Close As Strangers

Chapter 9

That evening, a tired Steph laid on her boyfriend's bed whilst he sat at his desk and played his acoustic guitar quietly in an attempt to soothe her, singing softly to her as he watched over her protectively.

"Throwing rocks at your window at midnight,

You met me in your backyard that night,

In the moonlight you looked just like,

An angel in disguise,

My whole life seemed like a postcard," he murmured as his green eyes rested on her small frame curled up on his duvet, one of his pillows cuddled to her chest as she rested her eyes. Seeing that she was half asleep, he put the guitar back in its stand and sat on the bed behind her, moving her blonde hair out of her face and exposing her neck in the process.

"Why'd you stop?" she mumbled into the pillow, smiling at his touch.

"I thought you were sleeping, love," he replied, lying beside her and wrapping an arm around her waist. "I wanted to let you rest," he explained, pressing his body against her back and a gentle kiss to her neck.

"I liked that last one," Steph told him, huddling against him happily.

"Wrapped Around Your Finger?" he questioned, smiling as he laced their fingers together and she hummed in response. "You inspired that one," he admitted, hiding his face in her hair. "I'm always thinking of you when I'm writing."

"Charmer," she murmured, feeling better simply because she was in his arms

"I'm a fool in love," said Michael without shame. "I love you so much."

The blonde started to repeat the sentiment, only to be interrupted when the bedroom door was thrown open, the dark haired young man instinctively tightening his arms around her and sheltering her body with his to protect her from the perceived threat.

"The hell, Irwin?" he exclaimed as he recognised the man standing in the doorway, relaxing his hold on the woman in his arms. "Could you knock next time? What if we were doing something?"

"The door was unlocked," the drummer pointed out as the couple sat up, Steph being pulled willingly onto Michael's lap. "And it was far too quiet for me to be interrupting anything I'd regret," he added, making the blonde blush.

"What do you want?" sighed the twenty year old, knowing the older man wouldn't leave until he got what he had come for.

"I'm freaking out, Mikey," confessed Ashton, running a hand through his hair. "I went to meet Aurelia today but she didn't show. B was there, so I sat with her for a while until she said something I've only ever heard Aurelia say. Bethany's Aurelia. What do I do?"

"First, calm down," Michael told him, waiting for him to take some deep breaths before continuing. "Now you need to work out why you're freaking out about this."

"Why the hell do you think I'm freaking out, Mikey?" snapped the twenty one year old. "I've been talking to Bethany this whole time. I fell for one of my best friends."

"Obviously," sighed Steph, leaning back against her boyfriend's chest. "But are you freaking out because you fell for her and that's gross, or because you fell for her and you can see it working?"

"Loving her is not gross," he protested quickly, frowning at the suggestion.

"Then what's the problem?" asked Michael. "You guys would be good together. I totally ship you guys."

"She loves someone else," he told them dejectedly, sinking onto the chair the other boy had vacated not so long ago. "Just because he doesn't feel the same way doesn't mean she'll want me."