Protective.
1393 Words
For the next hour I occupied myself cleaning up the mess I called my bedroom. The piles of clothes began finding their way into their correct drawers or into the laundry basket, if I get bored enough I might convince myself to start a load. I was trying to focus on anything but the negative feeling in the pit of my stomach. Ever since my nightmare, my house didn’t bring me the comforting feeling it always had. The feeling someone was watching me felt constant and I couldn’t shake it.
*Knock, knock, knock*
My heart stopped.
Kieran hadn’t called yet so I knew it couldn’t be him. The lump in my throat was making it hard to breathe.
*knock, knock, knock*
I walked slower than I ever had to my front door. I could feel the sweat starting to bead on my lower back and my hands became clammy. I cautiously attempted to peek through the small side window adjacent the door. Unfortunately for me it was stained glass and the person was facing the road now, I couldn’t quite make out who it was but it definitely wasn’t the shadow man. I unlatched the locks and slowly opened the door. A blur of red waves swirled around finally revealing my visitors face.
“What took you so long!”
She left me no time to respond before I was engulfed into a hug and drug back into my house. I closed the door behind us and re-latched the locks.
“Paranoid much?”
I roll my eyes.
“Bo what are you doing here?”
I can’t contain my smile but I am genuinely confused.
Blossom was a genuine beauty. She was only an inch or two taller than me and had the most gorgeous red wavy hair that was effortlessly perfect. Our matching blue eyes were the only tell tale sign of us being sisters.
“I honestly don’t know Clo, I was heading to town and I just had to see you.”
I pull her into me and finally feel the safety I’d been missing with Kieran gone.
We sat on the couch and I spent the next two hours telling her.. well.. everything. If there was one thing about me and Bo you could count on it was that we couldn’t keep secrets from each other. Bo couldn’t keep the look of shock out of her eyes. She was doing her best to talk calm and rationally but the wrinkle between her eyes said it all.
“What the hell are you going to do Clover?”
She was mad at me, I could hear it in her voice.
“I don’t know Bo, I really think I’m falling in love with him I swear.”
Bo furrowed her brow deeper.
“Clover ‘fated’ or not you just met this guy. You’re not going to ‘meet his friends’ alone are you deluded? You know you sound like mom right now, right?”
She knew that was the worst insult she could throw at me.
“This isn’t the same Blossom, I’m nothing like her and you know that.”
She genuinely hurt my feelings with that one. She rolled her eyes so hard I bet she could see the back of her skull.
“Lusting after a man with no regard for your safety.. sounds like the apple is falling right next to the tree.”
Bo raised an eye brow and crossed her arms. The temperature in the room felt like it went up 20 degrees, I was sweating.
“Bo I promise I’m not blind to how this looks.. if you feel this strongly why don’t you stay and meet him. Then if you still feel uncomfortable I won’t go with him. Cross my heart.”
Her face softened.
“Fine.. but if I don’t like him you’re not going end of story.”
I smirk,
“Who’s the big sister here? Someone’s getting a little bossy.”
I could see my phone screen light up from its spot on the end table.
Blossom giggled and pulled me up off the couch.
“Let me fix your hair before he gets here, you look like you’ve been through a tornado.”
I was definitely taking her up on that offer. Bo ran the straightener through my hair and helped me with just the right amount of makeup. Since she was already in a dress she insisted I wear one too. She rifled through my closet and pulled out two options I didn’t even remember buying.
“I like the blue one but maybe we should do this green one it’s more your vibe.. specially since I’m wearing blue.. I don’t want us looking like we were trying to match.”
She tossed the dress at me and I stepped into it to not ruin my hair. It was a soft mint colored dress that fell just above my knees. It really hugged me in all the right places which is clearly why I bought it.
“Clo it’s perfect you look so pretty.. aww you have one of your Poppy necklaces on too!”
I forgot I still had on the small clover necklace from earlier. Blossom was playing the with the charm on her necklace as well. I’m pretty sure all of our jewelry was hand picked by Poppy. Bo’s necklace was silver with a delicate pink flower petal hanging from it. Classic Poppy choice.
Bo tugged me over to my floor length mirror and stared at us side by side.
“Oh Clo I’d kill for your body you little piece, this guy is lucky he gets to see you in this dress.”
I scanned us both was to toe and couldn’t help furrowing my brows at her. She had the most gorgeous hourglass figure and I looked more like a pear .. especially in this green color.
“Are you insane Bo? I’d kill for a fraction of your chest, mine barely exists.”
She spun me around to face her.
“You are literally insane you are perfect.” She took me into another hug and held both my hands.
*knock, knock*
This time the knocking awakened the butterflies in my belly. I squeezed Bo’s hands and opened the door. There he was in all his glory. He had on a black button down that left nothing to the imagination even though it was buttoned to the top. His grey slacks fit him perfectly and his hair looked freshly washed. Without wasting time he scanned me head to toe while grabbing the base of my neck. He lifted me into a warm delicate kiss that left my lips tingling. As our body’s parted I could see his eyes look over my shoulder. I turned to my sister who was silently nodding.
“I get it Clo..” she kept nodding and began a soft slow clap. I could feel the heat in my cheeks rising from embarrassment.
“Kieran this is my sister Blossom. Bo this is Kieran O’Conner.”
Kieran stepped past me and took Bo by the hand.
“A pleasure to meet you Miss Blossom, I hope your sister told you good things.”
Bo licked her teeth under her lips and narrowed her eyes.
“She’s told me some .. things.. but I’ve got my eyes on you. Clover is very important to me and I won’t be happy if you do ANYTHING to make her unhappy.”
He still had her by the hand but quickly dropped it like it was on fire.
“I think I’m going to like you.” Kieran was grinning ear to ear. He looked back to me,
“Are you ready to go?”
Bo chimed in quickly,
“I’m ready, how ‘bout you Clover?”
She walked past him and interlocked our arms. I had to laugh, it was a very Bo thing to do to insert herself into situations where she felt the need to protect me. Kieran walked back to the door and opened it for us ushering us out,
“Ladies, after you.”
We both got into his truck, me in the middle with Kieran to my left and Bo to my right. This was going to be an interesting ride.
- Writer
