Where The Dandelions Grow

11 - Ten seconds

Echo's POV

I try to cover the sound of my cries as best as possible, but I fail. The sniffles are too loud, but I can still hear the soft whimpers that leave my throat.

I don't know if Brandon is sleeping yet; I think he is. He hasn't said anything or moved in the past thirty minutes. I didn't think about how difficult it would be to sleep in someone else's bed. It's one thing crying and being unable to sleep in my bed, but it's flat-out embarrassing in another bed. I don't want to wake him, but I can't stop the panic rising in my body.

In the fetal position, I cling onto the blanket and bite down on it in a poor attempt to muffle my cries.

I wish I were normal. I wish I could sleep like an average person at a regular hour. But no, I have to go through a war and go back to resting my body.

But the thing is, my body is never at rest. Even when resting, it feels like I am battling my thoughts.

My breath shortens, and my cries also make breathing harder.

That's when I see the faint outline of Brandon's silhouette rise from the floor. His face Is lit up the slightest amount from the light of the moon shining through the window above. My lip quivers as I shuffle to wipe away my tears.

"Echo?" Brandon whispers. He sits on the bed slowly, feeling for me until he touches the top of my head. The light weight of his fingers makes my sobs halt instantly. "It's alright," he whispers, pushing my hair away from my face. "Whatever it is. It'll be okay."

I shake my head, frantically sitting up. "It's not okay, Brandon. Nothing is okay!" I don't yell, knowing his mom is asleep, but the harshness comes off with my words.

"I—" I start but break into a sob. "I have... nobody."

He shakes his head and scoots closer, pulling my arms and body into his chest.

"You have me."

His hand strokes my head as I sink into the pit of his chest and cry. I cry like I haven't cried before because I feel like I have someone for the first time in a long time. Not because they're pitiful or sorry for me, but because they may like me just for being Echo Johnson. I had that once with Hailey.

Several seconds pass before I feel the gentle pressure of Brandon's lips pressing against the crown of my head. The delicate sounds of his kiss fill the air a moment later.

My mouth parts as a long breath leave it: my body, light as a feather, tingles.

He kissed me.

I lift my head and stare at him in his soft green eyes. I look between them in shock as I blink away the tears from my eyes. "You kissed me."

He nods, swallowing so hard I faintly hear it. "Is that okay?"

A second passes before I nod too. "Yeah," I whisper. "It's fine."

He lets out a long exhale as if he's been holding his breath and slips down the bed so that he's lying with me. I watch his every move, aware of his body being so close to mine, noticing his uneven breathing and how his hand hasn't left my waist this entire time.

And if I'm being honest with myself, I don't want his hand to leave. I liked the way it felt to be kissed on my head. The reaction my body gave, the electricity that shocked my blood from one single kiss to my scalp. Imagine what more can do? Imagine how it would feel.

I lift myself over Brandon, my hair framing my face, brushing against his. He tilts his head. "What's up?"

I don't know how to explain what I'm feeling. Or the need I am craving. So, I do. My head dips, and my lips attach to his neck. Brandon gasps, "Ech," He blurts out, but I begin sucking on the soft skin of his neck, making him lose his words in the bridge of his throat. A pounding feeling between my legs screams for more.