In the meantime, Soren aided Callum in putting up the last of the streamers, "So How'd it go?"
Callum turned to look at him for a brief second, "Okay... I guess. I mean, she was still upset at them, and I don't blame her for feeling bitter towards them. It's not something you can just.. let go. But it went... Well, considering how nervous she was. They're slowly re-getting to know her again. It'll take time, I know it will, but I think this'll work out.. eventually." He side glanced at Rayla who was still talking with Nyx as they painted the banner.
"You seem cool with them. So you like, just forgave them that doesn't sound like..."
"For what they did? Not necessarily. But Idothink that they really have changed, I can feel it."
After finishing the preparations, the school was closed an hour and a half later than normally closed. It was late so Callum and Rayla bought dinner talking over where Rayla should stay the night. Rayla's house was a ways from the school, and it was already past 10:33 pm. It wasn't advisable to go there now. After enough convincing Rayla agreed to staying over at Callum's house. She texted Ethari about the change of plans and Callum texted Harrow of their guest.
Once they got there, they came inside and threw themselves on the couch against the wall in exhaustion. This had been too long a day.
Harrow heard them come in and came to the living room to greet them only to find them thrown on one of the loveseats. "Good evening to you, too." He stated as if they'd greeted him first. Both looked up at him as he walked from the entrance of the hallway to stand in front of the couch they were halfway laying on.
"More like good night." Rayla corrected, before yawning.
"Well, I hope you know, you two aren't sleeping on the couch, without showering no less." Harrow informed pointing to the hallway. "Rayla, we have some soaps for you underneath the bathroom sink, and the guest towels as you know are in the linen closet for whenever you're ready. I'm going to sleep. Good night, Callum, Rayla." With that he left to his room, trusting they would get showered before going to bed.
They nodded and watched as he left to the hallway and out of sight.
Callum let Rayla go first and he waited patiently in his room putting some of his stuff away, then finishing his latest sketch; Rayla and her parents. Soon, Rayla came out and let him know, getting a short glimpse of his sketch.
"What'cha drawin'?" She asked sitting beside him on his bed.
For once he actually let her see it, "This morning I saw it and I hope you don't mind, I just wanted to sketch it."
"Why would I mind? Callum, I will eventually forgive them. If you want to draw them, that's okay. I'm glad you came with me today. I don't think I could've done it without you. So... thanks." Rayla said with a small smile.
Callum returned the grin and closed his sketchbook. "You're welcome. I'm here for you, and I always will be." He stood up and left to take his shower. He went into the bathroom slightly leaving the door slightly open. He turned on the water and started taking his shirt off.
Rayla headed to the guest, but stopped when she noticed the door was slightly open and saw what he was doing. She was just going to ignore it and just leave to the room, but she briefly changed her mind and took a small step back to get a glimpse of him without his shirt. Her eyes roamed his upper body and a very small grin spread across her face... That was, until Callum happened to look up at the mirror and saw her reflection in it.
She nearly squeaked at the quick notice, and she moved and ran to the guest room. She closed the door to the room and hit the palm of her hand against her forehead. "Idiot!!" She grumbled to herself.
Callum opened the door further and looked around the hallway for "Peeping Rayla". A wide sly smile formed as he went back into the bathroom. He was sure to close the door completely.
Rayla decided to go straight to sleep, before Callum got out of the bathroom and interrogated her.
As the night continued, Callum went to sleep, Rayla tossed and turned as nightmares befell her sleep. Finally she woke with a rush. Clutching her pillow, she remembered Callum telling her to talk to him, if she had a nightmare. She could hear his exact words now, "If you ever have a nightmare, Talk to me. Call me, I'm here." She promised him, and frankly she wanted to go to him. He always knew how to make her feel better.
She got up and came to his room where he was peacefully sleeping. She knelt at his bedside and watched as he slept. He was definitely out. His arm was thrown over the edge of the bed his knuckles brushing against the floor. He was sleeping on his stomach with his turned facing her, but his eyes were closed and he was slightly drooling. His shirt was almost completely crumpled up to his chest from all the squirming he must've been doing.
She sat there watching him peacefully sleep for a few moments, before she changed her mind. She wouldn't disrupt his sleep. She stood to her feet and started to leave. Just then Callum's eyes vaguely opened, he saw as she stood and walked away from him.
"Ray- Rayla?" He said groggily.
Rayla turned around and saw him, "Sorry, Callum, I didn't mean to wake you. You can- you can go back to sleep. Just forget I was even here." She dismissed and turned to the door again.
Stopping her again, Callum sat up, fixed his shirt and spoke again turning on the lamp, "No, wait! Rayla, what's wrong?"
'It's not important. It can wait til' the mornin'." She resumed only Callum to get up and grab her hand.
"Rayla, Tell me, please?" Callum requested softly offering her a sweet smile.
Rayla sighed giving in, "I- I had a nightmare."
Callum gently brought her to his bed letting her sit beside him, "Do you want to talk about it?"
Rayla shook her head and she sat looking into his eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him into a hug and burying her nose on his neck. Callum embraced her in consolement.
After a few long moments, they pulled away and Callum offered, "Rayla, would you like to sleep here?... You know,.. to- to make you.. feel better." He tapped his bed in indication.
"Like in y- your bed?" Rayla asked to clarify. Could she not have heard wrong? Would he really offer up his bed for her?
"Sure, I mean you can't take the floor. I can stay stay up with you, until you can sleep." Callum mused openly clarifying all Rayla needed to know. He scooted to the far right of the bed reaching against the wall, then tapped the left side for her to sit or lay on.
Rayla would be lying if she said his presence wasn't comforting. So she did as silently instructed and laid on that side of the bed completely oblivious to the fact that she was laying on the pillow Callum had been previously drooling on. She lay on her back staring at the ceiling quietly convincing herself this wasnotromantic with a capital "N". Callum was being a comforting friend letting her sleep in his bed... with him.
Doing such as red as she was, She was comfortable. She felt at peace.
She turned to her right side facing Callum who was still awake, "Are you sure you're okay with this?" Her worry kicked open her mouth.
"Of course, areyouokay with this? I mean, is this helping at all? I just thought the feeling of having someone right there might help. I know it worked onmewhen I would get nightmares." Callum assured her.
"Yeah, actually."
"Good night, Rayla." Callum said tenderly as he brought his free hand to Rayla's forearm gently softing it.
Rayla couldn't hide the wide, shy smile she gained from hearing him speak so tenderly to her and feeling his touch caress her arm. "Good night, Callum, Thanks for this."
"No problem. I'm always happy to help you." Callum said, but found she'd already fallen asleep. He slightly sat up and bent over her to turn off the lamp. Once he bent over her and reached for the lamp switch, Rayla began to snuggle into his unintentional embrace. Heat rose to his cheeks and ears but he resumed in his plan and turned off the lamp. After doing so, he laid a gentle kiss on Rayla's forehead, "Sleep well, Rayla. I love you more than you could ever know. I'll tell you soon. Idofeel the same about you." He whispered under his breath. Rayla wiggled her nose in a cute way feeling his breath over her face.
He laid back down on his side watching as she slept. He wondered to himself how someone could be so beautiful even when sleeping.
Throughout the night, Rayla cuddled closer to Callum as he wrapped his arms around her holding her closer than they'd ever been before. Rayla buried her face in Callum's chest feeling the warmth of his arms around her.
~RxC~
The next day, Harrow woke up and readied for the day. He went searching for Rayla in the guest room finding it empty, apart from the few belongings she'd left. Where on earth could she be? He searched around the house and looked around the neighborhood thinking she might have gone for a walk or run around the neighborhood. Nothing. She was nowhere to be found.
Perhaps, Ezran knew. Harriw came to Ezran's room and lightly shook his shoulder. "Ezran, wake up. Do you know where Rayla is? I was going to drive her home."
Ezran squirmed, "I don't know. I didn't even know Rayla was here." He yawned exhaustedly.
Harrow shook his head with a smile, "I don't suppose you would be willing to help me find her?" He suggested, before Ezran swiped him away as if shooing him.
"Ask Callum. If anyone knows where Rayla is, it's Callum. Not me." Ezran accused refusing to open his eyes. If he did he would surely never fall back asleep. He still shooed him away and Harrow left.
He'd forgotten how unpleasant Ezran could be when tired. Nonetheless, he did as advised and checked Callum's room just to ask Callum where she was, not expecting to find Rayla right there in Callum's bed with Callum. She was sleeping peacefully in Callum's arms. What on earth what she doing in Callum's bed cuddling with Callum?
Callum and Rayla were either finally becoming a couple or they were going stay friends. There was no between. He would not approve of any "Friends with benefits" related ideas. They either together or not.
Now, Harrow was aware of Callum being a heavy sleeper, but he was also aware of Rayla being a light sleeper. He cleared his throat loudly and spoke with a raised volume, "Well, well, I'm sure you have a perfectly good explanation why the two of you are sharing a bed. So humor me." His sudden loud speaking made Rayla nearly jump.
Her jerking movement, however woke Callum.
Rayla's eyes opened to see... something. She was cuddled up to something incredibly comforting and it smelled even better. It smelled like... Callum. She could here and feel his heart beat against her and suddenly she knew where she was.
Her head was buried in the crook of Callum's neck, but his heartbeat was slow. He was... comfortable?
Wait! She was in Callum's bed cuddling Callum. Her left hand felt skin, but it wasn't her own. Callum's shirt had wrinkled up again and her hand was directly on his waist. But then she stopped thinking where she was and felt his hands on her. One was on her hip, and the other was around her waist.Hewas cuddling her, too.
Callum seemed to remain oddly casual about it. Maybe he just hadn't realized it as quickly. He removed his hands and arms from where they had been and sat up. "Good morning, Dad."
Rayla sat up against the wall inwardly freaking out. But she didn't even look as casual as Callum did, she was a red, blushing mess.
"Good morning, Callum, Would you mind explaining, why you have a guest in your bed this morning?" Harrow calmly interrogated somewhat shocked at Callum causal stature considering his predicament.
A light pink touched Callum's cheeks as he smoothed his shirt down and looked in Rayla's direction. "Oh,.. un.. well, Dad, Rayla had a nightmare last night, and I was here comforting her. Then I figured she could sleep here since she seemed more comfortable here. So I told her she could sleep here... with... me." Callum explained, but as he neared the end of his explanation, it sounded less innocent as he finished.
