When I woke up in the morning, I felt like I'd been kicked by a horse. My neck was so sore, and I winced as I lifted it.
Well, that explains it, seems like my head was resting awkwardly on Aaron's arm the whole time.
I sighed and rubbed the side of my neck, Aaron was still asleep, but his other arm was resting on top of my waist making me freeze.
Um...
I bit my lip and contemplated the difficult process of moving his arm, before just sighing and deciding I was too lazy for that.
I laid my head back down and just smiled at Aaron's sleeping face, he had his head tilted down towards his chest slightly, you could tell he would normally sleep in the fetal position if there wasn't someone else in the bed.
I chuckled, amused at the fact that the one that tried to act like the parent was so naturally...childlike.
He moved slightly making me bite my lip trying to stop myself from making noise, but I could tell I'd woken him due to his breathing change.
He opened his eyes and took a few moments to contemplate his surroundings before looking at me. He seemed surprised that I was staring right back at him and smiled with a blush.
"Were you just watching me sleep?"
"Yeah." I replied and quirked my brow teasingly.
He seemed confused at my response for a few moments before just looking out of the window.
"What time is it?"
"Probably 6 AM, I always wake up around this time." I sighed and looked up at the ceiling. Aaron moved his arm off of my waist and awkwardly looked away from me making me snicker.
"Do you want to get up?" He asked, obviously highly disliking the idea of it himself.
"No thanks..." I mumbled, feeling anxious at the idea of leaving this room.
He seemed to notice my change of mood, and sighed.
"We'll be leaving soon, and then it'll hopefully be easier." He reassured me, and I just looked down at my hands.
"I don't feel like it will at the moment." I admitted and he frowned, lying so he was back down at my level and smiling at me sympathetically.
"Even if it doesn't, I'll be here making sure you're okay." He reassured, making me bite my lip harshly.
"I don't...want you sacrificing your time for me." I worried and he smiled at me.
"It's not a sacrifice if it's what I want to do."
"Really? You want to be looking after a whiny child as he lies in bed moping?" I scoffed and he gave me an unimpressed look.
"First of all, you're not a child, you're eighteen. Second, it's 6AM you're supposed to be in bed. And thirdly you have every right to mope for at least a week or two, maybe even a few years." He said and I smiled before frowning when I felt tears in my eyes. Ugh.
"I'm just so fed up of crying and feeling sorry for myself...God, everyone must think I'm so pathetic." I complained as I looked away from him and tried to stop myself crying for the hundredth time.
I'm like a leaky faucet, why am I crying so easily??
Aaron smiled at me when I looked back at him again, still relaxing against the pillow. He's probably tired... I'm keeping him awake.
"I without a doubt know that they don't. Probably due to the fact you haven't actually cried infront of them. And it's not like they would if you did anyway, they'd react ten times worse than you are in this scenario I'm sure of it."
I sighed, becoming angry when I thought about myself crying infront of Luca earlier.
"Well, then I'm pretty sure I've proved to you I'm pathetic if no one else." I commented automatically, without thinking to keep a thought like that to myself.
"Riley, I'm in awe of the fact you're still functioning, you're the least pathetic person I've ever met. You're only human anyways, we're born to be emotional, don't bottle it up." He explained and furrowed his brows.
I just stared at him for a few moments before smiling and lying back down on the pillow. "Yeah I can see that coming from you." I chuckled slightly and he rolled his eyes with a smile.
"The more you hide your emotions the more those emotions are able to affect you, people who show how they are feeling are the stronger ones in life, and I respect them a lot." He reassured and smiled at me, reaching his hand up and stroking the side of my cheek.
I smiled at him, looking back into his eyes as he stared at me with a warm, loving smile similar to the one you'd give a puppy.
He really doesn't try and hide anything, I would never be so openly affectionate towards someone, especially if I was unsure if they felt the same way.
He's so emotional and caring, which are the most stereotypically feminine traits to have, yet he still keeps a strong attractively masculine aura, it's amazing really, and I respect him a lot for it. To have a harmony between both. Of course, I won't tell him that, because I'm not strong enough to be so open and honest.
I blushed at my own thought patterns before moving my head forward and resting our foreheads against each other, making him chuckle.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer making me smile and close my eyes.
"You should go back to sleep, we've got a busy day today..." He said after a minute or two of relaxed silence.
"Why?"
"You're going somewhere else for a bit of a break." He said and I opened my eyes, leaning back so his eyes were in focus.
"What?"
"Just a few of us, Chance needs to stay behind and finish a few things, but he says it's best if we get out of here."
"And when did you decide this again?"
"Not long after you fell asleep, he came and talked with me. Amazing he didn't wake you up really."
"Umm... that's... discomforting."
"I didn't warn to disturb you...we don't have to go if you don't want to?"
"No that sounds like a good idea....who counts as 'we'?" I wondered and he sighed.
"Just you younger lot." He said and I gave him an incredulous look. "And me, I mean."
"Oh, that sounds like you'll enjoy it." I commented in amusement and he sighed.
"You'd think after everyone passed the age of 18 I'd no longer be the one looking after them, but it seems none of them truly grow up." He complained and I smiled at him. "What?" He asked after a few moments and I chuckled.
"Nothing, I just find it amazing how you gave yourself that role when you didn't have to."
"I didn't do it knowingly...it just happened."
"It's just the type of person you are, I get it." I smiled at him and he gave me an awkward look like he didn't know how to react.
I was silent for a second before I sighed and stretched. "So," I said as I moved and rested my chin on my arms as they lay crossed over his chest. "Where are we going?" I asked with a smile and he looked down at me with a strange expression. "... What?"
"Um... I...I've forgotten." He said and I raised a brow at him.
"Ok..."
"Somewhere..."
"Oh."
"... close to the sea?"
"Okay, that narrows it down."
"I can't remember I was half asleep. He said something about the south west or something."
"The other side of the country??"
"Riley...it's a bit of a small country."
"What like Cornwall...or Somerset maybe?"
"Cornwall, that was it."
"Seriously, if I can get to know America's states you can learn a small countries county's." I huffed and he held a serious expression.
"Okay, I'll try my best." He said and I paused to make sure he wasn't joking before chuckling.
"I wasn't being that serious."
"Oh. Well I doubt you actually know all of the states anyway."
"I know more states than you know counties." I raised my brows and he chuckled.
"Yeah but I don't live here. Where's New Hampshire then?"
"... Somewhere. Somewhere not...near Washington..."
"Did you never take geography lessons?"
"The only geography lessons I had were about English geography, so, you can't judge me on that."
"Fair enough."
I smiled at him before moving my head to a more comfortable position, staring at the wall.
"So, how far away do you think Cornwall is?" He asked me after a few moments of silence.
"Hmm." I replied while fidgeting and moving my hands out from underneath my cheek so they didn't fall asleep. "3 hours, by car maybe."
"We'll be going by train." He said, and I felt his chest tense.
"You don't like train travel." I noted, even though I couldn't see his face I could feel his uneasiness.
"I don't like public transport...keyword public." He worried and I smiled.
"It'll be fine, English trains are chill." I reassured before taking in a deep breath and closing my eyes. "Don't worry anyway, I'll look after you." I half teased as I rested one of my arms across his waist and felt him chuckle ever so slightly.
"Thanks Sunshine." I heard him say quietly as he brought one of his hands up and gently stroked the side of my hair.
"Sometimes, I get concerned you think I'm a dog." I commented and he laughed.
"You're one articulate dog."
"Yeah, it's a special British breed of dog."
"Wow because Britain is that biologically advanced."
"Naturally, blame the Queen."
"She did it?"
"Yes it's a special mix of crumpets, tea, biscuits...and bred with a corgi."
"Are they usually this bald?" He asked in a serious voice and I snorted before full on laughing, lifting my head and looking at him in amusement.
"We need to stop, we're disgracing the name of humour." I commented and he smirked.
"Don't worry, that happens a lot in this family, you're just adding to our sins."
Our?...Cute.
I smiled at him with a slight blush on my cheeks and he titled his head.
"What?"
"Nothing." I smiled and he raised a brow before just smiling warmly back.
"Are you going to go to sleep or try brave the day getting up this early?"
"Um, sleeping sounds like the better option."
"Well, that usually happens when you lie down, and on an actual pillow."
"Try me, I can sleep in any position. And I'm alright, you make a better pillow." I teased before resting the side of my head against his chest again.
"I'll choose to take that as a compliment." He said quietly, and I didn't say anything as he shuffled slightly and then lay still.
The room was quiet after that and I lay there frowning at the wall, worrying over the fact he'd make himself uncomfortable for me instead of pushing me off. Why would you do that, unless you had ulterior motives or wanted something?
I subconsciously let out an anxious sigh as I thought, and felt his hand gently stroke the side of my hair again.
"What's bothering you?" He asked, his voice kind of husky because he was sleepy.
"Nothing..." I brushed him off. "...Thank you."
"For what?"
"For...being here."
"Hmm, a thank you would only be necessary if I'd be somewhere else otherwise." He said and I smiled.
"The version of you I left in Washington wouldn't be here."
"No...maybe he wouldn't, he didn't know you very well, but that's also because he thought you hated him."
"There you go again with the paranoid overthinking."
"Welcome to introverted anxiety." He commented and I smirked.
I let out a deep breath and closed my eyes after it was silent for a few moments, listening to the beat of his heart against my ear.
It's strange...I've never really touched someone like this in a context that wasn't sexual. Or was so... innocent.
I don't feel any tension because my whole entire body knows that this isn't that type of situation, I just have this...warmth, in my chest.
I could fall to sleep really easily like this...
-
"EW. Wake up you two! You're going to make us late!" Hunter's voice partly inserted itself into my dream about cloud bunnies and I opened my eyes just in time to avoid a pillow to the face.
Aaron wasn't so lucky though and gave some kind of squeak as he was hit with no mercy.
He blinked at Hunter a few times as he stood there glaring at him before frowning.
"What was that for? All these years you think you'd remember to be gentle in the mornings." He grumbled at him as Hunter crossed his arms.
"Yeah, uh huh, well we've got places to be, so cut your cuddle session short, we're late!" He snapped enthusiastically before shifting his gaze to me.
"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice becoming soft so suddenly that I had to take a few seconds to process it.
"Uh, yeah?"
"Okay, well, not to rush you or anything, but you should start getting ready to go now, getting out of here sounds like a good idea." He said, and I smiled at him before he walked out.
I sighed at the strange way he was treating me before looking back at Aaron's bedhead face and chuckling.
"You look like you've had a rough night, I'm sorry." I commented and he took a few seconds before smiling at me.
"I'm fine, I just get a bit groggy when I'm forcibly awakened, not a morning person."
"Okay, well I need to have a shower and pack in however long I have which didn't sound long by the tone of Hunter's voice." I said as I shuffled off of the bed.
"Um don't worry, you shower I'll pack for you."
"Um last time I checked you also had personal belongings and hygiene. I have basically two or three personal items to pack and some clothes I won't need much time." I said as I grabbed my clean clothes and he frowned as he watched me move around at a fast speed before yawning.
"Right...okay. Er, room, go to room... will you be okay on your own?" He asked me as he slowly shuffled off of the bed and I rolled my eyes at him.
"I'll be fine, don't worry. Now go, don't want to be even later." I persisted and he gave me a lazy smile before disappearing out of the doorway. I frowned with a sigh before making my way into the bathroom.
After I had showered and packed my rucksack again, which really did take me only a few seconds, kind of sad really, I just sat on the edge of my bed and thought about my room.
The morning my mother moved out...I left this room thinking it was just going to be a normal day. Little did I know I'd never step back in again. I was angry at the fact someone gathered my stuff for me, I wanted to say goodbye. But, now I do have the time, I don't really have anything to feel sad about leaving behind.
This isn't my home, it's just a building.
Well, maybe Layla and the horses are going to be tough.
I sighed before just standing up and walking out.
I jumped when I nearly ran into someone standing in the hallway, and gave them a look when I saw their face.
"What do you want."
"Don't be like that Riley." Luca sighed but I just raised a brow at him. "Oh come on, you know I did it for your own good, right?" He frowned and I glared at him.
"Don't I have the right to decide what's good for me? Aren't I a free person?"
"I was just trying to help, you would have hated it stuck with them, I wanted to get you away from that."
I narrowed my eyes, I knew I had a negative feeling about what he did, I just couldn't put it into words.
This is frustrating.
"Luca... it's just not okay, to do that. You had good intentions, mostly. But it was against my will, and it hurt me, and it could have seriously hurt Erin. You knew about that fact, but you did it anyway, because you were being selfish, and only thinking about the person you knew personally, and how you wanted to control their situation. I went through this in the first place for Erin, and you were prepared to throw that away because you wanted me to stay with you? I'm flattered but that's not right. No one should get to decide the worth of other's lives, stop trying to play god." I snapped before walking past him, and then tensed as he grabbed my arm.
"Riley, you're not listening, I'm sorry, please." I looked down at his grip on my arm with a frown, he was upset I understood that, but I wasn't ready to forgive him yet.
"Let go." I said firmly, and he furrowed his brows before his hand was suddenly grabbed and pushed away.
"Ow! Aaron!" Luca complained as Aaron twisted his arm around, and took a few steps back when he let him go.
He rubbed his arm before glaring at Aaron, and he glared back with a fury.
Aaron just stayed silent, glaring at him and not breaking eye contact.
Am I witnessing a real life staring match here...
Wow, it's tense in here...
The temperature is rising...
Luca eventually sighed and made a worried expression. "I'm not going to take part in some fight, I'm not like that, you know that." He said to either Aaron or me I couldn't work out, before turning away from us and walking towards the stairs.
I'm sorry Luca...he probably feels awful right now.
Am I a bad person...
I don't want to be the reason Aaron and Luca don't get along...
I looked up at Aaron to see him smiling at me.
"Have you taken a vow of silence or something?" I asked after a few moments and he chuckled.
"I'm a man of few words, especially when I'm angry."
"I'm sorry, I know you two are close, or used to be, back then." I apologised.
"We used to be, but either way, we'll come out alright the other end, family usually does. At least in this family, I make sure of it." He smiled brightly and I couldn't help but mirror it.
"I can believe that, you do give off that aura."
"What aura?"
"The 'everything will be alright aura'." I smiled to myself. "Maybe, it possibly will be."
--