Nightshade: A SimLit | Chapter 17: In The Heat of the Moment

It was like any other night. Amelia waited patiently on the balcony, looking off into the distance at the illuminated city contrasting against the night sky. She was deep in thought, and all of the thoughts crowding her mind were of Onyx.

She heard the sound of flapping wings behind her, and turned to face Onyx as he landed gracefully beside of her. 

"Hello, Onyx! How are you?" Amelia asked cheerfully.

"I'm great!" Onyx replied with a smile. "You?"

Amelia grinned. "I was already doing fine, but I'm even better now that you're here." 

Onyx chuckled. "That's good to know."

"Hey, Onyx," Amelia began. "Um... I was thinking... you know, it's pretty cold outside and... I thought maybe tonight you'd like to come inside?"

"Inside?" Onyx's eyes widened. "What if someone catches us?"

"I'll sneak you into my room!" she said, grinning mischievously. "As long as we're quiet, no one will know. Everyone's asleep."

"Well... it is cold out," Onyx admitted. "And I guess as long as we're quiet..."

"Well? What do you say?" Amelia asked.

"Alright, you win." Onyx laughed softly. "Lead the way."

Onyx walked into the reasonably large bedroom and looked around. "Didn't you share a bedroom with Alexander when you were younger?"

"Yeah, but after grandma and grandpa died, we had some extra room and our parents thought it would be best if we could have our own space." Amelia paused. "Sometimes it's kind of lonely, though. I was always used to sneaking and staying up late with Alexander..."

"Yeah, but now you get to sneak and stay up late with me!" Onyx joked. 

Amelia walked over to him and grinned. "Yeah, that's true! And there's no one I'd rather stay up late with."

"Not even Alexander?" Onyx asked.

Amelia laughed. "Not even Alexander. He talks too much!"

Onyx frowned. "Do I talk too much?"

Amelia shook her head. "No. But even if you did... I could listen to you talk all the time, so I wouldn't notice." She replied playfully, and walked over to the bed and sat down, patting the empty space on the mattress beside her. "You know, I actually wish we could talk more."

Onyx smiled. "So do I." He sat down on the bed beside her. 

"So, are you able to manage your thirst now?" Amelia asked.

"Yeah, much better." Onyx replied. "Thanks so much for your help. I don't know what I would do without you, Amelia."

Amelia blushed. "I don't know what I would do without you, either... but technically, you have to thank Alexander, not me."

"It's not just the frogs and fish, though," Onyx said quietly. "It's everything. You've done so much for me, Amelia... I honestly don't know where I would be if you hadn't stood up for me that day in school..."

"Man, that seems like it was ages ago..." she muttered. "But I don't think you realize how much you've done for me." 

Onyx looked down. "All I've been is a burden to you."

"That's not true!" Amelia exclaimed. "Onyx, you mean the world to me. You know that, right?" 

Onyx's lips curled into a smile. "But you mean even more to me."

Amelia found herself leaning closer to him, and their eyes met. "And what more is there than the world, Onyx?"

"The universe," he replied. "You mean the whole universe to me."

Amelia giggled, and reached for his hand. "Fair enough. I can't beat that one. But... I can match it. You mean the whole universe to me, too, Onyx. And if there's anything beyond the universe... well, you mean that to me, too."

It was only then that Onyx realized how fast his heart was pounding in his chest. "But, Amelia... can we really keep going like this forever?"

"What do you mean?" Amelia frowned.

"Our families hate each other." Onyx sighed. "It's just... if they ever find out, what will they do? What if we never see each other again?"

"Onyx, I don't care what our families think," Amelia replied. "You know what I think?"

"What do you think?" Onyx asked.

Amelia leaned in even closer than she had dared earlier.

"No matter what anyone else thinks, I think you're perfect," Amelia whispered into his ear. "And I think that no matter what happens, nothing will ever keep us apart. I'd swim across the ocean to see you if I had to. I'd do anything for you, Onyx."

Onyx blushed, and laughed as he leaned away. "But Amelia, I thought you didn't know how to swim!"

"I don't!" Amelia laughed. "But perhaps I should learn. ...Just in case."

Onyx smiled warmly. "Well... you know what I think, Amelia?"

Amelia gazed into his eyes, searching for the answer.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her a little closer. "I think I'll do you one even better... you're beyond perfection. You're right. Nothing will ever keep us apart. No matter what our families say, or think, or do... it won't change the way I feel about you. I'd do anything for you, too, Amelia."

A flame of deep passion was blazing in his heart. He hadn't said what he really wanted to say. 

Amelia felt her restraint melting away. He didn't need words, for when she looked into his eyes, she already knew what he wanted to say. "Onyx..."

'What am I doing? I'm crazy if I think...' Onyx's thoughts trailed off. Abruptly, he stood up and walked toward the door. "I...I should really get going... just in case someone were to come in and catch us..."

"Onyx, wait," Amelia called softly.

He stopped, but didn't look back at her. "What is it...?"

She stood up and walked to the edge of the bed, unable to bring herself to go any closer. "I...I just wanted to say that I..."

Onyx turned around and walked back over to her, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't look her in the eye. "...that you...?"

Amelia smiled shyly. "I just... want you to know how much I care about you, Onyx. I really do mean what I said. I would do anything for you. You mean so, so much to me, and..."

Onyx smiled softly. "Amelia..."

Their eyes met once more, and they found themselves leaning closer and closer to each other. It was like a force of gravity drawing them together. 

"Onyx..."

In the heat of the moment, their lips met in a passionate, yet slightly awkward kiss. Amelia's hands went to Onyx's shoulders. She could hardly even think clearly, the only thing that existed to her in that moment was Onyx, as she finally was able to express the deep love she had held back for far too long.

Onyx placed his hands on her waist, drawing her closer to him. He was overflowing with an indescribable passion. He was in love with Amelia. He already knew it, though he never knew if she felt the same. But her touch was filled with so much love, he thought for sure that she was feeling the same thing he was. 

Neither of them had ever been at such a high in their life. Their kiss was only growing more passionate, more fervent...

But as soon as the high had began, it crashed to a low as Amelia's bedroom door opened.

Elaine gasped in utter horror. "AMELIA WESLEY!"