Crazy House

Chapter 6: Did you sniff me?

Chapter 6: Did you sniff me?

Roman and I both are sitting in the living room, watching TV. You'd think that he invited me to watch the movie with him, but he didn't. I invited myself. I don't want it to sound like I'm desperate for his attention or anything, but he's watching one of my favorite movies, Thor. I'd watch it in my room, but it's on DVD so I can't.

When I'd seen him watching the movie, I had tried to quietly sit down on the other end of the couch. Roman had turned to glare at me but he hadn't said anything so I'd stayed. Now we're sitting here in awkward silence, and I can barely even enjoy the movie.

I let out a giggle at a funny part, and I swear that if looks could kill, the glare Roman shot at me would've put me six feet under.

This guy is so rude. I did nothing to him.

"Why are you so mean to me?" I ask him.

He turns to look at me, and I begin to wonder how someone so good looking is so evil. "You're talking over the movie." He sighs, before turning his attention back to the movie.

I clench my teeth together before standing and turning off the TV. I stand in front of it with my arms crossed over my chest, while Roman stares holes through me.

"What did I ever do to you?" I ask him.

"You came here with your baggage." He tells me with a deep scowl.

"What baggage?" I yell, becoming frustrated.

He stands up and walks closer to me until he's towering above me. I take a breath and get a good whiff of his cologne. I involuntarily take another sniff of his cologne, and once I realize what I just did, a blush creeps onto my face. I hope he didn't notice.

"You came in here all beat up," he says, "with a black eye," he touches my wounded eye which concealer can't fully cover. His touch isn't as rough as his words, though. His fingers brush over the wound with a surprisingly delicate touch. "You've got bruises on your back, too," He adds, moving his hand to lightly skim over my back. "You're obviously nothing but trouble, and we already have too much shit going on in this house." He turns to go sit down on the couch again.

As his words sink in, I start thinking about home and what I'm running away from. Tears begin to well in my eyes. I don't want to think about what's been happening for a while now, but the only escape from my life came a few days ago in the form of Tristian.

Before I know it, a tear slips down onto my face and I roughly wipe at it before going to leave the room. Just when I'm at the stairs, my wrist is captured, and I'm pulled into Roman's arms.

The tears begin to fall freely, and suddenly I feel like I need to tell Roman what happened to me. "It's not my fault my step dad has beaten me since I was five." I tell him between sobs. "It's not my fault everyone expects for me to be perfect."

Roman begins to rub my back gently as I pour my heart out to him, "No, it's not your fault," he says, surprising me. "It's in human nature to make others feel bad and to tear them down, so no, it isn't your fault. Don't forget that." He squeezes me a little more tightly. "I'm sorry for being an ass, and for what you've gone through." He whispers in my ear, and I can hear the sincerity.

"I can't fix what's happened in your past, but if you stay here for a while, we can make the present so good that you'll forget all the bad in your past." He promises. I also know with a comfortable certainty that Roman won't be a jerk to me anymore. I know I'm safe here, definitely safer than where I was.

I just spend a moment crying in Roman's arms, until I realize that as comfortable as I am, he probably doesn't want me bawling on him. I take a deep breath, making sure that I get another subtle sniff of his cologne.

"Thank you." I tell him softly, not meeting his eyes, before turning back to the stairs. He doesn't say anything, but I feel his eyes on me all the way to the top of the stairs.

"Ariel." He calls my name once I'm at the top of the stairs. I turn to find him looking at me curiously, and there isn't any hint of anger left that I'm used to seeing in his eyes.

"Yeah?" I ask wiping my face.

A hint of a smile touches his lips, and I wonder what's going through his head. "Did you sniff me?" He asks, and my cheeks heat up. "Twice?"

Oh god, I'm going to die and shrivel up right here, at the top of these stairs.

Okay, play it off, don't let him know he's making you nervous.

"Maybe."

____________ 

Q/N: alrighty, Roman's lightening up some, that's good. Ariel's shedding some light onto her past. More from the other characters in the up coming chapters.

✔ OFFICIALY EDITED February 22, 2014, by icefire7773