The Summer of 2019 (OPEN)

"But telling other people makes it seem whiney and unnecessary. Like we get it Karen, you lost your family, we all did." She sighed, her eyes tracing his features slowly. "But what I've gone through, what I did to try to get them back will haunt me for the rest of my damn life."

"Yeah, we all lost something but it's all different. I'm saying that I'm here if you need to talk, not if you want to because I know you don't but… When you need to… I'm here,"

"It's not that I don't want to talk to you, you just make me nervous. Goddamn schoolgirl crush." She muttered to herself.

He laughed quietly and went on as if he hadn't heard that. "Anyway, your lip just needs pressure. That's the official thing for broken blood vessels,"

Oh I can think of a way to apply pressure. Her eyes trailed to his lips and a light pink color rose to her cheeks, nearly glowing.

"What are we going to do about the new people? We don't have supplies or much room for them," he tried hard to maintain his composure the way he always had.

She snapped out of her thoughts but didn't look away. This is so embarrassing…Might as well commit myself to hell while I'm at it! "What? Oh, um, I don't know. I guess we'll have to figure something out."

Their relationship was complicated to him at the moment and being alone with her was beginning to be one big impossible temptation. He was trying hard to be hands off but now, they were alone. Self control he took a deep breath. “Yeah. But what?”

I've never felt such a strong temptation to kiss someone in my entire life and I doubt I ever will again. "Oh my god, screw it." She wrapped her fingers into the collar of his shirt and tugged him down into a kiss.

He hummed happily, finally feeling the satisfaction. “Hey wait,” he whispered, “They can’t know,”

"It'll be our little secret. I promise." She smiled a little.

He searched her eyes, the look in his was that of a lost puppy like he had just done something wrong. “Right,”

She hated seeing anyone hurt, but him most of all. Her own look was mixed, worry and anticipation and maybe a slight bit of anxiety thrown together into one.

“Sorry I just… Yeah our little secret,” he repeated. It wasn’t anything against Caroline. It was that he didn’t know what had happened to his girlfriend after the war. He assumed she died but couldn’t be sure. This felt like cheating but you can’t cheat on someone who’s dead.

She furrowed her eyebrows together, figuring something our before it clicked. "I lost someone like that too." She muttered softly. "They ripped by boyfriend away from me and while he wasn't killed, he was turned into a mindless slave, which I believe is worse."

“I didn’t,” he said simply. He didn’t want the pity but he wouldn’t lie so he didn’t specifically say what he didn’t lose.

She gave him a 'You're a terrible liar' look but shrugged. "I don't give pity to people. It's like putting a bandaid over a bullet wound. If anything it's insulting."

(Can I join??$

(Yes you can)

(Yay new people!)

“I agree it’s extremely insulting,” he sighed.

If anyone walks in right now, this would look so weird. "But I suppose being insulting is what people do. Then fights start, relationships break up, wars begin. Fun."

“Ahh Interesting. I’ve never lived through a war before,” he said sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes. "Clearly." God, the temptation to kiss him is strong. Why are his lips so addictive? It was never like this with James…

“Maybe we should get outta here… go fin Alex or something?” Bad things will happen if I’m alone with her for too long.

Alex was extremely confuzzled. Why were there new people? Why was he awake at like 5 in the morning? Would he sleep? He didn't know.

"The brainiac? He'll live. Besides, being alone together means I can do this." She pulled him down by his collar and connected their lips.

What if he walks in on us? Then everyone will know of my infidelity… he melted into it somewhat nervously.

Her hands moved to his shoulders, gently rubbing circles at his pressure points in a hopeful attempt to get him to relax.

It felt wrong, knots tied in his stomach but at the same time, being with her, felt right.