Loving Him

Just This Once

Half-awake I sensed someone’s fingertips gliding through my hair. I leaned closer to the touch. In my state, I thought that maybe my mother was coming to wake me up for school. I startled awake when I realized the impossibility of that thought.

    “Ah, you’re finally awake.” I sat up a dark gray throw blanket sliding into my lap as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Somewhere behind me, I heard Wren’s voice and the recognizable sound of oil on a pan. “You looked so peaceful so I just let you sleep. Hope you don’t mind this is my house.”

    I was on his couch, my jacket and shoes had been taken. I really must have been tired to not even wake up with him undressing me.

    “Sorry.”

    “No big deal. You had dark circles under your eyes so I thought you might not have been getting any sleep lately. You shouldn’t stay up all night especially on school nights.”

    I didn’t retort. Instead, I turned climbing onto my knees and leaning my elbows against the back of the sofa. From my perch I spotted Wren’s back at the stove, a black apron was tied around his neck but he was still wearing the same clothes from earlier. He’d mentioned something about his brother coming back home today and I briefly wondered if that had happened already.

    “I’m making you an egg sandwich so just give me a second,” Wren called back to me and I simply huffed.

    Well, there went my plan to gorge myself on fast food, “And what if I don’t like eggs?”

    I never had much preference when it came to food. After all, food was just something that would keep me from fainting in the middle of the day.

    “I’ve been watching you, Elliot Preston,” He turned off the stove and started to pull out the plates. I came off the couch and sat at the counter stool with a scowl.

    “That’s not true,” I don’t know why I was annoyed, but for some reason I wanted to argue with him, he didn’t know me observational skills or not he couldn’t know me. Jumping off the couch I moved to the table in the center of the kitchen and took a seat.

    “Wait you’re right,” I glanced at him skeptically before he added. “You really hate spicy food. I mean I know you’ll eat it but you’ll get this look on your face…”

    My face instantly went up in flames. “Are you sure you’re not a stalker?”

    He chuckled as he took a seat across from me. The corners of his eyes crinkled and he stared at me with a fascinated look, “You’re making a really cute face right now you know.”

    “Sh—shut up!” If possible my face grew hotter and Wren howled in laughter.

    “Um, if you guys are done flirting…I’m home?” My head snapped to the doorway and I wished the ground would swallow me up whole.

    A man with dark wavy strands and bright brown eyes stood holding a child with longer dark hair and blue eyes. He held her easily with one hand hooked under the back of the knees, she was twisted around her gaze glued onto me with childlike wonder. Beside them stood a woman who was a similar height to his. Her hair however was a bright red and her eyes a dark brown. Her gaze flickered from Wren to me and she hid her mouth behind her palms.

    “I told you to call me when you were close,” Wren groaned and I vaguely heard the scraping sound of the stool as he stood up. He went up to the man and threw an arm around the his free shoulder and they embraced. After he turned to look at me and flashed me a grin. “Elliot this is my brother Easton and my sister Eden. Eden, Easton, this is Elliot my…friend.”

    I narrowed my eyes at his suggestive use of the word friend but nervously waved at the group. Wren snickered and Easton just looked baffled, but Eden waved back.

    “Nice to meet you, I’m Katrina. Everyone just calls me Cherry.” The woman stepped forward and offered me her hand for a shake. It was obvious the nickname was a result of the color of her hair, and that she was the girlfriend Wren had mentioned at the cafeteria.

    “N-nice to meet you,” I shook her hand limply and she beamed.

    “What school do you go to, the same as Wren?” She glanced back at him. “Your boyfriend is so cute Wren!”

    Unabashed Wren smirked. “Yes, yes he is.”

    “Hey, I’m not—”

    “Actually we go to Clover,” Wren added, I noticed the way Easton jerked his gaze back to his brother before scrutinizing me. There was something intimidating in the way he was looking at me as if he was dissecting a frog.

    It looked to me that Easton might be even more dangerous than Wren. His broad shoulders were slouched slightly as he stood in a relaxed stance but the way he tightened his grip on the duffel bag he was holding sent a chill down my spine. Unlike his two siblings, Easton was paler his hair a shade lighter, his eyes too didn’t match. Eden and Wren had the exact same eyes, a type of blue that threatened violet.

    Eden was all pure innocence of a child raised sheltered, but there was a hint of calculation in her irises that mimicked Easton’s. Of course, this must be a familial trait.

    “Oh good!” Cherry smiled enthusiastically. “I’m working there as a student teacher so you guys will have to take care of me.”

    “Uh, yeah. I forgot to mention that. Cherry will be staying with us for the foreseeable future,” Easton’s gaze finally slid away from me and I felt my muscles relax in relief. Wren shrugged and grinned at his brother’s girlfriend.

    “Welcome. I can show you around tomorrow.”

    They divulge into pleasant ‘getting-to-know-you’ topics. Like where are you from? How many siblings do you have? Yadda yadda.

    I tune out and focus on my food. I’m mostly done when Cherry catches my attention again.

    “So what about you Elliot? Is your family big?” She asks cheerfully.

    My gaze flickers to Eden and then back to her. “It’s just me and my mom.”

    “Oh, that’s pretty neat. Where do you live?”

    “…southside.” The admission is gentle but I visibly see Easton tense. His head whips back around and he studied me with an even harsher intensity than before. “Uh, speaking about her she’s probably wondering where I am. Can I get my jacket?”

    My question is directed at Wren a few seconds passed but he gets up wordlessly to find it.

    “We should go drop off our stuff in the room. It was nice meeting you Elliot,” Cherry blasts one last smile before walking through the living room further into the large house, Easton followed reluctantly. He placed Eden on the sofa, whispered something into her ear, and then disappeared.

    They’re not gone two seconds before Eden bounds up beside me her big eyes blinking curiously.

    “Are you my brother's friend?”

    “Uh…” I get the strangest sensation on the back of my neck—guilt, it’s guilt. Clenching my teeth I shake my head, no. “He wants us to be though. But…no we aren’t friends.”

    Other than to feed me I couldn’t really trust Wren too much. Something told me there was a whole lot more to his sudden attachment to me than a simple crush. But the way he acted made it impossible to tell what.

    “Wren is mean sometimes so feel free to push him, sometimes when he steals my toys I do it.” Eden huffed and then proceeded to climb onto the chair beside me. She managed to sit but her legs dangled away from the floor.

    A memory flashes in my head. I’m young, I can’t remember how old, but my legs dangle anytime I sit on the edge of the bed. I’m staring at the space across from me where my desk used to be. The wooden piece of furniture is half-built and you could barely tell what it was meant to be.

    Blinking I smile at Eden, “Does he play with you a lot?”

    “Yeah! We went to the amusement park a while ago and Wren rode all the rides with me.” She chirped cheerfully. “Then Easton bought me the biggest plushie in the gift shop!”

    Her brothers seemed to love her a lot, at least that much was obvious. I wondered what it must feel like to have someone care so much about you.

    “Sounds cool,” I grinned at her. My experience with amusement parks was the pamphlets I sometimes picked up at the bus stops. My world consisted of the worn-down house, the dark alleys, and the school I rarely even attended. Going to an amusement park was a dream I’d only allowed myself seven years ago, and that was before it happened.

    I know better now than to dream for something so frivolous. Even if I did have enough money I’d rather have it in my safety fund than waste it on something that wouldn’t last. Of course, I don’t say this and instead just sit and listen as she recites in excited detail everything she did with her brothers.

    “Hey Eden, I’m gonna give Elliot a ride home. Why don’t you head upstairs and get changed,” Wren finally returned holding my jacket. He dropped my shoes on the floor beside me and I kicked them back on. Ruffling his sister's hair she half-glared at him but conceded, jumping off the chair she waved at me from the doorway.

    “Bye-bye Ellie!”

    As soon as she was gone Wren sent me a half-grin, “Ellie?”

    “Don’t even try it,” I growled jabbing my arms through the sleeves of my jackets. Glaring at him fully I crossed my arms. “I thought I made it clear that you and I aren’t dating.”

    He hummed but didn’t retort. Instead, he pulled out his keys from his back pocket and jangled them, “I’ll give you a ride.”

    “It’s fine. I want to walk.”

    Stepping past him I made my way to what I assumed had to be the front door. I managed to step out into the porch before I realized something shocking.

    I had no idea where I was.

    Not even the tiniest clue.

    The beeping sound of the car being unlocked fueled m irritation and I stomped to the passenger side door.

    “Just this once,” I muttered only for Wren to laugh.