Stolen First Times

37. Our Last Chapter

*Edited*

Elijah sighed, pulling his mask off to drag a hand though his hair.

"Listen, I know you hate me and that's reasonable; I don't blame you," he began. When he didn't open his mouth to say anything else, I gestured for him to continue.

"Ronnie, the truth is, I never wanted to lose you-"

"Hard to believe that," I muttered under my breath.

Elijah took my hands in his and squeezed. "I know. I've made some choices I wish I hadn't because I couldn't stay away from you in the end."

"What do you mean?"

He took a deep breath, earnestly looking in my eyes as he said, "I was selfish. I saw what my parents went through and I didn't want that to happen to us. By doing what I did -going off with Allison- I made that happen anyway."

"Well jeez. So you basically didn't want to lose me so you decided to get a new girlfriend to prevent that from happening? That was a pretty stupid plan, if you ask me, since you ended up losing me because of that decision," I said. This still wasn't adding up.

He rubbed circles on my hands with his thumbs, making me lose my focus for a second before he continued talking again. "I know. I realize that now. God, I make so many idiotic choices when I'm with you."

"Yeah, you're an idiot," I said with a half smile.

"My father found out about my mother's fiancé and he hasn't spoken a word to me, or to anyone, for a few days now," he said, changing the subject. "I knew he was still in love with her and he thought that he'd be able to win her back or whatever. He was wrong, Ronnie. Now he has a shattered heart and there's no one to pick up his pieces."

I wasn't good with metaphors, but I understood this one clearly. "Elijah, if you're worried about me breaking your heart, then you're an even bigger moron than I had thought. Your heart is made of unbreakable iron. And if it did just happen to shatter, I'd be right here; picking up your pieces to make you whole again."

"Not if you were the one to break it in the first place," he pointed out.

He had a good argument there, but mine was better.

"Out of the two of us, who has caused the other the most pain?"

He looked startled at my question, but then he thought about the answer. He didn't have to think for long before he said, "I have, and I know an apology won't cover it. I've been an ass to you more often than not. I didn't consider your feelings. I only thought about mine."

"Exactly. Now make it up to me."

"How?"

"Do my math homework for the rest of the year," I said, grinning.

His eyebrows shot up and he looked taken aback. He hadn't expected me to say that.

"Done," he agreed.

"That's not all; don't think I'll let you off the hook that easily," I said, shaking my finger in the air. He rolled his eyes, probably dreading what I was about to say.

"Break up with Allison."

"Allison who?" He asked sarcastically as if he didn't even know who she was anymore.

"Good, now kiss me."

He didn't have to be told twice as his hands moved to my waist and he effortlessly plopped me down in his lap so I was straddling him. He crushed his lips to mine and I kissed him back with just as much passion.