12.

It was strange the way in which we both grew so curious and invested in each other's lives. I guess in the end, the sex was a mere side effect - we actually grew pretty close, and getting to know each other in such ways was refreshing.

Like a breath of fresh air.

"Talk," he simply demanded, after having grabbed the both of us a hot chocolate and we settled into a little booth towards the back of the cafe.

"Way to ease into it," I roll my eyes at him, and he shakes his head once as a neutral expression remains on his face.

"I don't see the point in making small talk. I just want to know what happened."

I pause for a second, before replying,

"Why?"

He looked into my eyes, and his brows furrowed at my question. But I needed to know - why did he care so much? I was certain this was just another one of his excuses to find ways to be cruel to me, and it was the last thing I needed in that moment.

"I told you - I'm involved now whether I like it or not and you owe me."

"I don't owe you anything. It's human instinct to help another person in a dangerous situation. And like I told you, I didn't need you to interfere."

"So what, you'd rather I just left you to get run over then?"

Yes, dickhead. It would've spared me of this awkward conversation with you.

I stayed silent despite all the things I would've liked to say to him in that moment. I wanted to get up and leave, but I also knew that wouldn't have been a smart choice. I wanted to go back home to Sam and apologise, but I also didn't want to say the words that needed to be said out loud to him.

"Why is it so hard for you to communicate?" He surprises me by asking, and my eyes instinctively meet his. Never mind, the sight before me was too beautiful to leave behind in that cafe.

"It's not. I just don't see why I should discuss any of this to you. We're not friends, and you have the tendency to rile me up and then mock me, so I'd prefer to keep my issues to myself."

Damn, I'm either stuttering or blabbing on around this boy, and it's infuriating.

"We can't be friends?" He smirks, and tilts his head to the side, his puppy dog eyes burning right through me.

Fuck him.

But before I could respond, blond locks appear from behind him, and perfectly manicured hands find their way to his eyes.

Yasmine.

"Missed me, T?" She giggles, and drops her hands from his face. She doesn't even acknowledge my presence until I clear my throat, and they both stare back at me with wide eyes.

"Oh- hey, Dove?" She says, clearly taken back by the scene unfolding before her.

"What's going on here?"

"We were just -" I begin.

"Just finishing up, Yas," he finishes for me, and goes to drink the last drop of his hot chocolate. Then he stands, and wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her in closer as if attempting to get payback for me refusing to answer his persistent questions about my own relationship drama. I must of stared a little too long at his arm snaked around her hip, because he then lowers it slightly and pinches, angering me further. Why was this bothering me?

"I'm just going to go," I announce in a low voice, picking up my cup and heading towards the door.

"Hey, Dove?" Yasmine calls after me.

Oh my fucking god.

"Yes?"

"See you at practice on Monday?" She smiles a fake smile, and Theo remains smirking at me, then stealing a quick glance at his whor- I mean, Yasmine.

Fucking bitch.

"Sure thing," I return the fake gesture, and walk outside, the wind picking up as I make my way back to the apartment.

Thankfully I made it back this time without any more surprises, all the while practicing the perfect apology for my boyfriend. I knew I messed up, and part of me didn't want to say sorry for simply wanting to try something different, something that I should be able to do freely with my partner. But at the same time I knew that pushing Sam like that was bound to have its consequences, and our date was just going so well; the events leading up to my run- in with Theo made me feel foolish.

As I pushed open the door, I was greeted with a worried Sam pacing back and forth around the apartment. As he took my presence in, he dropped his hands from his face and rushed over to me, hugging me tightly to his chest.

"Where have you been, Dove? He breathes into my hair, but when I hug him back equally as tight, he sighs into our gesture of affection, and continues,

"Never mind, I'm just glad you're here now. I'm sorry."

That was unexpected.

I pull back, and brush the hair away from his face.

"I'm sorry, too," I admit, and he goes in for a light peck.

"I shouldn't have come onto you like that and I -"

"I think we should try."

"What?"

"Not sex, not yet. But you were right, we're not a normal couple. Not that I'd ever want us to have a normal relationship, because neither of us are normal people. But I'm willing to try new stuff, with you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean, eventually we're going to have to face these things too, right? Together?"

"Always," I nod, and that night, we cuddled into sleep. I didn't want to just get into things right then and there, because we weren't in the heat of the moment. But he was open to exploring that side of romance with me, and it's all that mattered. Somehow I knew that my promise of 'always' to him that night was half hearted, but I didn't have the energy to fight my words.