Face Down ✓ | Patrick Stump

Chapter Seventeen

Dedication to kiara1219 and everyone reading this who has helped bring this story where it is now!

Some people say that there are only two true human emotions: love and fear.

As soon as his lips came in contact with mine, I felt the first of the two, love. But the kiss lasted for not even five seconds, and he hadn't given me the chance to react before he pulled away. That's when I felt the second of the two emotions, fear. He had done that out of pity. I had been going through some deep shit, with the return of my mother through text, me being attacked, and now me wanting to move out. He didn't like me, he just likes having me around for his own amusement. He just pulled that stunt to trick me into thinking that he liked me, so I wouldn't leave.

"Shit." He let go of my arm and rubbed his forehead. "Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that- well I did, but, shit- hold on." He took a deep breath before pulling himself back together. "Skye, I know you've been through a lot of crap lately, and I just made it worse, because you don't even like me in that way. But I do, and I have ever since I saw you that first day in the subway station. Normally I ignore people like that, but you're different. I had completely given up on women after Elisa. I was paranoid that every woman I met and trusted would go behind my back. But you fixed me, and after she came back, I just, I really need you right now. I can't let you go that easily. When I found you lying in the Alley, I thought-" He took a deep breath after saying everything so quickly.

"I thought I had lost you, Skye." His voice quivered. "And that's when I realized that I really really like you, and I thought that I would never get to tell you that. And I know you think that I'm just telling you that so you could stay, but I'm not. I'm letting you know this so that when you move out, at least I won't regret not telling you." He was silent after that, and I had no idea how to respond. I tried to talk, but I failed to come up with anything to say. My mouth was probably making all weird shapes, but he was looking down and couldn't see me. I had never even had a friend, I have no idea how it feels to actually have the person you like, like you back.

But now I did, and my stomach was flipping as I stared at the fedora less boy sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of me. "Please say something." He whispered. But instead of words escaping my mouth, I lifted his chin up so he could look me in the eyes before I crashed my lips into his.

He immediately responded by moving his lips in sync with mine. His arms wrapped around my waist in a protective, yet gentle way, which caused butterflies to erupt in my stomach. I rested my arms on his shoulders, clasping my hands behind his neck as I melted into his embrace. It was all the makings of a cheesy romance novel, the sparks flying, the butterflies in the stomach, the weakness in the knees, everything.

At this point, I had realized that this was my first kiss. Well, technically my second, as he kissed me once before he started rambling, but this was how I had always imagined it to be. His touch alone was enough to make me fall limp, and his kiss made me feel like I could pass out at any moment. I felt weightless, he made me forget everything that I worried about.

He pulled me closer to his body so I was sitting in his lap, straddling his hips. His tongue moved across my bottom lip, but being the stubborn bitch I am, I refused. I could feel him smile mischievously into the kiss as he squeezed my sides, causing me to squeal and for him to enter his tongue in my mouth. But he didn't kiss me in the rushed, sloppily way that someone would describe how their ex-kissed them. It was passionate, and at that point, I realized that I was falling hard for this boy, and he was doing the same.

After what seemed like an eternity, we finally pulled away, gasping for air. I was pressed to his chest, and I could feel our hearts beating together. I looked into his eyes as he muttered a 'wow'. I ruined the moment as I burst into a fit of giggles.