sonder

limerence

Chapter Twenty

Limerence

(n.) the state of being infatuated with another person.

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Want to go for a drive? Kali's message popped up on my screen just as I closed the door to my room, both my parents and my brother having already gone to their respective rooms. Emerald eyes flashed in my mind, a smirk slithering its way onto my face as I picture her curly hair walking away from me earlier this afternoon.

On my way now. I reply, my door opening and closing within seconds of my answering. Jeremiah's head pokes out of his room to see what the noise was from.

"Going out, cover for me." I mouth to him, not wanting to wake my parents. His face scrunches up with concern, silently asking me for more information. "Kali." I whisper, a small nod of his head confirming that he understood.

With each step I take down the stairs and closer to the door, the heavy stammering of my heart beats louder in my brain, echoing throughout the walls of my skull. I grab my leather jacket on my way out, prepared for the cool night air to swirl around me as I walk to Kali's.

Headlights shone from across the street as soon as I exited my house, my eyes squinting with the sudden light. "Damian?" A voice calls out from the vehicle, my eyes finally adjusting to take in the familiar car.

My steps switch directions, heading to the open window of the driver's side where a mess of curls sits, Kali's smile hitting me in the gut with an emotion that I was dying to suppress. "How'd you know where I live?" I ask once I'm in a friendly distance from the car, not wanting to wake the neighbours with our conversation.

I've situated myself in the passengers seat before Kali actually answers, her wide, yet tired eyes piercing through the darkness around us. "My one best friend lives in that house right there." She says, pointing to a house three doors down from me.

I nod before clarifying more details. "And how do you know where I live?"

"She told me that a new guy around our age moved in. We haven't had anyone move since Lucy's family came to town nearly ten years ago so I made a wild assumption that it must be you." Kali explains, changing gears to drive and peeling off of my street within seconds.

"Oh." I say, a wave of nerves wracking through me at the thought of Kali's friend talking about me. I had kind of forgotten that other people my age existed in the town, I hardly had seen any yet, I'd already made an impression on them.

"Lucy's pretty harmless, just letting you know." Kali laughs, obviously recognizing my anxiety-ridden face.

I nod, hesitantly before deciding that I'll let the nerves go. Breathe in, breathe out, watch the thoughts disappear. I repeat that mantra in my head for a few minutes as the car drives through the empty streets.

"So," Kali states, her tone of voice having changed from the one she was using before. This time it's more silky sounding and I'm instantly waiting for her to continue. "how was the rest of you evening?" She asks me, her hand having now crossed over the car to rest on my lap, distracting me with the feeling.

"Good." I rush to get out as her hand moves up my thigh, her eyes still looking at the road as she drives the vaguely familiar road to the parking lot that we hooked up in last time.

I realize just as she begins to turn the car into the parking lot that her expression is supporting the look of satisfaction, more so cocky gratification from my obviously tense stance. A smirk finds its way onto my face after she's parked, allowing me to easily maneuver my body so that I am kissing my way along her neck. The positions of our previous situation reversed as Kali's head is thrown back, allowing me more access to her sensitive skin.