The Essence of Nature

5- Rules

I entered the closet looking bathroom in the red room and splashed water onto my tear-stained face. I looked at my red face in the mirror and decided nothing can be done so I walked out of the bathroom and headed toward Jeriard's living room. Jeriard was spread across the red couch, his hands behind his head, his pitch-black hair slightly covering his bright green eyes. He left no room for anyone else to sit. I waltzed up to him and looked down at him disgusted. "What?" he asked shrugging.

"Where do you expect me to sit?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"No where! Sit on the floor," he suggested.

I grunted at such a foolish suggestion; time for Operation-Take-Over. I immediately sat on top of his stomach, which made him wince in pain and he tried to gasp for air. He then began to tickle me. His fingers started at my waist and made their way up to my neck, my laughter was uncontrollable and I barely could breathe. I squirmed around on top of Jeriard's body. I am 4 feet 11 inches, so I was very small compared to him.

Jeriard grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me into him. His mint breath hitting me as our foreheads touched.

Suddenly, Sarafina walked in on us. I pulled away from Jeriard falling onto the floor and hitting my butt on the way down. My bones rattled inside my body as I let out a groan. "When is she leaving?" she asked stubbornly crossing her arms.

Am I really that irritating to be around? Jeriard scoffed. "When I say so!" he exclaimed.

He's sweet since he hasn't told me to leave, yet. Sarafina sighed and she rolled her eyes. "Fine, but at least let her on the couch," she pointed out with a smirk.

I pointed and laughed at Jeriard, trying to be as loud as possible. He moved his legs stubbornly to the side so I took my rightful place beside him on the couch and smiled at him with so much accomplishment. He flipped his hair out of his eyes and gave me an interested look. I unexpectedly shoved his shoulder in response. He growled at me and my eyes burned. We both had on confused looks, but Sarafina sought this as hysterical. Did he just growl at me?

Jeriard's POV

Did her eyes just turn orange? Ok? I tried to keep my mind off how we just reacted, but it was sort of slowly eating away at me. I picked up the remote control and clicked the power button. The television shut off with a pop and a flash. Rose immediately shot daggers at me. I got up and brushed of my jeans and started for my room. My room is black with white furniture; if you stay in there too long you start to feel dizzy.

I sat on my bed to think for a moment. I ran my hands through my silky, black hair and sighed loudly. I noticed that Rose was standing at the door practically hugging the doorframe. Is she afraid of me? I quickly ran to up her, grabbed her waist, and pinned her underneath me on the bed. She let out slow heavy breaths, and I could feel her heartbeat racing under my chest. I stared into her chocolate colored eyes; hypnotized. I inched closer to her lips; only wanting her. What am I doing?

I jumped off of her and the bed and stood next to my dark oak desk, scratching the back of my neck nervously. She remained on the bed shock swept over her, and her chest slowly rose and fell. Rose finally got up and headed toward me. Now I was the one with a racing heart. She stopped walking when she was only inches away from me. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and swayed back and forth temptingly. "What's on your mind?" she asked, looking up at me through her eyelashes.

An awkward silence held us there, but Rose started to turn and walk away. I nervously sighed, and reached out for her hand. I made her face me. "Will you please live with me?" I asked nervously.

It felt weird to be nervous around her. I'm usually a very composed and confident guy, but with her I can't help but worry what she thinks of me, which makes me nervous. I quickly tried to take back what I said, "I mean..."

She placed a finger over my lips; it smelled like a jolly rancher. I felt my hands get sweaty. "Let me ask you a question before I answer yours," she stated.

"Ok?" I said against her finger, a bit worried.

She stepped back and examined me. "Who exactly are you?" she finally asked.

This felt like a long game of Q&A. "I'm Jeriard. I go to Sealing Heights Highschool, and I want to be a photographer. I also want you to stay with me for now on," I said with a smirk as I drew closer to her.

She considered the idea, and I wrapped my arms around her waist. She looked into my eyes and answered, "Of course, I'd love to stay."

I lit up and I picked her up, spun her around, but she added, "We'll need rules though."

At this I set her down on my bed and kneeled at her feet. "What kind of rules?" I asked amused and scared at the same time.

Rose's POV

I got close enough to Jeriard so that I can smell his delicious mint breath. "I have three rules," I said with a little bit too much excitement as I held up three fingers.

His eyes scanned them and then glared in my direction as if he knew I was planning something; which I was. "You can't touch me," I said, poking his chest.

This made him show his white teeth. "You can't force me to do anything." I grabbed the collar of his shirt and flipped us around making him land onto the bed.

This made him chuckle; his laugh a little too high for someone like him. "And you have to listen to what I say." I gave him a smirk.

This made him glare at me. This was going to be fun. I teased Jeriard's lips with mine; electricity shooting through me like a power circuit gone wrong. With the strength I had I tried my best to walk out of his room and I sprinted out the door and into the street. No cars passed by on the cracked street in front of his house. I was wondering if I seriously just did what I did. I quickly climbed the nearest tree, which was the beautiful weeping willow, but I was too slow or he was too fast. As I had my grip on the willow, Jeriard grabbed my waist and pulled me off of it. He cradled me in his arm as if I was a baby. As if accepting it I snuggled into his warm chest.

"You just broke the first rule," I giggled and fell asleep in his caressing arms.