Dating the Dead • lrh

29. understand

Shelby let out a yelp as I unintentionally pinned her to the wall. The momentum of darting towards a closing lift and the adrenaline of risking being cut in half were too strong that left my bones shaking. With my body practically crushing hers, I could feel her breathing through her mouth.

"I'm so sorry," I started, peeling myself off of her but placing my hands on the lift's wall. I cannot let her go just yet. "But I'm not going to let you ditch me just like that."

Shelby's thick eyelashes batted profusely as a lone tear made its way down her cheek. I cradled her face with my hand, to which she shut her eyes that made more tears to trickle. My thumbs ran over her skin, I heard her breath catching in her throat.

I didn't wait another second to attach my lips on hers. My heartbeat hammered against my chest and my stomach felt like it was somersaulting. The feel of her soft lips against mine was like an oasis that I didn't know I needed in the middle of a desert I didn't know I was in. It was like I craved for her, something I've never felt in anyone else.

My right hand slid behind her neck and the other rested on the small of her back, drawing her closer to me, hoping she'd respond. She gasped but I continued to move my lips and it wasn't long before she was reciprocating. Eventually, her hands found their way to my hair.

I flipped us over, my back leaning against the wall. We continued kissing until we heard a 'ping' and the soft rumble of the elevator doors. She broke away, her tear-streaked face merely centimeters apart from mine.

"If there's one thing I learned in my life," she said, her voice strained, "is that, people always leave."

With that, she got off before it was impossible to squeeze through the doors. I slammed my hand on the button with two arrows pointing left and right, opening the lift, then followed her out. My hand reached for hers, spinning her to face me.

"But that doesn't mean you have to push me away," I said, desperation laced every word. I just want her to understand that I'm in it for the long run. "Let me understand you, please." The last word made my voice crack as my chest tightened.

"Luke," she closed what little distance we had. I loosen my grip on her hand as she raised it to caress my face. Her eyes were glossy and her eyebrows knot closely together, as if I was a puzzle she couldn't piece together."How will you do that? I don't even understand myself most of the time."

I swallowed the growing lump in my throat but it feels as though the bite of bread was back and didn't want to leave. "Shelby, just don't push me away because," I cleared my dry throat, "because I don't want to go."

My heart skipped a beat as her lips slowly curled up. And as much as it didn't reach her eyes, I'm just as happy to see her try. "But you will." Her voice was a whisper but my world seemed like it had exploded right then and there. My knees felt like jelly but I couldn't move. I couldn't even scream even when I wanted to.

"Shelby," I said weakly.

She planted a kiss on my cheek and whispered in my ear. "At least for tonight."

As if on cue, the lift dinged and we turned to see who has just arrived. Shelby even took a few steps back. The woman who was supposed to take me home got off the lift. "Miss Beatrice." Her voice was surprisingly calm but I could see the daggers her eyes were sending my way.

"Faller, please take Mr Hemmings home," she told the woman and then turned to me, "send my regards to your mum."

I let Faller usher me back to the lift as I have no energy to argue, not with a security woman. It had just turned nine o'clock when the car dropped me off at my house. I sat down on our porch step and leaned sideways against the post.

My eyes stared into nothing in particular as I felt my cheeks getting wet.

Why am I feeling this way?

I screwed them shut, sending more tears down, as I felt something rubbing against my ankles. Looking down at Lukey, an orange excuse of a pet, added an extra weight in my chest. Shelby gave this to us because she can't look after it when she's out of her house.

How long has she been living alone to make her think everyone in her life would leave her?

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