You have to get through the boring stuff to get to good stuff, I suppose.
Chapter Seven: Nomad
I felt sheepish when I walked through the Wright residence yet again, hands folded in front of me, eyes cast into the floor with shame as Piper stood in front of me and explained the situation to her dad in the den of their home, the fireplace roaring next to him in that fancy red chair of his. The den was a dark beige color, making it contrast drastically as the shadow of the flames danced around his face.
I watched her father from the corner of my eye, the way his lips turn into an uneven frown, his dark eyebrow rising on his face. The way his body language changed completely when she mentioned Maxwell, and how he put his hands on me, the way he leaned forward, arms on both knees, fingers interlaced, dark eyes squinting to pay the utmost attention to his daughter.
It ran a shiver down my spine. I had only seen bad men in my life, but watching one that cared, who didn't even know me that well, sighing and nodding with complete understanding shook me to my core.
"She can stay. We have the room." He glances at me, and we make eye contact. His eyes are full of warmth despite being so dark and consuming. The fire roared behind him, an older fireplace that actually required logs to burn, not those gas ones. I glance at the walls, filled with pictures of a younger Piper, smiling and holding Nat, pictures of her mother. It calmed me down.
"We have the funds to keep you as well."
I swallowed. "I didn't expect that. I don't expect you to pay for me."
I have always hated the feeling of owing somebody.
"You are a child." He says sternly, standing upwards and placing his arms on his hips. "And I have the means. I can take care of you."
"She can stay in my room." Piper offered quickly, and I feel my face becoming warm. I didn't protest. She was so warm to sleep next to.
"She can have her own room if she wants," he says, "but it's good that you are close friends."
Piper coughs into her hand try to hide her red face from her father, who only gives her a bemused smile.
"You just came out to me the other day, my beautiful daughter," he muses at me for a moment, "give me a chance to process before you get a live-in girlfriend."
I didn't have to look into a mirror to know that my face was scarlet, probably from my cheeks to my ears by now. Piper gives him a coy smile before winking at me playfully.
"I, well, She—"
"We aren't together, father." She says in a rush, overdramatic hand gestures flailing about, "we are just friends."
I felt a sudden pain in my chest. It felt like a pinprick through the heart.
So, the rumors were true.
He gave a grand grin to both of us before laughing, the room's atmosphere changing dramatically. Me, with my burning chest, Piper with her bright face, and her father, with a broad grin.
It felt strange. Almost family like. I hadn't felt something like this since I was very young, and it made me happy. It was a little late now, Nat long asleep, the news will probably be broken to her tomorrow.
When her father dismissed himself to bed, Piper walked upstairs with me, carrying bags of my clothes even though I had begged her not to, just because she was so sweet.
"I suppose you can stay in the empty guest room next to me," She says quietly, before glancing back at me with a smirk, "or you can stay with me."
I give her a weak upturn of lips, the teasing part of me tired from the eventful last two days.
"I think for now maybe I should stay in here."
Piper's face was even, dare I say stoic?
"Alright," She mumbles as she opens the door to my new temporary room, and slides my clothes next to the door. "You'll know where to find me."
I nod, and flip the switch on quickly. She left awful quick, but I wasn't going to complain after all she did for me today.
"Woah." My room was by far the nicest one I have ever had to date, with the mahogany furniture much like Piper's, the fancy queen sized bed that I promptly jumped on, and practically fell into. It was so soft and squishy I almost lost myself in the black, fluffy covers.
I sat up, the dark green colored room seemed comforting, since the Wrights have an earthy theme going on around the house. It had a nice feeling to it, making every room homier than the next.
I tried my best to settle in, putting my clothes in drawers neatly as possible, just in case I had to leave in a hurry. Changed into some night clothes that were more comfortable, a big shirt and some sweats were almost always my choice. When I was finished I had climbed into bed, trying not to look at all the nice things in the room.
This is temporary.
Don't get excited.
It never ends good.
I closed my eyes, and try to control my breathing to avoid my anxious thoughts. They raced until I finally forced myself to sleep, which involved me closing my eyes and pretending.
After the third time of waking up in the middle of the night, the anxiety of being in a new place hitting me triple this time, my feet hit the cold, hardwood floor. My mind wanted me to just take a Xanax and call it a night, but I was so stern on trying not to use it unless I had a panic attack, just for emergencies. They made me feel foggy and forgetful, and that was the last thing I had wanted right now, especially since things are actually going alright for once.
This dragged my thoughts to Piper. I wanted to see her. I didn't want to sleep in this bed when I could be lying next to her. It would help me sleep being next to something familiar.
Would she mind if I asked? She did suggest it earlier, but would it be weird now?
I shook my head, and decided to go anyway, silently praying that she wouldn't think I was a creep. I went to the door my room to as silently as possible, and shut it just the same.
My feet got colder the longer I took, but I wasn't going to wake anyone up in the process. Soon I was in front of Pipers door, hand on the doorknob, turning and pushing inside.
Her big room was the same as we left it, saving a dim light on in the corner full of her controlled mess, a small hunched journalist writing away furiously, pen scratching paper in a rush. I smile at the sight, and walked over to her, my body not making a single noise in the process.
She was drowning in her writing then, writing so fast to get everything down at once. All those scattered thoughts that threatened to disappear if she didn't nail them down. She was on a roll that I didn't want to prematurely stop, because I knew that feeling so well.
I could get going and write twenty pages in a row, and then some more if I was left alone with my thoughts and a notebook.
When her pen finally scratches to a halt, and she sighs with satisfaction, I decided to let her know I was there.
"What are you writing about so late?"
She jumps at the question, even though my voice was barely above a whisper, and turned around in her chair so fast it probably gave her whiplash.
"I, uh," she gets in front of her leather journal protectively, as if she was writing something about something secretive, "I just couldn't let it go."
I cocked my head.
"Why are you," she coughs into her hand, "up anyway?"
"I can't sleep."
"So, you come bug me?" She says with a smile, and I raise a brow.
"I was gonna come ask if I could sleep with you," her face immediately flushed at the thought, "but you know, I pictured it differently."
I had thought that I would encounter a half-asleep Piper, dark hair disheveled with sleepy hazel eyes, silently nodding yes and prying open the sheets for me.
Piper straightens, and even in her oversized shirt and leggings, she was a sight to see. I watch her come closer to me, and I lean in with a cocked ear to listen.
"So, you wanted to sneak into a girl's bed, huh?"
"With permission, of course." I countered, and she leans back and taps her lips with her forefinger once.
"Of course, you were. And you just thought I lift the sheets and let you in," She was teasing now, her tone completely shifting, a mischievous glint to her eyes, "like a little kid."
I shrugged. There was no point in lying.
"I'd sleep better with you next to me." My teeth grit in a hurry to shut my mouth. I meant to be honest but not that honest. Pipers expression was that of classic shock, jaw slack, lips slightly ajar, my eyes scanning the fullness and admiring the shape of her mouth.
I like you.
I swallowed, the feeling rushing over me without my consent.
Shit shit shit. Really?
As I pondered how I could have already managed feelings for her in such a short time, I quickly rushed to a conclusion. This was a crush. A girl crush. I used to get the all the time when I was younger, when I desperately wanted friends. And that's exactly what I wanted. A friend like Piper, who was honest and kind, despite all the flares and rumors of her she was truly amazing.
"Is that so?" A small voice, maybe even a tad bit fearful.
"I get anxious when I sleep in a new room," I said in a rush, "your room is more familiar. And I, well you know," my mind was racing and I felt my hands start to shake. I was edging on a panic attack. "This was stupid, I'm sorry. I have to get used to the other room, I guess."
I turn on my heels to leave, "sorry for disturbing you."
Her hand landed on my shoulder before I could take another step. My body half turns to look at the her, eyes scanning her for anything out of the ordinary. But there wasn't anything. Just pure, unadulterated genuine feelings of kindness.
"You've been through a lot today," She says softly, "why don't you just stay with me tonight and sleep in your room tomorrow."
I let a breath out that I didn't know I was holding, relief rushing down my tight shoulders. It was normal to want something familiar after this, wasn't it? After such a traumatizing situation?
Whether it was or not, I was just glad Piper was so understanding.
"Thank you." My voice didn't even sound like my own and she noticed, giving me a look of pity when I rushed into her arms, hugging her tight against my chest. Every time she was so close I had the urge to do this, and tonight I acted on it. It wasn't like we haven't hugged before, but this time it felt different. I put my head on her shoulder while I held her to my chest. She was a tad bit shorter than me by a head at least, me being tall for a woman, and her being of average height.
Her arms wrapped around my waist slowly, carefully, like she could break me if she squeezed too tight. She stood there for a moment loosely, before leaning in to the embrace. We stood there for at least a minute, her holding me, stroking my hair occasionally, not a word said between us. I squeezed my eyes shut, thinking of the night of the party, thinking about how scared I was about that bartender. How lifeless her eyes were when she was drugged, how angry I was when I saw him on top of her. It made me hold her tighter, and Piper just sighed into me, allowing me to hold her as much as I wanted.
I lean back, but still have my arms around her neck. "Piper," tired eyes contacted my own, it was probably four in the morning by now, "thank you. For everything."
"Blue," she hums, "you know I'm here."
"You just met me," the room was so quiet I could hear the wind howling outside, whistling its way through tree branches, "and yet you have been here. I'm just grateful."
Piper didn't give an elaborate response, nor was it wordy. You'd think it would be similar to that, considering her aspiring occupation. She left it simple.
"I know, Blue." The reporter mumbles in a single breath.
We didn't talk much after that, the atmosphere and our physical contact was enough communication for the both of us. It was innocent between us, our gentle caresses, handling each other with great care, neither of us pushing the throes of our friendship in any way. I could feel our bond increase with each touch felt that night.
Soon we lay in bed, next to each other, and I couldn't keep my hands off of her. Her sharp, bright eyes would not leave me as well and I just stared hopelessly back.
It wasn't inherently sexual. It was just me, dragging soft fingertips against even softer pale skin, running over her exposed arms, her hands, her palms. She just extends whatever surface I touch absentmindedly at that moment, letting her body relax and allowing me to touch her in a way she probably had never been touched by anyone else. I was extremely attentive towards her reactions, especially in the darkness, and even more so when I feel her skin rise from my touch.
And suddenly I was nervous.
I pulled my hand back. This time she whispered to me.
"Good night, Blue."
