rogue

seven

I wake up alone.

At first, I'm afraid to open my eyes. I know what to expect, but seeing the crumpled sheets where he slept—it kinda hurts.

Last night was surreal. I still don't understand how we ended up cuddled up in his bed. I still don't know how I managed to get him to open up, well, at least a little bit. There's still so much I don't know about him.

But now that I see that he somehow let me in, I'll be patient. I won't push him. I'll give him time to trust me completely.

I leap out of his bed and can't help but pause for a moment to take in my surroundings. I've been in his room once before, but I was too drunk and then too hungover to really look at everything.

Something on his desk catches my eye, and as I take a closer look, my breath hitches.

It's a collage of pictures, much more personal than the one in his living room. This one is full of pictures of his family, friends, my family, and what completely takes my breath away...

Pictures of me. Of us.

I take a deep breath, my lungs slowly filling with air again.

Why did he always pretend not to care when this, and the way he acted in the past few days, screams the exact opposite?

I shake my head in disbelief as I see one picture I haven't seen in years.

It's crinkled, and the edges are faded.

It shows Finn as he gives me a little teddy bear on my thirteenth birthday. He looks so happy.

I still have the bear. I still sleep with it near me every night. Not that I would admit that to anyone.

Just squeezing that stuffed animal makes me think of him, and... it makes me happy.

The sound of the bathroom door shutting makes me startle in surprise, and I hurriedly leave his room, immediately feeling bad for intruding on his privacy.

"I'm on my way out," he says as he walks towards the living room. "If you need a ride to campus, I'll be ready in ten."

I look down at my silk shirt and panties-covered body. "Okay," I call out.

Ten minutes? Shit.

With not an ounce of makeup on my face but freshly showered, I show up at the front door dressed in an oversized hoodie and leggings.

I look horrible—pale face, hair carelessly pinned back and hidden under a beanie. And I didn't have the chance to eat breakfast.

Did I mention that I feel slightly cranky?

Anyway... as I see him waiting for me, my heart skips a beat, and I feel... better. A lot better.

A smile spreads across my face as I watch him try to hide his amusement. "You said 10 minutes. That's the best I could do." I shrug and stand beside him.

He chokes out a laugh. "Usually, when girls say they're ready in 10, they mean 45 minutes. I'm just surprised you pulled it off in such a short time." I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks because, no doubt, this is a compliment. Maybe not a hugely significant one, but still...

Compliments don't come my way often, so yes, I'll take what I can get.

Feeling too embarrassed, I try to avoid his intense stare.

My eyes travel from his backward-worn snapback to his mischievous glistening green eyes, down to his full lips, his 5 o'clock shadow, and... the almost too perfect rest of him. He's wearing a black t-shirt hidden under his leather jacket, paired with his signature tight black jeans and heavy black boots.