Alara
After bidding goodbye to some of his gang members, Cameron and I climbed into his car and made our way home.
I rested back in the seat feeling the fatigue of the day and fight settle in, but before my eyes could close completely I murmured, "Tonight was fun,"
He took his eyes off the road for a second and glanced at me, "Really? Getting your ass kicked was fun?" the mockery in his voice was becoming more and more familiar.
My eyes flew open at this statement as I was ready to argue my way through, "Says the guy who almost lost to me,"
He chuckled lowly, "Almost is being generous. Like I said I was going easy on you,"
"You're just too stubborn to admit how good I am," I huffed curling back into my more comfortable position in my seat.
"Too stubborn or not living in a fantasy?" he quipped.
That caused me to launch from my seat and hit his hand, "Hey I wasn't that bad!"
He glared at where my hand had made contact with his arm, "Don't hit the driver," there was something steely about his gaze that made me shrink back from him.
He noticed my change in mood but didn't do anything to rectify it. He merely averted his attention back to the road as I mumbled under my breath, "Way to kill the mood."
He had heard me despite me trying to be as quiet as possible, "There was no mood in the first place, darling. You'll know when there's a mood," he looked at me and smirked as what he was insinuating dawned on me.
He watched the horror on my face and laughed out loud, "Don't tell me you're that sheltered?"
I sat up straight in my seat, "No. Nope, we are not having this conversation, not now, not ever,"
There was mirth in his eyes and his grin, "So you do know what I'm talking about," he nodded slightly and gazed deeply into my eyes as he spoke, "Good to know,"
Like a petulant child I turned away from him, sulking at his attitude and everything about him. But I couldn't deny that it was good to hear him laugh, to see him show any amount of emotion. It made me believe like a fool that maybe he wasn't so much of a monster after all, but I still had to keep my guard up.
The drive was peaceful from there on out, and my eyes became hooded with sleep as we pulled into the driveway. I didn't feel like getting up, I was the type of person who could sleep anywhere as long as I was tired enough.
I heard Cameron unclip his seatbelt and walk to the other side of the car next to my door. At first he used his knuckle to knock against the window, rapping it three times to try and wake me. I groaned and turned away from the window almost resting my head on the console of the car. I curled more into myself finding the car suddenly extremely comfortable, I would happily sleep here.
But Cameron had other idea, when I didn't respond to his knocking he took another course of action, he pulled open the door and a blast of cool air hit me. I groaned even louder but still refused to get up, I know I am such a child but I couldn't get myself to move even with the cold air causing my skin to covered in goosebumbs, literally begging me to go into the warmth that I knew was awaiting me in the house.
"Alara," Cameron called, trying once again to wake me.
"Go away," I stretched my syllables in a childish way.
He huffed, placing one arm above the door, "So you are awake, Alara come on,"
"No," he sighed again more irritable this time.
Then there was silence for a moment and I thought stupidly that I had found my peace but Cameron as always had other ideas.
"Alara get up or I will carry you inside," that did the trick.
I bolted up, "No thank you," I did not want him carrying me anywhere, that was the sort of intimacy I was not prepared for.
"Finally," he moved away from the door so I could make my way out.
It was incredibly cold, I wrapped my arms around myself to combat the cold and glared at Cameron's leather jacket, "You're not even going to offer me your jacket?"
"No?" his reply was almost a question like I had suggested the most ridiculous thing ever, "We are literally two steps away from the house. Just suck it up."
"Oh my bad, thinking you'd ever be a gentleman," I glowered at his back as he opened the door.
"I am the furthest thing from a gentleman," he responded as we walked into the warmth of the house.
"That's the truest thing you've said all day," he turned at my statement and merely smirked.
"I try."
My luggage was still hanging out in the foyer and I had no energy to lug them upstairs, "Cameronnnnn." I called out. He had disappeared off somewhere and wasn't responding to me, so I decided to stretch out his name even more, "Cameronnnnnnn," still nothing. Maybe third time was the charm.
"Cam-"
"What?" he called from upstairs aggravation apparent in his tone, "What is it?"
I gave him my best impression of doe eyes, "Can you carry my suitcase up please?"
He had changed out of his leather jacket and jeans into more comfortable sweatpants and grey t-shirt. He looked comfortable and free without his usual attire like he was just some normal boy not with a gang legacy behind him.
But he didn't look like he would be accommodating to my request.
"Carry it yourself," he turned to run back up the stairs but I called out after him.
"Please, I'm so tired. Can you do just this one thing for me?" He paused to think over what I had said before wicked smirk graced his sharp features.
"What do I get in return?" there was a mischievous glint in his eyes that I didn't like.
"All my love and affection?" I tried with some intonation in my voice as though I was unsure of my own offer.
He laughed.
"You're going to have to do better than that. And besides I already have your love an affection."
I scoffed at his statement, "You wish."
"Still not a better offer, I'm going to bed."
He turned to retreat up the stairs but once again I called after him, "Wait."
"Yes," he lifted a brow.
"What do you want?"
He smiled devilishly, "Oh there are so many things I want."
I did not like where this was going at all, "Please be reasonable in your request," I half begged.
"How about this, make me breakfast tomorrow, and I'll carry your bags for you," I smiled at this suggestion because it was something I could actually do. It wouldn't be too hard and it wasn't some absurd request.
"Sure I can do that? Any preferences?" He started to make his way down the stairs and over to my bags. Slinging my backpack over one of his broad shoulders and lifting the suitcase effortlessly in his his other hand, he turned to me.
"I'm really craving some chocolate chip pancakes, and whatever coffee you can find I'm not really fussed."
I couldn't help but let out a laugh, "Who would have guessed the merciless Cameron Grayson likes chocolate chip pancakes. It really is the little things, "
"Nothing wrong with liking pancakes, and you know..." he locked his eyes on me just as he took the first step on the staircase, "You seem to love saying my name."
"I do not," I started to say when I realised he had began counting on his fingers and held up four fingers, "That's four times in the last two minutes, now tell me I'm wrong,"
I don't know why but I felt like sticking my tongue out at him so I did, "You're wrong."
Even though I knew he wasn't.
He shook his head still chuckling lowly, "You're so childish."
"I try," I said mimicking his exact words from earlier.
He pulled all my luggage upstairs for the price of breakfast which I was happily able to accommodate, when I got into the room, I pulled open my suitcase and reached for the pyjamas, they were soft pastel lilac, my favourite colour, simple and satin.
I took a quick shower and slipped into my more comfortable PJs.
I towel dried my hair and found Cameron on the bed with his laptop open, "I thought you were going to bed,"
He looked up from the soft glow of the laptop and murmured, "Yh, I just have a few things to do,"
On the side of the bed another blanket and pillow were spread out, which I assumed were for me. I picked them up cradling both in my hands, and dropping them on my couch turned bed, I arranged the throw pillows to support my back and placed the larger pillow at the arm of the sofa so that my head would be elevated slightly alleviating any neck pain.
Once I was happy with my layout, I slipped beneath the plush cream blanket, the sofa was far too small for me to extend my legs fully so I curled them beneath each other, halving the amount of space they would take.
Just before I closed my eyes, I whispered, "Night."
And I'm not sure if I imagined it but I heard a soft response of, "Night Alara."