Bad Habits

Chapter Eighteen

𝐸𝑛𝑧𝑜 ☽

I opened my front door to find Aurora frowning at her phone.

"Hey. What's wrong?"

She shook her head and stuffed her phone into her back pocket. She pushed past me and walked into the kitchen.

I continued drying my hair with a towel as I shut the door and followed her. When I walked into the kitchen she was standing near the sink, guzzling down a cup of water.

"Rory? What happened?"

She put her cup in the sink and spun around the face me. Her hands travelled behind her back, and she braced them against the counter.

"Nothing. I'm just nervous. I haven't seen any of my family for four years."

I threw my towel onto the counter and walked over to her. My arms wrapped around her shoulders and my head ducked down.

Her sigh was muffled as I softly whispered, "I will do whatever I can to help you throughout the entire trip. I won't leave your side, I won't allow you to feel overwhelmed or upset or alone, and I will never let your family walk all over you, okay?"

She slowly nodded. My shirt began to dampen, so I pulled back and cupped her face. My thumbs caressed her face, then my hands travelled higher, and my thumbs wiped her tears away.

"You two look cosy."

Neither of us moved. Aurora just stared up at me with a smile. She gently pushed on my chest and ducked under my arm to get out of my hold.

"Hi Rowan, what are you doing here?"

"Enzo's asked me to look after this place." He said as he looked around, sighing.

"You begged me to stay here."

"Lies. Anyway, when are you leaving?"

I huffed and grabbed my towel from the kitchen counter.

"In half an hour." Aurora answered.

"Okay, cool. I'll walk you out then."

"Eager for us to leave?"

"Of course. Then I can trash this place and—"

"Rowan, if I come home to a mess, I will leak the photos of you that one night at the club—"

Rowan put his hands up in mock surrender.

"Fine, fine!"

Rowan quickly exited the room. Aurora turned to look around the living room. I chuckled as I turned and headed toward my room.

"Where's—"

"Benji? Probably sleeping in my room. Come on," I nodded toward my room. She grinned before running past me and pushing open my door. I heard her squeal, and then a bark.

I walked in to find Aurora sitting on her knees with Benji on her lap. He was licking her face and she was laughing while petting him.

I sat down on my bed and started packing my backpack when Aurora stood up with Benji in her hands. She came and sat down next to me. I watched Benji as he curled up on her lap.

I zipped up my bag when she abruptly turned to me and said, "Enzo, you really don't have to this. I feel really bad because—"

"Please Rory, just be quiet."

She quickly fell silent and continued stroking Benji's fur.

"Why don't you ever let others do shit for you? You do so much for others, especially me, so please, let me do something for you now."