A/N: Thanks for the reviews.
Moirarioden: I just love your confetti. I mean, all those colors. Must be fun throwing it at people.
Tonia: I am flattered.
Smile1: Oh, my god. Thank you so, so, so much for your review. I was going to be in a good mood all day… but then my dad came in and shot the party house down. Sorry. But it's the thought that counts, right?
Sooty7sweep: I love The Killers too.
Daphne-peneia: I know abuse is illegal. Rory knows abuse is illegal. Tristan knows abuse is illegal. Hell, even Ron knows abuse is illegal. But you're right. It would ruin the story. And Ron has got her so freaked out on his threatening her, that she's too afraid to do so. Kay?
Aphi72: I would tell you when she would break up with him, but unfortunately, that would ruin the whole story, now wouldn't it? I can say that it won't be in this chapter though.
Chapter
13. It's Not Working
He was watching her sleep beside him. Her skin was soft to the touch of his hand draped around her waist. Tristan thought it was cute that she had her hand wrapped around his index finger like a daughter would do to a father when she was scared. She had the comforter taped to her chest. Somehow, this is how it always was.
This was their third time. And he cursed himself for counting.
She was beautiful, whether she knew it or not. She was. But, then again, he could be a little biased because he was fucking her. Still…
A piece of her hair fell in her face, restricting him from admiring her. So his reflex was to reach his hand up and brush it away. But he didn't think about the results.
She slowly came out of her reverie, he could see. And when her eyes opened, he prepared for… anything. A slap for doing this to her again. Her running away from him. Anything.
But he didn't get the response he had equipped for. Instead, he saw her eyes were soft and comforting. Not at all holding a grudge or bitterness. It was simply… her.
"Hi," she greeted, her eyes dancing.
-
To say the truth, she loved his touch. She couldn't refuse it. That's why because of that kiss, they ended up like this night. She couldn't decline him.
That's why she acted this way when she woke up. She knew they would probably end up the same way the next night, so she went along with it.
"Hey," he whispered back.
She let her eyes wander, and they came back to the same thing. She hesitantly brought her hand that was loosely encircling his fore-finger to his chest and ran the back of them on it. She stopped at his torso, and then brought her eyes back up to meet his.
-
God, she was getting him aroused by just touching him. This wasn't fair, what she was doing to him. He should be doing it to her, and then see how she likes it.
He knew they would have to talk sometime, about their situation that they were having, but that time didn't want to come just yet. He didn't want it to come at all. He loved her petal-soft hands, soft hair, intense eyes.
"Oh, my god. What time is it?" she said sitting up.
Here it comes. He was, after all, primed for it. Her sudden departure was coming. He could feel it. But he told her the time.
"It's… uh…" his eyes darted around the room, forgetting abruptly where he had put his alarm clock. Finally, he found it… beside his bed. "7:35."
"I've got to call my mom." She said and started to pick up the only cloth surrounding her to get to her backpack.
"Wait." She turned around when he spoke. Then he reached next to his clock and pulled out the cordless phone from its holder. "Here."
"Thank you," she said formally, as she dialed her number. "Hey Mom. I'm at Paris's… Well, traffic was really bad… all night… I have my cell phone, if you need… Yeah, tomorrow. Thanks, Mom. I'll see you later."
She hung up and gave the phone back to him, with a slight blush. "I know I didn't ask you, but I kinda told my mother that I would be staying the night."
He smirked. "At Paris's."
She chuckled, softly. "Yeah."
"You can stay as long as you want." Then he nodded his head in a way that was saying 'lay back down.'
And they both followed. But Rory wasn't comfortable. She tentatively set her head softly on his chest. He welcomed her, and put his arm around her back.
"You cut your hair."
"Well, thank you, Captain Obvious."
Then he said, under his breath, "You're welcome, Lieutenant Duh."
She smiled and sat up a little to look at him. "What!"
"What?"
"I've never heard of that one."
"What?" trying to play dumb, he asked.
She shook her head and lay back down.
"I like it," he said, finally.
"What?"
"Your hair."
"Oh… well, thanks."
Their silence followed.
But he couldn't withhold himself. "So, what'd Ron say about it?" And when he felt her tense up, he immediately swore mentally. "Oh, sorry."
"No. He just asked a few questions. That's all."
And stillness once again.
"I didn't know you liked The Killers."
The CD had been on repeat.
"Oh, um… well, I decided to try them, and it turns out that I did."
"Well, that's good. Checking out other… bands and stuff."
He could tell that she was just saying it because she was nervous, so he decided to nourish her.
"Are you hungry?"
"Just a little, but I don't expect-" But he was already starting to sit up, taking her with him.
"Come on," he said, putting on his boxers while standing up.
She looked around expectantly.
"Oh, right, you need clothes." He cursed at himself again as he walked to the pile of garments on the floor. He picked the clothing up and gave them to her. They were the clothes that he had sort of given her last night.
"Thank you."
And he turned around, putting on a plain white shirt while she was dressing. When they both were done, they went downstairs. She subtly reached out for his hand in the new set darkness. But Tristan felt just the same as he did before when she touched him.
When they got to the kitchen, he turned on the lights, but Rory held on. He smiled… a real smile. And he took the time to examine her. His wife-beater was loose on her, enough to see through the arm holes at her breasts. And his boxers, he saw, had been pinned up by a paper clip. She must have grabbed one while heading out the door of his room.
"What do you want?" he asked as she looked back to him.
"What do you want?" Rory replied. She didn't know anything that he had, so she wanted the decision to be entirely up to him.
"I could go for breakfast tonight."
She smiled. "Sounds great."
"Okay, um… you could go over to that cabinet and get me some bread…?" he pointed.
"Sure," she walked over
When she got it, she turned back to him but he was closer than she was expecting. Standing right before her was the guy that she would let do anything to her.
-
He had purposely sent her to the cupboard so that he could follow her. He didn't want her to just get away without rising to the situation.
But, yet again, he didn't do what he had wanted. He went with his gut and kissed her. Full on, banging her on the cabinet wall, battling kiss.
He felt her push back on him, letting him do this to her. It all seemed so… surreal. Like he was doing this to another one of his many women, but instead, he actually cared that this one didn't go home with nothing but a memory. His stomach hurt for her when he saw her, and he couldn't stop it. He longed for her; ever since that night, anyways.
In a way, this… thing between them was a way to get their frustration out.
-
Too bad it wasn't working for her.
A/N: I know this chapter is long overdue, but I didn't know how to put this whole thing. You all know that this story is meant to be… a little on the dark side, and I'm trying to keep that at a steady pace. But when it's scenes like this… I don't know how to do it all. Review please. Tell me what you think. It's mostly what gives me the ideas and motivation for the next chapter.
Paige
