Chapter 20: Why do I
But before Sarah could respond, there was a soft shuffle behind Kelly. Scarlet appeared from behind her with an amused smirk, one hand casually pressing against the wall as she leaned in just enough to make her presence known.
Kelly's eyes widened slightly, surprised by how silently Scarlet had approached. "Scar," she muttered, half-embarrassed and half-amused. She glanced up at Sarah, who immediately made a funny hand gesture, a playful mix of a mock salute and a finger to her lips.
Scarlet chuckled softly at Sarah's antics before turning her gaze to Kelly. "I couldn't help overhearing," she said, her voice low and teasing. "I think I heard something about getting rid of me?"
Kelly shot her a playful glare but couldn't suppress the smile tugging at her lips. "I meant it in a figurative sense," she said, clearly not serious. "But you know, sometimes... I wish I could."
Sarah raised an eyebrow and, still laughing at the exchange, gave Scarlet a playful look. "You're not going anywhere anytime soon, are you?"
Scarlet gave Sarah a sideways grin. "Oh, I don't plan to. Not when I've got a cute girl to keep my attention, especially when she says things like that."
Kelly rolled her eyes, clearly a little flustered. "You're insufferable."
"I'm your insufferable," Scarlet replied with a smirk, her fingers lightly brushing against Kelly's shoulder as she stood beside her, leaning in a bit closer. "You're lucky you have me."
Sarah, always quick with her teasing, tilted her head and eyed the two of them with amusement. "Well, I guess I'll just step aside. You two seem to have your little world figured out." She flashed Kelly a sly grin. "But don't think I'll stop teasing you about this, princess."
"Go ahead," Kelly shot back with a smirk. "But it doesn't change anything."
Scarlet leaned in closer, her lips brushing against Kelly's ear for just a moment before she spoke softly, "You'll get used to it."
Kelly swallowed, a shiver running down her spine as she glanced at Sarah, who was now pretending to gag dramatically. "Oh, for the love of—"
"Can we not do this right now?" Kelly muttered, trying to hide her flushed cheeks.
Scarlet just chuckled, her gaze warm as she caught Kelly's eyes, knowing exactly how much power she held over her, even in these small moments. "Fine, we'll stop," she said, stepping back a little, but the mischievous glint in her eyes was still there. "But only because you asked nicely."
"Since when did you guys team up to suffocate me?" Kelly laughed, shaking her head in mock frustration.
Sarah grinned mischievously, shrugging casually. "It just seemed like a good idea, honestly. Watching you squirm is... fun."
Scarlet, leaning in with a playful grin, added, "Yeah, but don't worry. You're safe with me." She winked at Kelly, her voice dropping just low enough for only Kelly to hear. "I'm not going anywhere."
Kelly rolled her eyes but couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up. "You two are something else," she said, grinning at both of them as they exchanged an almost telepathic look.
"Don't worry, princess," Sarah teased, "we'll make sure to keep things interesting for you. Wouldn't want you getting bored, would we?"
"No, wouldn't want that at all," Kelly replied dryly, though there was no hiding the smile on her face.
As the moment lingered, the teasing energy between the three of them softened, and Kelly felt a strange sense of comfort in being surrounded by these two. Even if they were relentless in their jokes, it was clear they cared about her—maybe in their own chaotic way.
"Guess i have to find Jax so we can tease you Sarah, who knows maybe we'll grow some chemistry against you two."
Sarah raised an eyebrow, giving Kelly a mock-serious look. "Oh, really? You and Jax? That's your plan?" she teased, leaning back with a grin. "Well, if you're offering, I'd love to see how that plays out."
Kelly smirked at Sarah, but her gaze shifted to Scarlet, watching her reaction closely. Scarlet's face remained a mix of curiosity and amusement, her lips curling into a playful, almost smug smile as she locked eyes with Kelly.
"You think Jax is gonna be the one you need to worry about?" Scarlet asked, her tone laced with teasing confidence. She stepped a little closer to Kelly, her presence undeniable. "You know, you might be onto something, Kel. Maybe I should let you two 'grow some chemistry', but just remember, I'm not as easy to get distracted as Sarah is."
Kelly's grin widened, and she leaned in just enough to brush her shoulder against Scarlet's. "Careful, Scar. Maybe I'll surprise you."
Sarah snorted, watching the two of them with clear amusement. "Looks like you two already have some chemistry." She raised her hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, I'll leave you to it. But just remember, I'm watching."
Kelly shot Sarah a playful glare before her attention turned back to Scarlet, feeling that familiar tension between them. It was playful, but also full of something deeper—something that made her heart beat a little faster. She couldn't help but wonder if Scarlet's teasing had a hint of truth behind it.
Scarlet's smirk softened into something more genuine as she leaned in slightly, lowering her voice just for Kelly. "You really want to test the chemistry between us, huh?" She didn't give Kelly a chance to respond, instead brushing a strand of hair behind Kelly's ear in a small, intimate gesture that only made the moment feel more charged.
"You're the one who's always testing me, you know that?" Kelly whispered back, her heart racing a little faster. "But fine, I'll play along."
Scarlet moved swiftly, pressing both her hands on the wall beside Kelly, effectively trapping her in place. Kelly froze, her breath catching in her throat, as Scarlet's proximity sent a rush of heat through her.
"Trying to escape?" Scarlet whispered, her voice low and teasing, but there was something else in it—a subtle challenge. "You know, I could make it harder for you to leave, but you seem to enjoy running from me."
Kelly's heart was racing, a mix of nervous excitement and something more intense. She wasn't used to this—Scarlet's closeness always had a way of disarming her, breaking down all the walls she'd built. She instinctively shifted her weight, preparing to pull away, but Scarlet's presence was suffocating in the most exhilarating way, and her body wouldn't cooperate.
"Let me go, Scar," Kelly said with a small laugh, trying to keep her voice steady, but the slight tremble was unmistakable. "You know you're not supposed to make me this flustered."
Scarlet leaned in just slightly, her breath warm against Kelly's ear. "But I can't help it. It's too fun watching you squirm."
Kelly's eyes widened as Scarlet's hand moved, brushing against her side as if she were teasing, testing her limits. It was playful, but it felt dangerously close to something else—something deeper, something they hadn't fully explored yet.
"Don't," Kelly warned, but her voice lacked conviction. She didn't really want Scarlet to stop. The tension between them was palpable, crackling in the air, and part of her was terrified, but the other part was entirely captivated.
Scarlet's smirk widened, sensing Kelly's inner conflict. "You know you like this, Kel. The thrill of it."
Kelly swallowed, fighting to maintain her composure. "You're impossible," she muttered, but there was a soft smile tugging at the corners of her lips despite herself.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Scarlet's hands remained pressed against the wall, her body close but not quite touching Kelly. They were caught in a delicate standoff, neither of them willing to make the first move but both sensing the shifting dynamic between them. The playful teasing was still there, but beneath it lay something more intimate, more potent.
"Maybe I am," Scarlet said, her voice softening, a more serious tone threading through. "But it's because I can't stand the idea of letting you slip away from me. Not now. Not after everything."
Kelly's breath hitched, and she looked into Scarlet's eyes, searching for something—something real, something honest. "Then don't let me slip away," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Scarlet's expression softened, and for a moment, it was just the two of them, caught in the silence between words. Finally, Scarlet stepped back, though she didn't remove her hands from the wall just yet. "I won't. But remember, I'm not the one who's running."
Kelly took a deep breath, realizing she was more tangled up in this than she ever expected to be. "Guess I'll have to stop running then."
Scarlet's words hung in the air, teasing yet tinged with a hint of something softer, something that made Kelly's heart skip a beat. "Yeah, I start to miss the girl who chased me around school all day, and not the one who tries to run away from me now," Scarlet added with a smirk, her eyes scanning Kelly's face with a knowing look.
Kelly blinked, caught off guard by the sentiment in Scarlet's voice. She hadn't expected the playful teasing to feel so... personal. It made her feel exposed in a way she wasn't entirely ready for, yet it also made her feel seen, understood in a way only Scarlet could.
"Are you calling me weak now, Scarlet?" Kelly said with a light laugh, though there was a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. "I thought you liked chasing people. Don't tell me you miss that version of me."
Scarlet's expression softened as she leaned closer again, her voice quieter. "No, I miss the part of you that wasn't afraid to show me who you really were. The part that made me chase you, not because I had to, but because I wanted to. But now... you're hiding a little bit." Her eyes searched Kelly's, as if trying to uncover the reasons why.
Kelly's breath caught in her throat, her heart thumping hard against her chest. She opened her mouth to respond, but the words didn't come easily. She had been hiding, hadn't she? Hiding from the vulnerability, from the feelings that she wasn't entirely sure she was ready to confront.
Scarlet's hand gently reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair behind Kelly's ear, a tender touch that seemed to say more than words ever could. "It's okay," she whispered. "I'm not going anywhere. But you don't have to run from me anymore, Kel. Not unless you really want to."
The sincerity in Scarlet's voice melted the last of Kelly's resistance. She wasn't running anymore. Not from Scarlet. Not from whatever this was between them.
Kelly took a deep breath, her eyes locking with Scarlet's, and finally, with a small, almost shy smile, she whispered, "I'm not running anymore."
Scarlet's words hung in the air, as if daring Kelly to acknowledge the weight between them. "Now that it's just us," Scarlet said, her voice low and steady, "are you ready to say the word?"
Kelly's gaze shifted downward, the words she had been holding back threatening to surface. But instead of meeting Scarlet's eyes, she looked away, her chest tightening. She felt a lump in her throat, an unfamiliar rush of emotions she wasn't sure how to handle.
Something welled up in her eyes—a vulnerability that she hadn't shown to anyone in so long. She bit her lip, trying to push it down, but it was no use. Scarlet's presence, the intensity of her words, was enough to crack the walls Kelly had built around her heart.
"I—" Kelly started, but the words didn't come out the way she intended. Her voice faltered, her throat dry. The weight of everything they had been through, the connection they had built, made it hard for her to speak the way she wanted to.
Scarlet, sensing the hesitation, gently cupped Kelly's face, lifting her chin so that their eyes met. There was no judgment, no impatience, just understanding. "You don't have to if you're not ready," Scarlet murmured, her thumb brushing gently across Kelly's cheek. "But you've already shown me more than enough. And that means everything to me."
Kelly blinked rapidly, feeling the sting of tears that threatened to spill. She took a shaky breath, her hands finding Scarlet's wrist, holding onto it as if it was the only thing grounding her. "I... I don't know how to say it," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I've never been like this with anyone before. I—" She paused, trying to find the right words, but all she could manage was a quiet sigh. "I'm just scared, Scarlet. Scared of how much this means."
Scarlet's expression softened, and she gently pulled Kelly closer, wrapping her arms around her in a comforting embrace. "It's okay to be scared, Kel. It's okay to take your time. I'm not going anywhere."
Kelly let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, allowing herself to melt into Scarlet's embrace. For the first time in a long while, she felt safe enough to let go, even if just a little.
As Kelly turned to walk away, trying to regain some sense of composure, she felt Scarlet's presence follow closely behind her, unwavering. The air between them was thick with unspoken words, but it didn't take long for Scarlet to bridge the gap.
Without a word, Scarlet gently cupped Kelly's face, her fingers brushing against her damp skin. Kelly's heart raced, knowing what was about to happen but still caught off guard by the tenderness in Scarlet's movements.
Scarlet leaned down, her lips brushing lightly against Kelly's eyes—still glistening from the tears she hadn't fully wiped away. It was a delicate kiss, the kind that spoke volumes more than words ever could. The gesture melted Kelly's heart, the softness of it contrasting sharply with the intensity of the emotions she had been holding back.
As Scarlet pulled back slightly, she whispered in a voice that was both soothing and firm, "I love you," her breath grazing Kelly's ear, sending a shiver down her spine.
Kelly froze. The simple words, said with such conviction and tenderness, tingled in her ears and resonated deeply within her. It was the kind of confession she hadn't allowed herself to fully acknowledge until now. Her knees felt weak, and her breath caught in her throat as she turned to face Scarlet, her eyes wide with a mixture of disbelief and wonder.
"I..." Kelly stammered, not sure what to say in response, but the emotions swirling inside her were too overwhelming to express in words just yet. Instead, she simply let herself be enveloped by Scarlet's presence, the rawness of the moment settling into something deeper between them.
Scarlet smiled softly, her hand gently cupping Kelly's cheek again. "You don't have to say it back right away, Kel," she murmured, her thumb stroking Kelly's skin. "I just wanted you to know how I feel."
Kelly's voice trembled, the weight of her emotions finally breaking through the walls she had built. Her eyes glistened with fresh tears, and she looked up at Scarlet, the vulnerability she had kept hidden now spilling out.
"You know, Scar," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion, "you taught me to be strong... but you're also the one who make me weaker than I should be."
Her words were soft, yet they carried a weight that seemed to hang in the air between them. Kelly's hand balled into a fist, and without thinking, she punched gently at Scarlet's chest, as if trying to push away the overwhelming feelings that were making her feel so fragile. The impact was light, but it was more of a release—an expression of the confusion, the love, and the fear that she couldn't quite make sense of.
Scarlet's heart tightened at the sight of Kelly's tears, the guilt washing over her. She reached for Kelly's hand, gently holding it against her chest where the punch had landed. Her eyes softened with understanding, knowing that Kelly's words weren't about anger, but about the depth of how she was feeling—caught between the strength she had learned from Scarlet and the soft, fragile side that had always existed within her.
"Kel..." Scarlet whispered, her voice gentle but firm as she cupped Kelly's face with both hands. She stared into her eyes, searching for the words to express what she felt. "I never wanted to make you feel weak. I just wanted you to know that it's okay to be vulnerable with me. You don't have to hold everything in. You don't have to be so strong all the time."
Kelly closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself lean into Scarlet's touch, feeling the comfort and warmth of her presence. She didn't know why she felt so weak, why the tears kept flowing, but with Scarlet there, it felt like a release—like she didn't have to hide anymore.
"I don't want to be weak, Scar," Kelly said softly, her voice muffled against Scarlet's chest as she leaned into her embrace, finally letting herself collapse into the safety of her arms. "But when you're around... it's like I'm not afraid to be."
Scarlet's arms tightened around her, pulling her in close. "You're not weak, Kel. You're the strongest person I know. But it's okay to let go sometimes. It's okay to be loved... by me."
Kelly didn't answer right away, but her tears slowly began to subside as she allowed herself to stay in the quiet comfort of Scarlet's arms. For the first time in a long time, Kelly allowed herself to feel fully—vulnerable, open, and free to experience the depth of her emotions without fear of being too much.
Scarlet didn't say much as she guided Kelly to the car, the silence between them heavy with the weight of their unspoken words. Kelly's eyes were still red from crying, but she seemed calmer now, a little lighter, as if the release had helped her find some peace. Scarlet gently brushed a strand of hair away from Kelly's face before opening the car door, her touch tender and filled with quiet understanding.
As they drove, the familiar hum of the engine and the quiet night outside seemed to wrap them in a cocoon of sorts, shielding them from the world that felt too loud and overwhelming at times. Kelly stared out the window, watching the streetlights flicker by, her thoughts racing. The world outside might have been moving, but inside, everything felt still for the first time in a while.
Scarlet glanced over at Kelly, her fingers gripping the steering wheel slightly tighter as she noticed the way Kelly's shoulders slumped, as if the weight of everything she'd been carrying had suddenly become too much to bear. She wanted to reach out, to comfort her, but she knew Kelly needed space, needed time to process it all.
"You're okay now," Scarlet finally said, her voice low and soft, breaking the silence between them. She glanced at Kelly, her eyes full of sincerity. "You don't have to carry it alone, Kel."
Kelly didn't look at her immediately, but her lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. She appreciated the words, more than Scarlet could know. "I know. It's just hard sometimes, you know?"
Scarlet nodded, her gaze returning to the road ahead. "I get it. But you don't have to pretend with me. Ever."
Kelly let out a soft sigh, leaning back against the seat as the city passed them by. The world outside was full of noise, but with Scarlet beside her, everything felt quieter—safer. They didn't need to say much more. It was clear that this moment, this shared silence, was enough.
When they reached Kelly's house, Scarlet parked the car and turned off the engine. The air in the car felt thick, like there was still something left unsaid, but neither of them seemed ready to break the stillness just yet.
"I'll walk you to the door," Scarlet said, her voice steady.
Kelly nodded, her expression soft. "Thanks."
As they stood at the doorstep, Kelly turned to face Scarlet, her heart still racing from everything that had happened. She didn't know what to say, how to express the gratitude, the mix of emotions she was feeling. But when Scarlet reached for her hand, it all felt simple again. The anxiety, the fear—it all faded when she was with her.
"I'll be okay," Kelly whispered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Scarlet squeezed her hand, giving her a reassuring smile. "I know. And I'll be here, whenever you need me."
For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath, the two of them standing together, just sharing the quiet. And in that stillness, Kelly finally let herself breathe a little easier.
"Goodnight, Kel," Scarlet said softly, brushing a gentle kiss against her forehead.
Kelly smiled, a small, genuine smile, the first in a long while. "Goodnight, Scar."
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