Forbidden

~Chapter Twenty-Six~

A/N: Just to get one thing out of the way: I love all of you. You're amazing! You've gotten this story to over 4,000 reads, and ticking ever nearer to 100 votes! MEEP! I never imagined that this little idea would come so far. So thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!! :-) Plus, your comments make me grin, and I really appreciate your votes. So, y'know...LOVE YOU!!!!

This chapter is dedicated to xSnowKiss, who is a fantastic writer on here. At the moment, I'm completely addicted to her story "Lights, Cameras, and Harry Styles," and am reading that like a maniac! I'm also anxiously awaiting an update on "The Hunger Games (One Direction Version)," because that is amazing! Her writing is beautiful, her grammar flawless, and the way she weaves a story is simply astounding! Her characters--real or not--are made instantly relatable and loveable by the way she writes about them. So, in short: go check out her work! She doesn't just write 1D fan fiction, so I'm sure you'll find something to become addicted to! :-)

ENJOY!!!!

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~Chapter Twenty-Six~

Erin stood outside my window, her concerned expression inches from the glass. Embarrassingly, I gaped for a full minute before I finally grasped that it was her. I quickly straightened my back, forcing my lips into a grin and gripping the steering wheel again, trying to pretend like I hadn’t been sobbing two seconds before.

            “Hey, Erin,” I greeted her, wincing involuntarily as my voice cracked on the first word. “What’s up?”     

            She narrowed her gaze, eyeing me suspiciously. My chest throbbed as I took in her complicated expression: underneath her anxious, searching exterior, I could still see pain written across her face. I gulped, a fresh wave of guilt washing over me. I opened my mouth, wanting to apologize before she called me out on my faked happiness, but closed it just as quickly. A lump had formed in my throat, making it impossible for me to speak.

            Luckily, a moment later, Erin broke the silence. “River, are you okay?” she asked worriedly, her forehead creasing. I swallowed again, her blue eyes penetrating my wall.

            “I, uh…yeah, of course,” I stammered, nodding idiotically. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

            Erin tilted her head to the side, unsure; I winced, wanting to hit myself for my lack of focus. Why was it that I couldn’t concentrate whenever she was near me? Whenever those gorgeous irises of hers met mine, my mind suddenly flew away from me, words spilling out of my mouth that I didn’t realize I was saying. It wasn’t like Meaghan’s—I bit my tongue at the thought of her—magnetism, but it didn’t feel like a crush, either. No, it was something stronger, something that—I hoped—neither of us could fight.

            “Are you sure?” Erin pressed, biting her lower lip. “Do you need anything?”

            “No,” I answered quickly, pushing back my thoughts. “Nope, I was just heading home.” To emphasize my point, I revved the idling engine, flashing a smile towards Erin.

            She hesitated. “Well, y’know, I was supposed to come over tonight for tutoring,” she began slowly, carefully sweeping a curl off of her face. I followed her hand, distracted by the graceful movement. “So…maybe I could just ride with you?”

            It took me a moment to understand her words, my gaze still caught on her hair, blowing in the breeze. When I did, I flushed, feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment. “Yeah…yeah,” I found myself repeating. “Sure. Hop in.”