(I Just) Died In Your Arms ~ Stanley Uris

030

Julia's POV

"What's the point of wearing gloves when you're just going to take them off?" Stan joked, pointing at the wadded up mittens in my right hand.

It was Christmas Day, the day after Bill's sleepover, and this morning Stan and I walked home together because we lived on the same street. I was relieved that we had gotten back together last night, because walking side by side without saying a word would be extremely awkward.

"Because they inhibit my mobility, Stanley." I say in the shittiest British accent I could muster, so shitty that Stan couldn't help but laugh, one of those cute little laughs that he didn't notice to be cute.

"Let me hold your gift." He offered, but I shook my head. It felt strange to be polite to him once again, but it was a good type of strange. "Come on, what about your stomach?"

"My stomach is fine." I rolled my eyes, shoving him lightly. We were stumbling in the freshly fallen snow, kicking up white powder everywhere. I wanted to kiss him so bad, but I decided to take it slow. It hasn't even been twelve hours yet. "Stop worrying."

"Sorry, no can do, you're my girlfriend."

I missed that title. At school everyone refers to me as the girl who had been raped or the girl who sudden regained her voice after three years, but for a moment I was Stan's girlfriend. Even when they treated it like a joke, the best title they gave me was Stan's girlfriend.

"Right." I exhaled. My house was first on the street. The gray blue shingles were already coated with snow, icicles hanging off of them like sharp, cat-like, teeth. "Thanks for walking me."

"I was going to anyways because I live here." He laughed. It was another cute laugh.

"Really, thank you. I love you." I kissed his cheek, right in view of the windows so my aunt could easily see if she were home. I checked the driveway for her car, and to my luck she must've gone out for errands. I turned to Stan, who also noticed her absence.

"You want to come inside?" I pointed at my door, but I didn't even have to finish my sentence before he ran to the door. The excitement was building up between us, since he had only seen my room from my front lawn and through my detailed descriptions of it. It would be impolite of me not to.

I let him inside, observing him as he walked through each room in awe, his fingers touching each door frame and each piece of furniture, like he couldn't believe they were real. He was lingering too long in front of my new TV, so I grabbed his hand and practically dragged him upstairs to my room, which had been made and cleaned by my aunt.

The purple walls were extra bright in the morning sun, a soothing color that made me feel unquestionably relaxed, like I didn't have one ounce of worry inside me. It didn't stress me like my other room.

"Wow." He was too shocked to say anything else, his hands shoved into his pockets. He was wearing new jeans, why didn't I noticed he had new jeans? "It's wonderful, Julia. Perfect."

"I love it." I smiled, closing the door behind me and locking it shut. My aunt wouldn't mind, she actually preferred my door to be shut and locked so I would feel comfortable. She knocked and respected the doors.

"I can't believe that you have a nicer room than I do." He smiled, sitting on my bed. I nodded.

"Yeah, I can't believe it either."

"You have a whole bathroom to yourself. Crazy, isn't it?" I knew he was making small talk since there was an obvious elephant in the room that couldn't be ignored.

"I have the whole house right now." I smirked, seeing Stan blush a deep red, standing up from my bed. He had somehow gotten even taller than he was before, a head or two taller than I was. I couldn't tell exactly how tall he was, but since I was 5'4 he must be close to being six feet.