Fairytale Green

The bell rang and indicated the end of the day. Mr Dankworth wrapped up the lesson as everyone in the classroom gathered up their stuff and got ready to leave.

Just as the first person reached the door, the old English teacher called to the class ‘Remember that your paired essays are due. They were meant to be in for tomorrow, but I know all of you are excited for The Fall Ball so submit your essays online by Saturday please.’

The Fall Ball had been the talk of the school, but it was not the only one. Travelling through the halls of Leavendale high was the excitement for the beach fight club or what they liked to call Litora Bello.

I had not spoken to Chase, and he was the only one that spoke about it to me, so I never knew a lot about the upcoming fighting event. I do however know it was a big one. I heard one guy in biology say it was the semi-finals or something along those lines.

Lana and Brennan walked in front. They had both decided to work through things, but they planned to do that slowly.

Stone and I walked out of the classroom last because I wanted to give Mr Dankworth one of his books back. The old man only thanked me and exchanged it for another.

Mr Dankworth’s mood had been more jovial than normal. I had a suspicion that it had something to do with the gigantic male that had his muscular arm around my waist.

The halls were crowded and noisy and that is why Stone leaned in to say ‘Getting another book from your teacher. You are such a nerd.’

‘The pot calling the kettle black.’ I nudged him in the stomach ‘Do not think I will let you borrow the book after I am done with it.’

From a few meters in front, Lana turned around and her expression was filled with fear ‘Did you know people are already applying for college?’

‘Applications usually do need to be handed in by Christmas’ I tried to break the news gently.

‘How could people have applied already?’ She moaned in frustration ‘It has not even been Halloween yet.’

I joined Lana as I walked next to her down the corridor, so I did not have to shout ‘Do not stress. You have plenty of time. I thought you had your heart certain on UCLA and the music programme there.’

A weak nod was her reply before she looked to the boys ‘Have you applied yet?’

‘I am not planning on going to college. I do not need any further qualifications to get into training for a surfing instructor.’ Brennan replied before sharing a look with the larger guy who was looking at me ‘Stone is already a fully qualified mechanic. He is not going either.’

Lana nodded then turned my way ‘Have you?’

I offered a shrug ‘I am going to apply to a few and keep my options open.’

‘What about your dream?’ She countered back with.

‘Yes. A dream. That is all that it was.’ I voiced, knowing what she was talking about.

Stone interjected while peering down at me ‘What was your dream?’

‘It is nothing and it is stupid.’ I waved it off.

Tutting, my best friend elaborated ‘Since she was five years old, it has been Ella’s dream to go Harvard and study English literature.’

‘I do not care that much about it.’

Lana rebutted ‘I even have a photo of five-year-old her with a jumper on that has the Harvard logo on it.’

‘You do?’ I asked, unconvinced that she did.

She did not answer me and instead, she spoke to Stone while getting out her phone from her bag ‘Do you want to see it?’

Stone nodded at her before sending a smirk my way.

Lana turned her phone, so the screen was facing in our direction. To my absolute horror, it was a picture of five-year-old me. The picture was of me on a park swing with my Harvard logo sweatshirt and my two missing front teethed smile.

Mortified, I bit out ‘Why do you even have that?’

‘Cute.’ Stone’s rough voice said against my ear as he leaned down to tease me.

‘Shut up.’ I uttered before addressing Brennan ‘Do you have any baby photos of Stone?’

‘No.’ Brennan laughed ‘Why would I?’

I pointed accusingly at him ‘You are no use to me.’

Brennan started a conversation with his maybe-girlfriend when Stone’s large hands rested on my hips.

The giant made me face him as he told me gruffly ‘You need to apply to Harvard.’

My head shook at his words ‘I cannot do that.’

He frowned ‘Why not?’

‘There are a million reasons.’ I stated before I began to list them ‘The acceptance rates are staggeringly low. Like under twenty percent and that is for people in wealthy areas and private schools. Then the English course is two point something percent acceptance. That is crazy—’

‘And you are crazy smart.’ Stone cut me off in a tone that sounded so stern that it left no room for argument ‘Apply.’

Crossing my arms, my bottom lip went over my top in an almost pout ‘Not happening, Lurch.’

He scowled and I almost let out a laugh at his scary he looked.

‘I have as much chance of getting into Harvard as you have of fitting through a cat flap.’ I told him as I smiled up at the grumpy face.

‘You are the smartest person I know.’ He uttered determinedly ‘They would be fucking idiots not to want you.’

Jumping up, I put my hand on his forehead for a split second before grinning ‘Now I have only read two medical books in my life, and I am in no way a professional, but I think you are lovesick.’

Stone chuckled. He shook his head at my silliness, but he did not deny it.

Brennan butted in as he sent Stone a smirk ‘I think if we called mom for a professional perspective then she would agree with Ella’s diagnosis.’

The four of us said our goodbyes before Stone and I walked in the opposite direction across the parking lot.

He took my hand and led me to his motorbike but before I could put on the small green helmet that he had bought me a few days ago, he lifted me up and put his lips on mine to show me how much he had missed me.

Image

I crossed my legs on the sofa as I continued to bash the keyboard of my laptop in an attempt to finish my essay.

The trouble with getting it finished was due to the fact that I always seemed to write something a little too personal for a personal essay about Stone.

I had given up trying to hide what I was writing from the unfaltering gaze of the guy who was next to me.

In my peripheral vision, I saw a small smirk from Stone as he pointed to the computer screen and voiced ‘I like that line.’

‘Everyone exaggerates in their essays. None of the good things I am writing about you are not true.’ I replied as I tried to cover my smile ‘Are you not working on your paper?’

‘I finished mine a week ago.’

I stopped typing and I peered over at him while sending him a taunting smile ‘That is because you have a much more interesting subject to talk about.’

‘That I do.’ He chuckled ‘Although you seem to be getting on fine. You are nearly finished writing about me.’

‘I would have had mine done sooner,’ I stated before accusing ‘If it were not for you distracting me.’

I heard his husky laugh while I saved my work and exited the page. I was about to go off the programme when he stopped me by putting his hand on mine.

Following where it looked like he is reading, I noticed the document titled Untitled Book.

‘Did you write a book?’ He asked as he loved his attention to me ‘I thought you said you had not.’

Twirling a strand of my hair, I stared down at the pattern of the sofa while speaking ‘I wrote a few chapters, and it was not very good. I was always meant to go back and finish it but I guess I never got the chance to.’

His lip moved up in a small teasing smile ‘Can I read it?’

‘No way!’ I exclaimed before manoeuvring the laptop further away from him.

Stone laughed at my flustered face, but he questioned while sounding intrigued ‘What is it about?’

‘It is a sci-fi story about the nature of humans.’ I told him ‘An idea just came into my head a year ago and I wrote down the first chapter and a few ideas. It was meant to be a futuristic social experiment kind of book. Think Lord Of The Flies with UFO’s.’

He was studying me as I spoke and listening intently like he did not want to miss a word.

Then he offered a response ‘I need to read it, Drizella’

‘No!’

I glared at him and he glared right back. I deduced that he was not going to give up so I handed him the lap begrudgingly

‘Fine. There you go.’ I said with a sigh ‘If you laugh then I will take that pillow behind your back and suffocate you.’

Clicking on the file, he started reading eagerly and a smile lit up his striking face. I, on the other hand just sat while fidgeting with a piece of thread loose from the sofa.

Deciding that I could not stay and wait for him to read the book, I announced “I am hungry. I am going to make toast. Do you want some?’

A nod was all I got because he was too busy glued to the screen like the words had put a spell on him.

I stomped through to the kitchen, annoyed at myself for letting him read it. It had been a year since I wrote the chapter, and I could not remember exactly what I had written. It could be complete trash. I expected his taunting laugh to fill the small apartment in no time at all.

However, it was silent as I took out the bread and placed two bits into the toaster.

In my opinion, toasters were too advanced because the toast was ready in no time at all. It meant that I was closer to facing the humiliation and facing Stone.

I took out the jam and spread it over my piece like it was going to be hung on the Louvre. I coated the same area three times to kill some time.

Muscular arms snaked around my waist as Stone pressed up behind me. He leant down and nuzzled his face into my neck.

A shiver travelled down the length of my spine as his deep voice reverberated against my earlobe.

‘Turns out that my girlfriend is one hell of a talented writer.’ He spoke.

‘You are just saying that.’ I laughed nervously while licking the jam of my finger ‘It was one chapter. It is nothing.’

‘The way you describe things is beautiful, Medusa.’ He rasped out ‘You have a way with words. I do not think you even need college. I do not think you need to get any better.’

Embracing his warmth, I let my neck fall back so I could see him as I spoke ‘What are you after, you flatterer?’

‘Does writing make you happy?’ He asked, ignoring my question.

‘Yes.’

He smiled at me ‘Then I want you to finish it.’

‘Thank you for believing in me’ I said gratefully before I grabbed both plates and handed one to him ‘Here. Now, let’s go watch a movie.’

‘Addams Family?’

‘Addams Family’ I confirmed while matching his grin.

He went through and set up the movie while I sat down and tucked into my toast which was way too sickly. The jam needed a shovel to be taken off. I munch away at the food as I got myself comfortable on the sofa.

Stone joined me after he was done with the TV. He lifted my legs and then sat down to place them back where they were but now, I was resting on him.

As the opening credits appeared, he was more interested in laughing at my sparkly galaxy socks that read cutest in the galaxy.

‘So why is this your favourite movie?’ He questioned in an amused tone.

‘The witty dialogue, the spooky aesthetic of the movie, countless other things and not at all because it reminds me of someone.’ I teased while inwardly grinning wickedly ‘Why did you like it when you first watched it, Lurch?’

Avoiding my eye for a second or two, he then met my gaze and admitted ‘I had never heard of it until you mentioned it the night we met.’

‘Really?’ I said while acting clueless.

‘I watched it the same night.’ He lowly confessed before grumbling ‘So fucking whipped.’

The last bit of his sentence was quiet, and I did not think I was meant to have heard it.

I found it so cute that he was shy. I found it really endearing that he chose to open up to me so much.

He was staring at me intently and that is when I realised that It should have been a shock to me. I covered my mouth and gasped. It was no Oscar-winning performance, and anyone could have seen that I was faking my surprise.

Stone sent a glare my way, but I could see a hint of amusement ‘You already knew that, didn’t you?’

‘No.’ I replied sweetly, shaking my head violently.

His death glare continued before his attention went back to the screen. He acted like he was unhappy as he kept his eyes firmly on the television. It did not last long as he caved after thirty seconds. He grabbed my foot and pulled me onto his lap. His arms wrapped around my body instantly.

I poked his chest to wind him up further, but I could not help but grin up at him ‘You look like this big scary tough guy, but you are secretly just a big softie.’

‘Only for you.’ He spoke, his voice dropping an octave.

After the conversation, it felt unfair that he had confessed something, and I had not so I decided to even out the playing field.

‘I was attracted to you instantly. Like as soon as I met you.’ I said as I rested the side of my face on his chest ‘It was actually kind of terrifying.’

‘I know you were.’

Crossing my arms, I stumbled over my words ‘But…but I thought I hid it so well?’

‘You did.’

At his light and totally not serious tone, I elaborated on my original statement ‘Then you called my hair sick coloured and I wanted to kiss you and kill you at the same time. After then what I had to do was remind myself of all the stuff I did not like about you, so I did not end up liking you more.’

‘Like what?’ He chuckled ‘What do you not like about me?’

I gave an example ‘Nobody can annoy me like you. You know exactly what to say or do to push my buttons. I love yet hate how you know me better than anyone else. You know me better than I know myself. I also love and hate how competitive I get when I think that you might beat me at something. It used to scare me how you were my match in every way.’

He left a kiss on my collarbone ‘What else?’

‘Well…’ My mind went blank, and I muttered out lamely ‘Nothing is coming to me. Give me a minute.’

‘Do you want to know what I dislike about you?’ He asked but as he gazed down at me it was not dislike present in his eye.

‘What do you mean?’ I stuck out my tongue ‘I am perfect.’

‘You are my first thought when I wake up and before I fall asleep and every second in between. I love it but it is hard to get anything done when I am too busy thinking about what you are doing.’ He professed while staring softly down at me while he played with my hair ‘Also you sleep too long in the mornings. I wake up early and you are still sleeping. Even if you are in my arms, I miss you speaking to me. So, when you are still laying asleep in the morning, I try to wake you up so you will talk to me, but you do not budge.’

I was speechless. I stared up at the giant with a dropped jaw.

‘I think you would sleep through a hurricane.’ He mentioned.

‘What time do you get up at in the mornings usually?’ I curiously questioned.

‘Six.’

‘I was going to compromise my sleep time but there is no way I am getting up at six a.m.’ I said in faux horror before asking ‘What do you do in the mornings before I wake up?’

‘Work out.’ He replied.

‘You work out here?’ I replied in disbelief.

I would definitely get up at six in the morning to see that. What a sight that would be to wake up to.

He nodded and explained, ‘Just sit ups and push ups.’

‘Why? It is not like you need to get any bigger.’ I pointed to his hugely built body ‘You are already unbelievably ripped.’

Stone laughed and pulled me closer into his unbelievably ripped chest while he stared down at me.

Something came to mind, so I shared it to him with delight in my voice ‘I just remembered something that I dislike about you.’

His eyebrow raised as he watched me grin.

‘You do not put anything on your toast.’ I motioned to his plate with the plain toast ‘No butter or jam or anything. What kind of mutant does that?’

‘That is your only big dislike about me?’ He taunted and he looked too pleased with himself.

Rolling my eyes and taking another bite of my toast, I looked back at the Lurch on screen ‘There is plenty more. I just do not want to hurt your feelings.’

It looked like he was leaning in to kiss me and that is when I see my chance. I reached for my plate and swiped some jam onto my finger. Just when his lips were about to meet mine, I wiped the jam on his nose down to his cheek.

He pulled back. Only slightly but it was enough space so I could jump off his lap with a giggle and admire my work.

His smirk was predatory as he chuckled darkly ‘You have three seconds to run.’

I did not linger. I bolted out of the living room and into the hallway like a bat out of hell.

I knew there was no use. Three of my steps were equal to one of his. He did not waste any time before catching me.

He took one step forward and I took one step back. I was being backed into a corner. Eventually, our steps came to an end as I was caged between him and the wall.

His body was pressed right up against mine. It made me lean my head back against the wall to see him. He towered over my trapped from with a smirk.

That was until he brought his mouth down onto mine and punished me with sweet torturous kisses.

A low groan escaped from his chest, and it had to have been the sexiest sound I had ever heard.

Stone was kissing the life out of me. He grabbed my butt and lifted me up and onto him so that my legs had wrapped around his middle.

I was never planning to stop bickering with him. Especially when the reward was his mouth on mine.

I always compared everything to something else. It was just how I learned to understand the world around me, but I had no comparison for him. He was everything.

Something vibrated against my foot, so I pulled away and looked down at the pocket in his jeans. His phone was lit up with a call. I did not get the chance to read who it was because Stone grabbed it.

He let out a deep sigh of frustration before he picked it up.

I was about to climb down from him, but he tightened his hold on me.

His greeting to the person on the phone was complete silence. He said nothing and listened before he offered a sentence ‘I will come and pick it up now.’

My body was placed on the ground as he hung up the phone and put it back into his jean pocket.

I tilted my head at him in question about what he was doing.

His mouth went back on mine for a quick kiss before he half-explained ‘I need to go and pick up something from work. I will be half an hour.’

I nodded and offered him a small smile to hide my disappointment ‘It is fine. I need to proofread my essay and then I might have a bath. My back is still really sore from sleeping on Lana’s floor all night.’

He kissed the top of my head before he left.

I went back through to the sofa and spent some time editing my essay. After I was happy with my work and made sure that none of the details would give Mr Dankworth a heart attack, I submitted it online.

With relief that the essay was finished and I had it done by the deadline, I skipped through to my room and cleaned the place up a bit. My messy book piles became a slightly more organised messy book pile. After twenty minutes of cleaning in the loosest term of the word, I stripped my clothes off and grabbed a towel before heading to the bathroom.

As soon as the bathtub was filled and the bubbles nearly reached the top, I climbed in and emerged my whole body including my face into the water. The warmth made my eyes close and for a matter of a few minutes, I felt relaxed.

That was until the knock on the door.

Stone walked in and noticed me in the tub. He made his way into the middle of the bathroom, and he sat down next to the tub. Even when he was sitting down at a lower level than I was, he was still much taller.

I was not embarrassed. I had a layer of bubbles covering my body and it was not like he had not seen everything already.

He had. Countless times.

Yet the way he looked at me was like he had not. Every time he saw me his pupils would dilate, and his face would fill with wonder like it was the very first time he was seeing me bare.

I smiled at him as I slid further down the bathtub ‘Hi Lurch.’

‘Hi Medusa.’ He greeted as he leaned against the edge of the white tub.

‘You are not joining me in here.’ I told him sternly as I interpreted his eyes flicking over the bathtub as him measuring the thing against his size.

‘Why not?’ He grumbled in his rough voice.

‘You are too big.’ I stated the obvious ‘You will break it.’

He shook his head unhappily before he spoke again ‘You know when I imagined you in a bath, I always seen you with a book in hand.’

‘Have you been thinking about me naked?’ I teased him before explaining ‘I would love to read in the bath, but I always have a fear that I will get my book wet. I might need to invest in some audiobooks.’

Stone stayed quiet and then he abruptly stood up. He walked out of the room before I could even ask him where he was going.

His hands held a book as he came back through to the bathroom minutes later. It was only when he sat down that I noticed that it was one of my books.

‘What are you doing?’ I asked as I swirled around in the bubbles

While opening the book and looking for my bookmark, he answered ‘I will read to you.’

‘I think I wrote a theory along the lines of when a guy sees a girl in the bath and sticks around then he must really like her.’ I mentioned as I watched him intently.

‘You did.’ He chuckled, peering up from the book.

Crossing my arms and kicking a big pile of bubbles with my foot so it hit his chest, I tried to sneer at him ‘Did you read every post on my stupid blog?’

‘Yes.’

‘Once I have figured out my password, I am deleting all of them.’ I mumbled to myself.

‘I have got photos.’

Setting my hands on the edge of the tub and leaning my chin on them so I was closer, I laughed loudly ‘The only reason I am not splashing you right now is because you are holding my book.’

He started to read the book. He read and read, and he did not stop. Occasionally he would steal a few glances at me while reading aloud my favourite lines from the book.

I did not think I would ever be able to read a book by myself again. Or any other book. His deep masculine voice added a whole new feeling to what I had for the book. It was mind-blowingly sensual.

Stone continued to read until the water turned lukewarm. I never took my eyes off him once.

That was due to three reasons. One because he brought a whole new meaning to the word drop-dead gorgeous. In a dark ethereal way. Two, his voice sent a ripple of goosebumps through my body, and I swore the water surrounding me heated up. Reason three was that I loved him.

‘I love you even more than I am annoyed by you. Which is an immeasurable amount.’ I voiced once he had stopped reading.

He took a deep breath. One that sounded of satisfaction at my words. He put my book down on the floor before he reached for me.

I happily sat up and let him glide me so that I was leaning over the side of the tub. He moved so that he was on his knees, and he could hold me.

His arms pulled me in so that I was against his chest. He did not care that I was wet. He only cared that I was touching him.

I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck and smiled. A matching smile had appeared on his face.

I had learned over the course of my time with him that his mouth never gave much away. His happiness was mostly visible in his eyes. The obsidian colour grew, and you could see every detail in them like little stars when he was joyful.

‘I love you more.’ He said, his eyes a galaxy ‘You have no idea how much.’

I would never get sick of hearing him say those words. Never. Even if I could feel his love all of the time. I did not know why I did not pick up on it sooner.

His actions toward me and his soft gaze had existed long before his confession.

The love was shown in his actions. The way he would look at me and his black irises would expand. The playful smirk he sent me when we bickered. The feeling of his skin on mine.

It was also the three words he would whisper as he kissed my head before he fell asleep. The words that I would purposely stay up and wait for so I could have the feeling of butterflies in my stomach. The magnificent three words that I suspected he whispered to me long before my bedroom walls had turned green.

Stone had not only brought colour to my walls. He had brought colour to my life.

Which was ironic because he was the very personification of monochrome.

Every day I looked forward to. I did not just exist. I lived. I did not need to make theories to make life more interesting because he did.

My hands went to grip his wide shoulders as he pressed my wet body to his. Then I tightened my grip and moved my lips against his. His lips ferociously demanded dominance and I happily let him deepen the kiss and take over.

His tongue flicked over my bottom lip which sent a jolt through my body. A large hand trailed through my hair before caressing my cheek softly. His mouth was another story. One of undisguised raw desire. His pleasurable kisses made their way down to my jaw and collarbone and then further down.

‘I have never listened to an audiobook in bed either.’ I whispered against his jaw.

He smirked and lifted my body out of the bath bridal style before he twirled me around “We will have to fix that.’