The Only Exception:ETERNALLY

13. Home

"you didn't have to carry me up the stairs Hardin," Sydney blushed as he closed the door behind them ," I'm pretty sure I can walk on my own"
"I didn't want to risk it ," He answered placing his head on her shoulder , practically crouching down a bit since there was quite the significant height difference between the two
"It's a two stories's worth of stairs Hardin."
"You're not even that heavy . Your small figure is light weight sweetheart"he shrugged cockily,"plus i liked carrying you around" he snuck his hand around her waist pulling her towards him .
"You're quite the charmer aren't you ," Sydney gave him a small peck on his cheek," now let's order some food,"she blurted out of the blue,
" I'm starving," she dragged the last word to emphasize on her hunger
"When are you not hungry", he joked ruffling her hair," but then again i haven't eaten anything the entire day so i too am hungry," he admitted.
"Well I'm no better than you at cooking so take out is probably the best option," she spoke slithering out of his tight grasp , plunging herself onto the large comfortable couch .
"Take out it is."
••••••
"I told you chipotle has the best take out," she stuck her tongue out childishly as she leaned against the couch, satisfied by the meal. She took a hold of her smartphone and scrolled through it , checking for anything new.
"I still think In and out beats this but it was pretty good," he answered laying his head on her lap," what are you doing?" He asked . His views of her face was blocked by her cellphone.
" Rose just texted ," Sydney informed him,"she's asking if I'm okay."
"Is she your guardian angel or something?" He joked.
" She's family. She's practically been my mom since I moved back here," she stroked his hair with her free hand.
"Yeah I figured," . He remembered seeing how pale Rose's face had been when he arrived at the hospital . She looked as if she'd been the one in the e.r
" She used to drive me to and from varsity the one year i attended N.Y.U." she put her phone aside to give him her full attention.
"One year?" He played with some strands of her hair.
"Yeah," she nodded,"after a year i couldn't handle the funds so i dropped out . Rose offered to pay but i know she has her own things to take care of so i just started working"
Hardin hadn't really know anything that deep about sydney, just surfaced details he picked up during conversation with Luca. He liked the fact that she was willingly opening up to him.
"I had no idea," he simply answered.
"Of course , how would you know," she laughed cupping his face," we've only just started knowing each other"she smiled at him, that smile that always seems to get him flustered.
"Ah yes of course,"he puffed his cheeks a bit .
" what do you wanna watch" he browsed the tv channels with the remote.
"Not in the mood for movies," sydney shook her head,"I'm tired and I'm really sleepy"she complained.
"It's only 5pm Syd," he whined
"Okay let's do this, I'll take a short nap then we'll watch a movie later on," she compromised," deal?"
"Let me come with , let's go nap," he abruptly stood from the couch . Without warning ,he gathered Sydney in his arms and lifted her up.
"What in the hell are you doing ? Put me down"she whined although she did like it.
"I don't want to risk any injury ," he faked a serious tone," plus i know you're loving this,"he wiggled his eyebrows mischievously.
With a defeated sigh she let him carry her into a room further down the hall than the one she'd been in the last time she came here.
It was bigger than the previous one - she concluded it to be his bedroom. By the far end of the room were large transparent glass doors that had a splendid view of the rest of the city. Right in front of the large bed was a large TV screen stuck on the black wall,with a playstation by the shelf.
"This isn't the room i was in the last time I was here," she said as she looked around the room, still in his arms," you can put me down now"
"That was the guest bedroom,"he shrugged," didn't think you'd actually be down to sleep in the same bed with me," he said as he gently placed her onto the floor, then right after he snaked his hand into hers intertwining their fingers, he leading to the bed. It seems that she was really exhausted because ,as soon as her head laid on the soft pillow, she instantly drifted off to sleep. Hardin simply took his time to look at her from a closer view. Her features were soft and child like, yet sexy and alluring. She was even more beautiful up close. He repeatedly ran his hand through her hair ,massaging her skull as he watched her sleep. Her breaths were slow and steady. He could tell that she was relaxed and okay, if she was fine then he was fine as well. It was then after a few minutes of chasing sleep, that he finally dozed off as well.
••••••
Sydney's pov
I woke up to an empty bed. Hardin wasn't there. The room was dimly lighted by dark blue neon lights and it was already dark. I reluctantly sat up from the bed and scanned my surroundings.
|How long had i been asleep?|
I searched the room till i found a clock by the night stand . It was 730pm
|Not that long i guess| i lazily stretched my arms as i let my legs hang lose from the bed. "Maybe he went to get us food" i mumbled to myself , standing in front of the mirror that was fixed by the corner of the room next to the glass doors that'd been closed off by the white curtains.
|I need to take a shower| i instructed myself as i tiredly staggered to what I presumed was the bathroom.