Spy School: Life After Graduation

Chapter 31: Getting Settled

WOW! 10k views! Thank you guys so much! I wasn't gonna update today but I am because there's officially 10 thousand views! WOW! The picture above is of cinnabar, which is referenced in this chapter.

Pantai Inn
Room 16-19
8:00 PM
Wednesday
July 15th

Ben's POV:
We landed and arrived at the hotel. We were staying at this really cool one called Pantai Inn. We got to our rooms and we had a couple days to prepare and gather info. 

We had rooms 16-19 all for our use. Zoe and Addison shared 16, Catherine had 17, Mike and Gabe shared 18, and Erica and I were in 19. We all started for our rooms. Everyone was inside but Catherine, Erica, and me. Then, Catherine said something that made Erica and me stop and blush reeeally hard. 

We were all just casually heading to our rooms to unpack a little and she says, "Oh, Benjamin and Erica?"

"Yes mother?" Catherine made a mischievous grin.

"No funny business please." I stopped dead. Erica turned as red as cinnabar.

"Motherrrrrrrr!" She groaned. "Ughhhhh. May we please go in and get settled now, if you're done?" Cat smiled as if she said it just to embarrass us.

"Of course."

"Thank you." Erica slipped her hand in mine and gently pulled me toward our room. "Come on babe."

I walked with her and we went in and plopped on the bed like everyone wants to when they walk into the room. She buried her face into a pillow and I followed suit. I rolled over onto my back.

"That was embarrassing." I said.

"Really Sherlock?" I laughed. 

"So you're feeling a little better now."

"I guess so."

We sat in silence for a little while. We got a text from Catherine. 'Reconnicance 11 PM.' I decided the silence was killing me and tried my best to start a conversation.

"Sooo..." Wow. Maybe it wasn't my best. Now that I think about it, it was pretty bad.

"Sooo what?" She asked.

"I don't know. How are you feeling?"

"Okay actually. A lot better.

"Good! I'm glad. Just you feeling off and upset makes me sad."

"Awww, that's really sweet. I feel the same way."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

I smiled. That was 4 words. Only 4. But they were the best 4 I could have heard her say.

"I-I realized you're right." I feigned surprise.

"Di-di-did you just say I'm right?" She rolled over and punched me in the arm. "Owwwww! Sorry, I was joking!"

"I know you were. And the fact that you're not dead clearly shows I was too." I laughed.

"Fair enough. Okay, I'll bite. What am I right about?"

"I realized you aren't gonna leave me."

"You got that right." I smiled.

"I'm gonna tell someone about the nightmares after the mission."

"I know you don't want to, but I think it'll help, and I'm glad you're willing to give it a try." She smiled.

"But you know what else? I realized you are more loyal than anyone else I know. I realized you won't betray me or leave me or hurt me. Because you love me. And I love you and trust you. More than anyone else." Her voice cracked and I realized she was crying.

I wiped her tears off her face as some of my own grew and slowly rolled down my face. I pulled her close to me and hugged her tightly. As tightly as I could, without hurting her, obvi. I rubbed her back in circles to help her calm down because just seeing her sad was breaking my heart. She cried into my shirt but I didn't care. I didn't care about anything but her in that moment. All I cared about was making her feel better. No matter what that meant I had to do. I'd have done it. Because I loved her. Always have and always will.

"Awww, baby. You have no idea how much that means to me. Please don't cry. It's okay. I love you with all my heart and I have since I met you. I'm here for you. Always have and always will be. I promise." She sniffled.

"Really?" She looked up at me and I smiled wider.

"Really." I kissed her forehead and took a deep breath. I smelled the most amazing smell in the world as we drifted off to sleep, just me and her, cuddling. 

Lilacs and gunpowder. Just like old times. 

Boom! Okay, hope you liked it! I'll prob update my other stories later tonight or tomorrow. Edit: I'm updating this on Fridays, Trapped in Tech on Wednesdays, and my oneshots book Mondays. I might be able to update more than once a week but definitely once. Please do not comment 'update'. I'm trying and it's reeeally annoying. Thanks! Later!