Circles - Post Malone

Eighteen

Dahlia wakes up with a fright. Shit. She looks around the room and then lets out a sigh of relief. She and Austin had fallen asleep in the bed, naked. It's early morning and there is a possibility that Gina could walk in and catch them. What the fuck was Austin thinking? He could have lost his chance to be with Gina. Stupid boy.

"Wake up," she says bumping his shoulder. Austin groans and bats her hand away. "Austin! Wake up!" she groans and shakes his shoulder. "Fuck off, baby. Let me sleep," he grumbles and rolls over onto his stomach. Dahlia whips the blanket off and slaps him on his naked ass. "I said don't call me that!" Dahlia says. In one fluid movement, Austin grabs her and rolls them so she is under him. "I was half asleep. You can't moan at me for that," he says then smiles at her.

"Good morning, ba-"

"Stop. Don't you dare!"

Austin smirks at her, "or what? What will you do if I call you that? You don't seem to have an issue with that nickname while I am fucking you."

"Get off me...and it's different when we are having sex. When you do it then it's just in the moment. Out of sex, it's too personal. Get off me."

Austin looks at her for a moment and then rolls off her. "Ok, Dahlia," he says. Dahlia reaches for Austin's discarded shirt on the floor and slips it over her head. "You have too many rules," Austin says still lying in the bed. Dahlia gives him a dirty look and then slips out of the bed. "Well if you don't like my rules then you can fuck off."

"What about a compromise?"

"That sounds like something people in a relationship would do."

"Yeah, so?"

"So, we are not in a relationship. We play by my rules or nothing. No compromise," Dahlia says and then turns on the shower. "Now get up and get dressed. Gina will be home soon and I am sure you don't want her to find you snuggled up to me," Dahlia says testing the water. It's nice so she pulls off Austin's shirt and climbs into the bathtub and stands under the shower head, closing the bathtub in the shower curtain.

A few seconds go by and the shower curtain is drawn back and Austin climbs into the bathtub too. "What the fuck are you doing?" Dahlia asks pushing away his arms that are already circling her body. "I am showering with you. It saves time, get over yourself...Dahlia," Austin says and starts to wash himself.

"Stop saying my name like that!"

"Like what?"

"All sarcastic and shit."

"Well, would you rather me call you baby then? Make up your mind woman," he says with a smirk. Dahlia lets out a defeated sigh and knows her face drops. She loves him calling her baby. It makes her feel like she belongs to him like she means something to him. But they are just fucking, just passing time till Gina comes to her senses, and then Austin will call her baby or love or sweetheart. The thought forms a lump in Dahlia's throat. Fuck. "Whatever," she mumbles and turns her back to Austin. It only takes a moment before Austin's arms snake around and his lips come to her ear. "I am only giving you grief, Dahlia. I will play by your rules," he says softly.

Dahlia relaxes into him and rests the back of her head on his chest. He turns them slightly out of the spray and then lathers up the soap in his hands, some soap getting stuck in his rings. Dahlia watches as his hands then glide slowly around her breasts, abdomen, and thighs as he lathers her up. "You ever have a dream?" he asks suddenly. "No, dreams are stupid," she says trying to not let out a moan as his hands slip between her thighs. "They are not. Tell me. What did you want to be when you were all grown up," he says moving his hands up her belly to her breasts. Dahlia watches the trail of soap suds his hands leave behind on her body.

"Photographer," she whispers. It's been years since she has ever let herself think about it. It's the second time she has ever told anyone. Her mother was the first. Her mother had been her best friend, she had told her everything even about her crush on Austin. But her dreams had died the day she was taken from Dahlia. She had spent her time from then on just trying to survive the fucked up life her father had served to her on a silver platter.

"What happened?"

"Life..."

Austin turns her around to face him. He confuses her with the way he looks at her sometimes. It looks like he really cares for her. He doesn't - he is just a nice guy. "Be a photographer," he says with a serious face. Dahlia looks up at him and then bursts out laughing. "I have never even owned a camera. I don't know the first thing about photography. It was a childish fantasy, Austin," she says placing her hands on his pecks as he wraps his arms around her. She has to strain her neck to look up at him."It was a pipe dream. I am not cut up about it," she says.

"Take a chance and follow your dreams. You will be happy."

"You sound like a fortune cookie...and just as helpful."

"I mean it, sweetheart," he says pulling her in closer to his body. Dahlia feels her face turn into a scowl and Austin's eyes widen a little when he realizes his mistake. "I am done with you. Let me go," Dahlia says already wriggling out of his arms. Austin sighs but drops his arms. Dahlia shuts off the water and climbs out of the tub, grabbing a towel and drying herself off.

The silence is deafening and Dahlia wants to turn around and say something to him. He is very quiet behind her. She gets dressed and turns around to see that he is also dressed and looking at her. She should at least say thank you to him for being kind to her. "Austin, I-" she says at the same time as the front door bursts open and Gina steps into the apartment.

"Oh good! You are both awake! I have a surprise!" she sings.