The Silence

Chapter Twenty

Julian:

"You got it?"

"Mmhmm."

"You sure?"

"Mmhmm."

"Julian." Saint chuckled but he stopped complaining when my nose brushed against his. I felt him hum before I heard it; it vibrated deep in his chest where my hand was resting and I followed it with my lips up his throat. "Babe. Seriously. We need to focus."

"I am focused." I said and grazed my lips along his jaw. When my teeth sank into his flesh, he hissed and tugged on my hair to pull my head back.

"I'm going to bite you back, hmm? Then what will you do?" I couldn't stop the smirk stretching out on my lips and Saint tsked softly before smacking a hard kiss on my mouth quickly. "If you want a break, we can have lunch." He said and I groaned when he rolled off the bed.

"Lunch is boring." I muttered and he grabbed my hand to drag me off the bed too.

"Julian." Evelyn smiled at me when we entered the kitchen. "Nicky, your suit just arrived."

"Suit?" I sat down at the breakfast bar while Saint dig around in the fridge for something to eat.

"Send it back." He grunted and Evelyn gave me a pleading look, pointing to the living room. I hopped off my chair and sure enough, there was a large garment bag resting over the back of the couch.

"When did you get here?" Saint asked and dropped a plate of snacks on the table.

"Saint, you have to wear this suit." I said, holding the bag open so I could pull it out still on the hanger.

"It's blue." He growled.

"It's navy." I countered and he let out a long sigh.

"I wasn't even going to wear a damn suit." He muttered. "Alison ordered that one online. It probably doesn't even fit."

"I want to see it on you." I said and he laughed.

"No."

"Saint!"

"No."

"Just try it!" I whined and he huffed and puffed, but after a few kisses and a threat to cut my hair, he slunk off to go put the suit on.

"It's too tight." He sighed and I almost fell off the couch when he walked back into the living room. Saint looked...

"It looks amazing." I gasped.

"It's too tight." He complained again and I smackednhis hand to stop pulling at the sleeves.

"It's not tight. It's just right." The seams followed all the right lines of Saint's body and I hated to admit that Alison was right, but there was something about a little color that just made it work on him.

"I don't like it."

"I love it." I grinned and dusted off his lapels . "You look sexy."

"Sexy, huh?"

"So sexy." I whispered and Saint grinned devilishly.

"Will you show me how sexy?" He whispered and I giggled. I had barely moved when Evelyn gasped from the doorway.

"Oh, Nicky. It's perfect."

"It's stupid. I don't even want to go to this dance in the first place."

"You already promised." She said and I blinked at her.

"Dad promised FOR me. "

"It's only one night. It'll be fine." I said and slapped the hand tugging his sleeve again.

I chopped up the peppers my mother gave me and when I was done, slid them across the table so she could throw them into the stir fry she was making for supper.

"Thank you, sous chef." She smiled and I bowed.

"Any time."

"Did you hear back from that café?" She asked as she stirred and I pulled a face.

"No. I'm still job hunting though. There might be something at the bakery down the road." I said and she cooed happily.

"Nice and close. I'll cross my fingers." I was surprised how quickly her attitude had changed once she'd seen how serious I was about finding a job, even a temporary one. She'd gone from 0 to 10 so fast I was still catching up.

I wish she was the same with my boyfriend though. Saint was still something that my mother never discussed and I didn't even know why. I thought she might be happy for me, that in was seeing someone and in...love. But she practically ignored him when he came around and anytime I mentioned his name, her mood would sour quickly.

"Listen, Jules. This Friday I have a double shift because Mrs Mackenzie needs to go home for a family function." My mother said over dinner. "So I won't be home when you get back, and I'll only get back sometime in the afternoon on Saturday."

"This Friday?" I tried not to perk up, but there must have been something in my voice because she stopped eating and gave me a long look.

"No visitors, Julian."

"Mom!"

"I mean it. Promise me. No visitors. I'll have Mr Green from across the road watch the house so I'll know. You understand me?" I resisted the urge to sulk but I groaned long and dramatic like teenagers who thought their parents were ruining their lives typically did in movies.

"Promise me."

"I promise." I grumbled and I endured another long stare before she went back to eating.

Friday. Friday was the night of the dance Saint had to attend. Those didn't last long though, right? From what I gathered, most kids were more excited about the after parties than the actual dance. If Saint could get here after the dance when Mr Green was asleep...

I felt giddy thinking about maybe waking up in the morning with Saint next to me. The allure was too much. Too tempting. And it would be so easy to -

"Julian."

"Huh?"

"Did you take your pills? And your drops?" My mom asked and I nodded distractedly, reaching for my phone.

Julian: What time does the dance finish?

Saint: 22:30 pm. 🕥 It's only starting at 7 though. There's the football game in the afternoon too. Why?

Julian: How soon can you come over after? 😶

Saint: ...

Saint: You want me to come over? 😮

Julian: My mom is working that night...

Saint: 😛

Saint: I'll see what I can do.