Falling Apart

c h a p t e r t w e n t y t w o

Please vote and comment.

I've been awake for a while now, but my eyes are still closed and half my body is led Elias's chest.

I know Aubrey's in here, she's been here since I work up and so far I've enjoyed listening to hers and Elias's conversation.

Elias is led on his back, shirtless but covering himself with the duvet. He's stoking my back gently with his fingers. I also am not accountable of a shirt.

It's a good thing my chest is on Elias's.

Not that Aubrey would care.

I can feel her body weight on the bed, and without opening my eyes, I can sense the smiles on both their faces.

"I'm happy for you both" Aubrey says, "I just sort of hoped it went differently. I mean... she was so innocent. I was the slut-

"You're not a slut, Aubrey-

"Yes. Yes, I am. And all I ever wanted was for Mer to be happy and never experience something so... so... something with no love"

A moment of silence goes by before she speaks up again.

"I really do hope you'll truly love her for who she is Elias"

Elias suddenly stops stroking my back, then speaks up.

"I do. I do love her" he continues stoking my back. "I don't love her in the way a husband should love her. I don't love her in the way that I could go on and on about my wife and how happy I am with her, because I'm not happy, neither is she. We're bad for each other... I'm bad for her. But that will never stop me from loving her smile, her laugh, her stubbornness, her determination to mess with me. I love her characteristics and qualities. Hopefully one day I will love everything to do with her, but right now. I can't love her when she keeps fighting me"

A long silence goes by once again. Is that true? Is what Elias has just said true? Because if he is telling the truth... I agree with him. This isn't necessarily his fault. This is mine.

I need to stop fighting him. I need to be better. For me. For him. For us.

For some reason, I feel that the mood has dropped and everything's... saddened.

"What's wrong?" Elias asks Aubrey.

"Umm... nothing" she replies.

"No, tell me. We're practically siblings now, so" Aubrey sighs heavily.

"I'll be ok, Elias." Is all she says back.

I can feel the bed get lighter as she stands up and walks away, presumably toward the door as I can hear it open.

"You're cute together" she finalises the conversation, shutting the door behind her.

Elias stops stroking my back and begins to message my scalp.

"You done eavesdropping now" he says confidently.

I attempt to hide my smile, but I can't. I lift my head, looking Elias straight in the eyes.

"I'm sorry" I say, repeating my words last night.

Elias laughs between his breathes, sipping something off my cheek.

"I thought it was obvious to you that I forgave you. After what we... did"

I shake my head.

"Nope. You never said it in words" he smiles at me, cupping my cheeks and lowering his face to mine.

"I forgive you, Merliah" then he places a kiss on my lips.

"It's Mer" I correct him.

His smile grows, "I forgive you, Mer" he repeats.

I smile brightly, then slowly it starts to faded so does Elias's once he's realises something's up.

"What?" He asks.

I place my head back down on his chest, looking out across the room.

"I know we said slow, but I don't think that'll work, Elias. I might go crazy"

He laughs at my comment, "I've noticed"

I groan at his reply. Of course he has, I was a complete idiot.

"Let's play a different game" I say, looking back at him.

"We have to be nice to each other. And the winner gets to do whatever they chose to the other" I say, explaining the new, much better, version of our game.

He smiles, "sounds like a plan" he pulls my chin up with his index finger, moving his mouth to my ear.

"But I should warn you. I'm really good at playing games, Mer" he says, licking my ear lobe.

I pull away from him, shocked.

"Oh, you did not just do that" Elias smirks, believe me. I did" he says back.

I frown, "you'll lose" he shakes his head.

I stand up walking toward the door and opening it.

"You're naked, Mer" he says without a care in the world, almost as if it wouldn't matter if I did.

I look down at my naked body, losing the door and walking to Elias's side of the wardrobe, grabbing a black shirt.

"Elias, baby" I speak, sarcastically, smirking.

I show him his shirt, "can I please wear your shirt?" I ask politely.

He furrows his eyebrows, "yes, baby. You can. And you can put some boxers on, with that" he adds.

I pull the shirt over my head, it's a large fit, so isn't necessarily in need of boxers, but I know why he wants it.

"Oh, baby. You know how I feel about pants or underwear in the mornings, I'll be fine like this." I say, walking toward the door and opening it.

"Am I right, baby?" I ask, messing with him in the polite way this time.

Elias bites his bottom lip in frustration. "Yes, baby. You're right, I'm sorry"

I smile at him, shutting the door behind me, and walking downstairs. I notice Aubrey in the kitchen making herself some cereal.

I grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator and sit down at the kitchen island, watching her, when suddenly Elias walks in and my extension immediately goes to him.

I take a quick sip of my water before handing it to him, "do you want some, babe" I ask.

Elias rolls his eyes, grabbing the bottle from my hands and finishing the lot, throwing it in the trash can besides him.

"Thanks, baby" he jokingly replies back.

Aubrey turns around, completely confused.

"I can never tell with you two what's going on" she says sarcastically, taking her borek of cereal and walking back upstairs to her room.

I laugh between my breathes.

God I love this.