Ezra Montgomery
Sunday, March 17th 2019
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──

chapter forty-six- on the house

                 
I AWAKE TO SOFT KISSES FROM NORA. She rests her head on my chest and her leg propped on my waist.

I slide my hand up her leg, lovingly, resting it on her exposed hipbone. She has a scar there, she got stitches from a wicked dog scratch when she was thirteen.

She smiles into the soft kiss, pulling away, to rest her head. I look up, only to see the night sky, passed her curly head.

We slept in all day long, we were planning on going out and doing something, but had passed out instead.

I needed that though, I needed to be around her energy, just her and I alone. I missed her, I was growing an attachment to her that I couldn't quite understand, yet. I wanted to be around her 24/7, touching her, kissing her, soaking up her company.

It never felt like this. It never felt like this with anyone and it scared me that something like that could be wrecked so easily. Wrecked by me inevitably.I was a destroyer of all good things.

Her playing with my hair almost lulls me back to sleep, but my hunger is enough to keep me awake and my growing emotions for her.

The love was still young and new and growing, everyday when I thought I couldn't love Nora more, I did.

I lift her chin up to kiss her soft lips, my lips that didn't belong to anyone else. Her face looked extra kissable all sleepy and cute like that. Curls cascading her beautiful face, like a lions mane.

My oversized t-shirt and her panties the only thing sporting her perfect body. Everything about this damn girl was perfect.

When she pulls away I trail the necklace around her collarbone, stopping at the curve of the cursive a in Ezra.

"Never take this off."

"I'll never take it off." Her eyes don't leave mine. I want to pin her down and kiss her all over.

"I don't believe you." I admit my doubts out loud to the both of us, instead, surprising us both. I was a jackass.

She sits up, to look at me better in the dark room. I can see that her eyes are sad even in the dark blue room and I feel like an asshole. The last thing I want her to do is make her feel guilty for leaving me someday. It would probably be the best for her.

It was a nasty intrusive thought and it killed the moment. Everyone always leaves eventually. Especially me, i'm not someone good to be around for too long.

Nora's damn therapist tried to warn her, her mom, her best friend, everyone who cared about her wellbeing.

She lost her best friend because of me. Nora hasn't got many people in her life and i'm taking the ones that care about her away.

I want to die again. The feeling is coming back. I try to delete it from my brain. How selfish could I be? But maybe it's always been there in the back of my head, everything is hazy.

"That makes me sad." Nora finally whispers out into the darkness.

"But I think you'd take yours off before I ever thought about touching mine."

"I'll die with it on, Nora."

She touches her forehead to mine. "My beautiful sad boy." She places her warm hand on my exposed chest.

Over my heart, it was pumping faster than it probably should. But Nora still made my heart race.

She touches my heart like she can see the pain oozing from me. She hugs me for a while and i'm glad because she doesn't notice the tears I shed into her hair or shoulders.

But i'm sure she felt the shake of my shoulder.

"I love you, Ezra." She says, into my hair that she cut so beautifully and lovingly.

"Do I tell you enough?" She asks, pulling away, to move a strand of my hair, that she messed up.

"Tell me when you feel like telling me." I say with a smile and shrug. She was making me feel better already, now I just needed to cure my hunger.

I lean down to kiss her. She places a finger on my lip with a smile. "That doesn't answer my question, Ezzie."

"You tell me enough." I admit. "But tell me more."

She smiles with a nod, moving her finger so that I can kiss her. She practically purrs, when I climb on top of her, to nibble at her neck.

"I love you, Ezra." She says, into my ear running fingers through my hair, driving me wild.

"I love you."

"Forever." she adds with a soft sweet kiss.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──

The night is cold, so Nora wears my hoodie, my hat and my gloves from like middle school or something.

I puff a cigarette on our walk, after I ask her permission. With my other hand, I hold Nora's gloved one.

"What are you hungry for?" Nora asks over bustling traffic. The streets were surprisingly calm for eight on a sunday night.

I take a drag, thinking.

"You." I look down at her with a smirk.

"Gross." She sticks her tongue out, pulling me along. She didn't even notice I was on my second cigarette.

When I first met Nora she had the saddest eyes, now they were filled with more wonder and clarity it seemed.

She didn't notice it about herself, but I did. Even her demeanor had changed. Maybe I was due for some change too.

"I want pizza." She begins. "There's a spot near by."

"Lead the way, princess." I say, puffing a drag. It stings my lungs from the cold.

"Why do you and your cousin hate each other so much?" Nora asks, peering into store's, window shopping.

If she asked i'd buy her anything and everything. Something in Nora hated being spoiled and I didn't understand why.

Most girls made me swipe my card at every waking moment using me for my money and status.

But with Nora I could just hang out with her and put all that aside. It didn't matter how much money was in my wallet. It felt good not to be objectified.

Nora wasn't most girls.

Nora strolls along, keeping up with my fast stride. I pull her hat down over her eyebrows, like she's a little kid to keep her warm.

"It's this way." She points to a crumby looking pizza shop on the corner. There's a group of guys with beers and smokes outside.

Nora clings closer to me as we cross the street. "What in the chocolate swirl." a man on a bike says.

He's looking at Nora hard. "You cheating on me Nora bear?"

"Ignore him." she says in my ear, trying to pull me towards the door, but i've never been good at holding my tongue, especially when it come to my girl.

"Please." her eyes are begging me. It's hard to tell her no. I roll my eyes pushing the door open, above her head. I'm pissed.

The cigarettes took my appetite and the talk of my cousin and the damn guy on the bike.

Nora looks pretty bummed now too. She holds my hand still, pulling towards the cash register.

The place is bleak, with marble red and white walls and two places to eat by the window. The floor is black and white checkered and there's a stand of chips and a fridge with sodas.

At the counter pies are displayed and the kitchen can be seen from the front and Dani waits, gawking us both down.

Nora releases my hand, staring at her friend with melancholy eyes. She takes her gloves off, approaching the counter, tough as nails.

"What are you doing here?"

"Ordering pizza." Nora rolls her eyes.

Dani sighs, losing the attitude. "I miss you." she whispers, looking down at the counter.

"I miss you."

Dani moves from behind the counter and stands in front of her best friend, covered in pizza sauce and flour. Hair tied behind her hair and tired eyes. Nora does the same and they stand there staring for a moment.

It's not long until they're crying and hugging. "Why didn't you text me?" Dani whines, into Nora's shoulder.

"Because you were being so mean."Nora cries.

"I'm sorry." She says. "I was so mad for such a short amount of time and then I dragged it out, i'm sorry."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, it doesn't matter, what did you guys want? she asks. "It's on the house."

Dani wipes her tears and goes back behind the counter looking lighter.

Nora turns to me. "Pepperoni." I nod.

"Hi Dani." I say.

"Ezra." It's not as cold as it could be.

"How long have you been here?" Nora asks leaning on the counter.

"One large pep!" Dani shouts, then turns towards her friend. "About two weeks, my sister thought it'd be good for me, I kinda like it and it's money."

"I need a job." Nora sighs.

If she needs money, I can give her money it's no problem. I want to help.

"Nah, you're going off to school soon, focus on that."

"I still need money before I go."

"I'll look around for you." Dani says before leaving to head for the kitchen.

Nora looks at me. "I can give you money."

"Ezra." She looks almost appalled. "No."

"I'm your boyfriend, it's my job to provide for you, it's without a question." I'm standing in front of her now.

She's been barking demands at me all night, but this is where I put my foot down.

"No." She says. "I'm getting a job."

"No." I say. "You're not, I can give you allowance."

Her eyes widen, but Dani comes out with a pizza and cheesecake. Nora smiles at her friend and leaves a twenty dollar tip. Giving away money she doesn't have.

Nora walks passed me out the shop after saying bye to Dani. She seems irritated, the guys are gone, but the cold air still greets us.

"Why does my help offend you so much?" I ask.

"It's not just yours it's, it's anyone's help." she says, into the night air.

"I'd like to think I'm someone that can solve my problems on my own, I have to believe that."

"But if you have a boyfriend, you should share your problems and let me help solve them."

She starts walking in the direction of her house. She's gnawing at the bottom of her lip, thinking.

"But you help enough."

"No, i'm not arguing about this." I say turning towards her.

The wind blows her hair as she strides along, fast, away from me. She's not hard to keep up with, though.

"You don't owe me, please let me." I say, catching up.

She slows down, finding my side again. She loops onto my arm and we walk like that for a while not saying anything.

"You never answered me about your cousin."

I shrug, reaching in my pocket for another smoke, but i've left the rest at home.

"He's just him and i'm me."

"You guys were never friends?"

"I mean...we use to toss football as kids on Thanksgiving, but no not really."

"I'm sorry, are you close with anyone in your family."

I answer with another shrug as we approach Nora's front door. She tilts her head, like she's trying to understand me better.

She doesn't reach for her key, or turn towards the door. She's still looking at me with twinkling brown eyes.

"I was close with my mom, I have some other cousins too, they're cool. I have this little cousin, Brodie, he's seven and he looks just like me as a kid."

Nora's eyes sparkle as I speak and she smiles. "I want to meet him."

"You will."

She turns to open the door and I hold the pizza, still hot from the oven. "Mom's not home."

"Are you flirting with me?" I ask.

She turns to me before pushing the door open. "Oh you wish."

I can't help kissing her. I kiss her closing the door, taking her hat off. I put the pizza on the kitchen counter, so I can take her coat off for her.

"Kiss me." I tell her. And she does and it's sweet like honey.

Her lips are cool on mine, she catches her breath, leaning deeper into me. I rest my hand on her neck and jaw and her hands explore underneath my shirt with loving cold hands.

I pin her to the counter kissing her deeper, the pizza quickly forgotten.

"You're so pretty." I say to her, kissing her cheek, tracing a finger over her beautiful face and lips, remembering every trace and line, like a portrait.

"You're pretty." She says, shyly, looking down at the sleeves of my hoodie, hands buried.

"You think i'm pretty?" I ask her, trying to find her eyes, but she's still being shy. I tilt her head up to look at me.

"Didn't you hear me the first time?" She's looking at me with a mischievous smile now. She reaches for the cabinet's, grabbing two plates.

She washes her hands, handing me a plate and I wash my hands as well. We find our way to her room, where she plays a movie on her laptop.

She lays rested on me, lolling off. I kiss her cheek every time she wakes up again to take a bite of her pizza.

Before I leave, I leave 500 dollars in her laptop, that she cannot refuse, because she's sleeping. It's not much, but should get her through the week.

a/n
long time no see. i'm working on updating more often, i have other projects that i would like to start, but this one has to be done or near done i don't want to lose the characters yet