A Step Closer to Love

“So you wanted to talk?” Arabella said as soon as he handed the can of beer to her. “About?” she dragged out as she waited for him to take a seat.

“What happened tonight,” he said and she grimaced.

“You know I would have preferred if you just pretended like it did not happen and just gone with the flow,” she told him.

“I considered that but it would have been against me” he said and she turned to him.

“Against you? How?”

“I would not be able to get it off my mind and it would keep me all night and it even gets worse because I have to see you tomorrow” he said and she dropped the can to the table.

“I have barely dated anyone but seeing you act this way it’s obvious you have not dated anyone as well” Arabella said throwing Kieran into a fit of confusion.

They were speaking of how embarrassing he had been that evening why was she suddenly talking about his love life and how well he had lived it?

“Why did you conclude so?” he asked taking a chug from his can.

“Because you think talking about it makes it better” she said and he shook his head.

“I thought talking about everything made it better?” he asked and she was taken aback.

In normal day-to-day life, one wants to encourage the other to always communicate and speak about things they want to do and say because talking about it makes it better but now that it was time to apply it to a real-life situation it seemed like an abstract rule.

“That’s…”

“Different?” he asked cutting her off before she could run her mouth creating an excuse for the situation.

She opened her mouth and closed it rapidly like she was gasping for breath but it was obvious she had nothing to say.

“If you don’t think that talking about it makes it better I do” he said pressing his lips and turning to her. “And I am going to talk about it till we both feel better,” he said.

“Go on,” she said with a whimper as she took her can back and held it with both hands. If he thought talking would help she would let him do all the talking while she listened to what he had to say.

“I was not just playing around when I asked you if I could kiss you, I know I said it was a mistake but that was because I panicked and had to say something to make it seem better” he said tilting his head.

“I am sorry for lying” he said and Arabella blew up her mouth before forcing herself to speak.

“You don’t have to be sorry I was only taken aback by your request because you don’t seem to be the kind of person who says things like that,” she tells him and he nods.

“I don’t usually do things like that but since you got here I have been doing things I don’t usually do and I like doing them”

“You like doing them?”

“Yes I like doing those things I don’t usually do, they give me some kind of thrill, it’s wonderful,” he said like a child recounting his experience on a ride.

“I’m glad,” she said. It was a conversation so she had to reply or else she might feel awkward.

“I just wanted to clarify that”

After chatting a bit more Arabella decided to call it a night. She was glad he had come forward and suggested that they had the talk or else she might toss and turn all night.

Although she was now aware that he did not say it in error she still felt at ease as if she was given a warm bath that was going to knock her right into bed. The remaining conversation with Kieran was not as awkward as the conversations she had with him when she first knew him.

They flowed like they had been long-time acquaintances who were catching up after a long time of disconnection. She could not even pinpoint the exact thing they spoke about but she knew the conversation gave her a warm feeling in her chest and she loved it.

She entered her room and picked up her phone from the table where she sat to do her work before he came knocking. She dropped her robe on the chair before moving to the bed. She needed to get a little shut-eye before the next morning or else she might oversleep again.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

She checked her message and discovered one from Mark. He was asking for a date out and frankly speaking she had not reached out since the last time they were together so it was not a bad idea for her to see him again.

She left a message that agreed to meet him after work for dinner tomorrow night. She dropped her phone on her bedside table and switched on her night light before falling into bed and deep sleep quicker than she could count.

As she envisioned she overslept and now was hurrying to make it in time to work. She got out of her room to meet Kieran standing there casually glancing at his watch.

“Oh my god what are you doing standing there?” she asked her hand on her chest as she was shocked to see him standing out there.

“Waiting for you, good morning” he said taking himself off the wall he had been resting his eyes still on his watch as if he was reading something important on them.

“Good morning” she said feeling her throat hitch in her throat.

“You are awfully late” he said his eyes gradually going up to meet hers. “And beautiful” he said and she felt her heart begin to beat faster than it should.

“What?”

“I meant you look quite different today,” he said quickly to cover up what he had said earlier.

“Oh,” she said for lack of words to address him and what he had said.

“We would be late at the point if we don’t get going immediately” he said gesturing that they should be on their way.

“Yes that’s true” Arabella said moving ahead.

“Thank you for waiting for me,” she said as they sat in the car and it began to go down the main road.

“Anytime”