Too Much To Hide || EDITING

c.31

      That was beyond expectation. Eighteen year old me is reeling from the new experience. With our swimsuits off, Adrian and I lie underneath the covers, on our sides, and face each other. The only thing in the atmosphere is our quiet breaths and the gentle gush of wind from the half opened windows. Adrian's eyes are like bright lights in the darkness, staring back with a content grin on his face.

      "How are you feeling?" He asks softly, his voice hoarse.

      I smile lazily and cuddle into my pillow with a sigh.

      "Great. But a little sore," I add with a nervous giggle.

      Grinning, he chuckles and holds out an arm to pull me against him. We're chest to chest, skin to skin, and our legs immediately get entangled with each other. I crane my head up and place a kiss to his chin. Feeling my heart flutter, my hand finds his jaw and I stroke his cheek which is soft to the touch.

      "You shaved," I laugh. 

      "I figured James would keep assaulting my face if I had a beard."

      I blink owlishly. James.

      "Do you think he's alright downstairs?" I shift, furrowing my brows in concern.

      "Hey," he massages my torso soothingly, "Portia's with him. He'll be okay,"

      Thanks to his reassurance and gesture, I relax and snuggle into his chest, draping an arm over his torso.

      "Was this better?" 

      I stare up at him, clueless as to what he's implying.

      He sucks in a sharp breath, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

      "Was this better than your first?"

      "My first—?"

      He nods with a guarded gaze.

      I don't understand why my previous interactions are bothering him now. Judging by the look he's sporting, he needs to know. His eyes are focused solely on me and I think he's studying my reaction to his question.

      "Why are you so hooked up over that, Adrian? It's in the past and it meant nothing,"

      "Did this mean something?"

      I blink at his straightforwardness. 

      "Yes," I whisper, taking in a shaky breath. "Yes it did."

      He lets out a relieved sigh and plants a kiss on my forehead before burying his nose in my hair. I don't know what this assurance means to him but it obviously relaxed him because his shoulders aren't tense anymore.

      "You didn't answer my question," I mumble and trace idle patterns on his chest.

      "I don't know. I just needed to know," his fingers curl a random strand of my hair as he looks past me, zoning out.

      My little smile distracts him as I chuckle softly. "If this helps, the guy moved to Europe a few weeks before I dropped out. I haven't talked to him since."

      Adrian retains his usual behaviour and allows a smirk to brighten up his features.

      "Good. That does help."

      In the middle of my laugh, my jaw widens as it makes way for a tired yawn. My eyelids immediately get heavier and I hum, stretching out my arms and burying my nose into the hollow of his throat.