I know.

Twenty Six

I put my finger over my lips as I silently closed the door behind me. Moira smiled, shaking her head before turning back into the living room, Zoe heading in with her as I crept down the hallway.

"AUGUST. I swear to god, piss off."

"Come on, just let me taste test it. I don't want you to kill the girls off."

"Piss of August." I smiled at their scuffling, holding back a laugh as I hear Fin thwack Gus over the head with a wooden spoon. A sound so familiar I didn't even need to be in the room to know it had happened. "DON'T YOU DA- Are you trying to kill Rory?"

"WHAT?"

"Get out. MUM. Come get your son." Moira chuckled in the living room and I saw my moment, venturing into the room.

"So, who's killing me off?" Gus turned around, ghost white.

"He is."

"I'm not."

"Hm. Maybe I should kill you first Gus." I held the box out for him. "Put these in the garage fridge."

"What is it?" He took 3 bounding steps towards me, holding the plastic Tupperware up and trying to spy what was in it.

"Something new I made today. You guys are trying them out tonight, see if they're any good. Peek at them and I'll know. There's enough icing sugar in there to give you asbestos poisoning."

"Is this what you mean about killing me?"

"Yep. So don't open it."

"Does Zoe know?"

"Yep." He smirked, walking through to the garage where I knew for a fact he'd then start attacking Zoe until she let slip about whatever I'd made. Every. Single. Week. "You won't get it out of her."

"That's where your wrong Aurora." I rolled my eyes, walking behind Griffin who was still stood over the hob. I slipped up onto the counter, crossing my ankles as I watched him.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"Busy?" He shook his head and I sighed, reaching for his shirt and tugging, pulling him to me. "I'm sorry about earlier. It was just a lot and I needed to think."

"I know. Feel better now?"

"A little."

"A little?"

"I may have told Zoe." He smirked. "Your mother is taking bets on how long until we get together."

"Oh, she is?" I nodded. "That could be fun."

"Really fun." He rested his hands on my hips. "Why is August trying to kill me?"

"Oh. I'm making stir fry but theirs has prawns in and that douche bag tried to swap the spoons."

"You actually remember?"

"That seafood almost kills you? Yes. Of course, I did. I will never forget that hospital trip." I reached up, brushing his hair off his face gently. "So, you want to play with my mum and Gus tonight?"

"Yes."

"He asked where I was this morning earlier. He'll bring it up again and I'm gonna say I was with a girl."

"Oh really?" He smirked, kissing me silently and quickly. "Lucky girl."

"Does your mum know about Shannon and everything?" He shook his head.

"I told her we just broke up." I nodded. "Mind if I come over tonight?"

"Why would I?"

" I don't know. I was just checking."

"Someone caught us holding hands in town last night too."

"Oh great." He leaned down, putting his head on my shoulder. "You smell good."

"So do you."

"I really want to kiss you again." His words were muffled by my jumper but I could feel him scowl, lift his head and move to the crook of my neck instead. He left small delicate kisses there, making me sigh as I closed my eyes. "Really bad." He grabbed onto my thigh tightly as his kisses got a little heavier, moving up my neck until he reached my ear. "I am going to die, keeping my hands off you tonight. I don't think it's possible." I smiled, gasping as his hand pushed between my legs, holding on tight. "Tell me to stop if it's too much." I nodded, turning my head to face him.

"I don't have plans on Saturday now."

"Good." He kissed my jaw. "Have you thought about Sunday?"

"What about it?"

"Skipping Church with me." His breath covered my ear. "Let's go somewhere no one can find us for a few hours. Or if you're feeling really risky. We can skip town for the night."

"You're insane." I chuckled his hand moving higher up my thigh and I grasped his shoulders, struggling to breathe. "Literally insane."

"I can book us a cabin in the middle of nowhere Rory. Think about it. I need to know though so I can book it. Just you and me. No peeping eyes, no annoying brother. I'll tell them I'm going home early, you can say you want a few days to yourself locked up at home. No one has to know where anywhere we're not supposed to be."

"People will freak if I miss church."

"Don't worry about other people. You need a break Aurora. When was the last time you took a holiday or a trip or anything?" He lifted his head and took his hand out from my legs when I didn't answer. There wasn't an answer to give. Not one he'd like anyway. "Ror?" I gave him a weak smile. "You've never taken one have you?"

"People expect things of me here, I can't just disappear for a week."

"Yes. You can. I'm booking the cabin. We're going away tomorrow night, Saturday night and most of Sunday. I'll drop you home by 7 Sunday night. I'm not taking no for an answer." He stood back, the creak of the living room door forcing us to break the proximity I was starting to feel so comfortable with. Fin moved from between my legs, going back to stirring the 2 pans as his mum came into the room.

"What are you two talking about?"

"Jamie's little kick off in the bakery this afternoon." Fin spoke. "I told you I don't like him Ror."

"And I told you it's none of your dang business who I'm seeing." I got down off the counter, hitting him over the head with the spare wooden spoon he had on the counter beside me.

"Um. Yeah, it is."

"Um. No, it's not. You don't see me sticking my nose in about this girl you were off with last night do you?"

"What girl?" Griffin glared at me and I smiled, gasping dramatically.

"You didn't even tell your mum where you were last night Taylor? What a terrible son." He smirked at me, turning his back to his mum and facing me head on. Mouthing 'carry on if you dare' at me. "And you had the nerve to tell me I can't date Henderson when you're sleeping in some random girls bed doing lord knows what? I feel sorry for whoever ends up with you." He chewed on his tongue, eyebrows raising on his forehead. "You know, sleeping around makes you less special."

"Oh, you're going to lecture me on how many people I've slept with now? God Rory. You're so full of it. I bet you're talking utter shite anyway."

"Me? No. I'm still pure as a dove." He raised an eyebrow higher. "Unlike someone else in this conversation. I can keep it in my pants." August giggled across the room. "Aww what's wrong Griffin? Upset about being called out on all your nasty little sins?" He scrunched his face up. "Thought as much. Don't come around here telling me who I can or can't see, what I can or can't do when you're literally just some guy with nothing better to offer than a night in bed." I rolled my eyes and pushed past him, sitting down at the table beside Gus. Zoe kicked me under the table and I looked up at her giving her a relaxed smile.

"Okay. Let's keep boyfriends and girlfriends off tonight's topics. If no one's received a proposal, I don't want to know and it will not be mentioned. Does everyone understand?" Moira raised an eyebrow at me and turned to Fin. "Enough of your bickering."