*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.

No matter how many ups and downs the two of us went through, I knew the roller coaster was bound to stop sometime. His lips skillfully moved against mine as we kissed. His hands slid under my tank top and rested on my ribcage.

Breathing heavily, we broke apart. I pressed my forehead to his as I smiled down at him. He kissed my nose, making me giggle.

"I'm never losing you again," he growled.

I didn't say anything as I wrapped my arms around his neck. Someone cleared their throat behind us and I slowly twisted my neck around to see who it was.

None other than Allison Clyde stood there with her bright red hair fanning down her back. Her hands were on her hips as she glared deviously at us.

"What are you doing with my boyfriend?" She screeched.

I placed my hands over my ears and said, "Ouch. Did you hear something, Eli?"

He shook his head and surprised me by locking his lips with mine again. Allison sniffled and whined incoherently behind my back. I ignored her as Elijah and I kissed each other yet again. It was like we couldn't get enough of each other.

He deftly lifted me off of the couch with my body in his arms and waded through the crowded house until the bite of the cold night hit us once we were outside. He wrapped his arms tighter around me as he walked down the street to where he had parked his car. Wordlessly, he set me inside the sleek, black vehicle before climbing in the driver's side.

Before I knew it, he had pulled up in his driveway. I sent Mae a quick text that Elijah had driven me home and opened the car door. Elijah was already leaning against my side of the car when I got out.

"What do you want to do now?" He asked, hitching an eyebrow.

"I don't know. What were you thinking?" I asked, standing in front of him. His eyes darkened as they traveled down my body and back up. I squirmed under his intense stare.

"I'm thinking very dirty things right now," he said, seriously. My face flushed as I dropped my gaze to the concrete driveway under our feet.

"Like what?" I mumbled, still not looking up.

His fingers came under my chin to tilt my face up to his so I was forced to look in his eyes. "How does this sound? You. Me. Naked. In bed."

My jaw dropped and he chuckled at my embarrassment and discomfort.

"Eli!" I scolded, halfheartedly.

"So what do you say?" He asked.

When I hesitated before answering, he took that as a "yes" and literally swept me off of my feet again. The next thing I knew, I was laying flat on my back in his bed like I had been that time Uriah had walked in on us.

Elijah pulled his shirt off and I couldn't help but stare as he hovered above me. This time when he reached in his pocket, I knew what he was going to take out.

He closed his fist around the small, plastic package as he looked in my eyes. "I'll only do it if you want me to," he said and I knew exactly what he meant. I gulped.

"Have you ever had sex before?" I blurted.

"No. Remember? I'm a virgin in every sense that you are. If you want, we can experience it for the first time together."

I didn't know about this. I knew I was probably one of the last girls in my entire school to still have their virginity and knew for sure that Elijah was the last guy to have his. All the guys talked about was how many girls they had done it with over the weekend. It was disgusting, really.

But the idea of doing it for the first time with Elijah didn't gross me out like I thought it would've. I found myself nodding and Elijah gave me a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you. We can stop whenever you want to, okay?" He said.

I nodded again.

***************

I woke up the next morning confused for a moment as to why a pair of muscular arms were wrapped around me. I stiffened as someone snored loudly in my ear and sunlight filled the room, almost blinding me.

I immediately scooted out of his embrace as I stared at Elijah's sleeping face. He looked beautiful while he was asleep. His face had none of the harsh angles it usually had and he looked peacefully happy.

His eyes slowly opened and he mumbled, "Do you always have to stare at me?"

That was when it really hit me that I was in a boy's bed.

Not only that, but like how Elijah had put it; Him. Me. Naked. In bed.

"Don't look so horrified," he said, sitting up and yawning as he rubbed his eyes, "We didn't do anything because you chickened out at the last second."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, right. Hey! I wasn't scared. We just both agreed not to do it, remember?"

"Whatever," he said with a smirk. I pulled the sheets up to cover myself as I looked around the room. My phone was on the nightstand beside the bed and I snatched it off to see a few unread text messages.

Mae: Told your mom that you slept over my house ;)

Mom: Text me in the morning, honey. Xoxo

"Mae coming in clutch," I said with a fist bump.

"So, was I successful?" Elijah suddenly asked.

"With what?" I replied, stupidly. He rolled his eyes.

"Stealing all of your first times?"

It was my turn to roll my eyes. "Don't forget that I stole all of yours, too."

"Touché."

***************
The End
***************

This is where I previously ended it, but I have continued for a few more chapters!