PROM: Beneath the Sheets

[Taylor McCarthy]

If it had been any other girl Taylor would have gone off the deep end by now. Lucy had a way of pushing every single one of his buttons, good and bad, then basking in the chaos that ensued. He wanted to strangle her, he wanted to kiss her, he wanted to yell at her, he wanted to take her right there in the stairway leading to the roof. Each urge was left to fight it out inside his mind and heart.

And yet, just like always, Taylor was too foolish and stubborn to know when to quit. He remained undeterred. His eyes met hers as she brought that oh-so mischievous smile up to him. Thankfully for Taylor he had a pretty good sly smirk in waiting to give back. "When was the last time either of us did 'safe'?" He said as he brought the hand that had been batted away up. His fingertips drug lightly along her cheek. He brushed a finger across her lips before trailing down along her jaw and neck, his touch slowly grazing over the lace fabric of her dress.

[Lucy James]

"True," she whispered softly. In a way, she actually found the fact that he didn't give up endearing. Even Lucy couldn't push him away the second his touch found its way to her neck. She could feel her heart rate increase, causing various of emotions to well up in her chest. Such a simple gesture as a touch over her lips, down her neck and down her arms caused shiver to run down her back, and it arched slightly and her hands moved to his shoulders, nails digging lightly into the skin underneath the fabric of his jacket.

"God, you're lucky I l--" Cutting herself off immediately, the brunette's face grew ashen in an instant. Her entire body shifted between tensing and growing limp, as if she couldn't quite decide which was the best way to react. Her lips pressed tightly together at the realization of what she'd almost said.

God, did she hope he hadn't caught it. Though, with the way she'd reacted, she supposed he would have at the very least realized something was up.

Quickly, the brunette recovered (or rather, tried to), "--Like. Like this suit too much to ruin it." Wow. Just wow. That had to be the worst recovery of all time. "Sorry, got something caught in my throat there." Like, wow. A hand came up to pinch the bridge of her nose as she silently cursed at herself.

[Taylor McCarthy]

Taylor loved the way Lucy reacted to his touch. The way she tensed, the feel of the shudder running through her body even as his fingers grazed over the fabric of her dress. Just as when they had first met and she continued to pull away even while offering tiny hints she didn't want him to, he felt it every they drew closer. Her continued talk of 'option four' was belied by the way she melted into him and seemed to relish in every second of his closeness.

The words brought about a pause and brief flash of surprise. Try as she might, there was nothing Lucy could do to prevent Taylor from picking up on what she had nearly said. It didn't take a rocket scientist to guess what tiny, four letter word almost slipped from her lips. "Wait." He said, reaching up to pull her hand away from her face and tilt her chin upward. For once he was going to push her to talk. He wanted to know what she had to say and, in many ways, he needed to hear it. It was too abrupt, too shocking of a misstep to just let go. Lucy James was about to say something. And Taylor wanted to know what it was. "What was that?" He asked, his expression even and flat. He wasn't pushing through arrogance or smug satisfaction but curiosity.

[Lucy James]

Clenching her jaw, the brunette wished, if only just for a second that the boy really was as dense as she often told him he was. How easy it would have been if she could simply walk away from such a horrible mistake with no damage done. Instead, she felt his hand on her chin, forcing her to look at him. The ashen color still remained against her features and despite the annoyance (with herself) she felt bubbling up, her blue eyes were wide in surprise.

It had caught her off guard just as much as it had with the boy.

"I already told you; I like your suit," she said, putting a whole lot of emphasis on the word like. She then continued to attempt to wriggle her head out of his grip, but her body very much remained pinned between the boy and the closed door behind her. Try as she might, unless the boy actually moved, she couldn't run away. Not this time.

[Taylor McCarthy]

Taylor's thumb lightly brushed against Lucy's jaw as she struggled weakly against him. He wouldn't move. Not for this. There was a time and a place to push just as pull away. Taylor didn't know what her utterance of the word she'd nearly dropped already would mean, if anything. To think that Lucy was capable of... certain emotions was met with some measure of disbelief. He felt so close. He'd pushed so hard, endured so much in the short time he'd known Lucy. It hadn't been one sided. He'd fallen for her hard. She had to already know this. He kept it mostly to himself for fear of pushing her away for good. And now, here in the stairway, it felt as though they were standing on the edge of something that could potentially be huge for the both of them.

"Lucy." He wouldn't let her eyes turn away. He kept his gaze locked upon those deep, blue pools that told him so much about the way she felt when she looked at him. "White suits are tacky and you know it." He pointed out, a faint smirk touching his lips. Yes, he was the one calling his own prom attire tacky. He understood the irony to that. "You almost said something that spooked you, luv." He said, his eyes searching hers still. "Is it wrong for me to be concerned about what that was?"

[Lucy James]

Her name being spoken had the power mimic tensing again, but she stopped wriggling. And instead, she looked into his eyes. She felt the wave of discomfort sweep over her, but in truth, she honestly couldn't blame him for pushing. Not about this. She wished he wouldn't, of course. His comment brought no amusement to the brunette's face, and her pale, shocked expression remained fixated upon her features, stuck like glue. Oh, how badly she wanted to run away now. How badly she wished she could crawl down into a hole and disappear forever.

Somehow, the boy managed to hold her gaze. She couldn't pull or look away. Her lips pressed tightly together as she stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights of a speeding car. No. She refused to do this. She refused to go down this path. "Let me go," she whispered, her voice lacking all signs of strength or conviction.

[Taylor McCarthy]

Taylor eyes closed and he exhaled slowly. He didn't know what he had expected when he went down this road with Lucy. He suspected what she had nearly said and, in truth, it wouldn't have been as much of a surprise if it hadn't been for the way she was so guarded with her true feelings. He, in many ways, felt it too. The reluctance to give yourself over to someone in this way was frightening for the both of them. She just happened to be more stubborn than he was.

Even though there was little strength to her words, Taylor wouldn't keep Lucy pressed against the door of the stairway. It wasn't like him. The tone her voice didn't make the words she spoke any less heavy. With a quick, sudden motion he leaned in, his lips hungrily searching for hers. He held the kiss for a long moment, savoring in the heated, passionate gesture until breaking it suddenly and taking a step back, releasing her from his hold as he glanced to the floor. He wasn't frustrated or even defeated. He simply wasn't going to force Lucy into anything that made her as uncomfortable as this obviously had. That didn't mean he was giving up just yet.

"I think we've been through too much to play this game anymore." He said, his tone low and soft. His words weren't accusatory or judgmental. They came out with a sort of hopeful innocence. As if he was clinging to some abstract concept that he hoped would come true. His gaze lifted to hers once more. He still cared. She still saw the same adoration in his deep, brown eyes that had caused her so much confusion and inner conflict. Something new had crept in, however, something she hadn't seen much of before. There was a conviction in his features now as he looked to her. "I wish you would be honest with how you feel. Just once."

[Lucy James]

The sudden kiss caught her off guard, but that did in no way stop her from returning it. Her hand lifted, fingers splayed across his cheek as she kissed him back with the same amount of passion he'd offered her. Even as he pulled away, her hand remained hovering in the air. Blinking, the brunette's head tilted. It seemed as if the emotional roller coaster had yet to actually end. It was as if the ride had just begun, and no matter how badly she wanted to, there was no way off of it.

His words however had her gaze dropping. Looking anywhere but at him, she found herself still leaning against the door. A heavy sigh fell from her lips once her hand found its way back to pinch the bridge of her nose. This, this right here was everything the brunette had tried to avoid. The subject she desperately didn't want to touch upon. What was so wrong with keeping things simple and uncomplicated? Why did they have to put words and names on everything? What was so bad about doing what they wanted without having to succumb to such stupid words.

Though... If they really were that stupid, why didn't she just say them to shut him up once and for all? Was it because she didn't feel them? No, that clearly wasn't it. Maybe it was the principle of everything. Maybe it was the whole "don't follow the herd" mentality that tugged at her. "Don't ask me to do this," she whispered, her gaze still glued to the floor. Strangely, part of her wanted him to, simply because there was no chance in hell she would do it without him pushing her.

[Taylor McCarthy]

For a moment Taylor stood still, listening to the sound of his heart beating heavily in his chest as he, again, dropped his eyes to the floor. Each thump brought out a new thought, a new wave of emotion. Could Lucy possibly have nearly said what he thought? Had they come so far? Regardless of whether or not she could muster the courage to say the words, Taylor now knew. Could he handle that burden? Could he handle being relied upon to keep that knowledge, and everything that came with it, safe? Of all the talk Lucy gave of being the wrong girl to fall for it was lost that Taylor was just as much the wrong boy. He didn't want this responsibility. It was okay when they were struggling with one another, fighting back and forth amidst the obvious tension and quickly growing feelings. It was different then. It wasn't real. If she said those words there was no turning back for either of them.

He swallowed hard, attempting to rid himself of the lump that had formed, yet again, in his throat. His head lifted, a hand coming up to press against his mouth as he exhaled. Lucy was the stronger of them. He knew this. He'd always known it. His hand fell back to his side as he turned to fully face the girl again. It was entirely possible she didn't understand the weight these words that only was strong enough to possibly utter carried for the both of them. This wasn't singly about her any more than it was about Taylor. This was about them. "Say it." He said, his tone still low. He slowly drew closer, his eyes looking to find hers if they lifted as he approached. "For both of us."

[Lucy James]

Was it really that bad, wanting to keep thing simple? To avoid it getting too complicated? To prevent more heartache than either of them needed? Was it really wrong of her to be reluctant? This would change everything, and they both knew it. If she did this, it was no longer fun and games anymore. It was no longer a game the two of them played whenever they pleased. It became a responsibility. Something they were forced to nurture and take care of it. It was just so much. Too much.

For a long moment the brunette looked at the boy. Even after he'd spoken and drawn closer, she remained silent and simply looked. Really looked at him. She felt cornered. She felt put on the spot, and she wasn't even sure if it felt bad. It was so confusing. Her emotions kept swinging between feeling good and bad. There was no middle ground anymore. Exhaling sharply, Lucy reached her hand out, fingertips splaying over the boy's cheek before dropping to his collar.

There was no deflecting anymore. There was no turning back. This was it. He had to know that, right? For better or worse, this would change everything.

Swallowing, Lucy cleared her throat. "I..." She paused as her eyes narrowed. "I.. I love..." Another sharp exhale, and her lips pursed slightly. "..you." As if the realization just hit her, the brunette's eyes widened slightly. "I love you." 

[Taylor McCarthy]

Three words and everything had changed. In an instant Taylor was thrust headlong into unknown territory. What did it mean? Why did he push so hard for her to say it when he couldn't bring himself to do so? His heart leapt to hear the words and then sank under the weight of them. She loved him. Did he feel the same? Could he honestly look at her after everything and repeat those words back to her with the confidence that he wasn't just saying them? He studied her face for a long while. He took in every subtle nuance of her features as she spoke and then the aftermath of her confession. A hand came up to cover hers.

Whether they liked it or not the two of them were now heading down a very different path they had started on. Simple and easy were no longer words that could be used to describe them. And he was certain there was, as of this moment, a them. Taylor didn't take hearing the words any lighter than Lucy had said them. He was obligated now to look after this love that had grown between them. It had been slung around his neck like a chain, holding him down and keeping him from running away like he'd always done before.

Then, after a long while of remaining silent and a blank, emotionless mask covering his face, Taylor smiled. It wasn't a broad, warm smile, or even the loopy, lopsided grin he commonly looked at Lucy with. It was a weak smile, but one that came with a great deal of understanding and new found insight. There was no denying it. He'd nearly slipped the words out himself when he hadn't truly figured it all out. But now, standing here under her watchful, expectant eye, Taylor finally understood why he had gone to such lengths to pull Lucy from the depths of her hell. "I love you."

The words escaped so effortlessly, undoubtedly aided by the path Lucy had already trodden. Taylor didn't care about the questions anymore. He didn't care what all this would mean about the future. What it meant right now was that he was in love with the blue eyed girl that had given him so much torment and hair-pulling frustration. The girl who'd pulled him in and pushed him away more times in one night than he could remember. The girl who'd opened herself up to him and let him in.

Taylor's head shook as all this sunk in. It was too much to deal with all at once. It didn't seem like there could possibly be anymore words to say that could possibly measure up to the six that had been uttered between them. Faced with this dilemma, Taylor did the first thing that came to his mind. His arms went around Lucy and he pulled her fully into him as he leaned in to place a deep, passionate kiss upon her lips.

[Lucy James]

In a way, Lucy almost hoped that he wouldn't return the words. In many ways, she hoped that this was it. The end of the road. That everything that had lead up to this meant nothing and that they'd walk their separate ways from here on and out. It would have been so much simpler that way. Having everything she'd expected being thrown at her. She'd opened up, fully expected it all to come crashing down on her. Just like that. The end, and she would have been right. She would have been right all along, and she'd learn from it too.

Instead, that wasn't at all what happened. After a long pause, three words escaped the boy's lips. The very same she'd given him just moments before. And just like that, everything had shifted, changed and been tossed upside down. They were no longer "something, but nothing", and instead, they were just something.

She didn't struggle when he pulled her to her. The kiss brought a sense of warmth, but it took the moment for the brunette to register just what had happened and transpired between them. Slowly, her hand went up to his cheek, her thumb brushing against his cheek. Another brief moment passed and her eyes fluttered closed as it seemed as if the previous tension left her body entirely and she grew limp in his arms. 

With a new found resolution, Lucy's arms went to the boy's shoulders as she started pulling his jacket down his shoulders. If she was already on the path of giving herself away to someone emotionally, she'd might as well go all the way. And she wanted to too.

[Taylor McCarthy]

Everything Taylor had thought he knew about what he had with Lucy came tumbling down around him like a house of cards. Little did he know the flimsy house in which they'd built happened to rest upon a rock solid foundation of a mutually growing love. How could he have known that when they put up the fragile walls and cheap roofing of an agreement they had called being 'nothing but something'. They had been preparing for something simple and easy. Something that would more than likely be fleeting. All the while they were laying a deep rooted slab that, for the first time, Taylor believed could support something so much more than they had anticipated.

His heart skipped another beat as Lucy's lips crashed into his once more. He felt the surge of something that was much more than simply love well up within him when her hands started tugging at his jacket. Neither of them may have had the slightest clue what tomorrow would bring. They certainly would have to sit down and have a talk about what had transpired this night and what it meant moving forward. But that would come later. At the moment they both knew exactly where they were headed in the short term. Taylor broke the embrace but didn't pull away. His lips lingered ever so closely to Lucy's as he kissed her in between the hushed words he spoke. "Let's go back to your room."