Nyctophilia

24

Aaron's p.o.v.
Lia still looks deeply in thoughts when I put her down on her feet. She squeals at the sudden movement, but recovers quickly when she notices all the adults and children in the room. It's crazy how she's even scared of talking in front of them. I mean, they're our parents and she talks to us. Why not them? I wouldn't search the reason too much, Lia is very complicated sometimes. It's best to just give her the time she needs.

"Come on, sweetheart. All the adults are sitting together which leaves the 'kids' together." I tell her quietly.

She nods, walking to take a seat near the end of the table that was placed for us. Clay and Lukas are sitting at the adults' table, though. I mean, Clay is almost 21 and Lukas must be 21 or is soon to be.

I sat on her left as Quinn hurriedly took the seat on my left. I shake my head at her, not being able to keep the smile off my face.

"Are you still mad at me, Aaron? I didn't want you to be angry." She tells me honestly.

"Don't worry, princess. I'm not mad at you anymore." I reply softly.

She gives me a smile before her eyes land on something behind me... or more like someone. I look on my right to see Lia looking blankly in front of her. She doesn't look alright. Something is definitely fucking up with her mind.

I put my attention back on my little sister, leaving Lia to her thoughts. I'll still need to watch after her; her thoughts aren't always the safest.

"She's so pretty. Why am I not pretty like her, Aaron?" Quinn asks with a pout.

"Don't say this Quinnie. You both are gorgeous." I convince her.

She gives me a cheeky smile before entering a conversation with Dylan's sisters and Jay. I direct my attention back to Lia who's now looking down at the table. My eyes follow down her arms to see her right hand scratching her left wrist to the point where it's red. Fuck.

I lean near her ears, catching her attention as my breath hits her skin. "What's bugging you, sweetheart? What are you thinking about so deeply?" I ask her in a hushed tone.

I lean back in my chair as she watches my every movement. I quickly glance at her hand to see it still scratching her skin. I put my hand on hers to keep her from doing it anymore.

She looks at me slightly before glancing away from me. "Just thinking about something the girls told me. Nothing to worry about." She mutters.

I nod, giving up on trying to find the reason for her thinking. I'm still gonna keep a close eye on her, but I won't take too much space as of right now.

Soon, Dyl's mom and some other adults start to bring the food in and we all eat our Christmas meal.

~§~

"Alright, alright! The girls are doing the dishes while all the others go in the family room to open the presents in around 30 minutes! Bring some chairs, by the way, as there won't be enough couch for everyone to sit." Miss Parker tells us.

The girls groan before eventually getting up to do the dishes. Lia, though, she doesn't seem any better. She barely ate anything and just kept on picking at her food. It's weird because she didn't seem bothered when she arrived. The girls really told her something that is sticking in her head, for some reason.

I get up from my seat to take my plate and my sister's before walking to the kitchen. I put the dishes on the counter when the rest of it is and make my way to Lia. I wrap my arms around her waist from behind as she freezes under my touch.

"Did I do something, sweetheart?" I whisper in her ear, very aware of the eyes from the women on us.

She shakes her head as it falls on the floor, probably trying to hide away from the attention. "No, don't worry, Aaron. You didn't do anything bad." She tells me softly.