Losing Home✔️

15. Bet On It

"Here's some water." I handed Paisley the glass, kneeling down in front of her on the couch.

She mumbled a small thank you and took a small sip while keeping her head down as much as she could. The first question that ran through my mind was 'what the hell happened to her?'. It must've been something pretty big for her to react like this. More than just a 'burglar'.

She wouldn't stop shaking, her lips were trembling as well as her hands, so much so that I had to take the water out of her hands before she spilt it. Her fingers were ice cold to the touch. I had a strange urge to reach out and wrap her up in my arms and a dozen blankets to soothe her. I reached a hand out to pull a strand of hair behind her ear, she flinched at the contact of my finger against her cold cheek. I furrowed my eyebrows.

She looked so fragile and vulnerable, like a little girl who just got the scare of her lifetime. Something was haunting her, and now I was determined to figure out what it is. I won't push her but, I will find out what's going on in her pretty little head for her to react like this.

"Peyton's asleep upstairs." She breathed out shakily.

If she thinks I'm going to leave her in this state right now, she's going to be sadly mistaken. "She's asleep, she'll be fine," I said sitting down on the sofa with her. She watched me warily and confused about my actions.

"Wanna watch a movie?" I asked flipping the channels to see what was, I could see her furrow her eyes more in confusion in the corner of my eye. "Popcorn?" I asked.

"Oh look, High School Musical two! You play Gabriella and I'll be Troy?" I started belting out 'What time is it' while Paisley still held a confused expression mixed with disbelief.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" I feigned denial. "I'm watching High School Musical two. The question is, what're you doing?" I looked at with my cocked to the side questioningly.

"You're not half bad at singing." She broke our stare off.

I scoffed mockingly, "Half bad? Half bad? I'll have you know that I'm an exceptional singer." I held my head higher jutting my chin out and crossing my arms across my chest.

"Yeah, for a dying cat. Then you'd definitely win the 'X Factor' with that performance." She shot back.

Narrowing my eyes, a felt the mischievous smile come across my face. "Oh really?"

"Yup." She stated too smugly.

"We'll just have to see about that, now won't we? Put your money where your mouth is if you're so confident."

"Nuh-uh, no way am I singing now." She shook her head and wiped at her nose and underneath her eyes with her sleeve.

"Am I hearing excuses?" I cupped my ear and leaned in mockingly.

"No, you're just hearing a 'not right now'".

"I'll hold you to that".

"I'm sure you will". She retorted taking another sip of her water.

We both continued to watch the rest of the movie in silence, I kept watching her in the corner of my eye. Watching her slowly get comfortable and relax into the sofa with me sitting next to her. I sang each song to her, even the ones I didn't quite remember the lyrics to, to hopefully ease her obvious nerves and make her feel more comfortable and relaxed. Her shoulders remained tense most of the time but she finally warmed up around 'Bet on it'.

By the end of the movie, she had ended up with her head in my lap and her legs sprawled across the other end of the sofa, fast asleep. if I'm being completely honest, I'm not even sure how it happened and oddly, I'm not in the slightest bit uncomfortable with it. it would also be a complete lie if I said that I wasn't even the slightest bit turned on when Paisley's hand found its way to my thigh while she was sleeping.

It shouldn't have turned me on but, heck I'm a hormonal teenage guy, we can't control these things. It just happens. Fortunately for me though, she was sleeping otherwise that would've been a rather awkward situation to deal with and she'd probably think I was some sicko. I did not need that after what I walked in on earlier. It took forever for her to calm down completely and relax again, I was not ready to explain myself to her if she had been conscious to witness bulging of my pants.

I still can't fathom any idea of what could've caused her to react like that, I know I freaked her out, but I didn't think that much. But it was kind of relieving to hear that it wasn't actually me she was afraid of, and that she thought it was someone else. Then at the same time, it was unsettling to think that someone had frightened her so much at one point that she was rolled up in a ball, breaking down in front of me. I know I should've announced myself earlier and maybe tried calling her or knocking a bit more rather than just making myself right at home and walking in after I found out the door was actually left unlocked.

The movie had finally finished, but I couldn't bring myself to move her head off my lap in case she wakes up. My muscles had started locking up from not being used, and from the after-effects of tonight. A wave of exhaustion washed over me, my eyes drooping and my limbs fusing to the sofa. Just a ten-minute nap can't hurt, right? I'll just have a little nap to give me enough energy to drive me and Peyton back. Yeah. That'll work.

A/N: Sadly school has started back up and I can't make any promises on when I'll update (not that I updated regularly beforehand anyway...) so just bear with me with the process. I really want to finish this book but I also want to make it good so please let me know what you think of the chapters and what you think is gonna happen. it gives me so much motivation to write more to see that my readers are actually enjoying my books. Even I vote goes a long way. 

Anyway, hope you all had are well and I'm working on getting more chapters up! xx