returning {to the past} -crystal

[~echo~]

(Lmao, now that I think about it... yeah, that's pretty funny xD)

Anita smiled at him and took a sip of her water as he spoke. "Aw, just friends?" She said with a teasing smile. She hoped that her statement didn't make things awkward.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex gave her a crooked smile, his bad-boy smile he hadn't used in years. "I certainly hope not. Unless friends kiss each other." His dark eyes twinkled as he took a sip from his drink.

[~echo~]

"Good," she gave a mischievous smile. "I was worried for a moment." She gave another sip of water and then sat it down on a coaster. "How are you?" she asked, fixing her gaze on the handsome man.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Never been better," he said honestly. His brother was safe, hopefully out of the gangs for good, and he was sitting beside Anita. The girl he thought he'd never see again, whose heart he broke. The girl he loved. He had a job he liked, one that was frustrating but fulfilling, and he felt like his life was finally moving forward.

[~echo~]

Anita gave him a smile. "Good. I'm glad." She traced a small pattern on her knee, then looked back up at him. "Alex... what are we? To each other, I mean."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex's eyebrows rose. Funny thing was, the answer was so simple and yet hard to say. "I guess that depends on you," he said. "I know what you are to me."

[~echo~]

Anita blinked down at her jeans, giving a small smile. "I know what I want us to be. And I know what you are to me as well." She looked back up at him, then touched his cheek with her hand and gave him a soft kiss, short but sweet.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex caught her chin under his finger and held her face a few inches from his, but he didn't her again. "I'm not leaving again, Anita. I need you to know that. Whatever happens, I'm different now. I'm sticking it out no matter what. I made a mistake and I'm never repeating it."

[~echo~]

She nodded with a small smile. "Thank you, Alex," she whispered, barely audible. "I'll stick it out too. Because... well, I'm sorry, but I love you."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

A small snort of barely contained laughter escaped him. "You're sorry?" he repeated, his eyes twinkling.

[~echo~]

She blushed a little, and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, flashing a shy smile. "Well, maybe not that sorry. But I do love you."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex cupped her cheek his with his, rough skin but gentle touch, and smiled. "I love you, too. Always have." Even when he hadn't admitted it.

[~echo~]

Anita smiled softly at him, placing her hand over his and closing her eyes at the caress. She opened her eyes again and then moved so that they were closer. "Those are the most beautiful words I've ever heard," she whispered, pressing a kiss against his lips.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex's lips curved into a smile beneath hers. He set his glass down on the coffee table and then leaned toward her, pressing their bodies closer together. He kissed her deeper, passionately.

[~echo~]

Anita felt as though she was floating, the inky thing worth noticing was him; his smell, his taste, and the feeling of him pressed against her. Anita allowed herself to fall into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck in her passion.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex found himself falling back in time. Not to high school--because high school had sucked. But there was something good about that time, something he'd forgotten. With Anita, he'd always felt free, released from his worries. Gangs, pain-in-the-a** brothers, peer pressure. None of it matters. Maybe he was an adult now, but those things still haunted them, among others. Once again, he found himself freed.

He slid his hands under her shift to her waist and pulled her over his lab. He crushed her against him, until their bodies melded together, but it still wasn't close enough for him. "God, Anita," he growled. He opened his eyes and looked up at her, her dark hair hanging down and brushing his face and shoulders. "There's something we never got to do in high school."

[~echo~]

Anita thought of high school often. It had been weird and stupid but at the same time, she had met the love of her life in Alex. Their time together had been too short, and then it had been cut off too soon... and Anita would never forget what he had done. But she also knew that she couldn't fight the feeling that was mounting in her chest and making her feel as though she was on fire. She allowed herself to be pulled onto his lap, and she straddled him, holding his face with both hands. His gravelly voice made her forget herself for a moment, and she allowed herself to melt for a moment. Then he said something that stirred something deep in her belly... "I know..." she whispered, staring deeply into his eyes.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex blinked. He could sense the heat and emotions rolling off her, and it surprised him. Anita had always been so innocent in his eyes. "You don't have to... we don't..." he started. Then he grimaced. "I don't want you to rush into anything. With us."

[~echo~]

Anita smiled at him sweetly, letting one hand fall off his face while the other slowly stroked his cheek, a tender motion. "I know, Alejandro. I know we don't have to. But... if you want to... I've always wanted you," she murmured softly, staring into his eyes still.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex made a sound deep in his throat, part amusement and part frustration. "I'm a man, Anita," he said, her name rolling off his tongue. "What do you think I want?"