Every step was followed by another carefully placed step, and one scene was outmatched with the next. There were family portraits of the whole Purcell family; Ingrid, Ethan, Layla, and Paul in nice wooden frames all over the living room. There was also one acrylic painting of the family on a large canvas next to a wall, next to one of the house's large windows. The long L-shaped couches were leather made, so inviting and comfy looking. When she directed him to the kitchen, his mind had forgotten how the living room looked because of the scene that captured his eyes. A long kitchen island stood on one side while two large refrigerators stood on the other end. There were many cabinets that his eyes couldn't count that were present and the utensils on them were really unique. Some things he'd never seen before his life.
"I can't believe you have a beautiful home like this," Ayden said. "Yet you want to stay in school. Damn, I wouldn't leave this for anything."
"I don't like talking about it, you know? About our wealth and stuff."
"Why?"
"To be honest, I don't know why. I guess it's maybe because my mom and dad told me not to brag to my friends."
"Babe if I were you, I'd be having friends here, week after week! I mean this place is dope!" Ayden exclaimed as he grabbed a cup of coffee from Ingrid. The steam from the drink danced around the cold still air. He took a sip only that it sounded like a slurp.
"Parties. Never my thing." Ingrid told him. "I had Ethan all along and to me, you and him were enough. When you find that one… okay, two things that you love, nothing else matters."
"I can relate all too well. Like for me, it was you." Ayden said.
"I still remember seeing you on that stage, so short and cute… trying so hard to beat Madison in your final rounds."
"She was a tough one. But eventually, I won." Ayden said, chuckling.
"That's why I felt something for you instantly. God, you were so brave." Ingrid muttered. She took a sip of her coffee. It warmed her immediately. She took another before she continued. "Where did you come from really? I've lived all my life in Seattle yet I never saw you before."
"I was around. It's just that the universe decided that it was finally time for us to meet. And I had my doubts at first whether you'd be interested in me, let alone like me."
"Well, I guess the rest is history," Ingrid said as she walked towards him, holding her cup firmly with her hands. Her dark hair bounced against her chest.
"The rest is history," Ayden muttered. He placed the coffee cup on the tabletop. When Ingrid was as close to him, she did the same. And then he wrapped his arms around her waist and she curled hers around his neck. He pulled her closer until their sexes were grinding at each other, to say the least. She headed to kiss him as he did, their motion so subtle with every passing second. Their noses rubbed against each other as their breathing started intensifying. When she placed her mouth on his and kissed him, her knees felt weaker and her body felt numb. An ecstatic reel of pleasure ran down her spine as she did with him, what her mouth did best on him. School had separated them all this while and more so the circumstance of their secret relationship.
Her hands dug into his crinkly curled hair and she pulled him closer and continued to kiss him as his hands slid from her waist to her ass, and he pressed on her butt cheeks, his fingers tugging and hugging onto them. Ingrid felt one of his hands trying to make way into jeans but was obstructed halfway by her inner garment. She pulled away immediately, her body begging for more, and her mind changed in a way.
"What's wrong?" Ayden asked as he tried to catch his breath. Ingrid was free of his grasp and she had taken some steps back. She looked at him, mouth agape and eyebrows shot up. Her chest heaved up and down as she stared on, looking like a lost sheep at that very moment. "Babe, what's wrong?" Ayden asked one more time.
"I, uh… I want… to-tell-you… something." She stammered her way into reasoning.
"What? What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?" Ayden asked.
"I need to, uh… I need to confess." She gulped, scratching the scalp of her head ferociously over and over again.
"Ingrid, what is it? Is it about what Ethan told you to tell me?" Ayden asked, his eyes too wide enough for their norm.
"No."
"Then what is it?"
"I, uh…" she continued as she paced up and down the kitchen, closing and losing eye contact with him now and then.
"Ingrid, what is it?"
"I kissed Freya!"
"You what?"
"I… kissed… Freya." She said, stopped walking, closed her eyes, and bit her lip.
"You're joking right?" Ayden asked, his eyes a little red now. "Tell me that you're joking."
"I'm not." Her voice was heavy, choking with what she deciphered as guilt.
"Ingrid why?"
"I uh… I don't know why, it just happened."
"Bullshit! Fuck this bullshit!"
"Ayden please—"
"So what? Do you like her or something? You like her then. Is that it?"
"No."
"Then why'd you kiss her?"
"I dunno…"
"Ingrid please, spare me all the 'I don't know.' Tell me the truth. Just stop lying. You like her, don't you?"
"I don't!"
"YOU DO!"
"I DO NOT KNOW!" She exploded back at him, tears meandering down her face.