The Forgotten Gilmore

Chapter Fifty-Five: Fear and Comfort

A month had passed since Isabella's passing, and Alessia was beginning to feel like herself again. The grief wasn't as suffocating, though there were still moments when it caught her off guard. Life at Harvard was slowly returning to its usual rhythm, and she found herself more focused on her classes and spending time with Riley and Beau.

Meanwhile, Beau had his own unexpected turn of events. His roommate had been kicked out of Harvard for smoking pot on campus, and the news spread quickly. It left Beau with an empty room and the freedom to stretch out without having to worry about anyone else.

One evening, Riley made his way over to Beau's dorm, knocking on the door and stepping inside with a familiar grin. "No roommate now, huh?" Riley teased, flopping onto Beau's bed.

"Yeah, no more stoner guy," Beau laughed, crawling into bed next to him. "Guess I get this place to myself. Or, you know, you could move in."

Riley chuckled, wrapping his arm around Beau's waist and pulling him closer. "Don't tempt me." They lay there for a moment, their bodies pressed together, comfortable in each other's warmth. Beau glanced up at Riley, a soft smile on his face.

"Guess what I downloaded for tonight?" Beau said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Riley raised a brow, intrigued. "Oh?"

"Scream marathon. I know it's your favorite."

Riley's face lit up in surprise, and he kissed the top of Beau's head. "You hate horror movies."

"I do," Beau admitted, "but I'll watch them for you. I don't mind being scared as long as you're here."

Riley grinned, touched by Beau's gesture. "You're too good to me, you know that?"

Beau shrugged, leaning his head against Riley's shoulder. "You deserve it."

As the movie played on, the tension in the air grew with each scene. Beau, despite his efforts to stay calm, couldn't help but flinch when one of the characters was brutally attacked on screen. The killer lunged out of the shadows, and Beau instinctively grabbed Riley's hand, his fingers tightening around it as the character let out a blood-curdling scream.

Riley immediately noticed Beau's reaction and couldn't help but laugh softly. "You alright there, tough guy?" he teased, glancing over at Beau, who looked both embarrassed and slightly freaked out.

"Shut up," Beau muttered, though his grip on Riley's hand didn't loosen. He buried his face into Riley's shoulder for a second before peeking back at the screen. "That was a cheap jump scare."

Riley chuckled, running his thumb gently over Beau's knuckles in a soothing gesture. "You know, if it helps, the blood doesn't even look real," he commented, his voice casual as he leaned back more comfortably. "Like, that's not what blood looks like at all. It's way too bright, almost cartoonish. And the way they did the stabbing? Completely unrealistic."

Beau looked up at him, eyes wide. "You're giving a critique of the murder scene? Right now?"

"Yeah," Riley replied with a grin. "I mean, come on. You'd think by now they'd get the colour of blood right. It's always either too red or too pink. This looks like someone just splattered ketchup all over the place."

Beau blinked, then shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Only you would be dissecting a horror movie's realism while someone's getting murdered on screen."

"What can I say? Scream deserves better," Riley said with a shrug, his voice light and playful. "I love it, but I'm just saying-it's a bit of a joke. You've got nothing to be scared of when the gore's this fake."

Beau laughed softly, loosening his grip on Riley's hand, but still holding on. "Okay, okay. You've made your point. I'll try not to freak out... too much."

Riley smiled and pressed a quick kiss to Beau's forehead. "Don't worry. I've got you."

As the movie continued, they stayed wrapped in each other's arms. Riley absentmindedly played with Beau's hair, his fingers threading through the soft waves as they watched the screen. Riley kept offering little quips about the scenes, making Beau laugh despite being scared. With each playful comment, Beau relaxed more, even managing to get through the scarier moments without flinching. Riley's presence made the fear bearable, and by the end of the movie, they were both laughing more than anything else.

"You're lucky I love you," Beau said, half-jokingly, as the credits rolled. "Because I really don't get how you enjoy this stuff."

Riley smirked, pulling Beau closer. "It's the thrill, babe. But, for the record, I love you too-scaredy-cat and all."

Beau grinned, settling back into Riley's arms as they prepared for the next film. He felt safe, loved, and deeply content in the moment, knowing that no matter how many scares the movie threw at him, he could always count on Riley to be there by his side.

They spent the rest of the night curled up together, talking and laughing, the movies playing in the background as they savored the simple comfort of each other's presence. There was no need for anything more-they had everything they needed in that small dorm room, wrapped up in their shared love.

The night wore on, and eventually, they both drifted off to sleep, tangled in each other's warmth, the world outside feeling far away.