Back home, the lights were all out which meant everyone had turned in for the night though I still expected Dorian to lurk around the house like a shadow. She'd been restless these past few days dutifully seeing to the Christmas decorations and lightnings were being put into place in time for the celebration.
It was roughly two days to Christmas.
I twisted the doorknob quietly, creeping into the darkness. Something shifted from behind and I screamed when it turned out to be Dorian; her hands pale and tucked into her coat.
She clumped a greasy hand over my mouth, leading me to sit on the sofa. I calmed considerably. "What are you still doing up so late?"
She shrugged. "I waited for you. You were absent at dinner."
"I told you, I was out helping a friend. You shouldn't be bothered, I'm totally fine. You can go back to sleep," I moved towards the stairs.
"Your father called in a pest exterminator this evening," She said, causing me to whirl around to her. "He'd be here in the morning."
"Dad called...an exterminator?" I asked, aghast. This was bad, really bad. "But you said the rat was gone the other day."
"I believed it gone, until today at least. I spent a good half hour chasing it and I can tell it's big. See what it did to me." She raised the hem of her skirt to reveal a reddening bruise.
"That's ugly." I needed to get Carter out soon.
"It is. But it'd be fine in the morning. Goodnight Sir." She brushed past me upstairs. I sighed when I heard the door click shut.
☃️☃️☃️
"Oh god, I need to get you out of here fast. Dorian got my Dad to call in pest control." I gushed, tossing my coat on the bed and opening the armoire doors wide. In truth, I half expected him to still be there after our earlier squabble. I'd said some horrible things I could not take back. But at the same time, I figured I'd do little without him.
He cackled hysterically. "That maid of yours is a freak. I had her chase me around the whole house. It was fun. But that's by the way, how did your date go?"
"Terrible," like a dying diva, I sank back onto the soft plushy foam, replaying the events slowly in my head. "It was far worse than terrible if that makes sense. And it wasn't a date."
"Ay, it wasn't a date? So that means I waited up for nothing?? Charlie didn't show up at all??"
"I didn't go to see him, it was Gin." I frowned. "Turned out she hooked up with a dangerous man and we almost got stagged but Charlie showed up and saved us."
"I knew it!" he gasped in excitement. "Isn't he the sweetest? You've influenced him quite positively."
"I'm not pinning for him anymore. And can you keep him out of our discussion? He proved to be a jerk tonight."
"You don't know what you want." he accessed me with a kind of lopsided expression. "But don't worry, he'd change. I can feel it, and I must thank you for it."
"Whatever."
-
Right past midnight, I felt a strange stirring down my chest this time. Sitting up at once, I flicked the bedside lamp on, looking over to the antique clock on the wall opposite. 12:30 AM, a time too early for breakfast. Peeking dawn was silent, a bit more black than blue. I tiptoed downstairs to the kitchen for coffee. Bringing it back up, I stood over the window ledge and glanced across the silent town below.
This was becoming a regular thing and it scared me. I wasn't getting enough sleep and it caused me to feel groggy and utterly useless most mornings.
"Carl," a low whistle sounded, disrupting the still night air. Something scraped against the house as I looked down to see a tall figure. I stepped back in fright.
"Relax, it's me."
His golden locks billowed out behind him like that first night and his forehead was strewn with tired lines. I rubbed my eyes with the back of my palms to determine if I was dreaming. "Charlie? What are you doing here??"
"Come down," he ordered.
"Excuse me?" I blinked in disbelief.
"I said, come down."
"What makes you think I'll do that?"
"Please."
"No"
"Then I'll come up to get you."
"It's late Charlie. Go home now."
"Carlie, please. I'm not leaving without seeing you down here first."
"What do you want? I told you I needed space."
"Well, well, well who do we have here" Carter chanted.
"Go back to sleep, burrito." I eyed him. "And stay away from my clothes."
"Noted."
"Carlie, I'm sorry. I just can't keep away from you. It's difficult."
I smiled at this. "Is it?"
"You're not treating me fairly."
"You don't deal fairly either."
"Can you please come down, I'm shivering harder."
"Wear a jacket,"
"Seriously, he's begging?" Carter ducked a head out in amazement. "Charlie Sivan never begs. That's a new chapter."
"It seems you never knew your brother." I laughed. Quickly pulling a leg out, I clung to the latch.
"Okay," I called out. "Here I goooooo!"
Sliding downward, I jerked at the drop, landing on his head. We rolled over now, then eventually halted with him on top of me; laughing and crying out in delight. It's a wonder the whole town isn't awake yet.
"Oh boy," he chuckled harder, his blue eyes gleamed at me. "That was certainly fun to watch."
"You're heavy." I retorted, wriggling under his weight.
"And you're light. Almost like a feather. I could break you easily." I stopped squirming since it wasn't helping at all. I stared at anywhere else than his eyes, his face. He watched me like a hawk, slowly memorizing my features. My chest set ablaze, thudding violently as he leaned down, closely, his lips quivering slightly. I held my breath, eyes tightly shut, and just when he brushed his lips against mine, a powerful light shone from above.
We both pulled apart, shielding our eyes from the brightness.
Dorian clicked her tongue over the roof of her mouth, gaping down at us in wonder.