Cold Hearts and Stubborn Minds

11

Thursday Night

Once we get back to the house, my legs feeling like jelly and I can barely stand. He helps me to the couch and I sit down, feeling exhausted. Dylan doesn't look tired at all as he studies me.

"You're fine, right?" Dylan asks. "It's a good thing I got there right then."

"Yeah," I say. It's only a few moments before a ton of questions start pushing their way to the front of my mind, all battling for importance. Eventually, I just settle for a simple, "I'm glad you're back." I smile gently.

"Honestly, I would be scared to leave you alone for more than two days. I don't believe I'd come back to my house standing," he chuckles.

I chuckle as well. "So, uh, I have a few questions," I say, smiling sheepishly.

"That doesn't come as a surprise," he says with a smile.

"Okay," I say and position myself comfortably. "Who was the girl?"

"Ah, Miss Everything-I-Want-Is-Mine," Dylan says. "She's one of the most pesky nixies that there are."

"Do you mean pixies?" I ask.

"No, I most certainly mean nixies. Nixies are all brats that generally don't like my kind," Dylan explains. "Pixies ignore us altogether."

"They sound like such desirable creatures," I say, then laugh. Dylan smiles. "Alright, so how did you manage to be there right when I was about to be eaten by angry football players?"

"I was just coming back and, well, I figured you'd be there," he says. "Obviously, I was right."

I scoot a little closer to him. "So... where did you go?" I ask quietly.

His expression darkens and he sighs. "Not anywhere I would choose to be."

"What do you mean? Where were you?" I ask again.

"Let's just say, I was having a bit of a quarrel with one of my... family members," Dylan says. He looks up at me. "It's nothing you need to worry about."

I watch him for a moment, then, "Alright."

We're silent until Dylan asks if I've eaten. When I say yes, he nods and says that he's going to bed.

Naturally, I decide to go to bed as well.

As I'm walking down the hall to the bathroom, I remember that I forgot to make the bed. I freeze in my tracks. No no no no...

I chuckle sounds from behind me and an arm wraps around my waist and chest. I gasp and my cheeks warm as he nips the dip of my shoulder and neck. "Couldn't bear to spend a night without me, could you?" He draws me close and sighs against my neck. "Next time, make the bed at least."

Then, he's gone from behind me. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.

"Very cute, Lover Boy," I hear him call from down the hall. "Very cute."

My cheeks burn and I rush into the bathroom, embarrassed. I'm definitely going to have to watch myself next time.

I brush my teeth and splash some water on my face, cooling it down. I notice that the pink color in my hair is starting to fade. I'm going to have to fix that. More dye is called for.

I return to my room and spend a few moments looking out the window. The sky is clear and speckled with stars. The moon is half visible. I sigh and understand why Dylan painted his room that way. It's beautiful.

I return to my bed and roll myself up in my blankets, tight and cozy. I burrowed deep into the blankets and closed my eyes, falling asleep.