Summerguard

CHAPTER 14: Ladies' Day

~PAXTON~

The sounds of heavy pittering and pattering of rain can be heard on the windows outside. When I look down in my arms, I feel like I am tumbling through space when I see la belle completely on top of me, her legs interlaced with mine like a perfect double helix and her arms bear hugging me on both sides of my waist. How can someone so enriching and sacred be hated by practically the whole world? I can't comprehend their insolence. She deserves all the love, respect, kindness, and everything more. I'm bummed I can't give her the first. Maybe in the future when I actually have a career, a home, or at least the guts. But not now... I can't desert my moral obligation. I must maintain discipline. We must remain... friends.

That also means waking her up. It's eight in the morning already and people will get suspicious. It will definitely provoke a certain man-beast if he catches us in bed together even if we are just platonic friends. I feel bad for literally dragging her out of bed yesterday, so I should probably try something a bit more polite. I inch my hands over the skin on her arms, my nail just close enough to tickle her. Gradually, I make my way up her arms to her shoulders and lastly settled on the side of her neck. She shivers when I linger just above her clavicle so I did it again. Her eyes flutter open and a smile appears. She holds my hand over her soft spot, warmth immediately flowing through us.

"Sup," I said, my voice hoarse.

"The sun," she said cleverly, standing up and stretching.

I roll my eyes and hold up my arm for her to lift me up, "You're an optimist."

"Better than a cranky crone in the morrow," she lifts me up with a sensational grin.

"Nah, any personality of yours is special. Even if you holler at me like a hag," I wink and she knits her brows, "How do you even put up with that? Literally, no one besides Bennet keeps a cool head around me in the morning."

"I don't know. Maybe I am just too cool," I suggest, raising my brows.

"No, that's definitely not it," she taps her chin, but then shoots up as if an answer popped into her mind.

"WEEEeee," she jumps into my arms, nearly knocking me to the floor. "What in the world?! What are you doing?" I sputter, repositioning her so her back is under my arms along with her legs. I blow her hair out of my face and eye her questioningly.

"Aha. Do you have children?" she spews at me and I almost drop her, my head spinning out of control like teacups, "What? Are you drunk, Chrysos? Of course, not. I'm a... Never mind. Where in the world are you pulling your madness from this early in the morning?"

"Awww, you wee lamb. Hehehehahahaha. I didn't need to know that, but good to know. There are only two possible theories that I have for your tolerance. One, you have strong maternal instincts and have grown accustomed to young children. Or you're frighteningly patient and are indifferent to my habits," she lists out.

"Oh... I never thought to think about it. I am definitely not indifferent to you," I gulp.

~FLASHBACK~

"Pa Pa. PAX!" A bunch of five-year-old twins jumped on top of me in the early morning and I began tickling them, "Y'all babies! Come hereeee. Ticklee! Tickle! Tickle. Now off you get, teeths brushed and I will get you your shirts." They scramble off of me and bounce to the bathroom. I trudge to my sister's side of the room where she looks absolutely horrendous. Her party shoes are strewn about and her makeup is all smudged. I picked her up in my arms and bring her to the bathroom, helping her change out of her alcohol-stained dress. After the loss of her fiance, she has been completely devastated. Mother is still out at the NICU and I do my best to take care of everyone, even as I struggle to stay afloat in school by myself.