I Can’t Say No, If you Ask Me - B.N. (book series for 10 year olds .TXT) 📗

to tell me.
I tried to pull away, I couldn’t dance. I was horrible at it, and I really didn’t feel like embarrassing myself in front of everyone today. Just as we made it to the center of the crowded dancing teenagers, a soft slow song came on. I sighed with relieve. I may not be able to dance but I could to slow songs, it was basically just rocking back in forth.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and I placed my hands behind his neck, lacing my fingers together. It was awkward, being this close to him, but not uncomfortable. We swayed back in forth, turning in slow circles. He kept glancing down at me every couple of seconds. Finally I looked up at him.
“What were you talking about earlier?” I asked.
He opened his mouth to answer but his eyes focused on something behind me. His eyes narrowed and his hold on my waist got a little too tight, as if he was restraining me. I turned my head; my eyes searched the crowd for what Eli was looking at with disbelief.
Finally my eyes rested upon Tamara kissing, quite passionately, some dark haired boy. It took me a minute to figure out it was Finn. My mouth fell open and rejection washed through me. It was so strong it brought tears to my eyes. I turned my head in disgust, looking up at Eli, who was eyeing my face curiously. His soft blue eyes were comforting which only made me feel even more humiliated. I pulled away and scrambled through the crowd, pushing and shoving the drunken dancers.
“Reedley, wait!” Eli called from somewhere behind me.
I didn’t listen, I just kept going. Planning on going straight to my car, but my legs some how led me to the empty hallway upstairs. I let out a shaky breath. Why was I crying over something so dumb? I was so embarrassed, there was no way I could face Eli anymore. He knows now. Would he tell Finn? I prayed he didn’t. This was bad enough. I tried to wipe away my tears but I had a feeling I just smudged my makeup. I walked down the hall in search for the bathroom. It’s been so long since I’ve been here I couldn’t even remember.
I found one, decorated with seashells and it smelt of cinnamon. I cleaned my face and tried to take a few calming breaths. I jumped when someone knocked gently on the bathroom door. I smoothed my hair down, which I had flat ironed until it was pin needle straight. It took me forever but I loved it when my hair was straight.
“Just a second” I called, my voice breaking slightly. I hoped no one could tell that I was crying and that they wouldn’t notice my blotchy face. I opened the door and walked right into a hard muscled chest.
“Reedley, are you alright?” Eli asked, wrapping his arms around me.
I felt overwhelmed and embarrassed. Why couldn’t he just let me be humiliated by myself? To my surprise, I burst into tears. His arms tightened around me and he pulled me closer into him. I rested my head on his shoulder and let him comfort me. He walked us further into the bathroom and shut the door, letting me cling on to him as I ruined his shirt with my tears.
“I-I’m sorry” I apologized, sniffling and starting to pull away.
“You have nothing to be sorry for” he said, grabbing my waist and lifting me onto the bathroom counter.
I watched as he grabbed some tissue and handed it to me. I wiped away my tears then blew my nose. I was beyond embarrassment.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” I asked, curious.
He wiped away a tear that I missed before answering. “Can’t I just be nice?” he asked, softly.
I shook my head and he smiled.
“Maybe I like you” he said, waiting for a reaction.
“Or maybe you feel sorry for me” I suggested. Sure, it was a possibility that he might have liked me but after what happened today, I’m positive he just feels bad for me.
“Nah, I don’t really do the pity thing” he shrugged, nonchalantly.
I blushed and looked away. He liked me. The question is do I like him? He was smoking hot, caring, and sweet. But was he really what I needed? The answer? Absolutely. That’s when Finn popped up in my head and I faltered.
“I know you like him, and he’s my best friend but he’s no good for you” Eli stated, seemingly reading my thoughts.
I looked up at him, eyeing his features. They were almost similar to Finn’s. I took a deep breath.
“And you are?” I asked, knowing what this conversation would entail. We would talk about why he’s good for me, I would admit that I think he’s good for me and then that would be it. We would be walking the hallways hand in hand come Monday morning. Why did something not feel right about it, though? Wasn’t this, wasn’t he, what I needed to get over…Finn?
“I could be” he said gently, as if he said one wrong thing I would become overwhelmed.
I slid closer to the edge of the counter, closer to him. I looked up at him, giving him a knowing look. His soft blue eyes looked questioning. He tilted my chin back as he ducked down, his other hand resting lightly on my waist. As his lips brushed against mine, I shivered. I had never been kissed by someone before and it was very…overwhelming. I placed my hands behind his neck and laced them together. His lips moved against mine slowly, as if we had all the time in the world. Which I guess was true but I wanted him to be more…I don’t know, willful? I wrapped my legs around his waist tightly. In response, he held my waist tightly, pulling me closer to him. Soon we were both out of breath and my body was tingling all over. My heart was thumping loudly and I was clinging to him like my life depended on it. His tongue skimmed along my bottom lip, asking for entrance. I stiffened, my stomach knotting in panic. This was my first kiss! I barely knew what I was doing now, what was I going to do with his tongue in the mix? I felt him smile against my lips.
“Never been kissed, uh?” he asked his tone light and all knowing.
I blushed, wishing someone would just put me out of my misery. How many times can a person be embarrassed in one day? I started to pull away, wanting to run for the hills.
“Don’t be embarrassed, it’s cute. Plus, I like the idea of me being your first kiss” he said, softly.
I still tired to squirm away but his grip tightened on me. He leaned down again but he didn’t kiss my lips. Instead he brushed my hair from neck and placed a kiss there. My whole body went still. He did it again, this time his lips lingering and skimming along the length of my neck. My breathing was rigid and my nails were digging into his shoulders. That’s when the door opened and I went wide eyed.
“Get your fucking hands off of her!” Finn boomed, filling the small bathroom with his angry voice.
Eli pulled away from me, straightening up. “Finn, calm down” he said lowly.
“Don’t tell me what the hell to do! And take your fucking hands off of her!” Finn demanded, eyeing Eli’s arm around my waist.
I narrowed my eyes at him. What gave him the right to tell anyone what to do? Especially since, he was downstairs swapping saliva with Tamara. He didn’t own me and I owed him nothing. Eli removed his hand from my waist and stood in front of me protectively. I hopped off the counter and peeked around him.
“Eli get the fuck out of my bathroom” Finn said his voice flat with withheld anger. Why was he so angry?
Eli looked at Finn’s face for a second before he sighed and walked pass him. I followed behind him slowly, embarrassment slowly flushing my face. Even though I had no reason to feel embarrassed, I did and it sucked. When I was almost out the door, Finn grabbed my wrist and pulled me back towards him. I tried to pull away but he was too strong and too angry.
“Finn, let go of me!” I said, looking towards Eli, who had stopped walking and was turned towards us. He looked at my face then at Finn’s.
“Finn, let go, you’re hurting her” Eli ordered flatly, walking towards me.
Finn’s grasp loosened but I could still feel his chest rising and falling angrily.
“I’m not going to hurt her, now fuck off” Finn stated, his anger seeming to reach a boiling point.
“I’ll be ok” I told Eli, when he didn’t move. He gave a curt nod and made his way down the stairs.
I looked up at Finn whose face was blotched with anger. I was so confused. But I refused to say anything about it. He let out a huff and tugged me down the hallway, pulling me into what looked to be his bedroom. He released my wrist to go slam and lock his door. I stood there, feeling like a child about to get scolded.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” he asked, turning towards me and walking closer.
I backed away, not used to seeing this side of him. I shrugged.
“I could ask you the same thing” I answered.
“Don’t be a smart ass, just answer the question” he demanded, not finding my sarcasm humorous.
I bit my lip, what was I suppose to say? I saw him kissing that slut, Tamara, and busted into tears, then ended up in a bathroom being comforted by Eli who turned out to actually like me, and then giving him my first kiss which was ruined by him bursting into the bathroom like a madman? No. I was definitely not telling him any of that.
“It just happened” I whispered, looking down at the carpet.
“He is my god damned best friend and you are…well, you’re Reedley” he stated, not seeming to find a good word for what I was to him. Was I not his friend either? I felt as if he had just taken my heart in his hand and crushed it with all his might. How much more could he hurt me? I had a feeling that this was just a taste of what he could do.
“Why do you care so much?” I asked lowly, curious.
“Reedley, look at me” he demanded, his hand reaching out and tipping my chin upwards, forcing me to look at him. “I care about you…a lot, and Eli is my best friend…I just don’t like the idea of you two being together” he admitted.
I blushed and wondered what he meant by him caring for me. I looked into his golden brown eyes and found sincerity there. I said nothing, looking away. He seemed to be getting at something.
“Sweetheart” he murmured, calling me by the nickname he uses for me. I looked up at him, waiting. He grabbed my face in his hands and used his full charm on me. “Please stay away from Eli; just do this one thing for me…please” he begged, his face coming closer and closer to mine.
I still didn’t understand why I had to stay away from Eli. I liked him, he liked me, and Finn liked…Tamara. Why did I have to stay away from someone I