Emery closed the door, and leaned against it. A wide grin appeared on her face, she didn't know if her face was red. She didn't even know if her heart was hers or his. Maybe she was just overreacting a little too much this time. Or maybe it was just the rush of it all but whatever it was, she was on cloud nine. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9MIcSprLV
She walked to her room, and fell on her bed. She laughed at nothing, and at everything at the same exact time. His eyes were in her mind, his hands. This was supposed to be fake. An act, just so it could serve as an excuse for him to come over more often. But now, after tonight she didn't know if she wanted to pretend anymore. Emery thought in sending Cassian a goodnight text, but he sent her one first. Or well three... Nope, five. Damn.
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'Hope you're sleeping alright.'
'Just wanted to say, you forgot your perfume in the car.'
'I hope I didn't wake you up.'
'And tonight was really fun, don't know if you noticed but your kissed my lips. Maybe you thought it was the corner.'
'Any who, sleep well, little ghost.'
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Her heart nearly stopped, she blinked at the message. She kissed his lip, she couldn't believe it. Her thumbs hovered over the screen, debating what to write. Her mind was racing, blood pumping. So, she decided to send him a paragraph explaining her mistake, and apologizing.
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'I'm not sleeping so don't worry. And maybe tomorrow you can bring the perfume here, if that isn't trouble. And about the kiss, I'm so so sorry I did. I didn't mean to, I just wanted to give you a little thank you again before I went inside. I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable, and uneasy. And if you hate me because of it, I understand. I'll leave you alone, and we can drop this whole deal. I'll never talk to you again, and I'll just stay guilty.'
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A few minutes passed, and she could literally hear him laughing from the other side of the phone.
'Hate you? Love, why would I hate you over a kiss? I didn't complain did I? I was just saying, you really don't know me yet. But a kiss from you made my night, but sure I'll pass by tomorrow and give you the perfume back, and we can talk more about Ian and our deal. Sweet dreams, little ghost.'
She stared at her phone, and groaned. She hated how he was so smooth with everything. Soon she was fast asleep, dreaming of the kiss over and over and over again.
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Morning came along, her eyes opened slowly. She was still in the dress from last night, her hair nearly a birds nest. And worst part of it all was that Cassian would be there in twenty minutes. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01Jvthey8F
She stood up, and washed up, brushing her hair pulling it up into a messy bun and washed her teeth, changing into shorts and a baby blue tank top. Her mom had left for work, her dad as well. So it'd be less awkward when Cassian arrived. The door bell rang, and she walked down the stairs. There was a plate covered in aluminum foil, most likely pre-made breakfast her mom had made. She went to warm it up, and back to the door, opening it. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6sLPF7lUl
Cassian stood at the door, his same neutral expression on. He looked down at her, leaning in. Her heart started racing, she hadn't even noticed she was backing up against the door. He was too close, too close for her liking. His breath on her lips, and maybe just maybe her eyes started closing until his voice cut through the air. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTAvMNTLQ3
"Sleep well?" He said, stepping back just a bit. She blinked. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pakEKMrHZ
"What? Oh, yeah. I slept great." She muttered, closing the door. His shoes were already in his hand, as he peaked into the kitchen. Emery nearly jumped out of her skin when the microwave dinged signaling the food was done warming up. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUmEUZCIGk
"Oh, I'll be up in a second. You can go ahead if you want to. Do you want anything?" She asked, opening the microwave door. Cassian shook his head, smiling slightly.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFYYzaBEZ5
"Well, a peach would be great." He said, walking up the stairs. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JRmHJdKo6
"But we don't have peaches-" she gasped. "You're so dirty." She called out, and went up stairs. Cassian laid on the bed, as if he owned it.
"Here's your perfume. It smells great, you know? Reminds me of you... French Toast Dance? Really? You surely do know how to pick out scents." He joked, standing up and giving her the gold plastic bottle. She rolled her eyes, and opened her laptop. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTiA2z8lS5H
"Oh please, shut it. It's not like it's special or anything." She muttered, sitting down on the edge of the bed, Cassian's arms wrapped around her waist pulling her closer. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIocXWKbFi
"It's special to me though. Makes me think of you." He whispered, looking over her shoulder. Emery sighed, she couldn't believe this was happening. The boy she kissed last night, was now acting like a real boyfriend. Not that she cared or anything, but God... The way it felt, was amazing.
Three hours passed, and they still hadn't come up with anything of the night Ian went missing. Except for the unsent letter, which Emery still couldn't figure out who it was for. It was so frustrating it was going to kill her. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvPz0UAzj2
Her fingers fidgeted with the necklace Cassian had given her, as he talked about theories and ideas he thought of. Asked her if Ian had been acting strange days before he went missing, if he had been more distant. Maybe even had run away, which Emery had heard enough about at school. She thought that it was impossible to miss a fifteen year old boy just wandering the streets. And everyone knew everyone here in Willows' End, so there was no way in hell he could've gone far. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevnfOgN4VZ
But then again, Ian looked older for his age. Looked more mature than most fifteen year old boys, maybe it could've been a kidnapping. But then the AMBER Alerts would've gone off that day, right? Well, do they even go off if you're abducted from your own room? She didn't have the right mind to think it through at that moment. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbq2S8rEx3
The sun had started to set, casting a soft overglow into Emery's room from outside the room.
"It's hopeless." Emery muttered, closing the laptop. Cassian sat up, his hands finding her hips running his thumbs over them. He leaned down, kissing her pulse point quickly, but not too fast. Giving Emery some reaction time. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4XhL1VWAh
"No it's not, little ghost. We just have to keep looking. I know Ian will be okay. He has to be. Like you said, if he truly was missing he would've been found already. It's a small town, he couldn't have gotten far. Right?" He said, placing another soft kiss onto her neck. She nodded. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw76fCBonkM
"Right, but it's been six months almost seven. It's still on the news, still under investigation. But in the end it'll go cold. And everything will go to waste. I need to find him, he has to be found." She said, curling up. He grabbed her face, turning it towards him. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGy4udexcz
"It'll be okay. I have to go, before my parents say something about me arriving home late."32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwE3bq6WV7Q
"When will I meet your parents?" 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyE7l5zYfN
"When winter leaves and spring sets in." He said, getting off the bed and walking down stairs. She followed behind him, blinking. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9HidPA7EB
"Quit talking in riddles." 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFekSi5tYWB
They walked out onto the porch, where he finished putting on his shoes and turned to her, hands in pockets. He smirked, a soft smirk for once. He looked down at her. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogVZ9GBaFD
"It's part of my charm, love. Good night. And about the kiss, if I didn't want you to kiss me, I wouldn't be here talking to you like this. And if I wanted to kiss you, I would. But the time has to come." He leaned in, kissing her cheek softly. "And that isn't right now. Sweet dreams, love." He walked down the porch stairs and off into the night. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23O2zk7KR4
As she entered, she shook her head sighing. The things he did to her for no reason at all. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ647rRXni6g
"Stop it, Emery. You can't trust him." She said, closing the door to her room. The mist recoiling.
In the afterlight, these moments were crucial. Maybe because Venus couldn't stop going to Minerva for updates on the two of them. Minerva looked up from the pond, and sighed. 32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs11st2FAcF
"My sweet child, a moth flees the flame, yet circles the lantern. It denies the warmth, but craves the burn. Tell me, child…Is that fear I see, or longing disguised as wisdom? We'll have to see." She said, the mist recoiled once again. Because the worst was yet to come.
