Caught | 1D AU

8.

I woke up drooling on his chest. He had his head bent awkwardly, staring down at me in his arms. I wiped my mouth and looked at him hesitantly. "I've dreamt about waking up with you in my arms since I first saw you," he said, "please tell me I'm not dreaming this time."

"Nope," I murmured, swallowing as I got used to talking, "As much as I wish it were a dream, it's not... I'm really here, against my will, in the arms of my abductor."

His smile faltered. "Why do you have to do that?" he asked.

"Do what?" I asked, shifting my weight to push a little off of his chest, "I'm just stating the truth."

"I don't know why I never saw it before, but you have a sour personality," he said, pulling me up with him as he sat up. "We could have had a nice morning," he went on, "we could have snuggled up together, then put on the coffee and made breakfast, and sat by the lake, but you always have to ruin everything by pointing out every little mistake I make."

I sat back to get farther away from him, "But it's not just some little mistake, you kidnapped me," I pressed. His hand flew up before I could react, smacking my face. I felt the white-hot sting on my cheek before I understood that he hit me. I looked back up at him, eyes wide, my mouth hanging open from shock.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Oh shit, I'm sorry, you just—" he had his hands grabbing the roots of his hair as he realized what he had done. "You make me so angry when you say it like it's a bad thing. But Finley, this is good for you, I'm good for you... Just keep your mouth shut if you're going to say something stupid, and then I won't get angry." He reached out to caress the cheek that he slapped, tracing soft fingers over the stinging. I forced myself not to move, not to flinch, but I couldn't stop the hot tears from escaping my eyes. I opened and closed my jaw, feeling the soreness. "I'm sorry," he said, "how about breakfast? I can make you the best pancakes you've ever had, that'll make up for it. They're so good you'll forget all about this."

He got up to start it and I held onto my jaw as I watched him through blurry vision. He worked his way around the kitchen making breakfast, he wasn't using a recipe and I wondered if he had memorized it or if he actually knew what he was doing. I put my legs down on the ground, and looked closer at my ankle, the swelling looked like it was going down, though it still hurt to move it around. I wondered if it was broken or just twisted. I wasn't sure how to tell. The cabin began to get smoky when he started frying the pancakes, so I got up and hopped to the door, pulling it open it, hanging on it as I stared outside at the trees. I breathed in the crisp air and told myself to calm down, but my heart never stopped pounding in my chest.

I didn't realize how much time had passed, but he was already done making the pancakes and had gotten a picnic basket and loaded everything into it. He came up behind me and touched his fingers to my lower back. I didn't mean to jump, but I could see the disappointment in his eyes when I pulled away from his touch. "Do you want help getting down by the water?" he asked.

I shook my head. Not from you. I didn't need his help, I went ahead and took a hop out the door onto the dirt. I wobbled a bit but balanced myself by throwing my arms forward. I looked back at him, his green eyes blazing with anger. Shit. I had to stop making him so angry. I stuck my tongue out at him. Just that act alone made my stomach freeze, but it was just acting. Just like being up on stage in front of an audience stark naked. Just like pretending I gave a damn about the men who bought lap dances, and then thought it was appropriate to start crying because their kid had cancer or whatever other emotional problems they couldn't handle. Just putting on an act. I smiled at him, "I bet I can beat you down there," I said, and took another little hop.

His eyes cleared up, the anger faded when he saw that I was being playful. "Really now?" he asked. "I don't know if I want to make that bet, I doubt I can beat you." I took another hop and laughed. It felt wrong forcing a laugh, I wondered if it sounded right. "What do you bet?" he asked.

"What do I bet?" I asked, "I dunno, um, how about..." I wanted so badly to say that if I won, he'd have to let me go, but I didn't. Don't make him angry. "You have to let me braid your hair," I said.

"Okay, okay," he said, nodding his head, "and if I win...?"

"Well then, your hair will go free in the wind," I said.

"Or," he said, "if I win I get a kiss."

NOTE--

Okay. So that was the shortest most intense love affair I've ever had. It lasted approximately six days.

Boys are stupid. I'm taking a break. 

On the bright side, I think it was really the most perfect rebound I could have asked for because I don't think just a physical rebound would have been enough, like this one got emotional. He went from 0 to 100 so fast, inviting me to go to London with him over winter break, and all these other plans, like I was so down to spend a year or five with him, but then our mutual friend was talking to him, reminding him that he falls too hard too fast, and so he pulled the breaks and broke it off.

But also something even more important than boys is that we just voted for soccer captains today at the end of practice, and I'm worried that I might get voted captain over my best friend simply because I've been being real friendly with all the first years. It's a really stupid thought actually because there's no way I'm going to make captain, but it crossed my mind and if it happened it would really destroy my best friend because she really wants to be captain.