chapter twenty two - part two

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"Stop playing footsie with me!" I complained, squirming closer to my side of the couch. I heard Tobias chuckle as he moved his feet closer to me once again.

"Why can't you watch a movie peacefully like a normal person?" I asked, sighing softly.

"No offense babe but, seeing a girl feel sorry about herself because her sister is marrying the guy she likes, who happens to be her boss, is not my type of movie," he replied, grabbing another spoon full of his ice cream.

"Hey," upbraided, glaring at him. "27 Dresses just so happens to be one of my favorite movies."

"Of course it does," he replied under his breathe. I kicked him in response, earning an amused eyebrow raise from him.

"So violent."

I snorted while redirecting my attention to Katherine Heigl and James Marsdsen dancing on the bar. "You're one to talk."

"Yeah well it's my job to be violent," he clarified. "You're distracting me from training by the way. I have a match tomorrow."

"I'm distracting you?" I asked flabbergasted. "Who was begging me to stay just a couple hours ago?"

Tobias's lips twitched into a smile. He has been smiling a lot recently. "You can help me you know."

"Eh? How?" My eyes still glued to the TV screen. One minute I saw Katherine Heigl fall from the bar and the next moment it was off.

"Hey!" I groaned, glaring at him. He was already off his couch. I saw him walk into his room and return wearing shorts.

"Don't look so sad sweetheart. If you want me to take my pants off again all you have to do is ask," he said, smirking. I scuffed at him and threw my blankets off of my body.

"Cockiness on a level of infinity."

He ignored my comment and laid down on a mat that was already set down. He started to do some stretches and I wondered what I should be doing.

"You can sit by me you know. I won't bite-- yet."

I blushed at his choice of words but sat down by him anyways. After he finished stretching he lied back down and began to fidget with his watch.

"Sit on my feet while I do curl ups," he demanded, finally looking up at me.

"This is not about to be one of those cliche scenes in the movies is it?" I asked, scooting to his feet. "You know where the guy reaches the girl once he finishes one set and she gives him a kiss."

Tobias laughed while putting his strong, toned arms under his neck. "Why? You want it to be?"

"No!" I said quickly, instantly feeling shy. "No more cheating remember?"

Tobias completed one curl up and puckered his lips, waiting for me to kiss him. Once he realized I wasn't going to kiss him he placed his large hands around the bottom of my head and kissed me roughly.

"Tobias!"

He laughed again before laying back down. "I usually complete about two hundred of these so be ready."

"I can't do this," I said, getting up. "I don't want to be a cheater."

I enjoyed being with Tobias, I couldn't deny that. I finally felt at ease and happy. But, the guilt of last nights activities finally seemed to catch up to me. I would have to see Julian almost everyday for Noel's wedding planning. I knew I had to lie to him but he was just so kind and sweet. It felt wrong just thinking of it.

"Reign," Tobias interjected, sitting up straight. "I'm sorry, okay? But do you blame me for wanting to kiss you?"

My heart sped up as I stared down at him. "What do you mean?"

Tobias got up and walked in front of me. I took a step back resulting in me hitting the couch, trapping me. Tobias sighed and cupped my cheek gently.

"I'm going to have to see you with another guy for nearly a whole month," he explained, his bright hazel eyes never leaving mines. "I'm going to have to see him hug you, kiss you, show you off like you're his."

His eyes wandered to my lips and I subconsciously did the same. "But dammit I want you to be mine."

He always managed to do this; looking at me with pure lust, telling me stuff I only dreamt of being heard, and touching me oh so delicately, electrifying every nerve in my body. He was the devil dressed up as angel. I was his and he was mines. Nothing else mattered as our lips connected and worked at one. Nothing at all.

~*~

"If you keep adding sugar to your coffee you're going to get diabetes," I told him, scrunching my nose as I saw him dump his fifth spoon full.

"I'm dying anyways," he said, adding another spoon full. "We all are."

"You sure are dying faster than us all," I replied, sticking out my tongue. "By injuring yourself and having very poor eating habits."

We were out in a small diner just a block away from Tobias's apartment. Hunger finally took over our bodies and of course Tobias had no food at home. Little frozen rain drops pattered against the window, creating a warm and cozy feel to the diner. I had a plate full of hash browns along with scrambled eggs, even though it was three in the afternoon, while Tobias ordered a large hamburger and a side of onion rings.

We sat in silence as we chewed our food. Our hands would brush against each other sometimes, surging electric currents through our bodies. We smiled shyly at each other, enjoying the little moments while they lasted.

"I... I have a question and I don't know how you'll take it," I suddenly said, putting my fork down.

Clank! Tobias dropped the sugar spoon in his cup before he could add yet another unhealthy portion. He look startled; his eyebrows were furrowed together and his mouth was slightly open.

"You can ask me anything."

I knew I threw him off. Nobody just bluntly says something like that unless it was serious. In a way I supposed it was. I was curious and the only way to put my mind at ease was by asking him.

"Your father... Have you seen him since you ran away?" I asked, feeling slightly anxious.

I don't know why I kept thinking about his father lately. Every time I looked at his scars it was a constant mnemonic of what he did to him. I wonder how Tobias must feel. He was a physical reminder of what he did to him and there was nothing he could do to get rid of them.

"No," he replied briskly. His face remained unchanged but I could tell he was bothered by my question. His body was tense; his hand was clutched in a fist and his posture was suddenly very straight.

"You haven't tried to contact him or-"

"Why are you asking me this?" He interrogated, clenching his jaw. "Huh?"

My eyes widened at his sudden outburst. "I'm just curious. We hardly know that much about one another and the only thing I do know about you is your past with your father."

Tobias frowned at me, probably debating in his mind whether he should believe me or not. I get it. If someone were to ask me about my tragic past I would think they had some kind of catch.

"What do you want to know? Besides my father," he finally said, picking his hamburger up slowly.

Hmm... What did I want to know? "How about your favorite color?"

Tobias chuckled, his mouth spreading into a wide smile that touched his eyes. "How'd I know you were going to ask that? It's grey by the way. A charcoal grey. What's yours?"

"Orange," I answered immediately. "It's been orange as long as I could remember."

Tobias scrunched up his nose. "Ew why orange? It's the ugliest color out there."

"Exactly why I like it. Nobody likes orange so why not like orange?"

Tobias shook his head while looking at me like I was crazy. "Favorite food?"

A smile formed on my face as I remembered freshman year of college. Tobias cocked an eyebrow at me, wondering what I was thinking, before returning a settling smile.

"I lived on Chinese food my whole freshman year. I had some really good memories that year," I explained. "You?"

"Popcorn."

Laughter flowed out my body as I stared at Tobias's serious face. I couldn't picture a tough guy like Tobias indulging in popcorn willingly. The whole thing seemed very un Tobias like hence my laughter.

After my laughter died down we discussed a few other things such as: our prom experiences (which of course he didn't attend), our most embarrassing moment (for me it was throwing up in front of my class in the ninth grade while for Tobias it was having a dream about wetting himself while taking the SATs only it wasn't a dream), and what we wanted in a family (a big family with at least four kids, something we both agreed on).

When I ran out of questions I ran my fingers around the rim of my own coffee cup. Tobias had already paid for the bill and we were both sitting across from each other in our booth, not wanting to leave each other. Leaving meant facing the real world, something we both weren't ready for just yet.

"Summer or winter?" I heard his husky voice ask.

I looked up at him and saw that he was leaning back on booth comfortably. He had a toothpick hanging out of his mouth loosely and his large, calloused hands were resting on the table, playing with the little sugar packets.

"Summer," I said, breathing in deeply. "Growing up money was always tight. I didn't get the special fancy vacations other kids got. I didn't even get to go to camp. So before work during the weekday my mom would drop me off at the library. She didn't have to pay for daycare and she knew I was safe there. I mean have you heard anything bad happening at the library?

"But on the weekends the city was our personal vacation destination. The place we lived at was pretty crappy: no AC or heat and the water was always slow and lukewarm. To make up for the lack of AC my mom took me to a different museum every weekend. It was the most fun I had all summer, it was what I looked forward to. On a rare occasion my mom would buy me ice cream from those overpriced carts all over Manhattan. I think that's when I knew I loved summer. I spent more time with my mom than other season. She picked up more shifts when summer was over, leaving me by myself on the weekends. While other kids wanted school to be over so they could stop doing homework, I wanted school to be over so I could be closer with my mom."

A small, sad laugh escaped my lips. "But of course all good things must come to an end. Once I started middle school our little trips stopped. My mom thought I was too old for them. I guess you can say my rebellious stage started pretty early then on. sH"

Tobias's hand found mines and he ran his fingertips through my knuckles. My eyes stayed on my lap. I was afraid if I looked up now my eyes would be filled with tears.

"All good things don't have to come to an end," he said softly, still stroking my knuckles tenderly. "I won't let us."

I finally looked up and saw his eyes looking at me with nothing but love. A tear escaped and Tobias brushed away as soon as it fell. His hand then rested in my cheek and I leaned into it, enjoying his warm hand against my cheek. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply.

If today was my last day alive I wouldn't mind. Today perfect. From waking up next to Tobias to ending it in a loving manner. The more I was around him the more I was falling deeply in love with him.

"I have to do something," he said, breaking me out my thought. I opened my eyes just as he gently removed his palm away from my cheek. 

His eyes looked distant as he looked at anything but me. He got up from his booth and patted all his pockets before finding his keys in his pants. Next he slipped his arms back into his jacket and buttoned it up quickly. His eyes finally met mines and he sighed in defeat. He walked in front of me before enduring me into a tight hug.

"Can you find a cab home?" He asked, his voice muffled. I nodded, wrapping my own arms around him. I felt his hand run through my recently straightened hair before he pulled back and left a small kiss on my temple.

"Goodbye Reign," he said quietly, so quietly I almost didn't hear it. Pain flashed through his face and I assumed my face mirrored his. I was never good at goodbyes. 

"Bye," I timidly replied.

Tobias left the diner without another glance. Instantly I was hit with nostalgia. Why did this goodbye feel so real?

My thoughts were interrupted by someone grabbing me. My breathing hitched when I saw Tobias standing in front of me once again. Before I could open my mouth he crushed his lips onto mines greedily. His hands wrapped around my small torso and pulled me against him roughly. We were hungry for each other's love. I moaned softly as he broke the kiss. Just as he was about to speak I glued my lips back onto his, eager for one last kiss, something I could hold onto.

"Saying goodbye is hard enough," I said, my breathing uneven. "Don't make it even harder."

With one gentle last kiss, Tobias left once again and this time it didn't feel like goodbye. Goodbye's were definite and promised to be the last time and I was not ready to let go of him just yet. Tobias's name was no longer on my mind but was written all over on my body. He was intoxicating and loving him made me feel alive in ways I never knew possible.

I feel like I could've done way better in this chapter however in going on vacation and I wanted to upload something and not leave you guys hanging. Please vote/comment!

Question: What do you think Tobias needed to do? Why did he need to leave so urgently?

Cleverest answer gets a dedication on the next chapter!


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