Masking Amaya Frazer

{11} Paper Crown

An hour before the library was scheduled to close, I found myself stepping out onto the balcony on the second floor. An ominous breeze ruffled my shirt as I rubbed my arms and spotted Milo.

Without turning around, he casually leaned against the outer wall, asking, "Ready, Dove?"

"For...?" I trailed off, pausing at the door just in case I decided to run back inside.

He lifted a hand over his shoulder, beckoning me forward in silence until I approached him. My breath caught in my throat when he straightened and bore his blue eyes into mine.

"To see what's under my mask."

I gulped.

I didn't have the chance to conjure up an answer before he placed his hands on my hips and effortlessly plucked me off the ground. Placing me atop the three-foot concrete wall, Milo kept his hands around my ankles as he held me in place.

My heart just about leapt out of my chest as I looked down at the sidewalk encased in darkness two stories below.

"I'm Milo and my last name is unironically Black considering the fact that I'm colorblind, but you already knew that," he started. I wished I could see his face as he removed his mask little by little, but I was too scared to even move.

"When I was fifteen years old, I stood on the railing of a bridge just as how you are standing right now, only I had no one to stop me from falling," he said and as he did, his grip tightened around my ankles. "I wasn't scared as I perched on the edge, inches away from dropping into the river that seemed hundreds of feet below."

I didn't trust myself to speak out of fear that Milo would put his mask back on.

"I felt jealousy; I was jealous of the birds that could soar to great heights when all I could do was wallow in the lowest lows. On the railing of the bridge, I was the highest I had ever been, but at the lowest point in my life. I knew it wouldn't be long before my misery would catch back up to me. So, I spread my arms, closed my eyes, and jumped."

The gasp lodged in my throat when Milo's hands left my ankles as he hefted himself onto the wall beside me. "The bridge hadn't nearly been high enough to kill me. Whether or not that's a good thing, I'm not quite sure."

Grabbing Milo's hand, I gave it a firm squeeze and refused to let go.

"Don't say that. Milo...I'm glad you're here." It sounded lame even to my own ears and I inwardly cringed, but my chest warmed when a small smile lifted the corners of his lips.

He tugged on my hand, wrapping my arm around his waist as he tucked me to his side. Resting his cheek atop my head, he whispered, "Me too."

We stood in each other's embrace for a while before he spoke up again.

"You've built walls around yourself, hidden yourself behind a mask, and kept your heart out of reach. You're the strongest and most beautiful person I know," he said as he placed a finger under my chin, forcing me to look into his honest eyes.

"Damnit, Amaya," he practically growled as his eyes dipped to my parted lips. I sucked in a sharp breath when his mouth grazed mine and he whispered huskily, "Can I kiss you?"

Taken aback, I searched his eyes in awe. I couldn't believe he was asking for my permission when in the past he had captured my lips without warning.

Placing my hands on either side of his face, I pulled his mouth down to mine and crushed my lips to his instead of answering. I melted into his touch as his tongue ventured into my mouth, intimately dancing with my own.

I kissed him as if he were the oxygen I needed to breathe. I had never been in love before and settled for hooking up with random guys in the past, but the feelings and emotions coursing throughout my veins were unlike any I had ever felt.

Milo smiled against my lips. "I'll take that as a yes."

I playfully smacked his arm as we separated, taking a moment to catch our breath.

"Now let's fly."

With that, he secured his arms around my back and pitched the both of us over the edge.

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Hi! I'm sorry for the sporadic updates...and for the extremely short chapter. I wanted to put out a new update as soon as possible so here it is! Please let me know if you enjoy this story by leaving a vote and a comment. Thank you so much for still reading!! :)