R I S E N

Chapter 4

Something was obviously bothering him that day. Something about his sister. I didn't want to ask him about it because that was his personal business and if he wanted to open up about it, he can talk to me when he's ready.

I don't even give him the chance to invite me in, I just stride in past him leaving him standing in the doorway. He drops his arm from the frame and closes the door, "what do you want?" He tiredly asks in a husky voice and rubs his eyes.

"I need a place to stay for the night." I state, crossing my arms.

"And what makes you think it's here?"

Because creepy British guy snuck into my room and I found him laying next to me and I don't know how long he was there for and I trust you. I realize how crazy that sounds and that it would require me enlightening him more on the subject and to be honest I didn't feel like talking about it. Chase and Elizabeth were becoming my least favorite subjects.

He sees my hesitation but then something else catches his eye, "I thought your name was Aubrey?"

I follow his eyes to where he's looking and acknowledge the gold necklace hanging down around my neck. It slightly shimmers in the dim lighting. Elizabeth, damn fricking Elizabeth!

I grab the necklace and rip it off my neck tossing it at the floor in an angry tantrum. It makes me feel sick knowing he was able to get that intimate with me without waking me, and it makes me really wonder how long he had been there for. My mind starts to explore the many possibilities.

Austin rolls his eyes, clearly disinterested, "look, you don't have to tell me. I don't care. You can stay if you want but the moment you become a bother I'm kicking you out." He brushes past me and goes into the bedroom.

I stand there staring at the corner I threw the necklace in and then look around the room uncomfortably. I guess I didn't think this through. Where am I gonna sleep? The couch? The other bedroom? In a matter of 4 days I made myself feel at home in my room but this apartment was someone else's so it felt weird. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I came here. Strangely, a part of me was hoping to sleep next to him.

I hug my arms as goose bumps start to form on my skin. I walk awkwardly to the other bedroom but go to lock the door first since Austin forgot to.

This room was a child's room. A little girl's room. There was a lot of pink. I guess she liked Hello Kitty. I walk over to the bedside where a nightstand stood with a picture and small stuffed bear beside it. She was sitting outside on some field holding a Labrador Retriever and smiling.

She looked like Serenity. That sweet little face. Her skin was tanned from being out in the sun too long. She had long dirty blonde hair and bangs just like Serenity. She was missing one of her front baby teeth.

I had to stop looking at the picture.

I climb into the small bed that I surprisingly fit on, and try to get warm with the thin blanket that I couldn't fit my whole body under. My feet kept sticking out. I start to envy Austin a little because he's probably all comfortably wrapped up in lots of blankets on a big bed.

I roll over on my side and absent-mindedly stare at the picture once more. I feel that familiar empty feeling start to set in. That first night I woke up in the hospital and I found my way to that apartment building. I laid there on that couch with this empty feeling in the pit of my stomach like something was missing, like I was missing someone but I didn't know who.

I felt the biggest urge to get up and just go into Austin's room and crawl into bed with him. I didn't want to be alone right now. I had to be next to someone, be held by someone, but I couldn't bring myself to do it and it's not like he'd care.