The Thief of Hearts

Chapter 20

Thalia's pov

Saturday night caught me in the university's huge auditorium. A room large enough to hold an army of ten thousand comfortably. It was lit with disco balls and filled with RnB music, laughter and excitement. I literally felt like a fish out of water in the crowded room.

I was with Amanda and Ashton and I kept looking around as if I expected you find someone waiting for me somewhere. I guess a part of me really missed the little pain in the ass, but I wasn't sure how I would react if he approached me. I left Mandy and her boyfriend to wander around and see what kind of snacks they had serving when I ended up bumping into Ayden.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I asked curiously, since most of the people their were senior students and Ayden was a freshman just like me.

"My cousin is a senior. She gave me one." He answered, shouting a little to be heard over the music.  "How did you get here?"

I sighed. "Long story." I replied, not wanting to elaborate.

Ayden took me to the small bar that was set up in the center of the room and got us some drinks and we stood talking about the upcoming exams.

"Wanna dance?" He asked after a while and I smiled nervously at him.

"Umm... I don't know, I hate dancing." I said. Even though everyone looked as if they were having fun on the dance floor, I didn't feel like it.

Just then, a tall guy with curly, lightly jelled hair came up to Ayden, tapping him softly on the shoulder to get his attention. He had on a dark mask over his face so I couldn't see him properly, but then he spoke and my heart seemed to do a flip as I suddenly registered his familiar voice.

"Excuse me, may I have a word with the lady?"

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Keith's pov

Ok, so I was watching her for a while out of sight. I was stalking my girl from the moment she stepped on campus right until the creep Ayden stepped to her. I fallowed them to the bar, I watched him ordered the drinks, I watched his failed attempts to flirt with what's mine. I watched them talk but was too far away to hear. I watched him make her smile, but I could tell she was nervous. I watched them until I couldn't take it Anymore.

I left my glass of water on the bar counter and went to relieve my baby from the annoying little nerdy guy. I guess I overused my confidence when I approached the guy because after he left us alone, I was almost shaking with nerves.  What do I say now?

"Hi." I said after staring at her delicate beauty for a while. Thalia just smiled at me then looked away.

I tried again. "I know you said that I should leave you alone, but, I... I couldn't..."

She laughed a little at my attempt of explaining. "Are you going to stand there trying to explain yourself all night, or are we going to make use of this dumb occasion?"

I chuckled when I realized just how much I missed her feistiness. "Ok, umm, dance?" I asked, unsure if she would like to do that.

She shrugged her shoulders as if saying "why tf not?"
"Sure." She said smiling up at me.

The music at that time was changed to a slow song and I held her in my arms as we swayed to it. The familiar sent of roses and baby powder calming my rapidly beating heart and making me feel at home, just like she did about two weeks before.

Thalia's pov

I felt like I was on the ice again, the cracks getting wider and wider. I was in the most comfortable arms I've ever been in in my life and it felt great as well as it was terrifying. A truck load of feelings were galloping around in my belly and I suddenly felt claustrophobic in the huge  room filled with dancing bodies.

The music stopped and I pulled away from him, feeling like I couldn't breath. I kept my hands in his for a part of me didn't want to let go, but the scared little girl in me was yelling at me to run.

"Thalia, are you okay?" He said softly, looking into my eyes. I imagined they probably looked like a deer when it's caught by a car's headlights.

I nodded yes anyway. "Air, I need fresh air." I said trying to take deep breaths.

Keith nodded and placed his arm around my waist and lead me towards the exit quickly. When we finally got outside, after battling the thick crowd, and Keith held both my hands in his, staring down at me with genuine concern and worry in his eyes.

"Better?" He asked. I nodded slowly.

My heart rate started to go back to normal due to the short distance between Keith and I. I took in some more deep breaths as I looked around for a place to get away from the noise coming from the loud speakers.

The moon shone silver as and the light caught my dress, making it sparkle a bit. The cool of the night was soothing and I found myself starting to smile as my shoulders relaxed. I spotted a small gazebo afar off and headed towards it with Keith following behind. 

I stood there for a while, staring at the moon lost in my thoughts and trying to sort out my feelings. It scared me the way all my emotions kept running wild and the realization that I may make a mistake that would haunt me for life. I was just not ready to face it.

I felt as Keith ran his fingers down my arms softly and I shivered involuntarily. "You're so beautiful." He whispered, as if more to himself than to me. I couldn't help but blush.

"Lia, I missed you." He went on after I didn't respond with words. "Tell me you missed me too."

I turned to stare at him. The look in his dark eyes made me want to make him happy even though I was fighting to stay strong. No. I thought.
"Yes, I guess so." I heard myself say.

"I know you're trying to figure out your feelings for me." He said, I looked up at him questioningly. "Mandy told me." He said, and I got it. "But I just want to know one thing." He continued, "please let me know what you feel for me."

I suddenly felt pressured. I knew what to say, yet I didn't. I wanted to tell him just how much he made my heart race in excitement but I didn't want him to know. I wanted to run away, but I didn't want to go. I was confused yet still, I knew.

"I don't know." I said, my voice trembling and I looked away from his alluring eyes.

He gently placed both his hands at the side of my cheeks and lifted my face so he could search it with his eyes. "Come on baby girl, tell me that you at least feel something for me." He pleaded, "anything."

A voice in my head kept saying "run Lia, run." But I seemed to have lost control of my body and it felt like i was trapped in a trance. "I do, but I.... I don't know...." I found myself saying.

He sighed and started stroking my cheeks lightly with his thumbs. The gesture made me smile a bit and closed my eyes as butterflies seemed to let loose in my belly. "Then there's only one way to find out." He said softly and my heartbeat immediately picked up speed.

He stepped closer to me and my hands automatically came up to rest on his hard, muscled chest. His forehead met mine and he slowly rubbed his nose against mine. I felt like I was in some kind of heaven. I could feel his lips were inches away from mine. He licked his lips and his tongue brushed mine, causing me to part my lips.

Kiss me. I thought, becoming a bit hasty.