Song: Sign of the Times by Harry Styles
I shift in bed, squeezing the pillow I'm holding closer to my chest.
Wait. A pillow?
I blink my eyes open as I adjust to the pitch black room. I look down at my arms to see them firmly gripping Arabelles silk pillow. She bought me a silk pillowcase and I didn't believe her when she told me it would help with my skin and hair. But they work so fucking good.
I groan as I roll onto my back, craning my neck to look at the bathroom door. There's no light seeping out through the small crack at the bottom of it, letting me know that Belles not in the room.
I snap my neck towards the door when I hear the sound of breaking glass crash against the hardwood floors downstairs.
I shoot out of bed throwing my bedroom door open. I smack the hallway wall slightly, searching for the light switch. The light switches on, and I make my way quickly down the steps my hand dancing along the railing.
"Arabelle!" I yell popping my head into the dark living room, panic setting in. "Arabelle! Where are you, baby?"
Willows deep bark and small whines travel through the home, I move deeper into the house. Sobs reach my ears when I reach the kitchen. I flick on the light, my eyes flitting rapidly around the all black kitchen.
Arabelle cries out a loud sob, still hidden from my sight. I round the kitchen island and see her sitting against the dishwasher, her knees pulled to her chest as she sobs in her hands. I look down at her feet to see broken glass scattered all around her.
"Shit, oh my god. Baby." I squat down next to her, being careful of the glass."Arabelle."
She doesn't seem to hear or see me and continues to sob into her arms. I reach my hand out, lightly rubbing her thigh in attempt to slowly coax her out of her panicked state.
"Don't touch me!" She screams, flinching away from my touch. Her red puffy eyes meet mine, and all I see is fear in them, all light drained from them. "Don't touch me." She mutters, her whole body shaking like a leaf.
"Arabelle. It's me, baby. I'm not going to hurt you." I keep my voice soft as I speak to her. "It's me, Roman. It's not him, he's gone, remember?"
She cowers away, placing her hands down on the broken shards of glass that litter the floor. I notice her forearms are all scratched up. "Please, baby, your hurting yourself." I plead.
"Get away from me." She whimpers softly. My heart cracks as I watch her cry out at the mere sight of me.
I feel helpless.
"Beautiful, please look at me." Her deep blue eyes lock with mine as I reassure her, "you're okay. It's me. I'm not going to hurt you."
"Roman." She whispers keeping her eyes on me.
"I'm here, beautiful." I nod, hesitantly moving my hand slowly towards her. I brush I few pieces of hair out of her face. "Can I touch you? Are you comfortable with that?"
She nods her head, tears still falling down her cheeks. I gently cup her cheek wiping them away with my thumb, "come on let's get you up and away from the glass."
I grip her underarms, lifting her up off the floor. She wastes no time in wrapping her legs around me and burying her face in my neck. Her body shakes as quiet sobs escape her body.
"Shh." I rub my hand up and down her back, rocking her back and forth. "Your okay, no one will ever hurt you again."
And that's a promise. As long as I'm around no one will ever hurt her again. If I so much as see someone lay a single finger on her I will make sure that they never see the light of day again.
I step over the glass, mindful of my own bare feet, and place her on top of the kitchen counter. I stand there with her for a couple minutes, rocking her back and forth. When her sobs stop and she's only sniffling a bit I go to pull away.
"No." She grips onto me for dear life, like she's afraid I will disappear into thin air.
"Hey. I'm not going anywhere, I just want to look at your arms and feet." She cocks her head, confused at my words. "Baby, there's broken glass all over the floor and in your feet and hands. Not to mention the scratches on your arm."
I watch as her eyes rake over her body, taking note of the blood on her arms, hands, and feet. "Oh. I didn't even realize. I was so caught up in the moment I don't even remember dropping the glass." She looks down, seeming to just realize what has actually happened tonight. "I'm sorry."
"Hey, hey, hey." I bring my hands up and cup both her cheeks between my palms. "It is not your fault, okay? Things happen."
She nods but does not seem convinced. "I'm gonna run upstairs real quick and grab some stuff to clean you up with. You okay down here or do you just want to do it upstairs?"
"Upstairs." She latches onto me again, "please."
I nod, wrapping one of my arms under her butt, the other holding her head against my chest. I pick her up and carry her up the stairs, Willow trailing right behind us.
She nudges my leg with her nose, whimpering as she watches me place Arabelle on the bathroom counter. "Hi, baby." Arabelle pats her head as I open the small closet in the bathroom. Her voice is hoarse and she sounds so tired.
I rummage through the millions of towels, she insisted we needed, shampoos, soaps and all of the girl products I keep stored in here, before I finally find the small first aid kit I own.
"Alright, baby." I sigh opening up the kit and pulling out bandages, antiseptic, and tweezers. I take her hands and guide them under the cool running water pouring out of the tap. "Keep 'em there."
I clean the tweezers off and put some antiseptic on a cotton ball. As her hands are still underneath the water I move to her feet.
"I'm gonna clean the cuts on your feet and get the few pieces of glass out." She looks down at me, "alright?"
"Is it going to hurt?"
"It will sting a little bit, but your my brave girl right? You'll be my good girl and be brave, yeah?"
She nods looking down at her hands, pretending to be interested in the water. "Arabelle. What have I said about using your words."
"Yes, I'll be brave."
"Good."
I take the tweezers between my fingers, and prop the heel of her foot up on my palm. I only see two pieces stuck in this foot, the other one looks worse.
I work quickly, making sure to be careful and not cause her any extra pain. The pieces come out pretty easily and Arabelle is doing amazing.
Her other foot is a little trickier and has about 5 pieces. Arabelle cries out loudly as I pull out the last, and deepest piece.
"Almost down baby, this will probably be the worse part." I pick up the cotton ball and apply a little more antiseptic onto it. "Grip my shoulder and squeeze it as I hard as you need."
Arabelle hisses and tries to pull her foot away as I clean the cut. I hold her foot steady and focus and making sure it is completely clean.
"No." Arabelle whimpers as I move to the next foot, trying to pry it out of my grasp.
"I know it hurts, beautiful." I rub my hand up and down her leg. "I'm almost done."
I turn back to her foot and finish up. I wrap both of them up with some gauze, and do the same to her hands. The scratch marks on her arm are small, and only need a small layer of Neosporin.
"All done, Belle." I hug her, picking her up, "I'm so proud of you."
I lay her down on the bed, pressing kisses all over her face, hoping to get to see that beautiful smile of hers. When I pull away I'm greeted with a frown.
"What's wrong? Talk to me." I don't want to push her to talk about what happened tonight. She gets nightmares often, we've been spending a lot of nights together and she's had a few. But nothing as bad as this has happened before.
"How can you say that?"
"Say what, baby?" I ask, sitting up next to her.
"How can you say that you are proud of me?" She sits up against the headboard. "How can you say that when I am a complete mess. I am a fucking mess, and no matter how hard I try to get better I still fuck up." I go to stop her, not wanting to hear her speak like that about herself, but she doesn't let me talk.
"I mean," she laughs, her eyes glossing over with tears. "I had a damn nightmare and I ended up downstairs sitting on the kitchen floor surrounded by broken glass, sobbing uncontrollably." She pauses taking a deep breathe, "all of this because I loved someone who ended up being an abusive drunk."
"Arabelle stop-"
"And you," she tilts her head and looks at me, "you have to put up with me. I feel sorry for you, having to deal with this random pathetic girl. I should save you some time and delay your gray hair from growing in early and just leave now-"
"Stop it." I snap, "I will not sit here and listen to you talk down on yourself. You do not give yourself enough credit. You, Arabelle, are the most incredible women I have ever met."
"Stop lying." She scoffs.
"Bold of you to assume I'm lying. Arabelle Vine, I am completely and utterly infatuated with you." She looks at me like she doesn't believe a single thing I'm saying, "you make me the happiest I've ever been."
"Stop saying shit you don't mean." She tries to get up but I pull her by the hip, and in and instant I have her underneath me.
"I'm not saying shit I don't mean, because I fucking love you."
She gapes up at me in complete shock, all movements ceasing. I bring my hand up, my fingertips dancing across her arm, tracing a line all the way to her lips.
My heart beats rapidly at finally openly saying the words out loud. I've know for a while about how I feel, and have been itching to say it. But there is always that voice in the back of my mind that is telling me she doesn't love me.
Oh well, too late now.
"I. Love. You." I say slowly, tapping my finger on her lips each word, "you complete me."
"I-"
"I don't expect you to say it back. Not right now at least. But I had to let you know how I truly feel."
"I don't deserve you." She whispers, tears welling in her eyes.
"No, I don't deserve you. I don't deserve such a kind hearted, loving person."
I brush my lips against her soft plump ones, before slowly latching my lips onto hers. My thumbs stroke her cheeks as I kiss her gently.
She brings her arms up around my neck, pulling me closer to her. Our bodies pressed together, our hearts beating rapidly against each other's chests.
I slide my tongue across her bottom lip, wanting access. She gets the hint and parts her mouth just enough for me to slip my tongue in. Our tongues dance together like shadows in the night.
I pull her bottom lip into my mouth, sucking on it before diving my tongue right back into her mouth.
Our noses bump against each other as we pull away, our cheeks flushed. The only sound being heard in the silent room is our heavy breathing.
I pull away, and trail kisses down her neck. I move to her favorite spot just under her chin, and begin to gently suck the smooth skin.
She whines quietly, and I move to a new spot. Her neck still smells of her perfume. My favorite one she owns. The warm scent relaxes me even more as I nuzzle into her neck. I sigh, nudging my hands underneath her back, attempting to get even closer to her.
This. This right here is where I want to spend the rest of my life. In my girls arms.
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WORD COUNT: 2160
A/N
Ugh, I just want to beat the shit out of Austin for causing Arabelle so much pain