We Belong

Chapter 12

I was exhausted the day Molly showed up in my living room. I'd drained every emotion out of myself at the studio and so while I should have been angry with her for disappearing again, I didn't have it in me. And to be honest, seeing her sitting on the couch with a blanket over her legs and a bowl of popcorn in her lap while she watched The Devil Wears Prada made me feel contentment like I'd never felt before.

I laid my head in her lap and promptly fell asleep while her fingernails scratched my scalp.

When I woke up a few hours later, it was raining outside. She was still scratching my head but was now watching a different movie. She glanced down to see my eyes open and a warm smile colored her cheeks,

"Hey there, sleepy head. Rough day?"

I lifted my hand to her cheek,

"I've never been so happy to see someone sitting on my couch."

Her warm smile broke into a happy one as she raised her eyebrows,

"Really?"

I nodded. I shifted just slightly so I could look directly up at her,

"How long can you stay this time?"

In the two seconds it took her to answer, I reserved myself to accepting whatever she said. I was tired of arguing my point with her. She was giving me what she could, I supposed.

She dragged her fingertips down my cheek gently,

"Not long. I have an exam at the end of the week."

I gestured to the book bag I saw when I came in,

"You brought your books with you." I pointed out as I caught her hand. I pressed a kiss to her palm, "It's quiet here. Peaceful. The perfect study environment. Gourmet coffee and a chef to make you whatever you want in the morning. Every takeout place you could think of at your fingertips." I kissed her palm again, "Maybe I could convince you to stay here?"
She looked a bit nervous and I felt her freeze but she didn't pull away. She licked her lips,

"I wouldn't want to impose."

I shook my head as I rested her palm against my cheek,

"You're never an imposition." I whispered. I turned my mouth to kiss her hand, "Please?"
She relaxed then. Whatever doubt had crept up inside her brain was effectively washed away. She nodded gently,

"Ok. I'll stay."

I smiled as my eyes gently closed again. And I was asleep before I knew it.

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I don't remember getting up to get into my bed to go to sleep, but when I woke up the next morning, sure enough I was in it alone. However it didn't take me long to realize Molly was still in the house. I could definitely hear faint sounds of some kind of college sounding band coming out of my sound system.

I took a quick pee, brushed my teeth and stretched a different t-shirt over my head before I met her out in the front room. She had a notepad balanced on one knee, a book balanced on the other as she quietly hummed to the music. Her hair was falling over one of her eyes as her head bobbed to the beat.

I smiled as I watched her for a moment,

"Who's this?"

She gasped, nearly throwing her notepad and book over her shoulder as she grabbed her chest,

"Jesus Christ!"

I walked towards her with my hands out,

"I'm sorry. Sorry. I'm so sorry, Mac."