"I'll be stepping out for an hour," he said. I looked at the clock. At this time?
"Sure," I said. He nodded and walked out the door. I watched him leave. Where on earth was he going at this time? And what surprised me more was that he told me before he went.
I could feel my stomach growling, but instead I succumbed to the bed calling my name.
"Aww, did you miss me?" I asked the pillow as I turned it around. I lay on my side comfortably as I felt the cold pick up. Why was it so cold in this room anyway?
All I could hear was the thunder and the wind howling outside as I drifted in and out of sleep. I could hear noises downstairs but I was too tired to even open my eyes. I was too cold to move. I was frozen to the spot.
I felt a pair of arms around me and somehow that was the most comfortable and natural thing to do as he pulled me closer. Even the cold mattress didn't bother me as I felt him tuck a blanket around me. I couldn't help the smile on my face. I went back to sleep, smelling the scent that I was starting to know a bit too well.
CHAPTER TWENTYSEVEN
"Stop moving!" said a gruff voice in my ear, making me still. Damn it, I thought I was being a ninja here. I even closed one eye to stop myself from blinking and tried taking small breaths.
Finally, I could no longer bear it. "There's something poking me. Your phone?" I moved around, trying to wriggle out of his arms. Why the hell did it feel like some iron grip? For the past hour something was digging into my ribs and I wanted it out. And I wanted it out now.
"What?" he asked, sounding more awake than before.
"In your pocket. What the heck is in your pocket?" I said, trying to move. I was hundred percent sure it was his damn phone. Who wears their jacket to bed? Freeing my hands from his embrace, I found his jacket pocket and slipped my hand in. I touched something rectangular, cold and hard.
"What the hell," I muttered in annoyance as I pulled his phone out and showed it to him. I knew it! But why on earth would someone take their phone to bed, in their pocket? Sure, I took mine to bed but it was somewhere under the pillow. And it didn't wake someone up at some unholy hour by jabbing them.
"Well?" I asked, looking back at him, and froze.
I didn't realise how close his face was till I saw his eyelashes flutter. I could see every contour in his face, the light stubble growing and a cut on his eyebrow. Where did that come from?
"Sleep, Aluminium," he whispered.
I narrowed my eyes at him, now getting even more pissed than before. I wasn't a morning person and then just calling me some stupid metal for a name…
"It's Ivory. It’s not that hard to remember," reminded him as I turned around, annoyed, and shoved his arm off me. I grumbled to myself and then I heard him chuckle and felt his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. I could feel something strange in my stomach as I felt his breath on the back of my neck.
"It's Aluminium to me."
What the hell does that mean?
"Wake up."
I felt someone poking my shoulder and blindly swatted the hand. What on earth was he up to? Didn’t I just close my eyes to get some sleep after that annoying jabber machine was removed and now he was disturbing me again. I was still annoyed?
"You told me to sleep."
"That was an hour ago. Hurry up."
I heard the footsteps go and sighed. Finally, I can go back to sleep. I settled into the comfortable mattress, hiding my face in the pillow. What can possibly ruin a day when you can just sleep all day? Nothing. Or so I thought.
"Your father’s here," Darius announced, and then I heard a door close.
Yea, good for hi-WHAT?
I leaped out of bed. My father’s here? Was Darius joking, just to get me off the bed? I could just go back to sleep.
But I gave him the benefit of a doubt. I rushed to the bathroom while running a hand through my hair in a poor attempt to try to comb out the bird’s nest on top of my head. I tried brushing my teeth at the same time. What the hell was dad doing here?
After washing my face, I quickly ran back downstairs. Running down the last few stairs, I rounded the corner and sure enough, my dad was there, standing and looking at the pictures on the wall.
"Dad?" I asked, out of breath, as I leaned against the wall. Damn, I needed to go jogging again. But who was I kidding? I hate running.
"Ivory!" Even before he turned to me, he was already smiling. He held his arms out, waiting for my embrace. I smiled and ran into them, hugging him back. It was good to see him again. He hugged me back, holding me tight and swaying like we did when I was younger. I nestled my face onto his chest.
"Do you know what time it is right now? You're still sleeping." My father was starting to sound like Darius. I rolled my eyes dramatically.