Truce

Thirty // Drumrolls

"I could be, but I'm not."

"Mmkay," I allowed. "You can stay if you cook lunch for me."

"Deal!' He shook his hand out for me to shake and I just looked at it, shaking my head slightly. I instead just shoved him and called it a deal and we ran through the Disney movies I had in my collection before we found the right one.

"Emperor's New Groove!" He beamed from the tub of DVDs, looking up at me like a four year old on Christmas morning who had just opened a box of Lego. "Can we, Kaia? Can we please please please please?"

I held my hand out for it and he handed it to me in a flash. I put it in and closed up the blinds, shutting the doors so the light would be kept out of the room. Just how I liked it.

I went back over to sit on the couch this time, my mind everywhere except the movie. I still couldn't get past what Louise had said. I had been thinking of telling him how I felt, planning to do it later on in the week, maybe on Sunday after his birthday party so if it exploded the remnants wouldn't filter into the night.

I had also been thinking about pretenses, all the ones we'd had through the past few weeks and continued to have today. The only one I was still subjected to was pretending I had no more than cordial feelings towards him, but it occurred to me late last night; why should I? Why should I have to pretend I didn't like him? What good did that do anyone? I came to the conclusion that it didn't do any good, and without thinking pulled the blanket off the edge of the couch and pulled it across me, leaning into Jacob's shoulder.

He didn't even flinch. He was too distracted by the movie to pay any attention to his arm moving to pull me closer, resting on my hip. My whole side was against his body which would be like a hot water bottle on a day like today. I smiled into his shirt at the natural way we ended up in this position and before long I was drifting between the vibrant cartoons clouding my consciousness and the emptiness of sleep waiting to cover me like the blanket over my feet.

Before I knew it Jacob was moving, but not to get up like I thought he would after a while. Instead, he somehow managed to arrange himself so he was lying along the couch beside me. Now all of me was against some part of him and I sighed at the feeling that came with the little bubble it felt we were in. A place where no one existed but us. We'd never have to move, to explain ourselves or our actions, and we could stay in this little bliss bubble forever.

At some stage we fell asleep and then the room was filling with light and I heard the door swing open. I squinted at the figure standing in it.

Parker was looking between us with nothing but glee in her eyes. Jacob was still fast asleep, his deep breathing enough to tell me as much.

"God, you two are cute," she cooed. I followed her gaze to the sleeping boy beside me, his arms still completely encircling me, his heart beating against my ear.

"You're here because...?" I didn't acknowledge her comment, not wanting to admit the possibility of an us.

"Just letting you know I'm going to Landon's."

"I'm still mad about that, by the way."

She just laughed. "Doesn't change the fact that I'm leaving."

"And Atlas is-"

"With friends, actually."

"Really?" He hadn't had a day off work in what felt like years, never to catch up with friends. I honestly wasn't sure he had any. "Thank God."

"He needed the break," Parker agreed, before looking at her phone. "Anyway, I've gotta go. I'll see you tonight, I assume?"

I nodded and she left, closing the door behind her.