CHAPTER FIFTY
And before he could reply, if he was going to reply, and whatever he was going to reply, I wrapped my arms around him tighter and sealed it with a kiss. I didn't want him to say it back to me now. Maybe someday, maybe even today, but not thirty milliseconds after I said it.
That wasn't how I wanted to hear it because I didn't say it for him to just repeat it. I said it because I wanted to. And because I meant it. I was in love with him, and I didn't realise till I said it out loud myself.
Even though he was a complete jerk when I first met him - completely hated his guts then – and the fact that he couldn't even remember my simple name… But now I love it every time he called me Aluminium, even though I was far prettier than aluminum foil, and not even that delicate.
His hands wrapped around my waist and I could feel the warmth from his jacket as he rested his head on my head. I really should bring my own jacket. We rested for a moment before I pulled away, needing fresh air and not his intoxicating scent.
"So why are the lights switched on inside?" I asked as I saw him open his mouth, changing the topic before he could bring up the confession I had just made. At least I beat him at something. I was positive he cheated in monopoly.
Especially since he "accidentally" found an extra card he was "sitting on” which made me give up my last one hundred dollars and declaring me a loser. And I hated losing.
"Lights?" he asked in confusion, looking up at the house. And then realisation hit him. "Oh, lights."
And then it hit me. The last time there were lights in the house, our parents were here. Don't tell me the devils living on earth were back.
But Darius said, "That would be Adrian."
"Adrian's here?" I asked, excited. Even if he was just gone for a day, I missed his crazy presence, and he can probably cook me some more dinner.
I turned around, moving out of his grip and rushing up the stairs. "Adrian! Can he bake?"
I turned around to see Darius still standing there. "Are you coming?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, shifting his weight on his other foot, a gesture I was becoming familiar with. "I need to go do something. I'll be back soon."
I raised an eyebrow. Does he even know what time it was?
"Okay?" I asked. It wasn't like I was going to say, ‘get in the house and stay there, it's nearly midnight’. Maybe it was work. I scoffed. Of course it was work, what else would it be? He did mention some business deal, and he was pretty down all day. Maybe it was another deal.
"I'll see you later." He turned around and I walked up the stairs and stopped on the landing and turned back.
"Hey, Dairy?"
"Hmm?" He asked as he opened the door, looking over his shoulder.
"Did you tell Adrian to come babysit me?"
"Of course not," he said with an amused expression, but something told me Adrian was there to babysit me. I huffed. I do not need a baby sitter. I am twentyone and I can handle myself.
I climbed the rest of the stairs and opened the door, grateful that Adrian had at least turned the ducted heater on. I looked around. Lights were switched on everywhere. Was it really necessary to have every single light switched on in the house?
Closing the door behind me, I kicked my shoes off. "Adrian?" I called out.
Silence.
Where was this boy?
I stepped out of the room and walked up the stairs to the next floor, looking around.
"Adrian?" I called out louder. It felt like a horror movie, waiting for him to pop out of one of the doors. At least I can kick him in the face using the excuse "You scared me".
I thought that maybe he came and then left. That would sound like him. I smiled. I didn't need a baby sitter anyway.
I walked back to our room, kicking the half-open door and walking in. And, of course, there he was sprawled on the bed with packets of junk food watching TV.
I raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing in our room?"
He looked up, and smiled, showing a gummy worm hanging between his teeth. "Oh, hi."
I walked over, jumping onto the bed and bouncing. I kicked my feet up and grabbed the packet from him. "You do realise you've left sour crumbs all over the bed?"
"You did say it was our room," he said, playing with the words I said.
"Good, then you can clean it up before I go to sleep."
Adrian scoffed as he grabbed the packet out of my hand and I popped a sour worm into my mouth. Where did he even get all this candy from? Did Darius have a candy stash and left me out?
"Why do I have to do it?"
"Because you said it was ours. We share. Are those marshmallows there?" I pointed to the packet he tucked behind his hand.
"Where did Darius go?" I asked a few minutes later, feeling incredibly bored at the movie he was watching. Adrian shrugged and I raised an eyebrow. "C'mon. You know, since you're here and all."
"I'm always here."