The Label Maker

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: HANDLING HERSELF

The first few days of break were uneventful. Gwen did everything in her power to avoid RJ as much as she could. Whenever he was in her room she went into Farrell's room. Whenever he was in her brother's room with her she went back into her room. Whenever he was in the kitchen she went into the living room. Whenever he was in the living room she went to the kitchen. It was a back and forth between where he wasn't and where he was. For the first two days it was hard. He was either in the kitchen or in her room. On occasion Gwen would find him in her brothers room. Both of them would not tell her what their discussions contained. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know. She figured the only reason they weren't telling her was because it was about her. She shouldn't have cared, but she did. RJ was messing with Gwen and he wasn't even doing anything to her.

After the second day of avoidance she gave up. There was no point in avoiding him during the day when the two came back together during the night to sleep in the same room. Most nights they stayed up late talking about an assortment of things. RJ no longer slept on the aero mattress for he always fell asleep on the bed with Gwen before he went back down to the ground. She didn't even try to move him for she knew she would lose no matter what. She wouldn't want to downgrade from a mattress to the ground either. She stayed on her side of the bed during the night. She jumped every time their feet touched. She didn't want him sleeping with her. It was too much. It was overwhelming. Gwen didn't want to do anything she would regret. She didn't want anything to get too far. But she had nothing to worry about, for during the past three nights nothing have happened between the two.

She woke Monday morning to the now familiar sound of RJ's breathing and sunlight that slipped in between the cracks of her curtains. She turned to look at the time. It was almost eleven. She's never stayed in bed for so long. She always woke before ten. She rolled back over and sighed. She didn't want too get out of bed. She was tired. She wanted a sole day dedicated to nothing but sleep and laziness.

Hands snaked around her waist, causing her to jump. She turned her head over her shoulder and saw RJ. She couldn't tell if he was still asleep or not. The closeness was foreign. She hasn't been so close to him in a long time. She tried to slip away from his grasp, but she failed. For every time she moved his grip only tightened. She was a mouse entrapped in a snake's death like embrace.

"Stop struggling," RJ breaths against her neck. His breath gave her goosebumps.

"Get off me then," Gwen answers, not bothering to fight any longer. She knew that he wasn't going to let her go.

"You sure you want me to?" He chuckles into her neck. She didn't answer him. He already knew her answer.

"I hate this," Gwen announces, her voice soft.

"You're the worst liar," he notes, reaching for Gwen's hand. She pulled it away. She didn't know what he was trying to do, but she didn't like it. She felt as if he was leading her on. She didn't want to do anything and then have him leave her for good. It was one thing to not talk to her for a month. She understood why he did that. He didn't want to interfere with anything. Now he knew that he wasn't interfering with anything. Now it was as if he was making up for lost time. She was skeptical of what to think. She didn't know if what he was doing was because he wanted to or because he was playing her.

Sensing her discomfort, RJ let go of her. She didn't move. "Gwen what's wrong?" He asks.

"Nothing," she mumbles.

"Gwen," he warns. she rolls over and looks at him. His gray shirt was wrinkled and is brown, unstyled hair was sticking up in every place the eye could see.

"What are you doing with me?" She babbles.

"What are you talking about?" He asks.

"I mean, what are you doing? You kiss me one minute and then leave. You tell me you left because you didn't want to ruin everything. And now you are sleeping in my bed and spooning with me!" She lets out, closing her eyes in discomfort and embarrassment. she didn't want to be talking about it. She knew she was making a fool out of herself. She knew she was revealing more about herself and her feelings than what she should be, but she couldn't stop.

"I mean, do you spoon with all your female friends?" She spits out.

"If you haven't noticed by now, you are the only female friend I have," he notes.

"I don't see how that is relevant RJ. I just want to know what you are doing. I mean, are you trying to tell me something? That you like me or something? Because you are sending a lot of mixed signals and it very hard for me to make sense of them all," Gwen finally confesses, burying her face into the pillow, not wanting him to see how hot she was with embarrassment.

"Is that why you've been avoiding me?" RJ questions. She nods her head.

"I just, I don't know what to think. And I sound like a total girl, but you kissed me. We are talking again. You are sleeping in my room. You are now sleeping with me. And now you are spooning with me. What does that sound like?" She asks the pillow. She lifts her head up to breath. RJ grabs her chin and turns it to her. It was uncomfortable, but she didn't protest.

"I didn't understand much of that, but I can sense that you are upset. Gwen we are friends. I'd like to think that we are good friends. I mean, we've been through a few things that other people haven't," he calmly reminds. He still was not helping her. The look on her face gave it away. "Gwen, you're my friend. Lots of friends sleep together, in the same bed. I mean they do sleep sleep together, but I just mean in the same bed." Gwen smiled at the way RJ rambled. "All I'm saying is that it's no big deal. We are capable of handling ourselves in situations like this aren't we?" He asks.

She smiled. "I guess I can if you can."

"Good. I don't want to not speak because you are uncomfortable," he laughs.

"I never said uncomfortable," she defends, hitting his shoulder. "I said confused."

"Okay, okay. You're right. Sorry," he laughs.

"Don't be," he responds, drawing her into him. She accepted the hug. She didn't try to break free from it. Gwen figured that RJ was right. Lots of friends sleep in the same bed together. She figured that as long as he could handle himself, she could handle herself as well. After all, how hard could it possibly be?

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This chapter is kind of lame :/ I guess it serves as a filler. Oh well. I promise that chapter 23 will be better (and longer).