Anywhere With You • {J.C.}

||Fourteen|Relationship||

"The first time, it happened too fast
The second time, I thought it would last."
-Alone, Together

Harlow lied awake, feeling the weight of Julian's arm draped across her waist. She remained completely still, too nervous to move or even change her breathing patterns in fear of waking him.

Something had happened last night; Harlow admitted that she liked him. But that wasn't all, Julian had said that he liked her more than he probably should, too. She was scared—terrified of facing the repercussions of her admission and it tarnishing the friendship they had.

She had been high when she said it, and so had Julian. She was embarrassed by what she had said—the way she had let it slip without a second thought. She was driving herself mad, hoping he too wasn't embarrassed by what was said.

Julian said it in a time Harlow couldn't speak; he had said it right before forcing her hips down into his lap—when he slipped himself inside of her.

What the fuck is going on?

She had wanted to stop him—Harlow wanted to ask questions, but the way he made her body feel... she couldn't. She wasn't even for certain if it was what they were doing that made her words fall short or if it was what he had said.

Harlow didn't have much time to ponder what Julian felt about last night before the weight of his arm lifted from her side. She cringed, listening to the faint groan muffling in his hands. She rolled over, nervous to see his puffy face; but to her surprise, he was grinning up at the ceiling.

"Don't get mad, but... where am I?" Julian asked. The question caused Harlow to laugh.

"My house."

"Dude, I barely remember the drive here- what the fuck?" Julian sat up on his elbows, gazing around the room. It was nice—cleaner than most bedrooms he'd found himself in after a crazy night out. There was a large book shelf that took up most of the space against the far wall—a window with perfectly intact blinds; which was something he couldn't say for his own room.

Harlow rolled over on her back, smiling at the memory of how they came to the decision of sleeping at her place. Julian had finished the rest of the joint, inhaling the smoke like a cigarette. Harlow had told him to ease off, but Julian insisted it was alright, that he was "a professional." He then wanted a burger; stopping off at the closest burger joint. The nearest bed was Harlow's—Julian's house nearly on the other side of town.

"Yeah, I'm surprised you woke up long enough to get in the house. As soon as your head hit the pillow, I'm pretty sure you were snoring."

"I remember everything... mostly. Jus- after we left the burger stand."

"I had to order for you... Do you remember that?" Harlow chuckled, remembering Julian standing at the cart—his pauses too long. It would've taken him all night just to say what he wanted on his burger had Harlow not spoke up for him.

Julian laughed—the memory coming back as soon as she said it.

"Oh man... I didn't think I was that high."

"Pretty big joint... a blunt, really."

"Guess who rolled it?" Julian looked to Harlow; that self satisfied grin said that said it was him who had done the deed.

"You?"

"Fabrizio. That annoying little shit's good for something, I guess."

"You love him."

"I do... I love him." Julian seemed to disconnect as he spoke. But before Harlow could ask what was wrong, Julian was lying on top of her, nudging her legs apart with his knees. She expected him to kiss her, but instead, he stared down at her—his eyes roaming all across her face. "Will you tell me somethin'? You gotta be honest though... promise?"

Harlow nodded, too nervous to move. Something strange had happened last night and by the looks of it, it was about to get strange again.

"Last night... you said you liked me. Is that all the time or, was that just a last night thing?"

"Will my answer have an affect on what we're doing?"

"Maybe... maybe not." Julian forced a smile.

The truth was, no matter Harlow's answer, it was going to have an effect on their relationship—friendship. She wasn't ready for things to change, she wanted Julian to continue being whatever it was that he was to her... for now.

"I like you all the time." She admitted, but quickly backtracked when seeing a flicker in Julian's eyes. "But there was that one time, you know, when you wouldn't get out of my car-"

Julian smiled against her lips, cutting her words off with a kiss. She let her fingers move through his hair, letting her eyes close involuntary while getting lost. What the fuck is happening? She had asked herself that twice upon awakening.

"So if I slept with other girls... you wouldn't be cool with it?" Julian spoke as soon as his lips left hers. The question filled her with shock and confusion.

"I-i-is that what you want?"

"No," He laughed through his nose. "That's just how you know, you know... if you like someone. You're the first girl I've slept with since my girlfriend that makes me feel things... in my chest. The way you look at me sometimes... I can feel it in my balls."

Harlow was laughing now—she couldn't even try to hold it in. The pathetic thing about it was, she was sure Julian was serious.

"Since your girlfriend, huh?"

"Yeah... I have been in a relationship before, believe it or not."

Gazing up into Julian's eyes, Harlow said it—she didn't think, she just said it. "Wanna start a new one?"

***
:Author's Note:
Sorry this is so short—I just moved so it's been a struggle to find time to write. This chapter was supposed to be much longer, but I figured this is a pretty good stopping point. Sorry for the "cliffy." Thanks so much for the votes and comments, really makes my day.
(I live a sad life lol)