The Hurt Game

❧ seventeen

"Do you always bring a book with you, everywhere you go?" Royden questioned me.

Without taking my eyes off the page, I nodded my head and hummed a little. My head rested against the headrest as I was curled in the corner of the couch, knees tugged up to my chest and my book lying on them. My butt, by now, was slightly starting to hurt from staying in one position for so long, but I couldn't make myself move. Not when I was at an intriguing scene.

"Don't you, like, ever get tired of reading?"

My eyes didn't move. My muscles tensed. I was staring over the one spot of the book. Until I spun around abruptly, lay on my stomach and my face was focused on Royden, who was rummaging in the kitchen. My book fell on the ground and I grimaced at the thought of the pages folding. Royden turned around to face me and raised one of his eyebrows in question, taking a long gulp from the cardboard juice.

"One, that is absolutely disgusting," I said and he shrugged his shoulder, setting the cardboard pack in the fridge again. "And secondly, reading can never get tiring, because every book is different and so every adventure is different and exhilarating. Books and reading never get old if you find the right books."

"No need to bite my head off, princess," Royden chuckled. He opened one of the cupboards along the wall, grabbed a pack of cookies before closing it and walking towards me. He opened the pack and when he was in my reach, handed me the pack.

"You cannot ask, or buy my kindness and forgiveness with cookies." My eyebrows were pulled into a little frown, but I stuck my hand in the pack and took a cookie out of it.

Royden bent down and grabbed my book from the floor, clearing all the crinkles the fall had made. My heart warmed in my chest at the little action and bashfully I took a bite of my cookie.

He walked around the couch, sat down and placed my book on the table, open so I would be able to find my page back. I flipped onto my back and scooted in the corner, but he grabbed my ankles and yanked me practically down. A little crumble fell down my throat and I coughed a little as he grabbed the pack.

"I was not going to buy your forgiveness. I do not need to," he pointed out.

"Who would say?"

"Nobody, but I know you cannot stay mad at me for long."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he was right. I couldn't stay mad at him for long. It was way too easy to forgive him. Heck, I had already forgiven him for the things he might end up doing. In this short time of knowing him, only a couple of months, he had become a constant in my life, someone who I could trust and rely on. I only hoped the feeling was mutual.

I huffed a little and continued eating my cookie in silence. Royden chuckled before eating his own cookie. The silence was only interrupted by the crinkling of the package and the chewing. It was comfortable. I was comfortable.

"I have a question," Royden broke the silence. I looked up at him and my stomach made a somersault. He was already looking at me with the softest and most curious look I had ever seen him wear.

"Shoot. I might have an answer," I replied as I sat up a little more. His eyes flickered towards my feet that were no longer lying on his lap comfortably. My toes touched his thigh gently.

"If you were ever to write a book, what would you write about?"

My eyebrows raised. My lips parted a little before I sucked on my bottom lip, biting down on it softly. His eyes were watching my mouth before they moved back up to my eyes. A faint blush covered my cheeks.

I shook my head a little as I shrugged my shoulders. I ran a hand through my hair, which was hanging loosely around my shoulders. It was a bit tangled from the harsh wind that was roaring outside. The first signs of colder weather.