Fairytale Green

The chicken was taking far too long to cook. That is why I started to read a book in one hand while I stirred the mixture in the pan with my other.

I had also been watching the darkness take over the sky and cast a shadow on the apartment buildings across the street.

That was until Lana had called.

I had expected her to call as soon as we got back from the beach. I could tell there was something off about her since then.

My phone laid on the kitchen table and on speaker as I continued to mess around with the food.

Lana’s voice came from across the speaker loud and slightly muffled ‘It is so awkward. You do not understand. When it comes to small talk, we are okay. Then we get to deeper and more intimate, and it goes to a mess. We have to put so much work in romantically.’

‘Have you talked to Brennan about this?’

She gasped like the idea was absurd.

‘I love Brennan. He is perfect.’ She said as if she was talking about something as normal as the weather ‘I do not want to lose him and I would if I mentioned how I was feeling.’

‘What about how you are feeling?’ I asked her.

‘I can’t just tell him that I think we are losing our spark.’

I was not exactly good at this whole relationship advice thing. It was Lana’s first relationship, so it was my first time trying to come up with half-decent advice.

The only real experience of love I had was in books and movies. Fictional relationships were always farfetched, so I did not have a lot to go on. I had read as extreme as protagonists ending up in comas or moving halfway around the world to be with their loved one and I was not going to recommend that to her.

‘The only way to know is to have a conversation. You deserve to be heard but Brennan also deserves to know where he stands.’ I told her.

‘Sometimes I…’ she trailed off.

‘What?’ I asked gently.

She began again ‘Sometimes I feel Brennan is looking for someone else. I feel like he is always seeking out for something.’

‘I think you should talk to him.’

She hummed and then her tone changed to concern when she remembered something ‘My mom mentioned that it is your mother’s birthday tomorrow.’

I stayed quiet and continued to cook the food.

‘Are you going to go and see her?’ Lana asked.

My plan was to not make a drama of it but I should have expected for her to find out. Her mother had been friends with mine for years.

I answered after a while ‘I am just going to visit her grave after school.’

‘Ella.’ She said gently yet scornfully ‘It is your first year without her. I don’t think you have given your self time to fully grieve yet. Take the day off. Go and see her.’

Biting my lip as I listened to her, I eyed the flowers in the vase that I was planning to take tomorrow.

If I allowed myself to think about it too much, then I would only break down.

I pondered over the thought that my dad would go and see her but then my afterthought turned to him being too drunk to know what day it was.

Shaking my head to myself, I eyed the phone and Lana’s profile picture and replied ‘I can’t just take the day off. I have classes to go to.’

‘Ella, you already know everything.’ She tried to joke but then went back to her sympathetic voice ‘You need to do this for yourself.’

‘Okay.’ I finally agreed.

Lana did not sound any less concerned as she questioned ‘Do you want me to stay off and go with you?’

I knew she would happily stay off and come with me if I asked. She would drop everything in a heartbeat.

‘I think this is something I need to do myself.’

‘Only if, you are sure.’ She affirmed.

‘I am.’ I said surely ‘Thank you, Barbie.’

She giggled at the nickname ‘Anything for you, Freak show. Now I better go before my dad starts shouting at me for not going down for dinner.’

‘Love you. Bye’ I replied before ending her call.

Just as I was about to stir the pan again, a knock came from the front door.

I was not expecting anyone, and it left me hoping that it was not my dad.

I wanted it to be the large leather jacket-wearing nerd at the door, so I hesitantly walked down the hall and hoped for the best.

A small sigh of relief escaped me as I opened the door and found the giant taking up all the space at the doorway.

The relief did not last long as for a good minute we just stood there looking at one another.

Stone did not say anything. He just stood there holding onto the doorframe with a look of determination.

After a while longer, I broke the silence with a little wave ‘Hello.’

He did not say anything in reply. Instead of speaking, he barged right past me and into the apartment. It was with such confidence that I almost forgot that I was the one living there and not him.

Remembering that I still had the stove on, I closed the door behind him and walked back to the kitchen.

I had my back to him, but I know he was there. Not because of his footsteps but because of the feeling in my stomach.

For such a tall and broad person, he did not make any noise at all.

He was the silent killer type.

While taking the food off the stove, I finally faced him ‘You are like a stray. I have fed you once and you will not stop coming back.’

Stone still did not speak. He just remained stood a few feet away and towering over me. The skull tattoo on his hand was staring at me too as his hand twitched.

It was like he was restraining himself.

I crossed my arms, suddenly feeling self-conscious under his gaze ‘You are here so much that I am really considering giving you my spare key.’

It was too silent. Even for him.

I was starting to worry so I tried to tease further ‘I am starting to think that you are like an evil spirit haunting my house. I will have to say Beetlejuice three times.’

A small smile started to make its way onto his face, but he still did not talk.

I finally just asked him straight up ‘What made you come here?’

He stalked closer. I focused on his movement as he took large steps to me.

The closeness brought a wave of excitement to take over my body and the only thoughts I had at that moment were about him.

I felt like screaming Just kiss me already.

The giant knew me so well because that is exactly what he did.

His mesmerising obsidian eyes kept me grounded as he cupped my face. When he slammed his lips to mine, I gasped.

I felt my toes curl at his satisfied groan. That and I had to bend my feet to try and reach his height.

Stone’s large hands drifted through my hair and then back to my face. He tightened his hold on my face as his tongue slipped further past my lips.

The moment muddled my thoughts. So much that I did not feel myself being lifted until I was off the ground. Gripping my butt, he lifted me and placed me on the counter.

The same counter as last time when we nearly kissed.

I let out a breath as I tilted my head upwards and gave him better access.

As I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around the back of his neck, he let out a deep sound of approval.

He pulled back slightly and rested his forehead on mine. His lip twitched again mine and then he smiled. It was the biggest smile I had seen from him, and it was magnificent.

I was gasping for air when I whispered onto his lips ‘The kitchen counter is where the magic happens. I think you have a thing for them.’

He chuckled against my mouth as he left a quick kiss on my lips.

His eyes narrowed with sureness and gleamed with possessiveness as he assured ‘No. I just have a thing for you.’

I pulled back slightly to see him better but still not removing my legs from his waist or my arms around the back of his neck.

‘I am obsessed with you, Ella.’ He said lowly ‘I could not leave the conversation at the beach like that.’

My jaw did not get the chance to drop neither did my heartbeat get a chance to lower.

I could not even show my disbelief at what he was saying because he lowered his head and began trailing kisses along my jawline.

His mouth went from my jaw to my ear and then to the corner of my lip. I twined my hands around the back of his neck and dragged him closer, so he was fully tasting me. He took over immediately and dominated the kiss.

I closed my eyes as his tongue once again slipped past my lips and danced with mine. My hands with their minds of their own gripped his hair. His own hands roamed, one remained cupping my cheek and the other went past my hair and then to the back of my neck.

I felt centred to him. Like two magnets or an object in a gravitational field.

We pulled back and I let my head rest on his chest. The scent enveloped me. The familiar smell of engine grease, leather and aftershave circled me.

I inhaled him as I wound my hands around his bulky chest, so I was hugging him.

Both of his hands cupped my face as I smiled.

‘I like you.’ I felt the need to say again before adding ‘And it takes a lot for me to recognise what I am feeling so you should count yourself lucky.’

‘I am lucky, Ella.’

My smile turned to a grin.

I then went on to question, ‘What did you want to say to me at the beach?’

He raised a brow ‘Did the kiss not speak for itself?’

‘I don’t know.’ I taunted “You might have to do it again. Just to make sure the message is crystal clear.’

The giant leaned closer and pecked the side of my mouth before whispering darkly ‘You wicked girl, you know exactly what I am trying to say.’

I was still unsure what his intentions were. A probing feeling like a knife poked at my insides like a warning.

The thing about Stone was that he never asked for anything from me. He never made it clear what he wanted. It always seemed like it was enough for him to be even just around me. Like he was content with the bare minimum.

I pushed the thoughts to the back of my mind and reminded myself to resurface them later.

Smiling at him while playing with the zip on his jacket, I asked shyly ‘Do you want to stay?’

He kept his thumb against my cheek as he pushed some hair behind my ear.

‘I was going to watch Addams Family.’ I suggested to him ‘You could stay.’

Stone grumbled while checking the time on his watch. ‘I can’t, Medusa.’

I nodded and let my gaze lower away from him.

His hand went to under my chin, and he moved my head so that I was looking at him again.

‘I want to.’ He rasped before cursing ‘Fuck, I want to, but I can’t.’

I nodded and offered him a small smile.

He appeared deep in thought like he was contemplating something as he watched me.

‘You should go.’ I waved him off ‘It is okay. I will finish reading Jane Eyre.’

He smirked after a few minutes ‘Little nerd.’

I rolled my eyes before proclaiming ‘There is nothing better than rereading a good book.’

‘Even this?’ He asked deeply and determinedly before he descended back onto my lips.

I responded back before pulling away and smiling. I still had my eyes closed when I giggled ‘Still debatable.’

Stone let out a tenacious growl before lifting me off the counter and up so that he could kiss me while I was wrapped around him.

He kissed me harshly yet softly. His huge, calloused hands were capable of soft delicate touches. He treated me like he yearned for me, but he also treated me as if I was something precious that he did not want to break. It was a perfect balance of both.

He proved that there was something way better than reading.

We stayed in our little bubble in the kitchen for what felt like a small infinity. However, it seemed nowhere near long enough.

He left begrudgingly when his phone went off, running away into the night like some vigilante, leaving me flustered and dizzied by him.