A Rose For A Rose

Chapter 6

"What does it feel like?"

Aslan smirked at me and shook his head. "Why do you want to know?"

I shrugged. "I just do? It's not like I could ask Mom," I said dryly, pinching the lit paper from between his fingers. Aslan raised his brow at me and shook his head.

"You know, she would kill me if she knew I knew you did that," Aslan stated. I shrugged and put the paper between my lips, pulling the smoke into my lungs.

"I've done worse things. All of which, you showed me."

Aslan rolled his eyes and took the cigarette back. "Your privileges are now revoked," he chirped, taking a pull for himself. He held it in for a moment before blowing it out, looking up at the sky.

"It...it feels like calmness."

"Love feels like calmness?"

"In a sense. It's like the person you fall in love with is the center of the storm. Your life is the storm, but they are that calmness right in the middle of it. Lila makes me feel like I'm complete. She makes me happy, but can drive me crazy just as much as you can," he said, playing pushing my shoulder. I chuckled and rolled my eyes at him.

"Lila makes me feel like I don't need to hide anything about who I am. She doesn't make me feel like I'm the next Earl. She makes me feel like I'm a person. The person you fall in love with should make you feel at home in your own life. Don't settle for anything less, küçük kuş."

"You can't call me 'little bird' anymore. I'm not little."

"Well, calling you 'big bird' is odd," he retorted. I sighed and rested my head back against the wood behind me.

"But back to my question. Do you think I'll know what it feels like? When I find it?"

Aslan finished the last of the cigarette with a nod. "Yeah. You will. You'll understand it more when you're older."

"And the butterflies everyone talks about?"

"That isn't love. That should tell you to run. You shouldn't feel nervous around someone you love. Have you ever felt nervous around me?"

I grimaced. "No. You're my brother."

"Either way, love in all forms is love. It should never make you nervous. Now let's get inside, it's freezing tonight. I think we'll get the first fall of snow."

I nodded and tucked the blanket tighter around my shoulders and stood, waiting for Aslan to climb down the short later first before jumping down at him. It was something I had always done as a child, it was our 'thing'.

Aslan grunted when he caught me and set me on my feet. "Don't ever change who you are. Please? Any man who truly loves you will love the real you."

I nodded and smiled at him. "I promise."

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Lissa flicked through the dresses that hung in a row, saying which dresses wouldn't work for the gala tonight. She had already picked her dress, whispering under her breath how much he would like it.

"Lissa?"

"Hmm?" Lissa asked as she held up two of my dresses for inspection.

"Do you love Christian?"

Lissa stopped and let her arms drop and she turned to me. "Why do you ask?"

I bit my lip and shrugged. "Just wondered."