Dancing On The Edge Of A Knife

37. Reality

Ester woke up the next morning with smile plastered on her lips. On her sore lips...

Her smile didn't falter once she remembered what happened last night. Devon and her made out. A lot. Until the sun rose and they both almost fell asleep during a shared kiss. They finally decided to settle down, Devon spooning her from behind with his strong arm wrapped around her. Oh she could fall asleep like this any time.

The only thing was that she heard movements somewhere in the house and Devon was still sleeping next to her. Ester panicked and turned towards him. She shook his body.
"Devon!" He groaned in response before turning his head away.

"Devon, you need to leave." She continued to shake him.
"Leave?" His raspy voice sounded like music to her ears and she found it hard to concentrate on what she was doing. But then there was another door closing sound somewhere not far away from her room.

"Yes, leave. People are waking up and you're still in my room." She reminded him, which seemed to finally wake him up as he opened his eyes with another groan.
"What time is it?" He asked, lazily rubbing his eyes.

"Almost 9:30." Ester answered and giggled when he suddenly pulled her closer with his arm that was wrapped around her waist before burying his face into her hair.
"Ten more minutes." He begged, but Ester shook her head.

"Now, Devon. What if Sierra walked in on us?" Devon clenched his jaw at the mention of his sister's name. He was sick of having to walk on tiptoes around her. He needed to talk to Sierra as soon as possible.
"What if she didn't?" He snuggled closer.

"Devon, please." At the sound of her desperate sigh, he finally obeyed and let her go before sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes once again. He then looked down at Ester and smirked when her lips were still sore from last night. His own felt sore too.

When he leaned down to peck them, she turned her head away and covered her mouth. Devon assumed the worst and pulled back to just hover above her, gazing into her beautiful eyes.
"Do you regret last night?" He frowned.

Ester's eyes widened and she shook her head, not wanting to open her mouth. Morning breath was a thing. For her at least. Devon's frown deepened when he thought about the other reasons for her weird behaviour.
"Do you not want to kiss me again then?"

His question was met with a shrug. Of course she wanted to kiss him again. That bloody fool! But not now. Couldn't he understand? Suddenly Devon's face morphed into an amused one.

"Do you not want to kiss me because you haven't brushed your teeth yet?" He asked and Ester nodded, causing him to roll his eyes. He leaned down to peck the back of the hand that was covering her mouth before he stood up and stretched. Ester watched his shirt rise up with a blush.

"I'll see you at breakfast downstairs then." He said as he turned to leave. But before he could reach the door, Ester called out his name again.
"Yes?" He asked patiently. Did she change her mind and let him kiss her?

"Could you not tell anybody what happened last night, please?" Her request didn't sit well with him. Especially the fact that she did seem to slowly regret it. Devon clenched his jaw, trying to control his feelings.

"You sure you don't regret it?" He asked calmly.
"No, Devon. I don't. But we can't just tell her." Ester sighed. She definitely didn't regret it, but it was a dilemma they couldn't easily tell anybody.

"Will you ever give me a chance? Despite what Sierra thinks?" He asked her as he stepped closer to the bed again. Ester couldn't answer right away. Hell, she couldn't answer at all.
"Devon." She sighed. Sierra called Ester her best friend last evening.

Devon scoffed as he shook his head, not really knowing what that pang in his chest meant. He clenched his fists and jaw before turning around and slamming the door shut after him.

Ester looked at the spot that he was standing in a few seconds ago with an aching heart. She liked him. A whole lot. Despite all the crap that is going on in her life, that has been going on between the two in the past, he was her first real kiss. The first man who made her feel this good. Of course she couldn't just look past that.

But Sierra was his sister and she made it clear that she didn't want them to ever like each other. Ester even told her that she'd never do that to Sierra. But what could she do now? What a mess.

"Ester?" She jumped when she suddenly heard Martha's voice.
"Hey. I've been knocking non-stop, but you didn't seem to hear. I just came up to see if you were awake. Breakfast is ready. Just come downstairs once you're dressed. Sierra gave me a few clothes to bring you." Martha smiled and walked in to place the clothes on the bed next to Ester.

"Are you alright, dear?" She asked the girl on the bed when her smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Yes, thank you Martha. I will come down as soon as I'm dressed." Ester nodded with a tight smile, still not reaching her eyes.

"Alright. If you need anything, I'm in the kitchen." The woman told Ester and then reluctantly walked out of the room.

Ester sighed before doing what she just told Martha and found herself sitting at the breakfast table a few minutes later. The seat next to her was empty and it didn't take her long to realize Devon left. She also knew it was because of her.

But what did he expect? A night full of cuddling and kissing and she'd be his? That they could just forget reality and maybe become a couple? Sierra would never talk to her again and Ester feared she'd break Sierra and Devon apart as well.

"Did Devon say where he was going?" Sierra's question pulled Ester out of her train of thoughts and she looked up to see Mason shake his head.
"Simply said he needed to leave. He seemed a little on edge, so I figured I'd just let him do his thing." He told them.

"I wonder what got over him." Martha wondered. Ester glanced at Sierra who was already looking at her. Did she know? But then her friend smiled before dropping her gaze.
Ester sighed inwardly.

She couldn't just sit there and eat as if she didn't know what happened to Devon and why he decided to skip family breakfast. She cleared her throat, leaving her almost untouched food behind as she stood up.

"I really want to thank you for the kindness and hostility you showed towards me. The dinner was amazing, thank you Martha." The woman smiled at Ester's compliment.
"But I don't want to stretch my stay, really." She finished.

"Of course. I'll drive you." Sierra immediately volunteered as she stood up. Ester gulped inaudibly.

That car ride was going to be awkward.