Pleasure

Chapter Twenty-Three

I must be dreaming. I can feel the numbness begin to paralyze my body as I watch the television screen in awe. My phone slips from my hand and drops to the ground. I feel blood rushing from my veins and into my head as the world around me begins to spin.

"Aria," I hear Jacob's puddled voice but nothing comes in clearly. I just keep watching the same words scroll across the bottom of the screen.

Jacob walks over and stares down at me in confusion. His eyes follow mine and land on the screen. He inhales deeply before grabbing the remote and turning up the volume.

"If you have any information of the whereabouts, please contact the number below." The reporter says. I feel nauseous. I feel dizzy. I feel everything and nothing.

"They called you in as missing?" Jacob looks to me. I try to swallow the dry lump in my throat but nothing works. I don't even have words to produce. How could my parents do such a thing? The police officer clearly saw me, and I clearly was far from missing? Why would they go to extreme lengths just to bring me back home with them? I can't believe this is happening. I don't want to believe it. They aren't the parents I know anymore.

I immediately reach for my phone and stand to my feet.

"What are you doing?" Jacob asks, but I ignore him as my fingers fumble through my contact list. "Aria who are you calling?"

The phone rings and it doesn't take long for the other line to answer. "What the hell is your problem? End this, make it stop, what are you doing?!" I scream.

I hear a sigh on the other side. "Aria, sweetie." My dad mumbles.

"No." I bark. "You take it back, you tell the police you lied and you tell everyone I'm safe or I swear to God you won't see me again." There's nothing, so I proceed. "Who are you? I don't even know you anymore. Why are you doing this?"

"I just wanted you to come home-"

He starts but I cut him off. "So you call the police and say I'm missing!? That's low, even for you dad." Again, silence. I feel tears burn the back of my eyes. "Make this right." I say, but it comes out as a plea.I hang up the phone. I don't need to be labeled as missing or a runaway. I don't need friends and family worrying about if I'm safe or not.

Jacob walks over to me slowly. He looks down at me with the same mesmerizing look that makes me want to fall apart. I let a tear fall from my eye and before it can reach my chin, I'm in his arms, sobbing. His chest is warm and inviting and at this point, I don't really care if I break down in front of him. He rubs my back, holding me tight.

"What'd he say?" He whispers.

"He wants me home." I sniffle and pull away, looking up at him. "I told him to end this. I don't even know him anymore. I don't understand why he would ..." I trail off as tears begin to fill my eyes again. Jacob presses his warm lips against my forehead. I feel myself smile a bit, despite the circumstances. I don't want to feel this way. I don't want to be a burden and I surely don't want to be crying.

I take Jacob's face and press my lips sloppily against his. I can tell he's taken off guard, but that doesn't stop him from kissing me back. His warm hands travel up and down my back slowly as I roughly feel his body.

"Slow," he grabs my hands and whispers against my lips. "Slow." He takes my hands and puts them on his chest. I grip his shirt tightly, as our lips fight slowly. I feel the tip of his tongue brush the entrance of my mouth. He grips my waist harshly, pushing me back until I'm up against the wall. He pins my hands above my head and makes his way down to my neck before sucking on my skin lightly.

"You know, Aria," he starts, taking a break from my neck. "I don't want to take advantage of you like this."

"What?" I whisper with my eyes closed, feeling my body still being magnetized towards his. He comes back up to my lips before kissing me lightly and pulling away.

"You're upset, I know. But, I don't want to have sex with you while you're in this state. It'll feel .. I don't know wrong." I pull back from his. He searches my face, still gripping my wrists against the wall.

"I don't think it's taking advantage of me, Jacob." I look down at his lips. "I'm sorry." I pull my arms to my chest and look away. He pecks my cheek and leans against the wall behind me.

"Let me make you some tea okay?" He bounces off the wall and walks into the kitchen. I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion and stare down at the floor. Was me crying a turn-off? I guess I don't really have energy to overthink. Jacob's far too complicated to understand anyways.

Later

I wake up on top of Jacob's chest. He breathes calm breaths in and out and it blows small pieces of my hair back. I sit up and look around. The sun is slowly rising and birds are only starting to chirp.

"Good morning, beautiful." I hear a groggy voice. I turn to see Jacob rubbing his eyes. He smiles and looks up at me.

"Hi," I smile and dip down to peck his lips. I pull away but he quickly grabs my face and brings my lips back. I giggle and kiss him back. I wiggle my way on top of his body and his hands gravitate to my hips.

My phone rings and Jacob groans on my lips. "Don't answer." He mumbles, still trying to kiss me. I smile and reach for my phone. Disregarding the caller ID, I answer it.

"Aria? It's off, I called everything off." I push away from Jacob and look at my phone screen. I see my dad's contact. "I told the police you're okay, alright? I've been up all night thinking and I've been so horrible to you. You're my little girl and I shouldn't of done what I did. Your mother and I miss you, and we wanted to apologize. I love you, Aria.

"Come home, okay?"