Rose Red

Gold chain

August's POV

After I finish my food- which was only two bites of meat- I put everything in the fridge and turn off all the lights before going upstairs. I look at her room and see nothing. No light on. No tv. No phone. No her. Where is she? I quickly start to panic. Did she somehow slip past me and leave the house? As I'm thinking of all the worst scenarios I hear talking come from the furthest guest room. I quietly walk to the door and listen. She's on the phone and she sounds so small. I just want to go in there and give her a hug. I can only assume that it's her mother on the other line. Ever since we moved in together her mother makes surprise visits to "check on her" but every time she shows up she does something to make Arabella cry afterwards.

She's told me many times that she doesn't trust me. Not that I care but it gets to Arabella when people think I'm dangerous. It saddens her to no extent. Bella said that when she lived alone her mother almost never came over so it really is all because of me. Yet another downside of living with me.

I walk away from her door and go to my room to take a shower and go to bed.
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Bella's POV

As soon as I got into the guest room my sister called me. It wasn't anything important. Just that she hates me and that her baby is doing fine. The conversation was going as well as it could be when I told her that I was glad her baby was fine but that I was tired. She immediately started screaming at me and telling me that I was never going to have anything to do with the child. If I never see the child I never see Isabel. Even though she hates me and isn't very nice she's still my sister. Despite her ever growing hatred I do hope that she allows me to see her kid at least once.
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I wake up in the middle of the night and very quickly go back to the hallway our rooms are in. I check on August and see him "sleeping." I know him well enough to know he's not sleeping and he knows me well enough to know that I know. I set all of my stuff on my bed and plug up my phone before going into his room. I climb onto his bed and lay against his back. He immediately turns around, grabs onto my body and flips me so I'm facing away from him.

We've both found that he sleeps better when touching me in anyway. Even if it's just holding my hand. The first time we realized I was sitting in a chair across from his bed and his hand was on my thigh. He says he doesn't know why but I think it comforts him to know I'm safe at night. I've noticed that he puts my safety above everything else no matter what situation. I chalk it up to him having served in the military. He does everything in his power to keep me safe even when there's no danger. I quickly fall back asleep with his arm wrapped around my waist.
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When I wake up for the second time it's because something is moving along my waist. Side to side. He's rubbing my arm and I can only assume it's not because he's trying to wake me. He should know better though. I'm not a very heavy sleeper. I open my eyes and check the time. My eyes widen and I try not to move or make a sound. How did I sleep until 4 pm? Maybe he is trying to wake me up. I take my hand and put it over top of his and I feel his arm stop moving. "You awake? We gotta talk." Oh goodness. That didn't sound too good. He actually sounds kind of mad. Like really mad.

I quickly sit up and turn to him. He sits up as well and I sit cross cross applesauce. He looks down at the bed and takes a deep breath. This can't be anything good. I try to brace myself for whatever he's about to say when he opens his mouth. "So my mom wants to have dinner tonight" I let out the breath I was holding and look at him sideways. That's it? Dinner? I try not to let my disappointment show because this is very clearly not going to be easy for him. "Okay, So we're going to dinner." I take a deep breath and prepare myself for all that is auggie. "What's wrong?" He snaps his head towards me and brings his eyebrows together. Here we go.

"What's wrong? My mother wants to have dinner. With us. As in you and me. She doesn't approve of this situation."

Why do neither of our moms like this? They would get along very well.