A Beautiful, Terrible Love - Lucky 97 (electronic reader txt) 📗

me, invoking a sigh from my lips.
I then spotted a figure standing on the shore, his silhouette outlined by the moonlight.
"Dex, what are you here for?" I asked exasperatedly. He shrugged, shooting me a dazzling smile.
"I wanted to see what you were doing outside at 4' O clock in the morning on a cold icy day." He shivered just a tad, which emboldened me.
"Why don't you join me?" I asked. "I triple dog dare you."
"Okay." He began to take off his shirt.
I held up my hand, anxiety mounting in my chest. "Stop."
"You don't want to see me without a shirt?" Dex asked, astounded. His voice, normally cocky and overflowing with confidence, was filled with amazement, and a little bit of insecurity. I widened my eyes at the peculiar tone to his voice I had never heard before, on television, in his music, or when we were face to face.
"I'd prefer not, Dex." I apologized. "I get uncomfortable around shirtless guys." In reality, I would be uncomfortable with HIM shirtless, any other guy would be fine.
The brief moment of surprise passed, and he smile., "Eve, you really ARE way different from every girl I've met."
He dove in the lake, the water nearly frozen by now. He surged above the waters almost immediately, shivering. His teeth, chattering from the cold, matched his trembling body. "Why didn't you tell me about the coldness?"
"Sorry, I didn't notice." I said sarcastically. Dex scowled. "Haha, I'm just kidding!" I grinned, "come here."
Dex swam to me silently, seething. I reached my hand through the ice water and found Dex's. I felt a little surge of... excitement, smiling at the way Dex didn't let go. I tugged him underwater with me, laughing at Dex's confused expression.
When both of us were under the water, I opened my eyes slowly, wondering if it was a dream, that Dex was swimming with me, that I was holding his hand. A slender, handsome man with eyes the color of emeralds and hair like blood returned my glance, sending tingles to my brain, making me shiver, not from the cold, but from amazement and absolute wonder.
I then remembered how Dex had hurt me, ripping me away from my best friend, destroying my social life, tearing me away from my goals, and my heart hardened.
Just before I rushed out of the water, the thought crossed my mind that maybe Dex could make amends. With him near me, maybe I could repair my battered and bruised life. Maybe... I could recover what was lost.
"Hey." I called to Dex, who was splashing around in the water still. He raised his head, searching until he found me dripping wet on the shore in only a bathing suit. What surprised me so much was that he still, although my legs were on display, kept his eyes glued to my face. I felt a tinge of gratefulness, thinking once again that he might not be so bad after all. "I'm going to go inside and shower."
Dex smiled. "Okay, Eve. I'll come soon."
He dived into the purple lake water, his majestic form sliding beneath the shiny surface. I chuckled silently, and headed towards our house. Maybe, today, I'll fix my famous flaky biscuits.

"Mmm, what is that smell?" Dex asked, excitedly peering around, looking for the source of that delightful aroma. I stood at the oven, waiting to take out the yummy biscuits.
"What you're smelling is my famous flaky biscuits." I laughed at Dex's hungry expression. The oven dinged, a beeping sound that shook Dex. I opened the oven, taking out the delightful treats, Dex resembling a starved wolf. "Easy tiger." I held them away from Dex as he lunged towards them, "I'll let you have them in a while."
"No, I want them NOW." he whined, a begging expression on his face that made the cute puppies pale in comparison.
I tossed him a crumb. "Enjoy."
He glared at me, "Stingy, aren't you?"
I didn't reply, just sticking out my tongue instead.
Dex put a hand over his heart.
"That got me, Eve. That got me real deep." he started staggering and fell to his knees. I punched him in the arm.
"Very funny," I said sarcastically, "now please go get ready for school, and by the time you get back I'll be done,"
"Whatever," he ambled off, savoring the scent of the delightful biscuits every second he could.
I began to take the jelly out of the refrigerator, when the song ‘Dynamite’ by Taio Cruz suddenly blared in my mind. I began to hum it as I squelched the delicious strawberry jelly onto each biscuit, happiness flowing through me. I looked out of the window, seeing immediately the beautiful robins flocking around our trees, singing their own special song. The sky was clear, the sun bright and relaxing. The grass was as stunningly green as Dex's eyes, and the moon was faintly visible, a little crescent about the size of a single seed floating high in the sky.
"You seem different today." A voice accused me. I whirled around to face the speaker, and there Sadie stood, wearing a suspicious look and my beloved khaki pants.
"How so?" I glared at her, wondering what on earth possessed her to decide to wear my pants that I've told her NOT to wear a million times.
"You're happier." she stated plainly, not moving a muscle.
"So?" I shrugged, turning my attention back to the window, enjoying the view of the purple flowers I had planted yesterday...
"That's not you."
"Whatever, Sades."
"Is it because Dex is here?" She pried, opening a can of worms that I'd rather she didn't.
"No." I denied, although I felt a flush of red creep along my face, giving the truth away.
Sadie grinned, "I knew it."
I decided to ignore her, spreading the jelly on the now lukewarm biscuits, reaching for the plates. Sadie said not another word, but instead smirked and walked away.

"Yes!" Dex yelled when I informed him that the biscuits he wanted so badly were ready to eat. He ran to the table, plopped down in one of our rickety chairs, and stared at the plate in front of him.
"Do you expect me to serve you?" I asked in utter disbelief.
"Um, yeah," he admitted. I walked over to him, irritation shown on my face, and yanked his chair away. He fell to the ground, yowling with surprise and pain.
"While you're living here you will serve yourself."
"Whatever." he growled, glaring at me. He stood up, shaking the dirt off his stylish vintage jeans, and walked over to the biscuits. "Can I just grab one?"
I couldn't believe he actually ASKED that question.
"Look." I grabbed a plate, balancing it on one hand as I got his cup. "I'm only going to do this once." I showed him how to place everything on the plate, telling him to get fruit and the jelly he needed. I taught him where every jar, drink, and article of food was, and how to wash the dishes when he was through.
"Like this?" He grabbed the washrag, scrubbing the pan.
"Yes." I leaned in. "But don't forget to wipe that spot right there." My hand found his, and gently led it to the slight brown stain just beside the handle. Together, we wiped it off. My heart was beating uncontrollably, nervousness welled up within me.
"Eve?" His voice danced across my name.
"Yes?" I replied, not looking up, trying to focus on anything except Dex.
"Look at me." I felt a hand leave the now spotless pan and touch my face, gently propelling it so I had to stare into his intense eyes. My heart seemed to explode, nervousness, anxiety, love, and hate rolled together into a spicy enchilada of overload. My eyes closed as he leaned closer and closer in, reminding me of my earlier dream... but this was real.
It was actually happening, and that was what made all the difference.
But memories of my loss, regret, and pain started to flood my mind, introducing an overhaul of its own. I had lost my very best friend because I was so terribly in love with Dex. I had lost my very soul for those five years, even, whisked away by the awful truth-back then-that Dex would never love me, that I would be pining for him for the rest of my life. It suddenly flashed through my mind also that Dex was a well-known playboy, a guy that broke every heart in Hollywood.
Suddenly, kissing didn't seem all that great to me.
I began to squeal a little, trying to back away from Dex's death grip. He remained oblivious to my protests, closing the distance between us. He was going to steal my first kiss... when I didn't want to BE kissed.
"What are you two doing?" My mother demanded, standing barely five feet away from us, tapping her foot in displeasure. I sighed with relief.
"Nothing, ma'am." Dex flew away from me, rushing to Lou. "How was your morning?"
"It was fabulous." She laughed, then grew stern. "No kissing in the house, understand?"
"I understand, Lou." He shot her a heart-breaking smile.
"Okay, then." She huffed past him, and walked to the dishes. "You're welcome." she whispered to me along the way.
Mothers. Gotta hate 'em, gotta love 'em.

"This is our school." I gestured to the block like building before us both. Sadie had caught a ride with a friend, probably gossiping about Dex as soon as she got in her friend's car. So, I was stuck with Dex, and as I walked with him, admiring the flowers and the trees, I ended up thinking it wouldn't be so bad.
"That sure is an ugly school." He commented, noting the ivy covered walls, the gigantic, out-of-control bushes, and the patched sides.
"Well, this whole area is a little on the poor side, and this building is old." I explained.
"At my school-"
"Yes, I know your school has two swimming pools, a hot tub, and a buffet." He had told me twice before on our meander to school, and truthfully, I had begun to think he was more than a little homesick.
"Yeah." He said sheepishly, embarrassed.
"May I ask you a question?" I asked, looking at anywhere but him.
"Sure, anything."
"Why are you hanging out with me? Why are you at my house when you could be at a hotel? Why are you even here when you could be at your special school where all the swimming pools, buffets, and hot girls are?" I felt a tiny tear slip out, dwindling on my face before dripping off into the cool grass.
"There's a hot girl right here." He said jokingly, elbowing me in the arm. "And I guess I... just wanted to get to know you better." He admitted, and my heart practically melted.
I said nothing and walked on, although the hint of a smile appeared at the corner of my mouth. This whole thing, it seemed, was a miracle. It seemed impossible, that all my hopes and dreams could come together at once, forming a reality that was laughable to me, a reality I never honestly thought possible.
I wondered when the good things would end and the bad luck would begin.

When we reached the lawn of the school, I stopped, hearing a faint noise. Dex continued on, having heard nothing.
I grabbed his arm. "Stop. Do you hear that?"
He halted, listening intently. I spotted two dots in the clear blue sky. "Look at that!" I pointed. Dex followed my gaze and finger to the spots that were growing ever bigger in the sky, and his eyes widened.
"Oh no, no, no, no." He said, frightened,