Serendipity

Chapter 23

His fingertips slowly slide through my hair. He can't let go of me. We're on his couch, and he's got me cradled against his chest. It's been this way for about an hour after our fight. I was crying, and now he won't stop playing with my hair.

It's okay. I like it.

He's tracing patterns on my arm with his free hand. I shiver, and he stops.

I didn't want him to stop.

I grab his free hand and move it back to my arm. He smiles, his legs entwined with mine.

I yawn, sighing. I'm exhausted.

"Are you my boyfriend now, Tyler?" I mumble, peering into his eyes. He studies me for a long time.

"I'd like to think so." He whispers.

"Okay." I mumble, smiling softly. "I love you."

"I love you too."

We're quiet for a while, me cuddled against his chest, my eyes shut, one hand of his playing with my hair, the other one drawing patterns on my arm.

I grab the hand drawing on my arm and entwine my fingers with his.

"I'm being selfish." He whispers.

I open my eyes, shifting to look at him.

"Why?" I whisper.

"Because your Mom and Dad and your brother and Del and Blake are going insane. Delaney is shutting out everybody. She blames herself for not being there to protect you. Your parents are going insane because no matter how much money they spend trying to find you, the case goes cold. They've probably spent over a billion by now. And your brother? He met this really nice girl, but he shut her out. He shut everyone out. Del and Blake fight now, because Del is pretty bad."

I'm quiet for a long time.

"And what about you?" I whisper.

"Me? I'm wonderful, because I have you in my arms."

"No, before I got here." I ask quietly.

"Uh, let's not talk about that."

I sit up.

"I want to talk about it, Tyler." I say.

He sighs, reaching for me.

I sit there, stubborn, my arms crossed, refusing his touch.

He sighs.

"I couldn't sleep. I tried sleeping pills, everything. I ended up in the hospital for sleep deprivation. My Mom almost sent me to rehab because I paid people to buy my shit. The only time the paparazzi or anybody gets ahold of me is when I leave to go to your house."

"You need to sleep, right now."

"No, I sleep maybe an hour a day. I can't, and I don't want to. Let me take you home." He says. Please? It's noon, and it's Sunday, everyone should be going to your place for food and shit, almost like a depressing circle to talk about shit that nobody actually cares about. Please let me bring you home."

"I'm scared." I admit. "They're going to want to kill me. I don't want to tell them. I feel like a fucking idiot. I feel so stupid. I-I want to hide again, Tyler."

"Sunshine," he sits up, cradling my face in his hands. "They deserve to know."

I look down.

"You shouldn't let them endure this pain for one second longer."