Draven Hawke

BOOK III Chapter NINE

  Treat me like a fool,

Treat me mean and cruel, But love me.

Break my faithful heart,
Tear it all apart,

But love me.  

~Elvis Presley (my first love and obsession- Sorry hubby.)-Love Me-Lyrics~

AUTUMN

Autumn woke up, wondering if everything that had happened the night before, had been a dream. When she felt Draven's arms tighten around her, she opened her eyes, looking up at him. He held her worn out copy, of The Princess Bride, in his free hand.

"What time is it?" she asked, still feeling groggy.

"It's two," he answered.

Autumn glanced out her bedroom window, taking in the position of the sun.

"You don't have to wake up now. You can sleep," he told her. "I've just been reading."

"You really stayed?" Autumn smiled. "The whole time?"

"I told you I would. I only talked with Emily briefly, then came right back."

"Well, I don't want to sleep any more. What are we going to do today?"

"We can do whatever you like."

"I don't care so much what we do, as long as we're together."

Draven tilted his head down, to look at Autumn, smiling as he moved her hair from her face. "Would you like to get your hair done? I'll go with you, of course," he clarified when Autumn narrowed her eyes.

"What would I have done to it?" she asked, confused about why he had suggested it.

"They can remove the color." He tried to sound offhand, but Autumn sensed something deeper in his suggestion. This seemed important to him.

"You don't like the black?" She pursed her lips, lifting a strand of her hair up to look at it.

"I like it fine," he said, getting out of the bed and reaching for Autumn's hand to help her up. "Forget I mentioned it. It's not important."

"It must be, because you are trying to act too casual about it." Autumn stood up, letting go of Draven's hand. When she felt liquid drop onto her shoulder, she realized she had started to cry. Trying to wipe the tears, without Draven noticing, she turned to the bathroom.

"Are you crying?" Draven sounded horrified.

"No," she lied, but her voice broke, giving her away.

As she tried to walk from the room, Draven pulled her to him, resting her back against his chest, and tightening his arms around her.

"You were never so sensitive before, dove. I've done a lot of damage, haven't I?" Autumn did not answer. "Autumn, I would not care if you had green hair, and a third eye, you would still be more beautiful, to me, than anyone else ever could be. I don't like the reason you colored your hair. Emily told me... It's not that I dislike the way it looks, but what it represents."

"What did Emily tell you? I never told her why I did it."

"Emily is already an observant person, but she is also very attuned to you. You would not need to tell her. But you can tell me, now, if you think she got it wrong. Why did you do it? If it was just for fun, or out of curiosity, we no longer need to speak of this. If it is something more than that, the issue becomes my concern. I'll never make the mistake of leaving your—insecurities—unaddressed again. I'll always make sure you understand—that you know I'm paying attention."