CHAPTER 8 : ASSURANCE

"You guys kissed?!!" Cherlynn screamed in excitement.

Marley placed a hand over her friend's mouth and looked around to make sure no one had heard anything. "We didn't kiss." She spoke in a whisper. "We just almost did."

She lowered her hand from Cherlynn's mouth and crossed her arms. "And could you keep it down. You want the entire town to know?"

"Well excuse me for being happy that my bestie has finally moved on from that guy. What was his name again? Taishi?"

Marley rolled her eyes at her best friend. And continued arranging the books.

"So what now?" Cherlynn spoke as she nudged her friend playfully. "Are you guys going steady?" She asked with a grin on her face.

Marley paused and blushed at her friend's words. She cleared her throat and continued stacking up the books. "No we're not together." She put up the last book and turned to Cherlynn. "He did ask me out again though."

Cherlynn shrieked and Marley covered her mouth again. "Keep it down."

Cherlynn nodded and Marley lowered her hand.

"He didn't say when. He just asked if he could see me again." Marley spoke.

"Well why don't you text him?" Cherlynn asked.

Marley shrugged and shook her head. "Nah I don't wanna seem desperate."

Cherlynn eyed her best friend and grinned from ear to ear. "Omg Marley you like him."

Marley turned to her best friend, her cheeks pink and eyes wide. "Pssh what?! Shut up!"

"I don't hear a denial." Cherlynn teased her friend.

Just then Marley's phone buzzed. There was a message from Akira.

Hey there. I was in the area and noticed it's almost time for you to get off work. Can I give you a ride home?

"What does it say?" Cherlynn spoke trying to peep at Marley's phone.

"Relax." Marley responded as she tucked away her phone. "He's just asking if he can give me a ride home."

"And?" Cherlynn questioned her friend.

"And I can't let you walk home alone." Marley responded as she packed her bag and threw it over her shoulder.

Cherlynn face palmed. "Text him and tell him to pick you up."

"But what about.."

"I have plans." Cherlynn interrupted the girl.

"Plans? With who?" Marley questioned

"Don't worry about it. Just tell Akie to get his rich butt over here and drive you home. I'll see you tomorrow."

"But." Before Marley could finish her statement, Cherlynn gave her a wave and exited the store.

Marley sighed and sent Akira a text.

*

Marley walked up to the car that was parked on the other side of the street. Her heart was beating wildly. After the incident that had happened a few days back at her apartment, her and Akira hadn't spoken, let alone meet up. She had played out all the worst case scenarios in her head of what would happen from the time she agreed to him giving her a ride home.

Akira got out of the car when he saw the girl approaching and smiled. He walked up to her for a hug but Marley didn't budge. He awkwardly placed his hands in his pockets and cleared his throat.

"Ready to go?" He asked the girl who was looking down at her shoes.

Marley nodded

Akira walked to the passenger door and opened it for Marley, she got in and he closed it and walked over to get into the car himself.

The air in the car was tense and it was making him nervous. Had he done something wrong? Maybe he shouldn't have tried to kiss her. Maybe he read the entire situation wrong and now Marley thought he was some sexual predator out to get her.

"I'm really sorry about the other day." Akira spoke, his eyes fixed on the steering wheel. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Marley looked at Akira. "No. You didn't make me uncomfortable at all." She responded.

"I didn't?" He asked looking confused. "So you don't hate me right now?"

"No of course I don't hate you!" Marley responded. "It's just." She clenched her fists on her lap and looked down. "I'm just a little nervous."

Akira eyed the girl as she spoke

"I didn't know how things would be after that whole situation." Marley continued, "maybe we were just caught up in the moment and I didn't wanna misinterpret the situation and assume..."

Before Marley could finish her statement, she felt a hand tilt her chin up and a pair of soft lips land on hers.

Marley blinked rapidly as she felt Akira's lips make contact with hers. He then cupped her face in both his hands and pulled her in.

At this point Marley's legs had turned into jelly. She instinctively closed her eyes and lost herself in the kiss. Her nostrils were filled with his cologne. He smelled like a tropical rainforest in the spring. It was so refreshing, yet so intoxicating.

Akira pulled away from the kiss and stared at Marley. He'd kissed women before but this. This was something out of this world. It took a will of titanium to stop him from kissing her again.

"Do you still have doubts?" He asked.

"No." Marley responded in a whimper.

*

"You shouldn't be egging her on you know. She could be in danger." Hisaki spoke to Cherlynn as they ducked behind a building watching Akira and Marley in the car.

Cherlynn turned to Hisaki and sighed. "Oh come on Hermès you can't tell me they don't look absolutely adorable together."

Hermès shoved his hands in his pockets and frowned at Cherlynn. "I told you to call me Hisaki. No one needs to know who I am. Apollo. I mean Akira will kill me!"

"Oh relax I'm just teasing." Cherlynn responded. She peaked at Marley and Akira again and turned to Hisaki. "They're great together. How can them being a couple be such a bad thing?"

"I'll admit I've never seen him that happy in a long time." Hisaki responded. "But I'm worried about Marley's safety."

"That lucky girl. Bagged herself a whole god." Cherlynn spoke smirking.

Hisaki grabbed Cherlynn by the shoulders and looked at her sternly, "Cherlynn. No one needs to know about their affair. You don't want to see an angry god. Trust me.