Page 36 of Through You
Ares is boy of very few words when he’s sober. When he drinks though, he turns into a chatterbox.
“Are you listening to me, Clauuuuuuu?” he howls while pointing at me.
“Yes, you’ve told me four times already.”
He puffs like a deflating balloon.
“I don’t know what’s happening to me. Am I going crazy?”
“Ares, it’s four in the morning. Can you go to sleep?”
He shakes his head. “I need to see her.”
“Again, it’s four o’clock in the morning. She must be in bed.
Which is where you need to be right now.”
I’m staying with him because he’s set on going to Raquel’s house. If he visits in this condition, god knows what kind of racket he’ll make.
“I just want to see her for one second. Clau, please.”
“Wait until sunrise. I’ll even go along with you to see her.
Right now, I need you to go to sleep, please.”
Ares falls back on his bed and uses his forearm to cover his eyes.
“Clau, I don’t know what to do with these feelings.”
“You’re in love, you fool,” I mutter to myself.
After a few minutes spent in silence, Ares finally settles and falls asleep. I remove his shoes and unbutton his shirt so he can rest comfortably. I cover him with a blanket, and pause for a moment to watch him sleep.
He looks terribly vulnerable and innocent with his black hair all messy, framing his face. I’m happy that he’s at last found someone who makes him feel something real, someone who’s helped him break the pattern of shallow and meaningless one-night stands. I exit his room on tiptoes.
I try to keep my mind off what just happened between Artemis and me. My mind is still processing it. I go to bed with the memory of his lips on mine, his hands on my breasts and his finger inside me . . . argh. I bite my lip, thinking back to that exquisite orgasm.
I feel restless.
I don’t want to face this feeling I’ve fought for too long, but I can’t seem to shake it off. I’m apprehensive about seeing Artemis again. For some inexplicable reason, I don’t regret doing more than kissing; letting him touch me and use his fingers to bring me to sweet ecstasy. I just don’t know how to act around him now. I decide to go with the flow—I’ll go along with whatever happens between us. I’m tired of constantly fighting these emotions, and trying so hard to prevent what’s inevitable.
Perhaps he and I need to spend a night together to put this attraction to rest; to close this chapter and move on.
But what if we spend this one night and I want more?
This is unknown and dangerous territory for me. I wouldn’t dare try it with anyone else. But this is him. Artemis has always conveyed a sense of peace and security, and I want to believe that he won’t hurt me.
But what if I’m wrong?
Well, I’ll deal with it. I can’t keep myself stuck in this safe space my whole life. Ugh, I don’t even know what to think anymore; what happened is jumbling my thoughts.
The next morning, I’m gathering my hair into a messy bun as I make my entrance into the kitchen to prepare breakfast, and I almost die of a heart attack when I find Ares sitting at the table.
He looks like he didn’t get a wink of sleep. He’s still wearing the same clothes from last night and has huge dark circles under his eyes.
“Good morning?” I address him inquisitively because he looks asleep even though his eyes are wide open.
He offers me a quick glance and goes back to staring off into space.
