The End of Everything

DEREK POV:

At exactly six there was a small knock on the door and I sprung up from the couch to answer it. I flung the door open and standing in the hall stood Aella.

I grabbed her by the waist as she tilted her head up to meet mine and our lips collided. My tongue slipped over hers as I pulled her into the apartment. She kicked the door closed and I backed her against it. She stood pinned by my body for the second time today, but this time I wasn’t hurting her.

Her hands twisted in the fabric around my collar to pull me closer. I pulled her shirt up and over her head as we broke apart panting for air. My lips rushed back to hers and she wrapped her legs around my hips. I kissed down to her neck then dragged my tongue down her collarbones and she pressed against me.

My shirt was pulled off and then I started walking us to my bedroom. I dropped her on the bed and started undoing my belt buckle. Her hands folded over mine to stop me from pulling down my pants.

“I can’t yet. I’m supposed to wait a while…” She trailed off.

I nodded and sighed, “So you really did it.”—She couldn’t look me in the eyes as she nodded—“I understand.”

Her face jerked around to look at me again and her jaw hung open. I tried to smile, but managed only something that probably made me look like I was holding back bile. She closed her mouth quickly and ran a hand through her wavy brown locks.

“A, I’m tired of fighting. I never looked at it through your eyes and I’m sorry.”

“I wish I didn’t do it.” She mumbled. So do I, I thought. She laid down on the bed and I laid down facing her. Our noses brushed as we lay there and I could feel her breath tickling over my lips and neck. We stayed there in silence and her eyes slowly drifted closed.

“Why is that?” I asked casually.

“I feel empty and alone even with you here. I just got so scared. Derek, my mom and I, we raised her. It was so hard. I always got so mad at her. It was frustrating. She was older than my mom, but acted younger than me. My mom only paid attention to her and I got jealous. I always yelled at her and then one day she was dead.

“I couldn’t do that, not again. That anger I would have was intractable. I would get caught up in it. I didn’t want to get mad like that again. I didn’t want to hate something we created. Please don’t hate me.” She whispered.

I rested my forehead against hers and shook my head. “I could never hate you. Everything I said I never meant. It’s your body and I respect that. I also respect your opinion. I was lucky to never have to experience the things you had to. I’m sorry. I can’t loose you again.”

She laced her fingers through mine and kissed my knuckles softly. I sighed and pulled her closer to me. She would periodically open her mouth as if to say something, but she always closed it before any words came out. The silence between us was peaceful and comforting. We had said all we needed to say.

“Can we try again?” She asked cautiously.

“We can try a million times.” I smiled and pressed my lips to hers. My hands fell to her hips and she rolled over to be on top of me. Each of her curves fit into mine perfectly. I could feel the pounding of her heart and the chill of her skin begin to warm from the heat I radiated.

She pulled back and rested her head on my heart. “When we try again can I be you wife?”

“What are you trying to say there missy?”

She looked up at me and I could see a blush on her cheeks. “Will you marry me?”

“You took the words right out of my mouth.” I reached over to my dresser and picked up the small box she had given me back earlier that day. She took it from my hands and slowly opened it feigning surprise at the ring within.

“Since I proposed do I put it on your finger?” I felt her shake with giggles and snorted at her question as she slipped it back onto her ring finger.