Hard Boy ✔️

28

she's the first one i see

Carter Jackson

Warmth surrounded me as I slowly began to gain consciousness. The feeling of something - or someone - pressed against me caused my eyes to snap open, confused as to why someone was lying in my bed with me.

Then I remembered last night.

I'd come home from hanging out with Elijah to see Rory standing on our doorstep. She had tears running down her face, and her hands had blood all over them. It was the scariest sight I'd seen in a while, which says a lot considering not a lot scares me.

The way she broke down simply by saying my name, the way her breathing grew heavy, and she began to hyperventilate broke my heart. Just knowing what her mother did to her makes me angry enough to want to retaliate, but I know that's not something Rory would want.

My head tilted down, looking at the sleeping girl in my arms. We didn't fall asleep at the same time, let alone tangled up in each other like this. She was on one side of the bed and I was on the other, her on her side as I lay on my back watching the cartoons I'd put on.

But somehow, after I fell asleep, we scooted together. Her legs were tangled with mine, one arm draped over the side of me while the other lay smushed between our torsos. I had one arm underneath her head as her pillow while the other lay over her, holding onto the blanket covering us. It was warm, and butterflies exploded in my stomach at the close proximity.

My eyes shut as I lay my head back down, taking in the moment. Part of me wanted to respect her space and let her go, but part of me wanted to hold on tighter. I didn't know what time it was, but right now I didn't care. I just want to stay like this all day.

It's been so long since I've held someone like this, let alone had someone hold me like this. It felt nice, even nicer than anyone else I've ever held.

Is that cheesy? God, I hope not. That's cringe.

My eyes opened again, looking down at her. I couldn't get a good look at her face because he was curled up into the crook of my neck, but I saw her hair sprawled out on the bed behind her. I lightly ran my fingers through it, trying my best to avoid the knots that formed overnight. I was gentle with it, almost as if I was afraid to break her.

A light snoring sound left her mouth, but to me, it sounded more like a little whimper than an actual snore. It was cute, as much as I wouldn't want to admit it out loud.

I froze in my place as Rory moved, fear running through me that she wouldn't like that I was holding her. I know I should let go of her, considering this could be something she doesn't want, but I was kind of trapped. Looking around, I noticed we were on my side of the bed.

This means she was the one who cuddled closer to me...

Unless I was the one who pulled her really close to me, but surely if I had done that, she'd have woken up, right?

Right?

I shut my eyes, my body still as Rory adjusted. She moved the hand that was smashed between our torsos, shoving it underneath my body. It tickled as her fingertips grazed my sides, but I held any laughter in due to not wanting to wake her up.

Even though there was a shirt preventing her from touching my skin, it still lit my body on fire as I felt her touch me. It was as if she was touching my skin, sending electricity through my body at such a simple touch.

Her arm fully wrapped around my side that was laying on the bed, landing right on my back. She pulled me closer, her head nuzzling further into my neck. She held onto me tightly, almost as if she were too afraid to let go.