Aiden's P.O.V.
Words. Any words. Any words will work. Just say words.
But I can't. I'm literally out of words. I was joking, and I think she was serious. Did she actually mean that? The cute, shy way she said it makes me think she did. I could always test my theory.
We pull into the garage and she gets out instantly, heading inside without a word. I think she surprised herself with that answer.
She's so cute when she's nervous and the way she huddled up in my hoodie was adorable. It was as if she was trying to hide in it. It's a couple sizes too big for her so she pretty much was hidden in it. She's so different from all the other girl's I've liked. She didn't just fall head over heels for the bad boy. She treated me like a person, not a god.
Did I just admit I like her? I guess I did. I've sort of known since the mall. I kept finding myself enjoying her company more and more but I denied it all. What's not to like? She's adorable and beautiful in every way. The way she stutters sometimes when shes nervous and her small voice that can get fierce if she's angry. It's all perfect.
I close down the garage door and walk inside to find her staring curiously at the staircase that would eventually lead to her room. Honestly I wish she'd just stay in my room with me. I'd sleep on the floor and she could have my bed. Her presence is comforting. Ever since my mother's death, I've dealt with a lot of insomnia and nightmares so having someone else in the room makes me feel a little safer.
"Whatcha doin?" I ask.
"Well I'd planned to go straight to my room but I don't know the way in this stupid mansion." She looks cute when she's frustrated. Scratch that, she's always cute.
"You don't want to sit down and explain to me why you didn't have a ride home?" I'd almost forgotten that I should ask that.
"Not really." Charlie attempts to look at me but can't make eye contact without blushing. It makes me smile. She's just like a little kid on the play ground talking to her crush.
I reach my hand out to her, letting her decide whether or not to take my hand. When she does take my hand, I say, "This way, sweetheart." and lead her up the stairs and in the direction of the guest room she was staying in.
The dark halls seem to make her uneasy because she gets noticeably closer to me within a couple seconds. I decide not to comment on it to save her from getting all nervous again. I really don't want her uncomfortable around me.
We stop at her room and she looks inside, taking in the darkness. The only light is coming from the window.
"Um..." She begins, but I cut her off.
"I'll get you a night light, don't worry. Just stay here and I'll go find one for you."
"Okay."
I walk off, trying to remember the last place I had seen the wolf lamp I had when I was a kid. Maybe up in the attic.
So I headed up another level of the house and to the rickety old attic ladder I climb up and open the hatch. Dust flies everywhere, causing me to cough. For your information, I haven't been up here in at least a year.
The attic is a fairly small space and around Halloween could seem really creepy. I didn't known this much dust could show up in a year but my footsteps leave faint prints in it. I dust off a box and open it, hoping I guessed the right box. Sadly no.
I went through about three boxes before I found the stupid thing. I close up the cardboard box and quietly leave the attic, shutting the trap style door behind me. Although the halls are dark, I've lived here for years so I know my way around.
I've been gone for maybe fifteen minutes by the time I'm back to the room.
"I found the-" I stop mid sentence because Charlie is huddled on the floor in the corner, crying softly. "Charlie!" I move towards where she is on the floor and she surprisingly stretches her arms out to hug me. That's not exactly what I was going for but I'm not going to deny her a hug. "What happened?" I ask her.
"I'm scared of the dark, remember?"
I pull her into my lap on the floor. "It'll be okay, I thought you'd turn on the light though." She's clinging to me making me feel awful for not turning on the light when I left.
"I couldn't find it on the wall."
"That's because it's a chain attached to the ceiling fan."
"Oh..." She's slowly calming down but her grip on me isn't loosening. "Well now I feel kind of stupid..."
I chuckle. She's too embarrassed to look up at me. This would be a lot funnier if I hadn't found her in tears. She really is a damsel in distress.
She begins to loosen her grip and stands, moving to grab the lamp I had set down on the floor. "Is there an outlet behind the night stand?"
"No, but there should be one next to the dresser." I respond, getting up from the floor as well. "If you need me, just text me. Okay?"
"Thank you." Charlie plugs in the little lamp and that's the last I saw of her before I left for my own room. I'd stay and make sure she's okay after that, but she was too embarrassed to look at me so it would probably only make her uncomfortable.
I get back into my room and go to grab a new hoodie since I left mine with Charlie. By "new", I mean the one laying on the floor that I haven't worn in a while. As soon as I hit the bed, I'm hoping to fall straight to sleep, but as usual, that never happens for me.
I'm fairly sure an hour has passed before I give up on falling asleep again. I stand and move to turn on the PS4. The little blue light glows bright so I go to sit back on my bed and turn the tv on. The click signaling the tv coming to life sounds and an image appears. Something about tomorrow's weather is on. Cloudy and Rainy, fun. I switch the television to the PS4 setting and the last game I played is still in.
Deciding I don't care what game it is, I click on the glowing icon. The sort of credits go by as the game loads.
About thirty minutes pass with me lazily playing a racing game, honestly I have a thousand of them so I don't even know which one it is. My slightly creaky door opens and closes slowly, catching my attention and crashing the little digital car. My door is around a corner due to my large room so I can't actually see it.
I assume it's Sam and then remember he's staying the night at Halley's place.
"Sweetheart?" I ask.
Charlie comes around the corner, holding a blanket from the guest room. "I couldn't sleep in my room so I was going to wander the halls but I saw the light from your TV and heard a curse word from you so I assumed you were still awake."
"Yeah, sorry, video games get the satisfaction of annoying me a lot."
"Mind if I watch?" She asks, referring to the game.
"Not at all." I move to make space for her to sit down on the bed with me.
"Thanks." Charlie steps lightly over the things on my floor. I'm not exactly the neatest person so there's a lot of things to dodge. She hops up on my bed and leans against the wall, fixing her bright sea green eyes on the screen as she cuddles under the blanket, still in my large gray hoodie. her hands are tucked up in the sleeves and she's got the hood up, hiding part of her face.
Realizing I'm staring at her, I snap out of it and go back to the game. I sit up and lean against the wall as well.
The little purple car I chose for the game crashes, well, I crashed the car and it rolls into a wall. 'TOTALED' pops up on the screen, letting me known it's game over.
"F*CK!" I throw the controller lightly.
I'm slapped in the arm, "Language!" she says, giggling.
"I was so close to winning that race. I've been working on trying to get past that level for twenty minutes!" I flop back and let all my limbs sink down in defeat.
Charlie crawls and leans over my lap to grab the controller. I, in a moment of pure stupidity, grab her and pull her against me and into my lap. To my complete surprise, she stays and hands me the controller. She reaches for the blanket and pulls in up over the two of us.
I have no idea where to go from here. I put both hands on the controller, encasing her in my arms.
About five minutes into sitting like this, she turns and closes her eyes. "Going to sleep?" I ask.
"Mmhm." Is the only response I get.
A smile spreads across my face as I set the controller down to wrap her in a hug. "Goodnight, Sweetheart."
Her voice is already sleepy. "Goodnight."
I go back to my game as she drifts off in my arms.