Cigarettes and Butterflies (Incomplete)

Chapter 3: Friend or Foe

A/N: I apologize for the late update! Many personal issues popped up and prevented me from uploading as quickly as I would have liked. I'm happy that I managed to present this despite the circumstances. Please enjoy!

-Aries Starlight

The cool surface of the guest bedroom doorframe presses against the white towel around my shoulders, the chill of the AC raising goosebumps on the length of my damp skin but stopping at my cloth covered legs. Little droplets of water fall from my hair and nearly obstruct my vision. I can clearly see into the room from my position, my eyes centered on a certain caramel brunette. He's carefully sitting up on the brown sheeted twin bed, several different pillows propping him up and a tan blanket covering his shoulders. The light tones in his hair shimmer from the sunlight streaming in from the framed arch window on the very back wall. His empty gaze is gently narrowed in concentration, but the muscles in his arms and shoulders are tensed up. From the grimace lacing his lips, it's extremely painful.

He knows I'm there and it scares him.

Good.

"Brian." His name rolls off my tongue in a forced calm. "I'm leaving in a few minutes. If you need something, now would be the time to tell me."

Brian raises his eyes from the book that's cracked open in his lap, a thumb gingerly placed on the center of the page seams. He shakes his head slowly.

"I'll be fine, it's only a few hours." His voice is scratchy but not unintelligible. He turns his gaze back to reading, eyes narrowing once again.

I push down the rising annoyance growing in in my chest. "It could take longer depending on how long my boss wants me there. So, do you need anything."

Without looking up this time, he responds in the same tone. "I'm fine. Just get ready. If I need something, I'll get it myself."

His eyes continue to scan the page, his thoughts most likely encased in the book at this point and therefore signaling the end of the conversation.

A sharp sigh breaks past my lips. "Fine."

Pushing myself off the doorframe, I start back down the hallway, to my room. I shiver slightly at the feeling of chilled water droplets rolling down my bare back at the subtle movement. The trek down the hall is a rather eerie experience, the silence that had once comforted me now sends me into a state of nerves. As I pass through the threshold into my room I begin to feel worry fill my head and I start thinking, which is a very dangerous pastime for me. I delve into my own mind as I move about the wide room in search of my work uniform.

Having Brian here is dangerous to my mental and physical health. Since his untimely arrival and takeover of my spare bedroom, I haven't been able to get even a minute of sleep. I tossed and turned in my bed, but my eyes kept opening and staring at the closed and locked bedroom door, anticipation making me wide awake. I gave up after the fifth attempt. I perched myself into the living room and watched the hallway like a hawk, my hand always inches away from the lamp placed on the couch side table. The nights and mornings after that were all routine. Get up, check on Brian, make him eat, give him his medication, go back to the living room, and wait for four hours. Then repeat until nightfall.

Continuing my deepening thoughts, I make a grab for the black dress shirt hanging in my closet. Grasping onto the soft material, I carefully take it off the hanger and throw it onto the gray sheets of my bed. I take hold of the towel hanging around my neck and slide it onto my head. With one hand, I dry off my hair and with the other, I reach back into the closet to pull out the scarlet vest hanging in the far corner.