❤️THE SPACE IN BETWEEN❤️
?Age is just a number?
✍️ Written By Precious Pinky✍️
?Chapter Fifteen (15)?
#NOT EDITED.
Theme: A plan?
?Manuel’s Pov?
Where could she be?
I look around but couldn’t find her anywhere?
Where could she have wander off to? Gosh, this was one reason why the principal had strictly warned us not to wander off during this camp out.
Malby was one heck of a stubborn girl. She does whatever she think is right… She’s a girl who stands for what she believes in regardless of what other people may think.
She’s unique.
She’s special.
She’s different from every other girl in this world.
She’s…her.
And hey, don’t get it twisted…I wasn’t complaining of her kind of girl. If anything, those unique character of hers was what attracted me to her.
I brou-ght out my phone and tried calling her but it wasn’t going throu-gh.
This was one reason why I hate going to the woods.
I sighed and started walking down a path I do not know. I needed signal so I could call Malby and ask about her whereabout.
I was worried.
Like come on, who wouldn’t be?
We are in a freaking woods for fu-ck sake. And we need to be careful.
I kept walking down a path while I waved my phone on the air so I can get signal.
After a while of looking for signal, I finally got it.
Thank goodness for that.
I smiled and dialled Malby’s number. Yeah, I was very happy to hear her voice so don’t judge me.
I pulled the phone over my ear and waited for her to answer. It kept ringing but no one answered.
I tried her number again…still no answer.
I was beginning to get worried.
Did she get lost?
Was she okay?
Did she get eaten by a wild animal?
Why the heck wasn’t she answer_
I stopped.
No, I froze.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing now.
I subconsciously dropped my phone on the floor but I don’t care.
What I was seeing right now was all I cared about.
I was glad that she was safe and wasn’t eaten by a wild animal or neither did she get lost in the woods or anything as such but I wasn’t happy with the fact that she was with him.
And what seem to make me more angry was the fact that they were ki-ssing.
She had ignored my calls because of him.
I clenched my fist as I watched them.
I guess I overreacted by trying to look for her everywhere because clearly she was more than okay!
And besides, no one will be attracted to a freak like me.
Even i, myself won’t want to be attracted to someone like me.
I shouldn’t blame her.
I shouldn’t hate her.
This wasn’t the first time for someone to walk out of my life.
It’s not like she walked out of my life or anything but she walked out of my feelings.
This was a step of losing Malby and I was damn afraid of that fact.
I can’t lose Malby.
She was the only one who stood by me.
She cared for me.
She saw me as a friend not as a freak.
She was the first person to dance in the rain with me.
She was the first person to invite me for a family dinner.
She was the first person to genuinely get worried about me.
She was the first person to make me happy.
She was the first person to ask me if i was okay.
She was the first to show me a reason to live.
I don’t want to lose her.
I can’t lose her.
But why does it feel like I was losing her already?
“That’s because you are losing her already.”
I snapped my head to my right and find myself staring at a girl I do not know.
Okay, maybe I’ve seen her around but I just don’t know her name.
I practically don’t know anybody’s name around this school aside from Malby and Xander.
And i wouldn’t have know Xander’s name if he wasn’t Malby’s best friend.
You can call me a loner because clearly that was what I was.
And second of all, did I say that out loud?
“You look confuse.”
“Well, that’s because I am. What are you doing here?”
“I should be asking you the same thing.” She smiled. “Don’t you know it’s rude to sneak up on people?”
“It’s quite an irony hearing that word from you.” I say.
“I like that.” She looks over at Malby and Xander, they were no longer ki-ssing but they were still in each other arms. “You looked pissed watching them… you wish you were the one ki-ssing her and not him.”
How does she know?
Who was she?
“What do you want?” I ask throu-ghgritted teeth, getting frustrated already.
She laughed. “What do I want? Tsk, I don’t know,” She shrugged. “But I know for a fact that we both want the same thing.”
What was she saying?
And why does it feel like I know exactly what she was talking about?
“You want Malby….and i want Xander… Am I right?” She turns to look at me.
fu-ck!
She was damn right!
I wanted Malby.
I don’t want to lose her.
I might not know what it was that I was feeling for her but I definitely don’t want to lose her.
“What does that have to do with me?” I ask, still trying to play dumb.
She smiled and fold her arms over her ch-est.
“It has everything to do with you, Manuel.”
Oh.
She knows my name.
“What do you mean?”
“If you don’t want to lose Malby then you have to work with me. But if you don’t care about losing her then that’s your problem because I don’t want to lose Xander…”
“I should work with you?”
“Look at them, Manuel..” She instructed and I did just that…i stared at them, they look happy being together. In fact she was more happy to be with him than with me. “Do you think you can have Malby by your side if she starts going out with Xander?”
I clenched my fist tightly, I could hear my knuckles cracking but I don’t care.
I was use to hurting myself but it hurts so much to get hurt by someone you desperately want!
She might not have hurt me directly but she being with Xander was hurting me really bad.
This girl was right…I won’t be able to have Malby by my side if she start going out with Xander.
Because she will always choose him over me.
And that was freaking me out.
People were so used to walking out of my life.
They always choose other people over me!
They don’t care about me!
And I’m so afraid of Malby hurting me like those people.
“What do you want to do now?” I questioned.
She smirked. “Stop whatever relationship they intend of having.” She says sternly. “So… is this a yes? Are you going to work with me?”
I hesitate for a really long time before asking. “What is your name?”
“Why are you asking?”
“Shouldn’t partners get to know each other’s name? You know my name already so it would be fair if I get to know yours also. And just so you know, you are so tricky.”
She chuckled. “Thanks for the compliment. And i guess my parents named me Tricky for a reason.” She winked.
??????????
?Malby’s Pov?
Xander pulled away, breaking off the ki-ss and left me wanting more!
He cu-pped my face in between his palms and rested his forehead against mine and let out a de-ep sigh.
I placed my palms over his that were cupping my face and shut my eyes close.
I felt happy.
I felt comfortable.
Neither of us said a word. We just stayed in that position and listened to the rhythm of our heart that was beating in sync.
Honestly I wish the world could pause this way. Forever.
Just me and Xander.
Like this.
Forever.
And guys, I might have said I love music but the beat that Xander’s heart was making right now was what I love most.
It was like music to my ear.
I wonder the title of this kind of music?.
I was happy.
Finally, the huge burden in my heart have been lifted.
Do you know how long I’ve kept those words in my heart?
Do you know how long I’ve always wanted to speak it out caring less about the consequences?
And now I’ve finally done just that.
I felt relieved.
But then again, Xander didn’t say he like me.
He only just ki-ssed me and that can’t exactly explain his feelings for me.
And besides this guy was a player.
A manwh-ore and ki-ssing means absolutely nothing to him but it means a lot to me!
I snapped my eyes open and pulled away from him.
He was no longer cupping my face.
He stared at me in shock for my outburst but I didn’t care!
I needed to know his feelings for me and why he ki-ssed me.
I hope he didn’t ki-ss me out of self-pity. Or neither did he ki-ss me because he sees me as one of those his cheap slut he hangs out with.
Because if that was what he…
“I like you too.”
I knew it!
I knew it that Xander doesn’t like me or have any…
Wait.
Recap.
“I like you too.”
What?
Xan…Xander likes me too?
I stare at him wide eyes.
He didn’t just say that.
He..
“You like me?”
He reached out for my hand that were by my side and raised it up to his li-ps and dropped a ki-ss on my knuckles.
Yeah, I blus-hed so shut up.
“I’ve liked you for a pretty long time now but I was afraid of getting rejected by you because of our age difference. I thought you saw me as nothing but your big br…”
I ki-ssed him.
It was better to shut him up now than for him to say anything that will make this confession awkward.
He ki-ssed me back.
bu-tterflies appeared in my stomach and started flying about, I was even worried of it flying out of my stomach.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer while Xander wrapped his arms around my wai-st.
Our li-ps were going in sync. I’ve never ki-ssed anyone like this before.
Obviously, this wasn’t my first ki-ss. I’ve ki-ssed a lot of guys, even a girl…
Arrrrgh! That bi-tch !
But ki-ssing Xander felt like it was my first time in ki-ssing someone.
We broke the ki-ss off so we could catch our breath.
“I will never reject you, Xander. Never.”
Wait, that sounded like a promise.
I was awful when it comes to keeping promises.
He smiled. “Then I guess this is the right time to ask…. Malby Diamond Alvin…will you be my girlfriend?”
I chuckled because of how ridiculous he sounded right now.
It felt like he was proposing marriage to me.
I grinned and nodded my head yes. The word felt so heavy for me to see.
I was overexcited.
And that’s because of that one simple question.
“Is that a yes?” He ask.
I smiled. “Yes.”
He smiled as well and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in for a warm embrace.
I wrapped my arms around his wai-st and rested my head against his ch-est as I listened to the sound of his heartbeat.
This was fun.
I had even forgotten about my injured ankle.
My heart was at ease.
I was happy.
And that was enough.
***
“Do you think our parents will be okay with us being in a relationship?” I ask.
“What do you think?”
“I don’t know. But i think we should keep it away from them for now until we are certain about their approval.”
“But mom Ruby likes me and my mom likes you too.” He says and that was true but mom likes Xander as a son while mom Cherry likes me as a daughter and not as her son’s girlfriend.
“We shouldn’t tell them yet.” I say.
“Alright. Whatever you say.” He shrugged.
I laughed. “Yeah.”
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
“I hope i wasn’t a horrible ki-sser.” fu-ck, why was I asking that dumb question?
Silence.
Awkward.
Silence.
Awkward.
This silence and awkwardness was killing me.
Wasn’t this the perfect time for the ground to open up and swallow me?
“You are amazing. And besides I should be the one asking you that?”
I rolled my eyes. “You are an expert, Xander. Who doesn’t know in school… you’ve literally slept with half of the girls at our school. But as your girlfriend, I will try to forget those awful past about you.”
“Wait, you believed those rumor?” He questioned.
“Um…maybe?”
“You of all people should know what I’m capable of, Malby. You are literally the first girl I’ve ever ki-ssed.”
Holy fu-cking Molly!
This guy have got to be kidding me.
“You are kidding, right?”
“Does it look like I’m kidding?” He questioned.
“Wait…you haven’t had s-ex before?”
His ear turned pink and his gaze lowered to our feet.
“Nope.” He answering, popping the ‘p’
Damn!
Xander was a vi-rgin.
This is unbelievable!
“You are a vi-rgin?”
“Do you have to say that out loud?” He scowled.
“But that’s cute. Like really, you are a vi-rgin. This is unbelievable! And everyone at school thinks you aren’t a vir-ginbut a man wh-ore.”
I was wrong to think of Xander as a man wh-ore.
I was wrong to think that the ki-ss we both shared meant nothing to him when in reality it meant a lot to him.
This was one reason why they asked us never to judge anyone.
I had judged him too soon and that was wrong of me.
“That’s their business.” He sighed. “I actually thought you like Manuel.”
“Well, I don’t. Manuel is more like a friend to me. yeah, he is a suicidal person but that doesn’t make him less of a human. He is nice and friendly and wouldn’t do anything to hurt a fly. Although he finds plea-sure in hurting himself but he’s still better than some people that claims to be normal. If you get to know him in person, trust me… you will like him.”
“I’m glad that you only see him as a friend.”
I laughed.
“Come on, let’s go before Miss Tasha get to know about our disappearance.”
“Hmm.” I tried walking but damn those injured ankle.
I whined in pain.
“Damn. Your ankle. You probably can’t walk now, right?”
I nod.
“Here,” He bent down in front of me. “Get on my back.” He says.
I hesitate before getting on his back.
I didn’t know Xander could be such a gentleman until now.
I grinned as I rested my head against his shoulder and shut my eyes close.
“The bad boy is a vi-rgin.” I mumbled, laughing.
“Shut up.” He gro-aned and i couldn’t help the laughter that escaped my li-ps.
??????????
“Good morning everyone!” Miss Tasha called out at the top of her voice, waking everyone from their beauty sleep.
Arrrrgh!
I hate it when I’m being disturbed from my sleep.
I snapped my eyes open and sat upright.
I was in a tent. Manuel had been the one to build my tent while I was away with my boyfriend. Xander.
Geez, I can’t believe Xander is finally mine.
Like seriously, it was a miracle.
A big one at that.
I couldn’t help the blus-h that appeared on my face as I kept grinning to the memory of Xander and i ki-ssing.
It was still a shock to me that I was his first ki-ss.
Like come on, wasn’t it surprising?
“Grinning like that makes you look like a weirdo.” Tiffany tsked before getting up to her feet.
She was my tent mate. Wait, is there a word like that??
Okay, let’s stick to the normal word we all know…she was my roommate.
Much better.
“Waking up in the morning without washing your face makes you look very ugly.” I fired back.
Okay, that was mean.
Tiffany touched her face then shot a glare at my way before walking out of the the tent.
Hey, don’t look at me. She started it.
I tried getting up to my feet which did worked out well for me but damn, this ankle hurts!
But I don’t regret wandering off in search of signal because I didn’t then Xander wouldn’t be my boyfriend now.
So yeah, it’s worth it?.
I leaped my way outside and look about, everyone were outside already.
They were doing one thing or the other.
Some were looking for signal while some while looking for a place to take their bath and brush their teeth.
Thinking about it, I really need to shower.
I was about to make a move when someone lifted me up into their arms.
I look up at the person and i couldn’t help the smile that appeared on my face.
I wrapped my arms around his shoulder and rested my head against his shoulder.
This was great.
People gave us weird look as we walked past them but we didn’t care.
“where are we going to?” I now asked.
“It’s a secret.” He says.
“Oh.”
***
We finally got to our destination.
Xander gently set me down on the ground on my both feet and stood beside me while I look around my surroundings and i couldn’t help the gasp that escaped my li-ps.
It was like a cave.
In fact it was a cave.
A beautiful one at that.
“Wow.”
“Save your wow for now, princess because you haven’t seen anything yet.” Xander says and grabbed my wrist and he led me Inside the cave.
“Did you just call me princess?”
“You just realized?” That was his reply.
I smiled.
Why haven’t i seen this part of Xander before.
We walked further into the cave until we came out of the cave.
Holy fu-cking Molly shit!
Oh, my world.
Does a place as beautiful as this really exist?
And even if it does…how come was it in the woods.
I let go of Xander’s hand and leap my way closer to the bluest water I’ve ever seen.
It was very blue that you could even see the green gra-sses in the water.
Yellow, pink, and purple flowers surrounded the water but there was a clear part that could lead people into the water.
The place was like the garden of Eden.
Who knows maybe it actually was…
Keep dreaming, girl.
There was a place where the water where falling off from. It was like a fountain.
It was…. beautiful.
The most beautiful place I’ve ever been was…here.
“This…is amazing!” I said, smiling.
“I know right.”
“How did you get to find a place like this?”
Xander shrugged. “I just kept walking…I guess.”
“Wow, your leg is amazing then.” I teased and we both started laughing.
I could possibly take my bath in here.
I smirked at the thought and start to take my dress off.
Xander gave me a weird look until my dress came off my body and I was just in my pan-ties and bra, he quickly looked away.
“Why did you take off your dress?” He questioned, still looking away from me.
“What? Is the vir-ginbad boy shy?” I wriggled my brows.
“Shut up. I’m not shy.” He says.
“Oh, really?”
“Yes.”
“Then prove it.” I challenged.
After a while of silence and hesitation…, Xander turned around and stared at me.
Being under his gaze was kind of making me feel shy.
Was I my body beautiful enough to be look at?
Was it impressive?
Shit, why did I ask him to look at me?
Xander gaze trailed from my head to my toe and from my toe to my head.
And damn, his gaze were doing things to me!
I was about to pick up my dress and out it back on but he stopped me.
I didn’t even know when he came to stand in front of me.
“What were you going to do?” He ask.
“Um… i was going to put my dress on.” I stuttered.
“On whose person’s permission?” He questioned.
I didn’t say anything.
He smirked then collected my dress from me and threw it aside before wrapping his arms around my wai-st and pulling me against his body.
“You have a very beautiful skin, Malby.” He whispered into my ear and I couldn’t help the sensation that pa-ssed throu-ghme. “I could stare at your body all day without getting bored.”
“Well, that’s because you haven’t seen other girl’s body.” I say.
He tightened his arms around my wai-st. “I don’t wish to look at any other girl body aside from yours, Malby.”
I smiled.
“Are you sure?”
He carried my hand and placed it against his ch-est. “Is it beating fast?” He questioned.
I stayed quiet for a while to listen to his heartbeat and indeed they were beating so fast so I nodded my head.
“Do you know who they are beating for?” I didn’t say anything. “You.”
And with that said, he crashed his li-ps against mine.
I shut my eyes close and ki-ssed him back.
The ki-ss was a short one because he pulled away soon.
“Let’s swim.” He says taking off his shirt and trouser.
He was only in his brief and had no shirt on.
I smiled and nodded my head.
He lifted me up and carried me in his arms to the blue ocean.
Not only was the waters amazing… Xander was amazing.
??????????
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“How is the camp out going?”
He shrugged. “Boring?”
I was kind of feeling guilty. It was my fault that he wasn’t having fun on this camp out.
I’ve been so busy with Xander that I forgot about Manuel and our list.
I should probably make it up to him and I know just what to do.
I stood up to my feet and went into my tent, after a while, I returned and took my spot beside Manuel.
He knitted his brows at me as he watch me.
“I’m sorry for…”
“You don’t need to apologize, Malby.” He says, cutting me off.
“Oh. yeah.” I paused. “Here,” I handed a turtle chocolate over to him.
“Chocolate?”
“Turtle chocolate, just to be precise.” I say, grinning.
He smiled then collected the box of chocolate from me.
“Thank you.” He opens it and collected one, he took a bite then handed one over to me. “It’s great.”
“I know right.” I collected the chocolate from him and took a bite also.
“I’ve never tasted a Chocolate before. I didn’t know it will be this amazing.” He says as he took another bite.
“You’re welcome then.” I winked.
“I should cross hashtag one out, right?”
I shook my head. “Not yet. You haven’t tasted ice cream. Until you have a taste of it, will you cross out hashtag one.”
He smiled. “Anything you say.”
We both chatted for a while and it was really fun talking to Manuel.
He was a friend after all.
Just a friend.
*
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#To Be Continued…