and panicked state, chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Don't swear and exaggerate things in a same sentence, James. And get out of here, we'll be out with the ingredients in just a sec,"

"Whatever," He said before pointing his finger onto the area around his lips. "Oh and Curtis, wipe those before you go,"

Declan was confused at first but when he saw Allie's smudged lipstick, he spluttered out a pathetic nonsense and took out his napkin from his pocket when Allie's hand stopped him. "Allie?"

"Don't do that as of yet, mister," She giggled and circled her arms around Declan's neck – much to his alarm – and pushed him onto the walls. "Is this okay?" She then asked, worried that this move was a little too fast for a newly-coupled people of a few days.

Nodding his head rapidly, Declan wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's waist and pulled her closer, pressing his forehead onto hers. "This is perfect,"

|END OF CHAPTER EIGHT |

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Author's Note:
Indeed, James, fucking finally.
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