The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 63: First Kiss(2)

Jerrick’s shirt was slightly open and she noticed the hair peeking out from his chest. He had been changing a lot lately as she observed. His cheeks had gone rough and there was little prickly hair on his chin. His voice had started to deepen and he was turning into a man.

It only worsened her affliction. He was her friend. It might not be right for her to feel that way but she couldn’t control herself. She decided that it couldn’t be wrong because she liked that feeling.

Little Jessamyn was not unaware of her condition. She was not the prettiest among the ladies and certainly not lovable. Even her father didn’t care for her.

On the other hand, the boy in front of her was the most handsome boy she had ever laid eyes on. He had a larger-than-life personality and commanded respect and loyalty from everyone—completely the opposite of her.

If she was not a girl and if she was not going to turn into a woman, wouldn’t he leave her?

Thinking about that, tears flowed down her cheek again.

’Why does it matter?" he asked, annoyed by her tears.

’I want to be a woman,’ she said trying to wipe the dirt off her face. She was already ugly and she must look like a wet worm with dirt sticking on her face. She couldn’t understand how he was still holding her face. He never stood this close to her in the past.

She liked it and she said nothing.

’You are one’ he said, but she was unconvinced.

’I am not...yet...’

He rolled his eyes and she thought he found her annoying and would leave her alone. She decided to be the one to push him away first; others always pushed her away and she didn’t want to be pushed away by him.

But he held her cheeks and pulled her closer as if he too didn’t want to be away from her. His hold was gentle and yet firm giving a feeling of belonging. ’I see you as a woman. Is it not enough?’ he asked.

Jessamyn’s heart skipped a beat as he looked at her with a tenderness like never before. She might be wrong but she saw his face flushing red as he wetted his lips.

She didn’t know how to answer him. Once he learned the truth, he surely wouldn’t think the same. ’You lie all the time,’ she said, tears collecting in her eyes once again.

’Unbelievable...’ He rolled his eyes and scoffed, his warm breath caressing her lips swollen with her crying.

’Annoying brat... do you know what you’re doing to me? Thoughts of you keep me awake at night and I... I’m living in hell because of you...’ he mumbled. ’I am struggling to wait for you but you’re making it harder each day...’

Jessamyn heard it. Although she didn’t understand what he meant, she sensed the pain he was in and knew it was her fault. Tears rolled down her cheeks and became unstoppable after that. She knew he was going to leave her.

But he didn’t leave her. He sighed once again, his breath warming her lips. Her eyelids fluttered along with the flutters in her stomach as he wiped her tears with his thumbs, still cupping her cheeks.

’Stop crying!’ He ordered once more but she was not listening fearing that she had lost him. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Then he did the unthinkable.

He let out a sigh, mumbling a curse under his breath as if he had lost the last bit of patience he had. She opened her mouth to cry out loud, grieving for the impending loss of his friendship forever.

The next thing she felt was a flutter of his soft lips on her already parted lips. Their breath mingled, tingling her tongue and her mouth; a pulsating sensation coursed through her veins warming her body.

She opened her eyes wide only to meet with his green orbs, now portraying an emotion she had never seen on him before—possessiveness. Her chest constricted unable to bear the strength of his eyes and yet she wanted more.

’Silly Songbird, will I do this if I don’t see you as a woman?’ he asked.

Her tears had stopped and before she could gather her thoughts, he held the hair at the back of her head and pinned her against a tree.

When her mouth went agape out of shock, he covered her mouth with his soft lips, sucking and nibbling on her reddened lips. Allowing her to clutch his shirt, he pulled her hair as he slipped his tongue inside her mouth.

When she was disoriented by his ferocious passion, his hands tenderly grazed all over her, above her clothes. She felt like a little bird stuck on a small branch when a raging hurricane passed by—his passion was unpalpable.

She didn’t want it to stop.

She didn’t know what happened for the next few seconds. She was not crying, that she knew. When he let her go, she didn’t have the guts to face him and she ran away.

Not minding Emily’s shouts for her ruining her dress or the snickers of the young girls who mocked her for having dirt all over her, she rushed to her room and locked her door.

No matter what she tried to do, she couldn’t forget what happened in the garden. She was covered by his scent and even after she was forced to change her clothes, she still smelled him on her.

That very evening, she got her first period.

She avoided punishment for running out of the birthday celebration thanks to that. But the pain was unbearable. She complained but Emily didn’t bother to check with the physician, saying it was normal.

She curled up on the bed, writhing in pain without anyone offering her any help. She wanted to have her periods and she regretted ever wishing for it because of the unbearable pain. She wanted to meet Jerrick and lay in his embrace for some time.

Three days passed with no relief for her pain. On the third night, she heard some noise outside the window. She was on the third floor and she didn’t think much of it. Also, she couldn’t move because of the pain.

But then the knocking on the window got clearer.

’Open, dearest Songbird!’

She heard the voice she missed.

’Are you mad at me for what I did?’