Triple Crossed

Chapter Thirteen

     After his argument with Corren, Roan stormed out of the mansion and into the backyard. He needed to clear his head and get away from the suffocating feeling of being trapped in the house. As he walked through the gardens, his mind was still reeling with anger and frustration. He felt like he was being treated like a child, and it was all too much for him to bear.

Roan walked around the perimeter of the large backyard, his eyes scanning the area for anything that could help him escape. He looked at the high walls that surrounded the property and the gates that were locked and guarded by security cameras. It all seemed impossible to break through. A large lake was viewable from the backdoor. It was serene and radiated beauty. 

He eventually found himself at a small pond in the corner of the backyard. Roan sat down on a nearby bench and watched the water ripple in the gentle breeze. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. It was no use being angry; he was still trapped here, and he needed to find a way out.

As he sat there, Roan started to notice the small details around him. The colorful flowers in the gardens, the chirping of birds in the trees, and the rustling of leaves in the wind. He had never really taken the time to appreciate the beauty of nature before, and it was calming him down.

Roan stood up and started to walk around the pond. He noticed a small trail leading into the woods, and his curiosity got the better of him. He followed the path, which led him to a small clearing. In the center of the clearing was a large tree with a thick trunk.

Roan walked up to the tree and placed his hand on the rough bark. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He felt a strange energy emanating from the tree as if it was alive. Roan started to feel more at peace, and he realized that this was the first time he had felt truly relaxed since he arrived at the mansion.

He stayed in the clearing for a while longer, it had been hours by now, enjoying the tranquility of the moment. Eventually, Roan knew he had to return to the mansion. He started to make his way back through the woods and into the backyard. As he approached the house, he felt a sense of dread wash over him. He knew that his problems were far from over.

Roan takes a deep breath and reluctantly heads back inside the mansion. He wanders around for a while, trying to figure out what to do next. He hears the sound of a piano playing and heads towards the music. As he approaches the source of the sound, he realizes it's Corren playing the piano in the living room.

Roan stands in the doorway, watching Corren's fingers gracefully dance across the keys. The music is soothing and peaceful, and Roan finds himself drawn to it. The tune of "My Way," by Frank Sinatra flooded the room into a beautiful symphony. He takes a step into the room and quietly sits down on the couch, not wanting to disturb Corren.

After a few minutes, Corren finishes the piece he was playing and turns to look at Roan. "I didn't think you were still here," he says softly.

Roan shrugs. "I didn't know where else to go."

Corren nods understandingly. "I'm sorry about earlier," he says. "I didn't mean to upset you."

Roan stays silent for a moment before speaking up. "Why do you care so much about me?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

Corren looks at Roan, his eyes filled with concern. "Because you're a person," he says simply. "And everyone deserves to be cared for."

Roan looks away, his eyes filling with tears. No one has ever shown him this much kindness before, not after his mother's death. He's not sure how to handle it. It was all still new to him.

Corren notices Roan's distress and gets up from the piano bench. He sits down next to Roan on the couch and tentatively puts his arm around him in a gentle embrace.

Roan tenses up at first, not used to physical touch, but then he gradually somewhat relaxes into Corren's embrace, letting out a deep breath. He felt touch deprived.

For a while, they sit there in silence, Roan frozen into Corren's embrace. Eventually, Corren breaks the silence.

"Are you hungry?" he asks.

Roan nods, feeling a sudden pang in his stomach. He realizes that he hasn't eaten anything since breakfast.

Corren gets up and leads Roan to the kitchen, where he begins to prepare a meal. Roan sits at the table, watching as Corren moves around the kitchen with practiced ease.

As they eat lunch, Corren offers to show Roan around the mansion. Afterward, they walk through the halls, Corren pointing out different rooms and telling Roan stories about the people who used to live there before he purchased it.

Roan is fascinated by the history of the mansion and the stories Corren tells him. He's never had anyone show him this kind of attention before. 

That night, Corren and Roan spent some time in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Roan was still upset about Corren taking away his pills, but he didn't want to start another argument. Instead, he decided to try and distract himself by attempting to read a book that he found on one of the shelves in the spare bedroom. He was never fully taught how to read, unlike his siblings.

Corren, on the other hand, was worried about Roan's well-being. He knew that taking away Roan's pills was the right thing to do, but he couldn't shake off the guilt that he felt. He also knew that he needed to find a way to help Roan cope with his addiction, without enabling him or putting him in danger.

As the night wore on, Roan found it increasingly difficult to focus on his book. He kept glancing at the door, wondering if Corren was still awake. He felt like he needed to talk to him, but he didn't know what to say.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Corren knocked on the door to the spare bedroom. Roan put down his book and looked up, surprised.

"Hey," Corren said, stepping into the room. "I just wanted to check on you. Are you doing okay?"

Roan shrugged. "I don't know, what do you think," he said sarcastically.

"I understand," Corren said. "I'm sorry for taking the pills away. But I did it because I care about you, and I don't want you to hurt yourself."

Roan nodded, but he still felt angry. "I just wish you would have talked to me about it first. It's not your place to take something like that from me," he said.

"I know, and I did try," Corren said. "And I promise that in the future, I'll try to communicate better with you. But for now, I think we need to focus on finding a way to help you cope with your addiction."

Roan looked at Corren skeptically. "I don't have an addiction. Who do you think you are to say that to me?" he asked.

"Well," Corren said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "I'm someone who wants nothing more than for you to be okay. Surely you can understand that?"

Roan hesitated. "I don't know," he said. 

They talked a little while longer, mostly Corren trying to crack Roan's shell. He gave up attempting to read the book. Corren left the room, feeling exhausted. He knew that helping Roan was going to be a long and difficult journey, but he was willing to do whatever it took to help his friend.