Robbers

twenty

// twenty //

The noon sunlight was glinting off the thin blanket of snow outside, glaring harshly through the glass of Ella's bedroom window. She squinted against the brightness and glanced away from the window, curling up closer against Ryan's side.

He was lying in her bed with his back pressed against the headboard, just his lower legs tucked underneath the duvet. Ella had her head resting against his upper chest, and she could feel the heat of his skin even through the material of his sweatshirt. It had been freezing in her house when she'd woken up that morning, and although she was buried beneath a thick quilt, Ella's nose was still too cold.

Both of Ella's parents were at work and Rosie was at school, so the entire house was silent. Ella had feigned sickness the night before so her mother would allow her to stay home from school, since Ella had only snuck back in around five a.m.

Neither of them had spoken about what they had done last night. Ryan had driven to Ella's house a few hours ago, and Ella had only just woken up when she heard his truck pulling in to the driveway. She had texted him to let himself in, so when Ryan came upstairs, Ella had simply told him to lie down beside her. They were both too exhausted to feel odd about lying in the same bed so close to each other, and Ella was glad. She was tired of feeling awkward around Ryan.

Laying this close to him was making Ella's mind go blank, and she was finally thinking of nothing at all for the first time that morning. The first thing that had surfaced in her mind when she'd opened her eyes that morning was what they had done last night, and it had very nearly made her sick to her stomach. Stealing money from the gas station had been much, much worse than taking from wealthy stranger's homes, and Ella had only been the get away driver.

She was too afraid to ask how Ryan was feeling.

He exhaled then, the warm air rushing over Ella and rustling through tendrils of her hair. Ryan's chest dipped beneath her cheek, and Ella turned her head so she could look up at him with her chin resting on his sweatshirt instead.

His left arm was bent and tucked up behind his head, the fingers of his left hand entangled in his messy hair. Ryan looked back down at Ella, reaching his right hand over to hold hers against his chest. His palm felt worn and work-hardened as it pressed against the smooth back of her hand, and Ella could feel the faint outline of his ribs as his chest rose with each breath.

"I'm glad you came over," she told him softly.

The right corner of his mouth curved upwards slightly at this; it wasn't a smile, exactly, but it was something. Ryan squeezed her hand, running his thumb back and forth over her knuckles in a soothing, rhythmic manner. "Me too. This okay?"

He was referring to the way they were lying, so close to each other in the small twin-sized bed. Ella propped herself up on one elbow, giving a tiny grin and saying, "It's better than okay."

She leaned a little closer and kissed him, feeling the burn of his lips against hers like she was kissing smoldering paper. When Ella pulled away, Ryan's lips had turned a shade pinker and he was finally starting to smile.

Ella shook her head and narrowed her eyes at him, saying, "Your hair smells like smoke."

Ryan glanced away a bit guiltily, muttering slightly under his breath, "I was hoping you wouldn't notice."

She had actually noticed it earlier, when Ryan had first lay down beside her that morning. Ella hadn't wanted to say anything about it, because she didn't want to act like a concerned mother. But why didn't he just realize how bad that was for him?

"I only do it when something bad happens," Ryan continued hastily, almost like he wanted defend himself. "I know what you're thinking, but I only smoke when I'm – like, upset. I know you don't like it."