SaraTheKhaleesi

An excerpt from an upcoming chapter of the JN story, Dandelion. Third Person POV. Rated T. Ship is Jimmy/Cindy.

You can read all current chapter’s of Dandelion: here

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“I need more heat.”

The windows were covered with snow. Bitter air squeezing through the cracks and filtering throughout the dimly-lit bedroom. She shivered, teeth chattering as she muttered under her breath. Sitting criss-cross on his floor, hood up. A thick blanket around her shoulders. Golden strands tucked behind her ears. The hollow wind roared from the outside. A few branches falling from various trees. She shifted against the dull brown carpet as his bedroom door opened.

It didn’t matter how many times she saw him, how many moments they shared, or even how many years they’ve been friends…..still, every time she saw him, she felt as if her heart stopped beating. Knots now twisting her stomach as his ocean eyes met hers. Dark brown hair, messy and wavy, falling around his cheekbones. He wore a red flannel and black sweatpants. Barefoot, despite the storm outside. He held two mugs in his hands, still steaming. And it was then that she noticed, as he closed his door softly and made his way over to her, that he seemed lost in thought. Nose crinkled, just slightly. A pensive look across his features.

This worried Cindy. She spoke. “Everything ok?”

He paused, a little awkward. He handed one of the mugs to her. “Your brother is here.”

Her fingers felt tingly as they connected with the heat emitting from the coffee mug. Her eyes narrowed, confused. “He’s here? Like in your house?”

“I just saw him coming out from the bathroom.” A few moments of silence as he sat down with his own mug. He added, “It’s hot, by the way. Be careful.” Nodding towards Cindy’s drink.

She rolled her eyes, playful. “It’s hot chocolate. It’s supposed to be hot.”

“Yeah, but like, it’s extra hot.”

She took a sip, gingerly, as he sat down with his own mug. She nodded in approval. “Still good though.”

He chuckled. A few strands of brown falling into those ocean eyes of his. “I have the magic touch.”

Cindy snorted, rolling her eyes while taking another sip. “For real though, why the hell is Finn here?”

“Well, I asked him that exact question in the hall.”

Another sip. Cindy unconsciously scooted towards him. Their knees were touching now. “What’d he say?”

“He was caught off guard, that’s for sure. But he said he was helping Enid with some school project.”

Cindy rose a brow. “Finn and Enid hate each other. They always have.”

Jimmy chuckled. “Sometimes opposites attract.”

She tapped her fingers against the mug in her hands. “How is Enid, by the way?”

He shifted against the carpet. A few moments of silence before he spoke. “She’s….ok. Really bitchy lately. And the other day, I caught her crying in her room. I think her period is soon or something.”

“Just because she’s moody and emotional doesn’t mean she’s on her period.” Another sip of hot chocolate. Hot, but still not enough heat.

He shrugged. “I don’t know how girls work.”

“Well for starters, you can turn the damn heat up.” Cindy exhaled. A cloud of her breath escaped into the air. “It’s freezing in here.”

“I can’t. Dad say’s it’s a waste of money.”

“It’s the middle of a blizzard.”

“Have you met my father?”

She laughed, unexpectedly. There was something in the way he looked at her that made her heart sore. She inched closer. “I’m pretty sure everyone in Burrillville knows Hugh Neutron.”

Their knees are touching now. Jimmy froze, almost as if the contact scared him. Another sip of coco. “If….if you’re really cold, I can get you another blanket or something.”

She turned and glanced out the window. Still a blanket of white covered the isolated streets. “It doesn’t look like I’ll be walking home anytime soon. So……sure.”

Jimmy nodded, quickly. Already pushing himself to a stand as he made his way over to his bed. He pulled the king size comforter towards him before wrapping it around the two of them. Getting even closer, Cindy froze as he sat directly in front of her. He exhaled, after situating himself back down on the floor.

He picked back up his coco, taking a sip. He was so close, Cindy could smell the chocolate on his breath. “Better?”

She nodded, a little dazed from the amount of heat now available to her under the comforter. “Yeah. Yeah. Thanks.”

The howling of the wind was eerie. A long whine, almost, as the blizzard outside intensified. Cindy turned her head, getting lost in the white storm that raged on beyond the window. She shouldn’t even be here right now. She’s grounded. Her mother would have a fit when she finally returned home. Her mind wandered to the boy sitting inches in front of her. She wondered what his heat felt like?

When she glanced back, Jimmy was already staring at her. Big blue eyes, wide and full of imagination. The coco in his hands was getting cold, but he was burning. His entire face flushed.

“What?” She asked, suddenly worried. “What’s wrong?”

His words came out in a single breath. “I’ve just never seen you like this before.”

This intrigued her. “Like what?”

“Like….so….” He stuttered. He’s nervous. Why is he so nervous? “Close…”

The pain in her chest was unbearable as he looked at her. Now she was stuttering. “Oh…well-if…-if I’m too close I can move away-”

“No.” She started to back up, and the palm of his hand now resting on her thigh halted her along with any breath that was left in her lungs. “No…No. I didn’t mean it like that.....”

She stopped, setting her mug of coco on the ground, next to his. “Well, what did you mean?”

Jimmy hesitated, face completely pink, as he slow leaned forward. Cindy’s breath hitched, heart now hammering against her ribcage. He bit his lip, visibly contemplating his next move before letting out a long, shaky breath. “Can I…..” He stopped. He shook his head, leaning away from Cindy. “No. No, sorry. That’s so stupid.”

“What? No, don’t chicken out.” She giggled as she said it, but her heart was still in shock. Sensitive. Beating faster then she had ever experienced before. “What were you going to say?”

As if it was even possible for his face to turn even more red, it did. “Something dumb. It doesn’t matter.”

“It does!”

“It doesn’t.”

“Jimmy!” She whined, reaching over and shaking him by the shoulder. “Just say it.”

He laughed, both corners of his mouth turning up, eyes crinkling. “It was just a dumb idea.”

“I love dumb ideas.”

A pregnant pause as Jimmy closed his eyes, just briefly fluttering before opening once more. A long, drawn out, exhale filled the space as he leaned forward again. His words were so soft, Cindy could barely hear him over the wind.

“Can I kiss you?”

Her heart stopped beating. Her lungs stopped working. Every muscle in her body just froze, simultaneously, as his words hit her with a force she had never felt before. “I…You….uh…what? You….want to kiss me?”

His voice started as a whisper. “I’ve always just wondered…..what it’d be like, you know? We’ve been friends for so long, and…..I’ve never…..kissed anyone before…..and….I’ve been thinking about this for a while….And I was gonna bring it up to you, but I wasn’t sure how you’d react and….I didn’t want you to think I’m weird or anything….Because I just…I-” He forced himself to stop. Rambling words fading from his tongue. Another sigh, but this time a wave of confidence washed over him as looked directly into her eyes. “I just really want to kiss you.”

She was breathless. Stunned. So many emotions all coming to fruition at once. Her green eyes started to water, but she quickly whipped the tears away before Jimmy could even really say anything. Word evaded her in this moment. But the heat that pooled in her lower belly left her boiling.

“Ok.” She breathed.

Jimmy’s eyes widened even more then they already were. “….Ok…?”

“Ok, yeah.” Her fingers twisted together, nerves have never been this on fire. “I …..uh….I don’t really have an argument. So…Ok.”

“You don’t have an argument?”

“Kiss me before I change my mind.”

The room was suddenly a thousand degrees. Sweat gathering at the back of his neck, he drew a breath, and leaned forward. A strand of brown, falling into his eyes. His hands somehow found their way to her waist. Fingers gently pulling at the fabric, and ever so softly, grazing her skin. She leaned into his touch, almost gasping from the contact, and it was then that his lips hovered above hers.

He hesitated.

And hesitated.

And hesitated.

And….-