What Do I Swim For?

Chapter 4

Three weeks later...

Erica's POV

I was cuddling with Haru, reading the first book in one of my favorite book series– The Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon– to him while he held me.

We were at his house, enjoying each other's company. Occasionally my boyfriend would squeeze me in a hug from where I sat in between his legs on the couch with my back against his chest as I read.

Haru and I were going to watch the movie Leap Year on Netflix, but when Haru saw my book he asked me to read it to him. He claimed that he loved the sound of my voice but I know he probably just didn't want to watch the movie.

"Hey, Erica?"

I stopped reading the book and I turned my head towards him, "What is it, Ma Envie?" I ask, slipping into Cajun French, calling him my heart's desire.

"Do you fight with your siblings?" He asks.

"Yes, all the time. Why?"

"I got into a fight with Kohaku." He says looking away, but not before I saw the sadness in his beautiful blue eyes.

"What happened, Haru?" I put a bookmark in the book, close it and turn towards him and look into his eyes, gently cupping his cheek in my hand.

"W-well, I found out she went on a date with Rin and I didn't like it...."

"And?" I prompted him to go on.

"And I told her that she's not allowed to date Rin or anyone else... she didn't like that and we started yelling and she slapped me and told me that she hated me."

"She doesn't hate you, Haru. She's frustrated." I say, trying to comfort him.

"You didn't see the look on her face, Erica."

His beautiful blue eyes were filled with his inner turmoil and my heart ached for him. I wanted nothing more than to erase that pain from his eyes.

"Hey, it's going to be okay, akribos. She will forgive you." I say, holding him.

He pulls me closer. "Erica, can you stay the night here, please?"

I instantly blush and I look into his eyes and I ask,"Why? What's wrong?"

"I-I don't trust myself alone tonight, Erica, please stay." He pleads with me.

"Okay, I'll let my mama know but if she ever asks you about this, your sister was here, okay?" I tell him.

He nods and puts his head in my lap and I pull out my phone.

I call my mama and ask her to stay the night at Haru's house under the guise of helping Haku study for a test and she agrees.

I text Haku and tell her that I'm supposed to be helping her study for a test if my mama calls her and she says okay then I look down to where my breathtaking boyfriend has his head pillowed on my thighs.

I run my fingers through his silken hair. His eyes are closed and his long lashes are casting shadows on his cheeks. He looks so relieved that I'm here and I'm not leaving him tonight that I can feel my heart clench at how much he must be hurting to have asked me to stay the night.