Winter (Not Edited)

Chapter 17

Lying in bed, sleep was nowhere near. Winter couldn't shake the feeling of lying to Emerson. Her heart clenched, friends don't lie. She wanted to be Emerson's friend.

Only she believed if she told him about her backstory, he would shut her out for being incompetent.

She was working herself up and it was visible. Sometimes she would have days where she instead of grieving the loss of her parents, grieved over the life she could have had. Winter could barely remember her parents, it was easier forgetting them. It hurt her though.

Tonight was no different, she had decided that she was overwhelmed by her own heart's knowledge of friendship and family.

She was being selfish. She was going to tell Emerson, friends don't lie to each other.

Slowly making her way down the hallway, she was shaking with nerves. She needed to tell someone, she wanted that someone to be him.

"Winter?" Emerson called out as he rolled over in his bed. Her feet dragged her to the end of his king size bed.

Emerson was confused at what she was doing in his room. Flicking on the light his heart clenched at the sight of her blonde hair messed up, her tear soaked face, and her pajamas.

"Emerson." She whispered.

He sat up fully at the distress present in her fragile voice. He patted the spot on the bed beside him.

Emerson's eyes watched as she sat down. They were so close, he could see the tremble of her hands now.

"We are friends right?" She asked surprisingly strong.

Emerson smiled at her question. They were definitely friends.

"Yes, now what has gotten you so worked up. Tell me so you can go to sleep peacefully." Emerson said slowly as his large hand reached out to rub her shoulder soothingly.

Winter let out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding.

His hand was comforting and it calmed her down greatly. She loved his touch, his touch made her safe.

"Life is hard." She whispered softly, it was the only way to start the conversation she was about have.

Emerson's eyebrows came together in confusion. Though he didn't think twice as he nodded with her statement.

"It's cruel." He said as his voice wavered a bit.

A tear traced her cheek, she whimpered a sob. Swallowing another wave of tears she nodded.

Silence filled the air that they were breathing.

After she managed to swallow down her tears, she caught her breath before speaking again.

"Remember when you asked me how long I have been a maid?" Winter's voice came out strangled but clear.

Emerson nodded for her to continue. Why is she so upset, he was almost angered by her tears. He wanted to hug her, Emerson hated hugging people.

"I have been a maid for my whole life." She said biting her lip in anticipation for his reaction.

Emerson said nothing at first, which scared Winter a lot.

His hands moved back to her pale skin of her hands. He noticed that she seemed scared, he rubbed small circles, trying to sooth her.

"I am not trying to push, but why?" Emerson said barely above a whisper.

Winter's tears brimmed her eyes again, quietly she swallowed her breakdown.

A thought swarmed her thoughts, Emerson was being a real friend. Now she was hyper aware of his warm thumb drawing circles on her wrist now.

"When I was a child my parents were murdered, and since I was a kid obviously I couldn't comprehend what was happening and I was dragged to Mr. Michelson's estate. I had no other choice but to work as a maid, I don't even know why I'm telling you this, I am still just a maid. I am sorry, I- can't." Winter was sobbing at this point as she pulled away from Emerson.

Emerson sat frozen in shock.

He never would have thought, he could relate so deeply with another person, and it hurt his heart that she has felt the pain of losing a loved one even at a young age.

Emerson was snapped out of his trance as he shot up from his bed and ran to Winter's room.

Though when he approached her door, his footsteps became quiet. Her sobbing angelic voice echoed through his ears, a knife, a knife being pushed through his cardiovascular muscle, is what it felt like.

"Winter!" Emerson shouted fear lacing his voice. Emotions make people do terrible things, he needed her.

The door had been locked and he was now standing there, her hysterical crying had vanished. The soft sounding of sniffles came from the other side of the door.

Quickly Emerson found the key to her room, he needed to touch her. To comfort her.

As he neared the bed her eyes fluttered opened, he felt relaxed, he needed her awake.

She opened her eyes wider at the sight of Emerson sitting on the edge of her bed. His torso was touching her waist.

"Don't worry." He said in a calming manner.

She nodded at his words. She watched as he leaned over and kissed her tear, his warm lips unlatched from her wet and now rosy cheek. He did not move, until his mouth lowered to her ear.

"I do not think of you any less, if anything it made me envy you even more." Emerson whispered kindly in her ear. Leaving a kiss to her ear, he gently moved away and watched as Winter's eyes closed slowly.

He planted another kiss to the pale flesh of her forehead. Leaning back up Emerson brought his hand up to her face.

His large tan flesh caressed her delicate skin. He thought for only a second that he would tell her about his parents and sister's death, but decided not to.

His hand ran down her face and eventually to her hand. He fumbled with her tiny fingers before letting her hand go and walking back to his room.

He checked the time it was now the early morning hours. He glanced back down at his phone, it was exactly two weeks until the day his family died, the day, he killed his parents and little sister.