I wanted to dedicate this chapter to @c_h_o_c_o_ but I can't tag them. So whenever you see this, er- yeah dedicated to you <3

I was ninety per cent sure that this was a bad idea. 

I sighed and gripped the steering wheel tightly, biting my lip and gazing around nervously for what felt like the millionth time. 

Ace groaned from the passenger seat beside me. "Come on already, Miles. There's no one here. Just start!"

I took a deep breath and put the key in the ignition, my fingers trembling slightly before I finally managed. I turned the ignition and revved up the engine. "Clutch, release, accelerate," I repeated under my breath. 

"Wow you're good," Ace said. "You remember all the three complete steps."

I ignored him and gently pressed down on the clutch, releasing the accelerator with my right foot. The car started and for a split second and I got so shocked at the sudden movement that I let the clutch go immediately, making the car lurch violently before it came to a stop. I stared at the empty road ahead, my ears warm, before Ace burst out laughing.

"Hey, you almost did it!" he said.

I sighed, "I was startled, that's all."

"What for? Didn't expect it to work?" he teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes. 

"I...guess," I shrugged. 

"Just release the clutch slowly and then press upon the accelerator. And don't break till I ask you to. Okay?" he said again, barely holding back laughter.

I nodded. "You're a really bad teacher," I said as he laughed some more. 

I pressed the clutch again, slowly releasing it while simultaneously pressing the accelerator, extremely aware of everything around me. I was thankful that the road we were practising on was deserted. That weekend, Ace offered to teach me driving, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity, both because I had been lowkey excited to learn and also because I would get to be with him again. 

This time, however, I managed to drive a short distance before freaking out and braking violently, making the tyres screech again. "S-sorry," I said sheepishly. 

"That was actually decent," Ace said. "You managed to start the car smoothly, that's always the roughest part of it I feel."

"Did the driving school help you with the license as well? How long did it take you to learn?" I asked, realising that it would probably take me years before I could get comfortable with driving. 

He was quiet for a while and I turned to see his jaw clenched, staring straight ahead as if thinking hard. "Celia."

"Oh," I said, surprised by his unexpected answer. 

The temperature in the car seemed to drop suddenly and he sighed, "I mean..my dad died when I was still like thirteen. And...there was no way I could afford a driving school. So...she offered to teach me. And she did." A small smiled played at the corner of his lips. "It was kinda chaotic. I am a very slow learner. So it took me two months to actually drive decently enough to give the exam. Allie was so excited the day I got it. I had to take her on a long drive through the entire town."

I was quiet, my heart aching at the nostalgia in his words. "That was...nice of her. Celia I mean."

He nodded. "Yeah. It was," he turned to look at me. "You know...I...I've treated her horribly. I mean during the initial days."

"Initial days of knowing her?" I asked softly. 

"Yeah. When dad married this strange woman he had been seeing for some time. And she was suddenly in the house. In place of my mom." He shut his eyes as if in pain before continuing. "It pissed me off, really bad. I would...throw away her makeup and stuff. Throw her clothes out of the house. Just do anything to...try to get rid of her. So much so that my dad was convinced I had behavioural problems. But Celia maintained I was just having a hard time to adjust," he groaned. "And god damn, she was so fucking nice about it. She kept trying to make food I would like, kept trying to get me clothes I would like. It angered me even more."

"Wow, that bitch," I said drily as he chuckled.

"I wasn't really any better. For a little more than a year. You know...before she brought Allie into my life," he sighed. 

"Yes. You forced me to look at your baby sister's one thousand photos you kept on your phone," I said, grinning when remembering how excited he had been when he had finally got a little sibling. 

"Yeah," he took a deep breath, his eyes distant, glassy. "Celia...never really treated me any different even after having her own baby. I mean, by that time I was just a problematic, bratty teenager."

I coughed," You're still a problematic bratty teenager, Archer. The only difference is now you know how to drive."

He smirked. "I suppose you're technically right."

He turned to me, a shadow passing through his features. "You know, that day, when my dad...you know? I kinda figured I would feel lonely and shit but...Celia was somehow even kinder to me. And I thought..." he bit his lower lip as it trembled slightly. "I guess I thought that I had lost a father but maybe...maybe my mom is back. You know?"

I nodded silently, my chest heavy. "What happened then?"

He sighed, "You know what did. I was just...pissed off at her for trying to move on from my dad. Like I had been at him from trying to move on from my mom. And turns out," he laughed humourlessly, "-they've all moved on from me instead. Work as well I guess."

I placed a hand on his knee, gazing him silently. "It doesn't work that way, Ace. You know...she has the right to move on."

He sighed and leaned back. "I know."

I waited for him to say something, knowing that he wasn't done yet almost by instinct. And then he did. 

"You know the first few years with Allie, I was the happiest I had ever been. Don't get me wrong. I was insanely jealous of the fact that she has an entire family. And sometimes I think...maybe my jealousy got in the way of her actually having a real family. And maybe it's time to let that go."

"Your jealousy didn't do anything Ace," I said honestly. "Sibling jealousy happens all the time You were in a vulnerable state then, of course, you were jealous. But I know you. I know you would never consciously wish harm on anyone. How much ever you hate them."

"I don't... don't...hate Celia," he sighed, rubbing his face. "I guess I just...I just-"

"Feel guilty for not hating her because you think you're betraying your mom," I said finally, taking a short breath when I realized what I had said. "I...I mean-"

I bit my lip, afraid that he would misconstrue my tone as condescending. I glanced at him however and saw that he was leaning against the headrest, his face turned towards me, his gaze intense. Before I could say anything, his eyes lit with a gentle glow and he smiled softly.

"You really know me, Miles. Are you psychic?"

I heaved a short sigh of relief that he wasn't angry and grinned at him. "No. I just...I just think your reaction to all of this is very natural. And not something you would feel guilty about."

He nodded, "Yeah. I know. Even so...I just...I just really wish I could control what I feel sometimes, you know?"

"I don't think anyone can. True, some people can regulate their emotions better than others. But for you, I think...I think it's quite the opposite," I said, gulping nervously. He glanced at me, raising an eyebrow in question.  

"What do you mean?"

I sighed, "I mean...I think...on the contrary, for someone like you, things are harder. I mean...I mean like emotionally. I guess I just mean to say that you're a little...sensitive. And just maybe, you try to refute it. You think with your heart. Something that...I would probably never have the courage to do."

"Courage or stupidity?" he scoffed.

"Bit of both," I answered. "You have to be stupidly brave to do something unbelievably courageous." 

He gaped at me, his mouth opening and shutting like a fish. "I-" his cheeks reddened before he shook his head. "I guess..."

"I don't mean it in a negative way," I said quickly. "In fact, I think it's really sweet."

His cheeks reddened further. He blinked, stuttering, "S-sweet?"

"Yeah," I shrugged. I grinned at him, my heart warm from his reaction. "Are you blushing?"

"No," he lied promptly, averting my gaze. 

I chuckled and reached for him, leaning over to kiss his cheek softly. "Who would've thought Archer Wilde was actually just an imposter in form of a marshmallow?"

"You know I hate them," he grumbled.

"And you know how questionable your tastes are." I leaned into him, framing his face between my hands. 

"Yeah, otherwise, why would I love you so much?" 

My heart skipped a beat, still unused to his unexpected declarations that seemed to come out of the blue and still sound so sincere. The strange light behind his eyes when he said that, the way his lips moved. I didn't think I could ever get used to hearing him say that. 

"You lucked out so hard on me," I said, struggling to form coherent words as he leaned closer, our lips meeting again in a passionate embrace. 

He leaned back, smiling softly. "Well, even a clock is-" he furrowed his eyebrows, "-er...it's right sometimes. Something like that?"

I giggled. "Even a broken clock is right twice a day."

"Yeah that. You fucking nerd."

  I scowled. "You're fucking mean."

"But you love me," he said softly, pulling me close and gently tracing his lips along my jaw. 

I remained quiet, biting my lip as the words danced at the tip of my tongue. My ears seemed to heat up rapidly as his mouth moved lower, nuzzling my neck. His hot breath sending goosebumps along my skin. Emboldened by his actions, I moved closer to him, turning so I was straddling him, my hands on his shoulders. He held my waist, our mouths meeting heatedly. 

"You didn't deny?" he whispered breathlessly against my mouth. 

"Deny what?" I asked, gently biting his lower lip as he smirked. 

"That you love me," he whispered. 

I was quiet, trailing my mouth down his jaw and to his neck, nuzzling him gently. I planted open-mouthed kisses on his tantalising skin, the familiar scent wrapping my bran in a haze of lust. Raw desire coursing through my veins till it took me a few seconds to make sense of his words. 

"Don't you know it already?" I asked, my voice hoarse. "Are you that stupid?"

He chuckled, stroking my back gently. "Yes and yes. But one day when you're ready...I'd love to hear it from you."

"Hear what?" I asked, half-drunk on his taste. 

"That you love me," he said softly. 

"Oh," I sighed and leaned back, my heart rampaging. "Okay."

"Okay," he whispered back, his mouth finding mine again in an unsaid promise.

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I've been MIA from pretty much everything. I have my finals from next week so I'll blame that instead of admitting that I'm actually a procrastinating moron. 

Sorry for the irregularity, but hope you're enjoying these little snippets of romance!

Thank you!