forum Under The Painted Sky (O/O CLOSED)

Started March 18, 2019 by Deleted user

tune

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Eden’s breath hitched in her throat. “You are—my voice is hardly music, Sterling. You are such a flatterer.”

Sterling chuckled softly. “Maybe, but I do like your voice. I like hearing you speak.”

“Such a flatterer,” Eden repeated in a mutter under her breath, trying to fight off the blush on her cheeks. “Such a flatterer, my boyfriend.”

“You’re adorable, my beautiful queen,” Sterling singsonged, shooting her a quick smile before turning back to the road.

Eden kissed his hand again, pressing it against her forehead. “You grab every opportunity to tease me, don’t you?”

“Maybe,” Sterling chuckled softly. “But can you blame me? I’ve got an amazing girlfriend to do it to”.

“Favorite movie, Sterling?” Eden questioned, realizing she didn’t know that.

Sterling hummed thoughtfully. “Of which genre? I liked the movie Monster Trucks that came out a few years ago. That was pretty good.”

“Ah, I haven’t watched Monster Truck,” Eden flattened his hand in one before she began to play with his fingers, a soft smile on her features as she did so. Playing with my boyfriend’s fingers… “I used to love watching Alvin and The Chipmunks when I was younger.”

Sterling wiggled his fingers playfully. “That was a hilarious movie. Did you see any of the sequels?”

Eden laughed when he wiggled his fingers and gripped his hand tightly. “I did, actually. I really liked Road Chip.”

Sterling grinned at her laugh. He loved it when she laughed. She didn’t do that very often, but he loved it when she did. “Have I ever told you how much I like your laugh?”

Eden froze, his words running through her mind. He liked her laugh. Her expression softened, the tips of her ears warming up. “No, you have not,” she whispered, now a bit shy as she played with his fingers. She finally stopped, but only to grab his wrist with one hand and pressing the palm of her hand against his, flattening both their hands together.

“I like it. A lot,” Sterling whispered softly, curling his fingers around her hand and bringing it to his lips. “I like you a lot…”

Eden’s body tingled at his words. “I—I like you, too…” she hid her face in her free hand, feeling the heat roll off of herself. “Just so you know, my mascara isn’t water proof. You’re not allowed to make me cry.”

“I will try not to do so,” Sterling murmured against her hand. “You’re so amazing, E…”

Eden shook her head. “I’m not,” she said quietly. “It’s you who’s amazing.”

“Nah. You’re more amazing,” Sterling argued with a smile.

Eden snorted. “And that, mister, is a lie,” she mumbled, squeezing his big hand. “You’re… like colors. When you weren’t here, my life was dull. I was… grey. It was black. And then you came along and everything became so… beautiful. And I’ve started to… smile a little more. I laugh. These feelings are so foreign to me but they’re not—they’re not unwanted. And it’s all because of you. So Sterling, no matter what you think, what you say and what you do… you’ll always be much more than amazing to me.”

“Wow… I didn’t know I meant that much to you. I’m really glad, E. Really glad,” Sterling murmured, squeezing her hand gently. “When you came into my life… I swear, this is going to sound really cheesy, but it’s true. You know, I didn’t really believe in love after my girlfriend. I thought everyone who did was crazy. But now… Now you’re here, and I’m starting to believe in it again. I’m not saying I’m in love with you yet, but… I think I could be one day. If you let me.”

His words, though as scary and heavy they were, brought a sense of gratitude and relief and hope to her. He thought he could find love. With her. The broken girl who could not stop hurting herself. The girl who feared contact more than necessary. He thought he could find it with her if she let him.

“I’m scared of it. Love, I mean,” Eden admitted. “It can drive people insane. It can bring out the worst in people. It can destroy you. It can be… toxic. I’ve seen it happen before. I’ve witnessed it first-hand. So I hated it. I hated even the thought of it. I loved once and it broke me to the point where I can’t see my old self anymore. But when I see you, and when you hold me in your arms and you kiss me, I forget all of that even if it’s just for a brief moment. And when I’m with you, I know I’m right where I’m supposed to be,” she paused, applauded herself for not letting her voice crack, and continued, “I can’t open my heart completely for you, Sterling—it’s hard to. Because I’m afraid. But I want you to know that it doesn’t mean I’m not trying. I am. It’s just taking a lot of time. And effort.”

“Eden…” Sterling started gently, glancing over at her. He turned his eyes back to the road and noticed they were just pulling up to the amusement park. After parking the car, he turned to his girlfriend and took both of her hands in his. “Eden, love shouldn’t break you. It shouldn’t drive you insane. If it does either of those things, then it isn’t love. It’s obsession. Love is not toxic, obsession is. So whoever did this to you… he didn’t love you. He was obsessed with you, possessive of you. I hope you know that I will never be that way. I will never own you, okay? You are your own person. And I care about you deeply.”

But he was in love with me. He was, and I compelled him to do what he did. If I hadn’t been disobedient, if I had understood him better, he wouldn’t have turned out to be so abusive. If I had helped, things would have turned out for the better. But I didn’t make him feel like my heart was his. I didn’t make him trust me. He didn’t want me leaving, and that fueled his obsession. It was my fault. It was my fault.

Instead, Eden released a shuddering breath and turned to him as well. She squeezed their hands, enjoying the warmth his brought her. “You know obsession starts from love, right?” she whispered, rubbing her thumbs on the back of his hands. “And I know you would never do that to me. I know you think of me as my own person. The fact that you give me a choice proves it. And that what makes you so beautiful to me, Sterling. Thank you for being the way you are. Thank you for caring. Thank you for being with me. And—and thank you for thinking you can find love with me. That means so much to me; you have no idea.”

Sterling leaned forward and kissed her softly. He pulled away to look her in the eyes, his gaze holding her gently. “Whatever that guy did to you, you deserve much better than that. I’m sorry he made you feel this way, but that’s truly not what love is supposed to be. Love is patient and kind, love isn’t jealous, and love will never fail you,” he murmured. “If it is truly love, then it will never hurt you.”

Eden felt her heart flutter at his words. God, he was just so good with words. He made everything so perfect. In that moment, Eden returned his feelings. She might find in him, too.

“So there can be jealousy in ‘like’? Because I get jealous when I see girls so much as look at you,” Eden teased, trying to brighten the mood. She leaned forward and pressed their lips together softly, just like he had done. “I… want to experience that sort of love. With you. If you’d let me, I want to know what It feels like being loved and loving in return.”