Skin + Bones

♪Beautiful Soul - Jesse McCartney♪

Cecilia soon learned that Jimin was simply a very clingy friend. He was the type of friend who was touchy-feely. He always liked to be holding someone's hand, to be leaning on someone, to be cuddled up next to someone. Physical contact was his thing. He also had no problem showing physical affection. Other people staring didn't bother him. Especially when it was with his male friends, he just didn't seem to care. Jimin clearly wore his heart on his sleeve.

Cecilia was jealous, in a way. She wanted to be special to him, she would admit. She had thought she was- that his clinginess and touchiness had only been for her. She wasn’t trying to complain about the boys natural affinity for affection, however, she would complain about just how much her feelings for him began to tumble out of control everytime he did touch her.

She had grown comfortable around Jimin, taking the bus to and from school everyday with him. He became the reason she even went, just so she could see his smiley face. She wouldn't tell him that, though, because as she had also learned, he liked to tease her. He never did take it too far, but would do it just to get her to crack a smile. A rare thing to be able to make Cecilia do.

She tried not to read into things too much, though. Even when they would part ways, Jimin would text her throughout the evening. She found herself smiling and laughing more than she used to. Her parents certainly had noticed.

“So who's the cute boy who has you all smiley?” Her dad asked, drying the dishes that Cecilia was washing.

“What? No one,” She quickly responded.

“Oh, c’mon. I know it's someone. I do hear you giggling to yourself after looking at your phone. Someone is making that happen,” He teased her.

“He's just a friend, dad,” Cecilia said, trying to convince both her father and herself.

“If you say so,” He laughed lightly, reaching to put a dish away.

It was a Saturday afternoon in May when Jimin had called her cellphone, the air was warm indicating that summer was just around the corner. She both dreaded and looked forward to the season.

“I’m taking you for ice cream,” He announced, ignoring the usual formalities when having a telephone call.

“But- that's such a far walk,” Cecilia responded, closing her bedroom door, hoping her family wouldn't eavesdrop. It wasn't becoming unusual for them to occasionally see each other on the weekends now that the weather was nicer.

“That's okay, I'll drive us,”

She could hear the excitement in his voice.

“You got your license?!” Cecilia responded with equal joy.

Jimin had been talking about getting his second class license, so he could drive on his own, for the past month. He had passed the required amount of time needed for the first class and had been practicing driving with his mother. He had talked to Cecilia about how nervous he was, thinking he wouldn't pass. She had tried to encourage him but moral support wasn't one of her specialties.

“Yeah, and I'm already outside your house, so let's go,” He giggled, the laugh that she loved to her, the one that set the butterflies free in her tummy.

“What- oh my god, Jimin-”

“Times ticking, I'll go for ice cream without you,” He teased as she hung up the phone, grabbing her purse from beside her bed. Luckily she had gotten properly dressed that day and hadn't stayed in her pajamas as usual.

“I'm going to hang out with friends, be back soon!” Cecilia called as she slid on her sneakers, opening the door to find a little Volkswagen parked out front. She quickly walked to the passenger side, opening the door and sliding in.

“I was just about to leave, perfect timing,” Jimin smirked, putting the vehicle into drive and taking off.

“Oh shut up,” Cecilia laugh, shoving his arm a bit before putting her seatbelt on.

“Here,” Jimin said when he stopped at a red light, holding out a cord for Cecilia, “Play some music,”

“Oh, you won't like my music,” She waved her hand.

“Suit yourself,”

He plugged his phone in, checking the light to see if it was green yet before pressing the shuffle button on a playlist. He set his phone into the cup holder.

Immediately, Cecilia recognized the song. How could she not recognize that catchy guitar riff? It had practically defined her childhood. Jimin started driving again, passing through the intersection, as he began to sing along.

“I don't want another pretty face, I don't want just anyone to hold, I don't want my love to go to waste,” Jimin sang, over exaggerating his gestures. He placed his hand on her thigh, “I want you and your beautiful soul,”

He made a funny face as he sang the line, almost completely countering the effect the hand on her leg was having. Cecilia joined in singing, although she didn't sound as angelic as Jimin did.

Occasionally she’d pause, and just listen to him, but she couldn't help but sing along. They laughed as they goofed around, occasionally singing out the window at people they passed. His playlist continued to play throwback songs, each one Cecilia practically squealed over, having almost completely forgotten about their existence. Jimin was amazed at her ability to remember the lyrics despite that fact.

The music stopped as they pulled up to the ice cream parlor. Jimin parked before they entered the small building on the busy street. He grasped her hand and smiled, leading her through the door. They stepped up to the counter and each ordered a different kind of sundae, agreeing to share with one another. There were only a couple tables outside of the parlor, thankfully one was free. The two sat down, digging into their ice cream.

Cecilia wasn't afraid of being around Jimin anymore. She didn't feel like he was judging her, that he was going to turn around and throw a nasty insult in her face one day, that he wasn't going to act like all the other 'friends’ she had had. He made her comfortable. He acted goofy and made funny ugly faces while somehow simultaneously being attractive.

Cecilia was happier than she had been in a very long time.

Jimin was… well, her best friend, if not her only friend. But Cecilia wanted more. She wasn't sure of how to go about talking about those kinds of feelings, especially not with Jimin. They didn't really talk about that kind of thing. Not because they didn't want to, simply because neither of them had brought up a sensitive subject that would allow them to open up and be vulnerable.

Cecilia was lost in her thoughts when Jimin waved his spoon in front of her face. She looked up at his face, his round cheeks plump from his smile. Sometimes she just really wanted to squish his face and kiss him. She was beginning to come to terms with the fact that she did have a crush on him. That was the easy part.

Stop. He doesn't have a crush on you, don't get your hopes up, Cecilia thought to herself.

That was the difficult part.

As Jimin dipped his spoon back into his ice cream and held it out to her, chocolate syrup dripping from it, she opened her mouth to accept it. Chocolate syrup dribbled down her chin as he grabbed a napkin to wipe it off with.

At the most embarrassing moment possible for Cecilia, a female voice had called out to Jimin.