About That Night

XVI. wanna watch a movie?

Olivia

Twisting the doorknob, I slowly pushed the door open and walked inside Storm’s room. However, the person who just told me to come inside was nowhere to be found. Why did he even want me here when he didn’t want to be seen?

“What are you doing here?”

A scream almost escaped when a voice just spoke out of nowhere. With my heartbeat pacing up, I closed my eyes and calmed my heart down. He liked scaring the s**t out of me. When I thought I was fine, I opened my eyes to see Storm leaning against the barricade in the balcony, with his arms on the railings. He looked so gorgeous under the moonlight that hit his handsome face. I was drawn to him.

Passively looking, he stared at me without any emotion. Why couldn’t he just show me? Why couldn’t he just let me see through him? Of all the other people who thought they knew him, I believed I was the second to his family who really knew him better than anyone else out there.

That was before. Years had passed.

A voice in my head reminded me of that. I couldn’t forget that but I was with him for years too. Those times taught me a lot about him that I memorized all his likes and dislikes already. In those years, he always wanted me… always needed me.

Again, that was before. Things have changed and so has he.

“I thought you want to talk to me.” My voice came out hoarse. I wasn’t sure why. I was slowly approaching him with my cautious steps. His stare was so intense now it almost made me conscious. He didn’t take his eyes off me until I stopped about a meter away from me, just one step and I would already be stepping onto the balcony.

He turned his back on me and faced the night view ahead. “I can’t remember myself telling you that.”

I felt a pang in my chest when he said that. That was actually harsh but I understood his straightforward personality. I appreciated and respected his honesty even if it did hurt.  

“Oh, okay. I should go then. Sorry for disturbing you. Good night.” I sighed and turned around to walk out of his room when his voice stopped me.

“Lulu.”

My heart skipped a beat. I thought I stopped breathing for a while. Did he really just call me by that name? If he did, then that was the first time since I got here after eleven years. I was frozen. Overwhelmed, my feet were glued to the ground. I was unable to say a word or even just turn around to face him. I felt my eyes water and I closed them when I heard his footsteps coming my way.

“Hey.” His voice was soft and comforting.

I felt a hand cupping my cheek. I succumbed to his warmth like a lonely puppy.

“Open your eyes.” He softly demanded and then I felt him closer.

I obliged and I was staring into his mesmerizing blue orbs. They were deeply staring into me. I was afraid he could see right through me. We were polar opposites. I was vulnerable when it came to him. He was so passive, wouldn’t let me in. He took another step closer. I surrendered, letting all of my defenses down. I was weak, forgetting how cold he was to me.

This is what I wanted that’s why I’m letting him close to me.

I swallowed my pride and let him take another step closer until we were just an inch apart. He never let go of my face in the process. His thumb rubbing my cheek softly and I had to close my eyes again to feel him more. I liked that. It was so comforting.

“Am I… Am I dreaming?” My voice shook from all the emotions welling up inside me. I just had to make sure this was real because it was too good to be true. I had been wanting this closure since I got here. I just wanted to rekindle our friendship.

I want him back.

“No. This is real.” He whispered and cupped my face with both hands now. “Look at me.”

My voice hitched. It gave me chills when he was demanding like that. I opened my eyes again and looked at him. Stupidly, I found myself smiling but my eyes were watering. Those were tears of longing. I knew it was real when he leaned his forehead against mine and closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” He emotionally whispered. “I’m sorry I didn’t come to you. I’m sorry.”

“What… what are you talking about?” I was confused. I tried to think of what could possibly be the matter he was talking about. “Is it what happened to me with those girls today?” I guessed.

He nodded.

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “It’s really nothing to me. I even forget about it already.” I wanted to touch him but I was scared. My hands were itching to wrap around him. “Storm?”

“Yes?” He looked at me, pushing the tresses of hair that covered my face.

“Olivia!”

I jumped at the sudden masculine voice. I shook my head, blinked several times until I realized Storm was sticking his head out of his door.

Did I just imagine things?

I almost cussed right there and pitied myself. Secretly pinching my arm, I looked at him. An awkward chuckle escaped from me, my mouth forming a weird smile. My heart was beating fast because I was embarrassed even if he didn’t really know what I was thinking about.

“You need something?” He asked, getting impatient.

“No.” I shook my head.

“Then, what are you do–

”You said you want to talk to me.” I boldly cut him off.

He stared at me longer than he should. What was he thinking about? He seemed confused. He just didn’t show it on his face, but I knew him. I knew that face which was making me think he was trying to figure me out.

Suddenly, a smirk appeared on his face. He opened the door a little wider, just enough for him to lean on the doorframe, and crossed his arms over his chest. His biceps flexed as he did so. Ooh. Wow. Yummy.

Chin up, he said arrogantly, “I guess Star told you that.”

“Yeah.” I was too honest for my own liking. Sometimes, I hated that.

He scoffed and shook his head. “She’s lying. She just really wants to ship us two.”

“Oh, I see.”

I see you don’t want to talk to me.

“We’re talking.”

“What?” My brows rose up. That was when I realized I was thinking out loud again. I should try to work on that habit. It was really scary sometimes. Anyway, I took another step and nodded my head. “I guess I should go now.” I forced myself to smile at him before I turned around.

But before I could even take another step, his voice stopped me. “Olivia.”

This time, it was real. I wasn’t dreaming anymore. Nervousness and anticipation crept into me when my imagination started playing in my mind again. Was it going to happen for real now?

No. He didn’t call you ‘Lulu’.

Oh.

With that realization, I didn’t turn around. He’d just make me hope for something impossible.

“You need something?” I asked, making him eat his words.

Silence.

For what seemed like forever, a scoff suddenly escaped from him and then he just started laughing. I didn’t find it funny at all. His laugh was insulting enough that my hands curled up to fists. I wanted to hit his face and make it stop. He was getting under my skin. While he kept laughing, I continued my steps on the way to the staircase. He was so annoying.

“Olivia!” He called out. “Hey! Where are you going? Let’s talk! Hey, stop! I thought you want to talk!”

It was my time to scoff.

You couldn’t fool me

I didn’t stop. But just when I was ready to take a step downstairs, a hand touched my shoulder making me stop I sighed and turned around.

“What?” I sighed.

Storm suddenly leaned, making me take a step backward but my foot landed on nothing that I fell out of balance. I saw Storm’s eyes widened before my eyes shut tightly as I braced my death. I imagined myself falling and rolling down the stairs but nothing like that came.

When I opened my eyes again, I felt arms wrapping around me tightly. I heard heavy breathing like he was in a panic. Storm was hugging me tightly and breathing on my neck. One arm around my waist, the other on my head. I couldn’t speak. I was in shock. I couldn’t feel my body. It was too limp. Realizing all of it, my eyes began to water. Tears blurred my vision.

He just saved me.

He held me by the shoulders. “Are you crazy?! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!” He was still breathing heavily, unknowingly getting mad at me for almost getting myself killed. A frown was etched on his face. He was letting me see that he was scared.

I was out of words and I just let him pulled me with him back to his room. He made me sit on the foot of his bed. He kicked the door closed with more force than he should and paced the room.

Is he mad now? Did I make him upset?

Obviously.

I just watched him until I got tired of him pacing back and forth. A little it wobbly, I stood up and held both his arms to stop. He did and looked at me. I stared into his eyes and swiped the back of my hand across my wet cheeks. A grateful shaky smile appeared on my lips before I wrapped my arms around him. He hugged me back in an instant, hugging me the way he a few moments ago. I found my safe treatment. He was what I needed.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. Tears silently rolled down my cheeks.

“Don’t ever do that again.” He responded in a slightly demanding but caring voice.

I couldn’t help but clutch his shirt and hugged him tighter. “Thank you.” I cried.

He hugged me back tighter. “You scared me.”

Tears were flowing out uncontrollably when I pulled away and looked up at him. His jaw was clenched silently as he lifted his hand cupped my face. His thumb rubbed my tears away. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

I succumbed to the warmth of his hand as I closed my eyes again. “I won’t.”

You’ll be scared in another way.

“Hey.” His voice was soft and comforting.

“Open your eyes.” He softly demanded and then I felt him closer.

I obliged and I was staring into his mesmerizing blue orbs. They were deeply staring back at me. I was afraid he could see right through me. We were polar opposites. I was vulnerable when it came to him. He was so passive, wouldn’t let me in. He took another step closer. I surrendered, letting all of my defenses down. I was weak, forgetting how cold he was to me.

This is what I wanted that’s why I’m letting him close to me.

“Am I… Am I dreaming?” My voice shook from all the emotions welling up inside me. I just had to make sure this was real because it was too good to be true. I had been wanting this closure since I got here. I just wanted to rekindle our friendship.

I want him back.

“No. This is real.” He whispered and cupped my face with both hands now. “Look at me.”

My breath hitched. It gave me chills when he was demanding like that. I opened my eyes again and looked at him. Stupidly, I found myself smiling stupidly but my eyes were watering. Those were tears of longing. I knew it was real when he leaned his forehead against mine and closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” He emotionally whispered. “I’m sorry I didn’t come to you. I’m sorry.”

“What… what are you talking about?” I was confused. I tried to think of what could possibly be the matter he was talking about. “Is it what happened to me with those girls today?” I guessed.

He nodded.

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “It’s really nothing to me. I even forget about it already.” “Storm?”

“Yes?”

“Can I ask you a favor?”

“What is it?” His brows slightly furrowed in confusion.

“Please don’t tell Mom about what happened.” I pleaded politely.

“Why?”

“Just don’t.”

“As you wish.” I held the back of my head and put my head on his chest.

“Thank you,” I whispered, listening to his now steady heartbeat.

“Wanna watch a movie?”