For the longest time

XIII

Shoutout to amygrace98 because she's been reading this story and voting on it for a while now and I think that's awesome and thank you so much.

**************

The week after Ed and I had amazing drunken sex, I ran into someone I never thought I would see again.

I was sweeping the entrance of the coffee shop. Everyone was getting ready for the working day that started in 20 minutes. I felt my pocket vibrate and immediately read the message from Ed. We'd been discussing the weaknesses of vending machines.

If you really think about it, no one could actually fit it so full of coins that it'll start rejecting the other coins and like, spit them out. And no one is that lazy, or has that much loose change.

I laughed out loud at the screen and was already typing my response when I heard my name."Erin!"

I felt the blood drain from my face and stood very still, almost petrified, when I recognized his voice. Marcus Gray.

"What are you doing here? Never mind that actually. What the fuck happened to you? You left without telling anybody. Everyone started asking questions and they started asking me, as if I had a fucking clue. Erin, why did you leave? Em and Chase are worried to the core. Even Paige started asking about you. What the fuck? What happened?"

I didn't say anything, the words wouldn't come out. I stood there, looking at my phone, at the words Ed had just sent me and I didn't move. I didn't look up to meet Marcus' gaze. It made my body ache that he was so intensely looking at me, demanding answers. Answers I couldn't give to him. At least not right then.

"Are you fucking serious, Erin?"

Ed met me at the end of my shift at the back door. I hadn't replied to our ridiculous thread, I'd just sent a short Something just happened and I don't feel okay. I'd been on auto-pilot all day. The moment I saw his face, it felt like the plane had crashed and I collapsed into his arms.

"Erin," he whispered next to my ear, "Erin, don't worry, everything's going to be okay, I promise." I held him tighter, as if I would disappear if he let go. Ed stroked my head and ran his fingers through my hair, my heart was beating fast and he held me until I pulled away. "I'm sorry," I mumbled and wiped the invisible tears from my eyes.

"No, don't be," he said and put his hands on my shoulders, looking into my eyes. I thought maybe I was wearing a veil to cover my own eyes, pretty much like he wore his, and I didn't feel alone. He smiled at me, softly "do you want to eat? Or drink? Or smash someone's face?" I laughed a little, dropping my gaze to the ground. "Yeah?" he looked for my eyes once again, "cos I'd love to see you throw a punch."

I pressed my lips together into a smile that didn't want to be in my face but at the same time, it did. "Thank you." Ed squeezed my shoulders and ran his hands down my arms and then he squeezed my hands. He didn't need to say anything, and I leaned forward and kissed him.His lips tasted fresh like toothpaste and it made me smile. He intertwined his fingers with mine and let his arms wrap around my waist. There was such a sweetness to that kiss, almost cloying, and I've always been a sucker for candy and sugary treats.
My fingertips rubbed his knuckles gently and he held me closer, my whole body pressed into his. But it wasn't a lustful thing, not to me. My insides weren't twisting with that familiar hungry urge to touch him. Instead, they were dripping and melting and becoming one and I thought what a wonderful thing.
Ed pulled away from our kiss and rested his forehead against mine. His eyes were closed, his smile was even brighter. I pecked his nose with my lips and he laughed and then looked at me, the veil on his eyes completely gone now. "This is the best co-existing I've ever had"