One House Behind | ✓

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭

Tanner

If I could have sat there with her all day, I would have. But she had to go home. Groaning, I waited for her to put her shoes on.

"I'll miss you."

"Tanner, I'm literally the house behind you. Just come to the fence tonight."

"We haven't done that in a while."

And it was true. We hadn't because we weren't secrets anymore. Out in the open, showing everyone that we loved each other. A smile filled in my features at the thought.

"What?" Shelly looked confused as she tied her hair up.

"Nothing. Say it again."

"I've said it a thousand times."

A blush rose on her cheeks. I pulled her in for a kiss. Her body molded to mine like wax and the kiss was gentle. Soft like a breeze, but harsh enough as if it was a very windy day. 

"I love you," she whispered into the kiss.

"And I love you."

Hearing how our equation of love was equal was never going to get old. Shelly's wide dark eyes gazed at me from under her short eyelashes. It got me wondering why she had short ones and I had long fan-like ones.

"Promise?"

"Shelly McFelly, yes, I do."

"Is that what you think my last name is?" she laughed.

"No, but it's supposed to rhyme," I shrugged.

"Makes sense. Why haven't we told each other our last names?"

"Because we don't need to."

I had to pull her in for another kiss. She looked too kissable. A breathy whine penetrated the air. I held her tighter to me, our lips moving frantically, not wanting this to end.

"Hey, Shel-woah!" Susie exclaimed.

"Sorry," Shelly whispered as she pulled away.

"I was not expecting to see my brother's face being eaten off."

"Susie!" I glared at her as Shelly brushed off imaginary dirt on her clothes.

"I should be going now. Uh, did you need something?"

"Yeah, girl talk."

"I've sorta been waiting for this. I'll talk to you tonight Tanner. Love you," she whispered the last part as she pecked me on the lips.

Together, she and Susie walked out into the night together. I felt unhappy all of a sudden as if everything I had, had left with her. Instead of shaking the thoughts away, I welcomed them in.

Images of what our life should've been raced inside my head. Dates, parties, openly declaring we were together, jealous people. Everything I thought a relationship was going to be. But mine wasn't.

And yet, it was perfect the way it was.

We started out by just talking. A fence as our only barrier. And then we texted, a screen protecting us. The face-to-face had been our breaking points, breaking us down until we found we needed the other.

It was all things we went through together never knowing that we were trying to get to the other. Shelly had been my redemption. She had been everything I wanted and more. I'd never been like this.

With Leslie, it was about secrecy. The thrill, the rush of feelings, but it died out. Guilt consumed me so I forced myself to like it. She was Susie's friend and I didn't want her to hate Susie because of me.

Unfortunately, it backfired on both of us. I frowned as I flung myself backward onto the mattress. Bouncing, I realized that things had changed for the better. I had become a better person and for that, I was grateful Shelly invaded my life.

A voice, almost like a beautiful mermaid coaxing me into temptation, had sounded over the fence one day. She lured me in with the biggest temptation of all:

Her.

******

A/N:

Here's the old author's note when I was struggling. Still glad I made it to the end with three chapters a day! Also, eleven chapters until the end!! (I don't know why I originally said nine, I think I didn't plan for Shelly's last three.)

A/N:
Cᴀɴ I ᴊᴜsᴛ sᴀʏ, I'ᴍ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ʟᴏsᴛ ɪs ᴡʜᴀᴛ I ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴛᴏ ᴇɴᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ. Mʏ sᴛʀᴀᴛᴇɢʏ ɪs ᴡʀɪᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴅᴀʏ sᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ I ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ɢᴇᴛ ʙᴏʀᴇᴅ ᴛᴏᴏ ǫᴜɪᴄᴋ ᴏʀ ʟᴏsᴇ ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴍɢ, IT'S FREAKEN HARD!

Bᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ᴏɴʟʏ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ɴɪɴᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ʟᴇғᴛ ᴀɴᴅ I'ʟʟ sᴇᴇ ʜᴏᴡ I ᴇɴᴅ ɪᴛ ᴡʜᴇɴ I ɢᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ.