Save Yourself from Me

Chapter 25

Riley's Pov

I woke up in a strange bed and there was something holding me down, the panic started rising inside of me until I realised where I was, I had woken up in Andy's arms, the warmth that radiated off of him warmed me from the inside and I could feel my body temperature rise.

The events of last night coming to mind and the smile that spread across my face started to ache, I try and move but then Andy's arm tightens around me. I still and once he's settled, I slowly pry his arm off my mid-section and slide out of bed. I stand and watch Andy for a moment, making sure I haven't disturbed him.

I walk into the bathroom and brush my teeth and wash my face. I stared at the reflection for a moment and I reach over for my pills when my gaze flicks back to my reflection and I don't feel the overwhelming need to take them, there is no noise, no shaking, no blurriness. I debate taking it, but I decide that I should avoid it happening again.

I take a quick shower and by the time I walk back into the room, Andy is still lying in the bed, his right arm over his face and his lips slightly parted, I pad over to him as quietly as I can and stare down at him but when he doesn't move, I smile and decide to make breakfast. I put on a pot of coffee before I search for the ingredients to make pancakes.

As I finish mixing the batter, with my coffee in my hand, I turn on the stove, humming a song that was stuck in my head, when there is a deep rumble behind me that has me spinning around, "Hey Sleepyhead."

I smile and my jaw nearly drops when my eyes take in a freshly showered Andy with water droplets dripping from his hair. "Good morning." He smirks and I can feel my face heat up, I clear my throat.

"Coffee?" I ask as I turn around to tear my eyes away from him and hide the pink tint on my face.

"Yes, please. It smells good in here." I don't have to turn around to know that Andy is slowly trailing up behind me as I can physically feel him getting closer.

"Yeah, I thought I would make breakfast, pancakes okay with you?" I ask as I fill the coffee cup for Andy, only when I turn around with the cup, I was surprised to find him standing right behind me, eyeing me intently, his heat radiating off of him. I hand over the cup, keeping my distance as his scent fills my lungs. He took the cup and as his fingertips brushed mine, my whole body tingled. He smirked and took a step back before taking a sip and walking to the other side of the island and I busy myself by setting the plates down.

I had brought my pills with me to the kitchen to take them after I ate and I noticed that Andy was inspecting them, "Are you still taking these?" He asks with a mouthful of pancake, turning them over in his hand.

I nod sheepishly, "Yeah, but I haven't taken it yet for today." I eye the bottle and my eyes slowly follow the path of Andy's hand to his arm, to his face, taking in the lines that have been etched into his skin. I could hear his voice but once my eyes met his, I realised, I didn't hear what he said, "Sorry what?" I blink away the daze as his cool blue eyes take me in.

His smirk seems to be growing, "I asked why you haven't taken them yet?" I shake my head and a few strands fall loosely.

"I usually need to eat first, but..." I trailed staring at my plate. Andy's patiently waiting for me to continue, I take a deep breath then, "I don't want to take them anymore and honestly since I've been around you, I don't feel like I need them." There I said it. I blow out the breath and I could hear the sharp intake of air across from me.

Wordlessly, Andy rises and walks around the kitchen island, once he stops next to me, he swivels my chair and I refuse to lift my eyes off the floor, he gently tucks a strand of hair behind my ear before he tips my chin up gently.

My eyes staring at his chest, still stubbornly refusing to meet his eyes. "I'm glad you feel safe with me Riley, you don't know how happy that makes me, I just hope that you know what you're doing by taking yourself off of these." I bite my lip as I feel my chest squeeze, my hand rising to my chest, I couldn't quite understand what was happening, I needed to breathe but as long as Andy is so close, I can't do that.

I abruptly stand scraping the stool against the floor with a screech before I grab the pills then step around Andy and walk into the guestroom, locking the door behind me. I stand by the window looking over the city and I feel like I'm outside of my body, there is a soft knock on the door before Andy calls out to me, "Riley, are you okay?" his voice makes me tense.

"Yeah, I'm okay." I just couldn't help but wonder if I really was okay. There were all these strange things happening to me and he was in the centre of it. I ended up running my hands through my hair, pacing and sitting on the floor.

After a couple of hours of staring out the window and pacing the length of the room, I started feeling the numbness being replaced by a steady ocean of static, the noise was slowly coming to take over and I was ready to embrace it. I was starting to question my sanity.

I had sat down on the plush carpet against the bed, wondering how long I was planning on hiding out here. With a big sigh and a headache, I slowly stand, I walk over to the door and take a deep breath, I know I'm acting childish and stupid, but maybe we can pretend this didn't happen. I was about to release the breath I was holding when there was a soft knock of the door that frightened me and had me jumping out of my skin.

"Riley, do you need anything?" Andy's voice comes through the wood and even with such a physical object, the concern is clear.

I jump back slightly, "Uh, yeah," just then my body leans forward and opens the door, revealing an Andy with a pinched look on his face, the crease between his eyebrows deepen as his eyes take in my face.

"Are you sure you're okay?" the loaded question does not deserve a response.

"Hmm," I hum and nod, chewing my bottom lip as I take a step forward to walk around him, pretending that none of this happened.

"Are you hungry?" I planned to go to the kitchen and make something to eat for lunch since I didn't finish my breakfast and clean the mess I made in order to keep busy or I may become stir crazy. I saw Andy shake his head before I high tailed it out of there.