Capturing Memories

°•°Chapter 18°•°

"Learning to love yourself is easier when you have someone to show you how."
― Martina Boone.

Chloe's POV.

"Hmm...now this is even better," Zach whispers kissing away the chocolate on my lips making me smile against his lips. His naked chest is pushed against my fully clothed body while my breathing is ragged, "Well ten minutes extended to twenty already, not waiting any longer sugar,"

Placing the spoon in my hand into the now-empty bowl, I wrap my arms around his neck pulling his close enough before kissing him. He lifts me off the barstool and I wrap my legs around his waist while he kisses me back briefly, "You're sure about this right?

The concern in his voice makes me sigh before smiling, "I don't think I've ever been this sure," his concerned face turns into a full-on grin while he walked us to my room. He leaves wet kisses on my neck, making me moan before he laid me on the bed, "This needs to get off,"

He says lifting my hands up and removing my t-shirt, "Though I've seen you naked before, this is different," he mumbles making me blush, "The first party night in grad school,"

I recollect, that day, I was wasted and puked all over my clothes. Gross I know but well this amazing best friend of mine, changed my stupid wasted self and put me to bed, "Yup,"

My hands instinctively wrap across my belly where a few pale branches of stretch marks stained my now flat stomach, "Stop that," I bite my lower lip nervously at thought of him not finding it attractive but instead he removes my hands to kiss them.

"Beautiful," his voice is barely a murmur creating a shiver pass through my body, "Open your eyes, sugar," his hand caresses my cheek calming me down before I opened my eyes to find his blue orbs staring back at me.

His lips meet mine once again while his hands navigate the rest of my clothes, discarding them one at a time. I find myself fiddling with his pants before finally removing them. "Zach," my voice comes out as a moan while he trails his wet kisses down my jaw, then to my neck, "Your moans are the only thing I want to hear,"

His lips curl into a smile against my collarbone as I gasp feeling his naked hard-on against my thigh, "See what you do to me," his voice is raspy. My heart beats out of its chest as he slowly makes his way to my breasts before kissing them. Unstoppable moans roll out of my as my fingers run through his hair.

"Zach!" my voice is a mix between a moan and a squeal as his fingers brush against my heat making me drip, "You're so beautiful sugar," my eyes squeeze shut as his attention shifts between my breasts and my womanhood.

He moves back up to face me, forcing me to open my eyes while kissing the sides of my mouth and positioning himself at my entrance, "I love you, Chloe,"

~•~•~•

"Hey," Zach says as I hug him from behind while he cooked, "Slept well?" he asks me turning around with a heartwarming smile before wrapping an arm around my waist and let his other hand tuck my hair behind my ear, "Yeah,"

My lips curl up into a smile while he realizes, that I'm only wearing his t-shirt and panties, "This is the sight I would love to wake up to every day,"

I shake my head unable to wipe off the smile and rest my head against his chest, "Did you mean it when you told me that you love me?"

The question rolls out of my mouth and he lifts my head by my chin to face his worried face, "I mean it sugar. I love you," my gaze stays on him, as a tear trickles down my face.

"I love you too," I pull him into a kiss unable to contain the joy in my heart as my happy tears find no end. His free hand wipes off the tears while gently caressing my cheek before I pulled by breathlessly, "You have no idea how long I craved for you to say it,"

He says cupping my face and placing a kiss on my forehead making me chuckle, "It's just so weird how you never seemed to be interested in me and now you tell me all this,"

He sighs turning around to stir up whatever it is that he's cooking, "Read the letter, sugar," he says taking me by surprise. He's been stopping me from reading it for the past three weeks, saying that he'll tell me when the time is right, "You sure?"

"Yes and you'll find the letter in the nightstand in the spare bedroom," he says facing me once again. He leans down to peck my swollen lips once again before forcing me to turn around and walk, "Why did you hide it from me though?"

"You'll only know when you read the letter so go, get it," I just nod before getting back to peck him on his cheek and head back into the spare bedroom to grab the letter. I couldn't stop the anxiety rising in me though I knew for a fact that there is very little that can go wrong.

The memories from the lovemaking last night flash in my mind making me smile as I ran my hand over my collar bone which had hickeys all over, this still felt like a dream. A dream, I don't want to wake up from because things are far from what they were a month ago, they're finally great.

Walking over to the nightstand, I bite my lower lip trying to control my anxiety and open the draw to find, the white folded paper right on top. It's going to be okay. I keep repeating it in my head and grab the paper, before walking back towards the kitchen but unfold it on the way.

"Found it?" I look up startled by Zach's voice and nod while Snowy follows me in an attempt to get my attention. The oven closes shut as Zach places the casserole inside and turns it on before heading towards both of us, "Stop overthinking it sugar, it's everything you know about. I just hid it away from you because I wanted to explain things directly,"

I sigh, sitting down cross-legged on the floor next to a lazy Snowy who's sprawled right in front of me, "Open it,"

Zach urges me before sitting down behind me and then pulls me up onto his lap making me sigh in the comfort of his embrace. I finally gather the courage and open the letter while he rests his head on my shoulder. Here goes nothing.

Hey sugar,

I miss you and I know you're probably going to be mad at me while reading this. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you and I'm sorry for making you cry because I couldn't handle my life any better. Just don't give up on me, I'll be back. I promise I'll be back really soon as a better person for you.

I love you, Chloe.

I loved you for as long as I remember, seven years now I think? It took me long enough to figure what I was feeling for you and I didn't want it to get in the way of our friendship. So, I started trying to distract myself with Anise and all the other meaningless relationships in an attempt to hide those feelings I have for you.

It didn't work out though, or it did only until you started dating Bryan. I know you already broke up with him because of me and I'm sorry for that too. I couldn't stand seeing you with anyone else so I tried distancing myself from you. I hate myself for it.

I resorted to cocaine when I ended up at a party and things didn't really go well from there. I'm sorry, you had to deal with me overdosing, you didn't deserve to go through that and I don't want to see you hurt because of me anymore.

I'll be back really soon and as a better person because you deserve it. Just don't give up on us, at least not on our friendship. I love you, take care of yourself, and please don't try contacting me. I don't think I can hold myself back from getting back to you if you did.

Love,

Zach.

~•~•~•