Early the next morning I woke up to an empty bed. I was freezing cold. I reached up, putting my hand behind the blind and attempting to throw the window shut without getting up. I sat up slightly to check the time on my alarm clock. 3:43am. Shivering, I laid back down and curled up in a tight ball.
“Jarred?” I questioned quietly. No reply. Paranoia got the best of me, my mind going into overdrive thinking he had left me here without even saying goodbye, Cailey’s words echoing through my mind “he’s just using you; you probably mean nothing to him.”
“Shut up.” I whispered to myself as if it would help. Sighing, I sat up properly and leaned against the wall, wrapping my fluffy blue blanket around my shoulder and climbing out of bed, slipping my feet into my slippers and walking out of my room to find Jarred. A small gust of cold air blew through the kitchen; looking around to find the source of the wind I saw that a door was open. I shivered slightly, tightening the blanket that was wrapped around me, opening the door and stumbling outside into the dark.
“Jarred?” I spoke softly, straining my eyes in an attempt to see where he was.
“Ali?” Jarred questioned softly from across the patio. Looking across I could see a little red glow which I assumed to be a cigarette. “Jesus Ali it’s freezing, what are you doing out here?” he walked close to me and ran his hands up and down my arms, creating heat through the blanket I had wrapped around me in a failed attempt to warm me up. Instead he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into him. I noticed he was wearing a shirt for once.
“You were gone, and I woke up because I was cold.” I explained quietly, burying my head in his chest so he couldn’t see my face. He pulled back and gently took hold of my hand and pulled me towards where he was sitting before, yet again tightening my grip on the blanket wrapped around my body. I was shaking from how cold it was. I stumbled a few times walking over to the seat, almost tripping. Jarred turned his phone on, giving just enough light for me to see his face. I took a deep breath. His hair was a mess and his eyes were wide, observing me as he kept pulling me along with him, only taking his eyes off of me to make sure he wasn’t going to trip on anything. He sat down, pulling me down to sit on his lap. I sat down, resting my head on his shoulder, his arm snaking its way around to pull me closer to him. He picked up his cigarette and put the non- lit end in his mouth, breathing in, raising an eyebrow at me.
“Do you have to look at me like that?” he laughed as I watched him bring the cigarette down and tapping off the ash into the ash tray placed on the table.
“Do you have to smoke?” I yawned, rubbing my eyes to get rid of the sleep that was still there, reaching up and gently taking the cigarette from his hand and putting it out.
“I guess not.” He laughed, wrapping both his arms around me and rocking the chair we were sitting on slightly.
“Mmhm” I hummed, my eye lids drooping, yawning again. I felt Jarred move, one arm staying around my back, the other arm looping itself around under my knees, picking me up bridal style and carrying me back inside. I reached up, one arm going around his neck and the other pressed up against his chest, my hand grabbing his shirt to prevent myself from falling from his arms, the blanket falling from my grasp. I started to shake from the cold. He stopped walking briefly to pull the blanket back up and around my body. I felt him put me down on my bed and pull some blankets up over me. He sat down on the edge of the bed; I reached out and carefully waved my hand around until I found his arm, grabbing it and pulling him towards me, my eyes still closed.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, moving around slightly, me still gently tugging on his arm.
“Come here.” I mumbled almost incoherently. I opened my eyes, his face just inches away from me. “Hello.” I giggled, grabbing the neck of his shirt and pulling him down closer to me, his lips smashing into mine.
“Mmmh.” He hummed, “this was unexpected.” He moved under the blanket and huddled with me under the blankets. Jarred took his shirt off and I pressed my hands up against his stomach. “Your hands are freezing.” He mumbled.
“I know.” I whispered, closing my eyes, “They always are.”
“I can’t sleep.” He growled playfully, moving so he was hovering over me, his hair hanging down, creating a dark halo around his head. I hummed softly, my hands pressed up against his chest. His hands moved to my sides, tickling me.
“Stop!” I giggled, trying to stay quiet to keep my family from waking up.
“Never.” He whispered, still tickling me. I wriggled and kicked uncontrollably, laughing the whole time.
“Ali, shut up!” I heard my mum yell sleepily from her room.
“Sorry Mrs Gibson, that’s my fault.” Jarred called back, looking me in the eyes and holding his hand over my mouth as I tried to stop laughing. He laid back next to me, wrapping his arms around me once again and pulling me into his side, encasing me in his warmth.
“Don’t ever leave me.” He whispered, kissing the top of my head.
“Don’t give me reason to.” I whispered back, resting my head on his chest and closing my eyes, slowly falling asleep listening to the steady beat of his heart.
