After tons of playful fighting with Mae, Xaiver finally agreed to come back to my house for Thanksgiving.
According to his Mom, they weren't even going to have one. They could barely afford it. I invited her as well but she said she wanted to spend the night with her daughter.
"You want me to drive?" Xavier asked on the way out, resting his arms against the stroller. I nodded and tossed him my keys, yawning.
"I'm warning you now," I mumbled, "The triplets are horrible to newcomers. Be prepared." He only laughed, obviously not believing a word I said. He probably thought they were just normal ten year olds, and if he did, he had another thing coming.
"They're kids, Bea. They can't be all that bad." He replied, narrowing his eyes at me as we pushed the stroller out of the hospital. I only laughed until we got out to my car.
Xavier didn't know my cousins, and in a few hours he'd wish he'd never met them.
**
"Alex! Aaron! Aspen! Get over here!" My Aunt April screamed, chasing the triplets as they tried to attack Xavier and Lily.
"Bea!" They all shouted in unison, darting toward me and nearly tackling me to the ground.
"Hi, guys! Look how much you've grown!" I pulled them all into a hug, laughing. Aspen perked his head up, his green eyes hidden behind a pair of bulky glasses.
"You went and had a baby without telling us! And we're the ones who've grown!" He threw his hands up in the air, shaking his head at me.
Out of all of the triplets, Aspen had always been the only one who didn't get himself into trouble. Alex and Aaron thrived and attacking me and stealing stuff out of Brice's room.
"I didn't have her. I took her in like Aunt Mary and Uncle Rich did with Brice and me." I replied. Aspen nodded while Alex and Aaron darted off and bombarded Xaiver with questions.
"So you adopted her?" He asked, pushing his glasses so they sat perfectly straight on the bridge of his nose.
"Yeah." I replied, ruffling his dark hair.
"That's nice." He said and leaned forward so no one else could hear what he said to me, "Could you adopt me too?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow. I started laughing, shaking my head at the ten year old.
"Why would you want me to do that? Your parents are great!" He shook his head and gestured at his brothers over his shoulder.
"Have you seen them? They're like monkeys." I laughed as I shook my head and walked away from him, joining Xavier by the couch.
"So? What do you think of my family?" I asked him, perching on the arm of the couch.
"They're. . . interesting." He lifted his head up and met my eyes, his own filled with a cross of amusement and exhaustion.
"That's putting it nicely." I rested my head against his shoulder and smiled down at Lily. She was tugging on the necklace around Xavier's neck, giggling.
"Don't say that. You've got a great family, Bea." He brushed his free hand against my cheek and smiled, "They're perfect. Just like you." Despite the cliché and cheesy words, I could feel the same fluttering in my stomach.
It was then, as I sat on the couch beside him watching my family run around and tease Brice, that I realized that maybe my feelings for Xavier had evolved into something much more then liking.
I had begun to fall in love with Xavier Morgan, and I knew there was no coming back from it.
"I don't think that we've ever been alone like this." Xavier whispered, looking up from the posters that littered my walls. I could feel my cheeks warm up from where I sat on the bed.
"We haven't. Lily's always been with us." I replied. He turned around to face me, and even from where I stood I could see his eyes were slightly dilated. He had probably had a little bit too much wine at dinner.
"It's nice to be alone." He said, falling on to the bed beside me, "Just you and me. No one else." He took my chin in his hands and before I could say word, he leaned forward and kissed me.
I had no doubt in my mind that his sudden action was induced by the alcohol in his system. And me kissing back, that was probably the drink I had still lingering around, leaving me buzzed.
"Xavier, what are you doing?" I was breathless by the time he pulled away. He shook his head, his eyes burning with an emotion I wasn't very familiar with. Lust.
"You don't want to do anything?" He questioned, his eyes widening a little. I laid my hand against his chest, shaking my head.
"Of course I do. I. . . I don't know if I'm ready." He brushed my hair out of my eyes, his lips parting.
"What did thqat punk do to you?" He growled, I stared at him in horror. How did he even know about Eric? Had Brice told him?
"What do you mean?" I asked innocently.
"I mean, there is obviously a reason you don't want me touching you, Bea. We've been together for almost a month now and you won't even kiss me without wincing. Why?" He asked, taking my face in his hands as he stared down at me in worry.
"He was the child of one of the foster families I was with." I croaked, "He was a few years older then me at the time. I was fourteen and he was seventeen. He. . . he was quiet when Brice and me first got there. Didn't say a lot." I wrapped my arms around myself, leaning into Xavier's touch.
"One night he came into my room and told me that he thought I was beautiful, that he wished I wasn't going to be adopted by his parents. Then he started to touch me, in places he shouldn't have." I could feel Xavier stiffen around me, his jaw starting to twitch.
"Did he rape you?" I didn't say anything for a minute, my eyes stinging.
"He asked if I wanted him to touch me. I. . . I tried to push him away, telling him I was only fourteen. He didn't listen." I lifted my head to meet Xaiver's eyes, "He yelled at me until I caved. He would slap me if I got too loud." Xavier pulled away slightly, his eyes darkening.
"Where is he now?" I shrugged, wiping my damp cheek with the sleeve of my shirt.
"Hell if I know. Brice nearly killed him. Threatened to. . . never allow him to children." I smiled at the thought.
"So Brice kicked his ass then?" Xavier asked. I nodded.
"Put him in a hospital. Brice had to go to counseling for a year and a half after that. The family wanted nothing to do with us, thank God." I felt Xavier's hand on my shoulder and looked up. He was still staring at me in worry.
"Are you okay?" I nodded, fiddling with the hem of my shirt.
"I'm fine, Xavier. I. . . I'm okay now." He nodded and fell on to the bed beside me, his head falling against the pillow. I turned to face him, my heart racing. He was looking at me strangely, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Bea, when you're ready, I'm ready. As much as like you, I would never force you into anything." I laid back so our faces were only inches apart, my eye lashes fluttering against my cheeks.
"New Years." I breathed out, taking his shirt in my hand, "We can do something on New Years." He wrapped his arm around me and kissed the top of my head as I laid it on his chest.
"Are you sure?" He traced his finger down my arm as he spoke, his breathing heavy and uneven.
"Positive."
***AN***
*Edited*
Your thoughts? I hope you guys enjoyed!
Let me know what you thought!
~ChasingMadness24