Heal My Perfect (manxman)

1

We change, we grow up. We fuck up, we love. We hurt; we're teenagers. We're still learning.

25 YEARS EARLIER. 

ROWAN CLARKE.

My fingers trembled.

My heart increased its speed, each contraction pumping blood faster and faster into my cheeks.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Of all the things that made me nervous—large crowds, authority figures, stage fright etcetera, none of those came close to the anxiety I felt now. This would be the bravest act of my fifteen years of life, and I had to make it count. I needed to tell him, and it needed to happen now.

I opened my eyes and sighed deeply, trying to expel the nervous energy surging through my veins. You can do it. You got this; he feels the exact same way.

David rounded the corner of the school hallway in a charged sprint, laughing joyfully—a sound that made me melt. I felt better already. But then he ran smackdab into me, making me drop my textbook.

"Oh god! I'm sorry!" He laughed, and I couldn't help my smile. I was instantly bewitched all over again.

"Who's chasing you?" I wondered as he bent to pick up my textbook. I took it from him and placed it in my locker, shutting it.

"No one yet. But crap, come on!" He grabbed my hand and propelled himself forward, breaking right back into a fast run. I joined him in curiosity, almost squealing out his name.

"Where are we going?" I laughed along with him, carried away in his carefree spirit. He was one of a kind.

And just like that, the buzz in my body settled, my nerves vanishing as if they'd never been there to begin with. We made it into another hall, one heavily occupied by the seniors.

"'Scuse me! Sorry!" He bellowed as he pushed past the mingling students until we got to a less populated hall. He slowed and darted into an empty classroom, finally letting go of my hand and catching his breath. He held his stomach, not because it hurt but because the source of his laughter was still very much prevalent.

I was blushing most likely, reaching out to straighten his posture. "What? Why did we have to run?" I didn't really need an answer because this wasn't the first time I'd seen him speeding through halls. He only needed a couple more seconds to recover, but nothing more. Perks of being a soccer athlete.

David beamed. "I pranked Wesley again. He is way too gullible."

I wanted to laugh with him, but I stepped away as my smile dwindled. "You need to stop that. You could get into trouble."

He saw through me, the one thing that I hated about him. Well, that was a lie. I hated nothing about him. He was everything to me. Everything. Nonetheless, his ability to analyze people was astounding, like a mind reader almost. People might think their secrets were safe from David, but it never surprised them if he was able to figure it out in less than a day or on the spot. And, sometimes, just by looking at them. He respected people though, so he never pushed them into telling.

That being said, I'd be a fool to think that he didn't already know my monumental secret.

"Except that's not why you think I should stop, is it? You don't like Wesley," he gathered.

"I never said that," I denied his accusation, taking a few steps backward.

"You didn't need to. He makes you nervous; he makes you sweat."

I gulped and averted my eyes, giving myself away. It was true; Wes unsettled me. Only because he was an obstacle to the love that David and I could have. "You two get yourselves into a lot of trouble. And I hate when you get suspended."

"Because you like when I'm around?" He smiled warmly and my heart fluttered. I wrung my hands and pulled at my fingers, feeling the nerves shoot through me again. "Oh, Rowan," he sighed, walking the few steps to me so he could grab my hands. "I didn't mean to make you anxious."

"Is it true what our friends said? That you kissed Wes? I mean, why else do you two prank each other and stuff? You like each other."

"No way," he assured, and I believed him. He was always honest so I could count on that. "I'm saving my first kiss for the most special person in my heart."

"Really?" I sounded happier than I intended to. Even my hazel eyes lit up more than I meant them to. I cleared my throat, casting my eyes to his once again. His were starry, night blue and a little bit of gray. My goodness, what perfection he was. "For who?" I had to ask, hoping he'd say it was me. I wanted that first kiss to be mine.

Releasing one of my hands, he lifted his thumb to sweep across my bottom lip. "Who do you think?"

My chest swelled. I'd been right. For the first time in my life, the one thing I truly desired might actually be mine. "David," I breathed his name like I worshipped his very existence. We were so close, our faces inches apart. I could smell his scent, like cinnamon and sweet spices, and I was enthralled by it. I closed my eyes, and in my mind I begged for it. If he could really read minds, then maybe he'd grant my year-long wish and bridge the gap.

I was so ready.

His arm went around me, sweeping me even closer until our lips met in a burning, fervid kiss. A part of me was expecting it, and the other part of me was startled that it had actually happened. Very rarely did I get what I wanted. I gasped through our kiss in surprise, managing to draw in air that would sustain me for the rest of this beautiful moment.

Our breaths mingled, our tongues danced, our fingers explored each other's hair and necks and arms, our hearts raced with passion. I felt like I was leaving my body, flying and soaring to an otherworldly universe. It made me whimper.

I love you. I love you so much, David. I screamed in my head, hoping he could somehow hear it. I knew exactly how I felt, and this kiss was a confirmation of the stirring in my heart whenever I saw him, whenever we touched, whenever he laughed or innocently ran his fingers through his silky espresso hair. I couldn't wait to say those three words out loud.

Our heated kiss slowed into sweet, tender pecks. We thought we'd had enough, but we would go back in for another and another until we were absolutely sated and breathless. Our foreheads touched, and we kept our eyes closed while we scrambled for air and clung to each other. I felt his thumb caressing my cheek, his nose tickling my skin, and I felt deeply that he loved me too.

David kept me close, his arms securing my body to his own. One of my hands settled on his chest, the other weaved in his hair. "I was already having a great day... but now there's nothing that can ruin it," he whispered, making me giggle lightly. I was so speechless that I couldn't respond, but where my mouth failed, my heart couldn't.

And with every single beat, it whispered back: I love you. I love you. I love you.

⚫⚫🔹⚫⚫

Author Note

Welcome to Heal My Perfect. I trust you've read the description! I hope you enjoy!