Desires

•CHAPTER LXIII•

"What did I miss?" Charlie says as she leans forward and rests her elbows between our seats.

She can see the grin on our faces and the red rising to my cheeks out of embarrassment.
Along with the blushing, my chest feels tight with butterflies and my heartbeat is sure to have quickened.

I see a glint in Romeo's eyes, even though I know that he's thinking of everything happening around us, he can still find a way to see past it.

"Hey, are we here?" Charlie asks as Romeo pulls up in front of a large grey stoned brick house standing tall with dark wooden doors. The porch lights were glowing a burnt orange matching the sunset behind the tall pine trees surrounding the house.
"Yeah, code is 1623. Remember to keep that to yourself, don't tell anyone and don't let anyone in without seeing me about it first. Even if we know them, okay?"
"Geez, we get it." Charlie says.
"I'm serious, I hate to be the type but it's for all of our safety." Romeo says and I take his hand in full support.
"We understand." I say and he smiles at me knowingly.

Before I even reach to open the car door Romeo beats me to it. He takes my hand as I step out and thank him.
Charlie punches in the code and steps in walking down the hall.
"Oh wow. Who is your fake dad again? He sure is decked out..." she trails as she walks around.

"1623?" I ask "Your birth year."
He chuckles. "You remembered."

He tucks my hair away behind my ear.
"Oh crap. What about our stuff?" I ask suddenly remembering the basics from my toothbrush to my clothes.
He doesn't look fazed. "Find a room upstairs. I legally have a sister, so go wild."
I nod in relief and awe. "You have a sister?"
"Well my 'dad' has another 'child'." He says and gestures with his fingers.
"Are they related?" I ask and he shakes his head as he takes my hand and guides me around the house, walking toward the kitchen.
"Nope. Not even a little bit, just like me."
"Do you see her often?"
He shakes his head and opens the fridge taking a bottle of water out and handing it to me.
I thankfully take a sip.
"No, I haven't actually seen her for a year. She comes around once a year after travelling. I think she's in Africa right now."
"Wow." I take another sip.
"What about your...dad?" I ask. I know I would feel weird calling someone dad when they're not my actual dad.
"Vincent is what I call him. He's doing whatever it is he enjoys. Probably gambling in Vegas or enjoying the company of many lonely housewives on a beach in the Maldives." He smirks at his sarcastic remark and I can't help but chuckle.

That so-Romeo smirk that's always on his lips etches it's way into my mind when my mind doesn't think of anything else.

"It's the only thing you can distract yourself with when you have the whole of eternity to exist." He says a little sadly, his hair slowly falling to his face.

I push his hair back and cup his face.
"You have your whole eternity to live." I remind him.
He meets my eyes and smiles planting a kiss on my head. But deep in his green eyes I can see that there's something he's thoughtful about.

"AZRA!" Charlie calls from upstairs. "LET'S PICK ROOMS!"
I chuckle before I leave Romeo and slide out of his palms.

I walk up the stairs and take a moment to breath in the scent of wood and pine. I make my way down the hall and pass a few doors before I find an open one where Charlie stands.
"What about this one?" She says. "It's got the best view I think. I forget that Romeo and his dad are minted, if he even is his dad."
"They're not related." I put in.
She opens one of the doors in the room to a full closet of clothes. She turns around and gives me a questioning glance.
"He has a sister. Legally anyways." I explain and she nods before turning back taking out a hanger with a flowy blouse.
"I mean, I haven't worn cream in years but it's whatever." She says thoughtfully before turning to an open mirror. "Anyways, I guess this means it's our room."

Our room?

I blush in embarrassment. Was I assuming that Romeo and I share?
Of course I was!
I should have been thinking about sharing with Charlie instead. Or were we all supposed to separate into different rooms?

Before I can say anything Charlie bursts out in a laughter that fills the room.
"You should have seen your face! I was kidding. Of course you two are sharing." Charlie says
I nervously chuckle and glance down at my fingers because I can't find it in myself to meet her eyes.
"Does he stay at your house often?" She asks and filed through the clothes.
I take a seat on the bed. "Uhm, sometimes he does."
"Isn't it a little weird? I mean at our age too."
I chuckle thinking about it, leaning my palms back. "Yeah it is. But it's not like that." I say pushing away any sexual thoughts. Charlie knows Romeo and I aren't like that. And if we ever did...she would be the first to know.
"Does your mum know?"

The word 'mum' makes my stomach twist and makes my mouth dry. The room feels tense and heavy.I feel even more nervous now than I did before, what would she be thinking of me? Would she be wondering where I was?
She most likely would be since Jack isn't with her.

What was I supposed to tell her? Morgenstel is a small town, I couldn't avoid her forever could I? What if she had the police on search for me? What if they call my father?

"I'm sorry." Charlie says quickly and rushes to my side and grabs both my hands. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"It's fine." I say forcing words come out of my mouth rather than the questions shooting like darts at my mind. She doesn't seem convinced.
"Really, you didn't mean it." I say and she looks worried but I squeeze her hand. "I promise."

There's a light knock on the door and Romeo pokes his head out.
"Are you guys okay?" He asks and creases his eyebrows in concern.
I nod enthusiastically as Charlie is stiff. I'm sure he heard our conversation and our lying heartbeats at that.
"Shall we find some supplies?" I ask lightly and take my hands back walking past Romeo who gives a glance at an anxious Charlie.

This was all going to take some time getting used to.
Not just for me, but for the people I surround myself with, too.

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authors note:

hey guys!
i really loved writing this chapter, i hope you enjoyed reading it!

and all you ghost readers !! please vote/comment, i don't bite !

thank you to everyone that does vote/comment, it really makes my day.

-kiim