Above

41

Estelle
I sit in my bed, reading a book so old the cover fell off and I don't remember the name, but it's still my favorite book, and I've read it a million times. 
The candle on my side table was lit, casting a orange light across the room. 
I was wearing the same clothes but with a jacket on, since it got pretty cold at night. 
A tapping on the window makes me jump. 
I shrug it off and continue reading, until there's another tap, followed by a faint "let me in."
I push off the covers and walk to the window, seeing Leeciy perched on the branch outside. 
He smiles, tapping on the glass again. 
I unlock the window and push it open.
He climbs into the room, stretching, before looking at me. 
His eyes have always been captivating to me, and now they were especially. 
The phrase 'blue eyes like the devil's water' gets stuck in my head. 
"What brings you here?" I ask. 
"Couldn't sleep, I went on a walk and my head told me that I needed you." He explains, sitting on the tiny bed. 
I nod. 
"I thought Annaliesee's room was yours, I knocked on that window. Poor girl nearly shed her skin." He says, looking up at me grinning softly. 
"Why didn't you just come through the house?" I ask. 
He shrugs. "I didn't want to wake the poor lady." 
I nod. "Neither would I." 
He picks up the book beside him. "What's it called?" 
I shrug. "I dunno." 
He smiles. "I feel like we haven't talked all day." He sighs. 
"Well, we have." I smile.
He just smiles, looking around. 
I look him up and down. He was wearing some sweater and jeans. 
"So how are you?" He asks. 
I shrug. "I like it here." 
"Me too." He says. "When this whole ordeal is over, I'll probably take Cirus and settle down someone suburbanly-rural like this." 
I nod. "I'd do that, too." 
He sighs. "Do you think we'll stay together when this whole thing ends?"
"Me and you? Or the whole gang?" I ask. 
"Us. As in Estelle Ziveri and Leeciy Propkin." He says. 
"Probably." I say. "Life wouldn't be the same without you, Leeciy Propkin." 
He nods. "Life wouldn't be as enjoyable as it is now." 
I walk over to the bed, sitting down next to him. "I don't think I could fall asleep without you." 
"What do you mean?" He asks. 
I shrug. "I just feel like I'll have awful nightmares then I'd go fleeing straight to you." 
"And that's okay, I feel like I'd have a pretty hard time sleeping without you too." He says. 
I reach over and slide up his sleeve, running my hand across his wrist, which was now scabbed over. 
He leans his head on top of mine, flossing our fingers together. 
I sit there in peace, just watching the candle flicker, lost in my thoughts. 
No body speaks for a long time, but I know Leeciy didn't fall asleep because his thumb rubbing against the back of my head. 
"I kinda have to tell you something that kinda freaks me out." He says. 
"Hmm?" I hum. 
He pulls away, looking down at me softly. 
I reach my hand up and cup his cheek. "You can tell me anything." 
He grabs my wrist, rubbing it soothingly. "I have feelings for you." He pauses. "And not like happiness, I like you Estelle, like really like you, and It freaks me out but I can't deny it anymore, because it's been going on for so long." 
"How long?" I ask. 
"I guess I thought you were attractive way back when you rescued Reiba and I, because in the car, when August was kissing your hand, I couldn't help but want to kiss your hand instead of him, and have you look at me so in-love and stuff. I guess that's why I slept with so many girls, because I couldn't find anything to fill the void of August being with you, because I wanted that. It's also partially why I didn't visit you after he died, because I felt guilty, because I wanted to be with you and the person that was with you just died and I couldn't see you like that, it would hurt too much." He rambles. 
"Leeciy." I say, interrupting his jumbled speech. "I feel the same way." 
"You do?" He asks in disbelief. "You better not be just saying that because I'd get so sad." 
"I'm not just saying it." I say. 
"How long?" He asks.
"I think I started feeling differently towards you way back in Chicago, when we woke up basically tangled together." I smile at the memory. 
He just smiles, looking down at me. "I think I fell hard when you slept on my lap way back when we visited South-side." 
"That was a long time ago." I say. 
He nods. "And it still freaks me the hell out, especially right now." He pushes himself up off the bed. "I'm sorry, I kinda just fell apart." 
"Leeciy." I say. "It's okay." 
"I shouldn't have told you that, especially since you got you memories of August back like yesterday." He rambles, pacing.
"Leeciy." I call, maybe slightly too loud. 
He silences, looking over at me. 
"I don't feel anything for August anymore, I'm not the same prissy princess I was when I was with him. He was something to a past me, who died when he did." I say, standing and walking toward him. 
"Are you sure you feel the same way?" He asks. "Because I don't want to be a rebound." 
"I feel the same way." I confirm. "I'm one hundred percent certain." 
He smiles again. "I can't believe it." 
"Well, believe it." I say. 
He wraps his arms around me and envelops me into one of the tightest hugs I've ever been in, before pulling back, holding me about a foot away. 
I reach up and cup his cheek. "Kiss me." I say. 
"Gladly." He says before lowering his lips onto mine, for the most mind-blowing-puts-August-to-shame kiss I've ever had. 
All I could hear was him, all I could taste was him, and all I could feel was him. It was almost like he numbed me to the entire world. 
He hooks his arms around my waist, pulling me flush against him, his other hand burying itself in my hair. 
I take my hand off his cheek and wrap my arms around his neck. 
After about what feels like seconds he pulls away. 
I close my eyes, trying to stretch out the feeling of him. 
I feel his eyes on me and I open mine. 
"Why didn't we do that before?" I ask. 
He shrugs. "Beats me."