why not?

chapter 11: girlfriend?

chapter 11:

"We're up and were just taking photos" I explain. Mum and Cara have both got empty trays in their hands. They must be taking them downstairs. They were bathrobes and have tried (I repeat, tried) to make their hair decent. I like how everyone in the room now has the same dark hair.

"What are you wearing?" Mum asks with bags unedr her eyes, noticing the skimpy nightie. "You haven't worn that since we bought it!"

"It's a nice change" I reply breezily.

"You're cousin is right there" she hisses. Tristain waves hello. Mum smiles fakely.

"He's fine, he's seen this much of my skin before" I chuckle, "Look at the photos we took!" I show her and Cara the goofy pictures me took when Cara notices something.

"Why isn't Tristain sleeping in James' room?"

"Because it smells like rancid beer and vomit" I say. "He got drunk at the bar"

"You're two are a little too old to be sharing the same bed?" she continues.

"We weren't" Tristain says, "Lila had the sleeping bag. But I felt bad and pulled the sleeping bag up on the bed. Lila took it off because it got hot in the night. Nothing weird happened, Mum"

Mum and Cara both look satisfied with the explanation and start laughing at Tristain's model poses.

"You should be a model" Cara muses, "I could sign you up!"

"Never" he says, scrunching his face in disgust. He looks like he's about to say something else, but swallows his words.

I take the Nikon back from Mum and snap of a few pictures of her and Cara. They scream.

"Darling, I'm not dressed! Don't!" Mum screams. Cara hides behind her arms and runs down the stairs with Mum following her in her stead.

Tristain and I laugh maniacally and stop soon after.

"One more picture" he says, taking the camera from me. He puts it on a timer and quickly grabs me and kisses me. The camera snaps it. Then he smashes me cheek against his and we both smile. The camera snaps again. And then we both make silly faces. It snaps one last time.

"What are you going to do with these photos?" I ask.

"Keep them in wallet, or somewhere where only I can see it" he says, smiling as he looks through the camera. It's adorable how his hair flops around his face.

"In your heart?" I chuckle.

"Forever" he says seriously. Oh. Blimey, how sweet.  

"Honestly, you better not let anyone see those" I warn.

"I won't let any family see them. I'll boast to all my friends about you" He says, giving me a strong hug. I inhale the sweet scent of his fruity hair.

"What if they mention you having a girlfriend to your parents" I ask anxiously.

"I'll figure it out" he promises. I wonder what I do to deserve someone so perfect. I pull on my bathrobe and prepare a hot bath (not in the mood for a shower) As the water is running, I ask Tristain about earlier.

"You looked like you were going to say something, what was it?" Over the roar of the water, I can hear James moaning again. He must be awake.

"It was about Mum's model comment" he says, looking quite embarassed, "I was going to tell her I was rich enough to not resort to modeling and that the only person who could look at my body that way was...was you" He avoids my eyes and scratches his head, an adorable nervous habit of his.

"But, I mean I couldn't tell her!" he babbles, "But I realllly wanted to! I could say, only my girlfriend can see it or whatever so she'd know at least--"

"So I'm finally you're girlfriend?" I interrupt, smiling. He stops and blushes a bit.

"Yeah" It's not the 'yeah' I got so bothered with, but the cute 'yeah'.

"You won't ever ignore me like that again?"

"No"

"You won't listen to people like Mr. Grayson?"

"No"

"Good"

"I never meant to hurt you" he says softly, "I only want to protect you and I'll do whatever it takes"

"I'm not in any danger" I scoff, trying to lighten the tension, "It's not like some demented physcotic serial killer is after me"

"That's not what I mean" he rolls his eyes. Tristain's cell phone rings at that moment, and he goes to check it.

"Work stuff" he mouthes to me before giving me a quick kiss and leaving.