TWO SEPARATE WORLDS [l.zvhal]

chapter twelve

He begins to lean in, and my eyes begin to narrow. On the outside I look annoyed, but in the inside I just want to beat up my heart. I want to shoot the butterflies in my stomach, and over all I just the fog in my head to go away.

He places his lips against mine, and my eyes widen. I push him away and cross my arms.

"What the hell were you thinking?! When I said 'you have one minute,' I didn't mean 'you have one minute to suck my face off!' Irene, what were you thinking?"

"I wasn't. . ." He begins to stutter. "I just. Ugh, I like you. Like, really, really like you. More than a friend like you. . . I sound so stupid right now."

"You do sound stupid. Leave."

I slam the door in his face and face plant into the couch. I never have liked emotions. Last time I felt this way towards a person, they broke my heart. I refuse to let my heart break again.

Diana walks over of the kitchen wipping her hands on a pale pink dish rag.

"Who was that sweetie?" She asks throwing the rag on the nearby end table.

"Just Laurance," I mumble into the couch cushion. "And my fucked up feelings toward him."

She pats my shoulder. "No cussing in the house. What about your fu—insert profanity here emotions? What's going on?"

I told her everything. From my messed up past to my first ever relationship that ended up in flames. Once I got to the point where Laurance came into the picture, she gives me a sympathetic smile.

I'm somehow sitting on the couch normally, and I'm resting my head on Diana's shoulder. I shove a push pillow into my face and yell into it. Diana just strokes my hair as I soon burst into tears.

"I don't get it. Looking at that picture, and then at him changed everything. . . but I don't want to admit it! It's not supposed to happen. Not us two being together! I want it to go back with me disliking all of them, and not even knowing them for who that really are! I hate that stupid project!"

She calms me down by holding me closer to her. "I know it seems confusing now. But I'll tell you what I know just from your confession," I lift my head to look at her. "You like him. Sweetie, you like Laurance back. You saw he wasn't who you thought he was and ended up falling for him. Don't fear about what your possible relationship's outcome could be. I'm telling you this now. . . Laurance has saved you before, and it looks like he wouldn't hurt you. Go after him, and tell him you like him back. Then, be back in time for dinner. Dinner's in two hours. That's more than enough time for you to confess your undying love for him."

"Ew, gross! No!"

She laughs and walks away.

I walk towards the door, and once I opened it, Laurance falls onto my feet. He looks up at me with a defeated expression. He heard every single word in Diana and my conversation, and he knows that I know. He's busted, and he knows it.

"I don't know if I want to either kiss or punch you right now. So, I'll do both." I lean down and punch him in the arm. He grunts and stands up. Then, I kiss his cheek. "There. Now you're all better."

What follows after is what I was waiting for. The awkward silence everybody just loves.

"So. . . what are we?" asks Laurance.

"I'll tell you this, you break my heart, and I'll break you. Got it?" He nods. "Great. Now I'll wear your jersey and embrace the title 'Laurance's Girl'."

He smiles and kisses my cheek.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

"Vylad, please get off the table."

I begin to laugh as Laurance places his hand over my mouth to muffle it.

"Vylad," Aphmau comments. "Listen to us. Get off of the table, and you won't get hurt, or anybody else for that reason. You're embarrassing yourself."

"I'm proving a point," says Vylad. Katelyn begins to laugh, and I lick Laurance's hand to make him let go. If Katelyn can laugh, so can I.

"Let him stay up there!" Katelyn exclaims. "He ghosted people, and now he can get in trouble! It's only fair. . . and payback."

"Oh Irene," Alex gasps. "Get the hell down! You're either going to hurt yourself, or somebody else, or you're going to get in trouble!"

He stumbles down, and Alex turns her back to him. She cusses him out him, telling him that he's stupid and that that wasn't going to woo her over. But then she turns around and pulls him in a tight hug, kissing his cheek lightly.

"I fucking hate you so much," Alex says.

"I love you too."

"Pizza delivery for Ms. Katelyn Firefist?"

I look over to see a pizza delivery boy standing in front of Katelyn. She pays, and he leaves. I roll my eyes mumbling a 'seriously Katelyn,' and she only shrugs her shoulders.

"What? I was hungry, and I'm willing to share. Just not with Laurance or Garroth. They annoy me."

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

"I don't like him."

Gene chuckles as he keeps up his 'good boy' act that I can clearly see through.

Sasha has recently begun to date Gene, and it wasn't much of a surprise to me. I always knew it was going to happen. I just thought it would be after he graduated high school. That's where the real fun would be.

Tonight is the night both Diana and Flinn analyze both Gene and Laurance to see if they're right for their daughters. I feel honored that they think of me as a daughter.

Diana is a huge push over and has already accepted both Laurance and Gene. Which surprised me since it's bad boy Gene we're talking about here. Hell, even Flinn accepted him! What the hell?

Laurance chokes. "E-Excuse me? Sir, what do you mean?"

Flinn narrows his eyes and excuses little Tyler to his room. I shrink further down into my chair, and I kick Gene. He stops and glares at me.

"Why you little bit—," Everybody stares at Gene. "—beautiful person you. Come here and give me a hug!" He gets up from his spot and gives me a hug. He pats my back harshly, and Laurance and Flinn disappear.

Minutes later they reappear, and Laurance picks me up from my chair.

"What the hell are you doing?"

I ingore Diana's scolding for swearing inside the house and grab my jacket as he carries me outside the house.

"On a date. Flinn said yes!'

I roll my eyes. "It sounds like you're more excited about him saying yes to you then being with me."