You Belong With Me | Arthur Leclerc

5. Those Eyes

Arthur's pov

Charles practically carries Mia all the way to the car, his arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her from falling on the ground. She gives him death stares the entire walk and makes it hard for Charles to help her, which makes me giggle a bit, but Charles is unfazed by all of it. He's determined to drive us home.

"Are you sure you can even drive?" I ask from behind them, since they're walking faster than me.

"I didn't drink and we're taking your car." Charles says while we approach my car "I'll just text Pierre to leave without me."

I can tell that Charles is mad at me but he's trying to keep his calm. He opens the passenger door for Mia, helping her inside while holding her by the waist. I look away, slowly breathing in. He takes the seatbelt, putting it on for her.

"Charles." Mia whines while slurring her words "Leave i-it, I don't w-want you to do it."

Charles says nothing at Mia's behaviour towards him and walks to the other side of the car.

Great. Now I have to sit alone...in the back...in my own car.

I slide inside at the same time Charles gets in but he doesn't start the car right away. Instead, he turns his head towards Mia, looking at her with an expression I can't read.

Why is he looking at her like that?

"Are you alright?" Charles asks with a sincere voice.

"Why do you care?" Mia mumbles, her eyes closed and her head resting on the seat.

"Because...I care about you."

His words cut me open like a knife and suddenly there's a lump in my throat, making it hard for me to breathe. I've always been scared of the possibility that Charles would like her back. I mean...it's Mia we're talking about. What's there not to like?

"You're family." Charles adds then, earning a slow sigh from Mia.

I can tell that she's hurt from his words and the alcohol she had is not helping either but I can't help but feel a little bit relieved by it.

"Can we just go home?" I say and Charles nodds his head while putting his hand out for the key. I reach inside my pocket and give it to him, wanting to get home and forget about everything as fast as possible. Taking a napkin from my pocket, I try to prevent more bleeding from my nose which surprisingly doesn't hurt but that might change tomorrow.

The drive to our house is quiet. Mia looks out of the window the entire time and I get an urge to comfort her. I reach out, touching her forearm in a comforting way. When my hand makes contact with her skin, Mia turns her head and looks up at me with those eyes, reaching for my hand and taking it in hers.

It feels like a million things are being said between us without even having to say them out loud.

It's moments like this, when her thumb is stroking my hand, when we're sharing a drink with two straws, when we're laughing out loud at each other's jokes and other small things we do that make me realise that I can't possibly live without her.

It pains me, that she doesn't see me the way I see her.

When we get back home, Charles parks the car in the garage and gets out, scooping Mia up in his arms since she's fallen asleep. She crumples up in his chest, her cheek pressed against him and her hair falling over his arm. Looking at the sight in front of me convinces me that even though everyone else might think they're perfect for each other, Mia will always fit better with me.

I walk in front of them, opening the door and switching the lights on for Charles to be able to see where he's going. When he's walking on the stairs towards the second floor where our rooms are, he stumbles and almost drops Mia which causes me to have an almost heart attack but once we've made sure she's alright, I can't help but let out a quiet laugh.

"Shhh! You're going to wake up the entire house and then we're completely busted." Charles says.

"You're the one who's stumbling on a set of stairs." I whisper back at him.

Once we've made it to Mia's room, Charles lies her down on the bed, pushing her hair out of her face and carefully taking her shoes off.

"My work here is finally done." He says while giving her one last look before turning to me "Don't think I forgot about our talk, I'm just too tired to deal with everything in one night." and with that, he walks out.

I move closer to the bed, taking the bed sheet and pulling it over her, just in case she's chilly. Mia is lying with her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling while she's taking steady breaths.

Sometimes, I watch her sleep, just like right now and I wonder, how is she even real? How can a person as perfect as her even exist? She completely overwhelms me, in the best way possible.

I bow down, enough for my lips to connect with her forehead, her scent intoxicating me.

"Good night princess." I mumble and I turn around to leave.

Before I can walk away, a hand is wrapped around my wrist, stopping me in place.

"Stay."

Mia is looking at me with her eyes half closed while I look down where our bodies connect.

"Please." She pleads this time.

"I'll be right back, I promise." I say before heading to my room, changing into a clean shirt and some pants. When I return I don't say anything, I just get under the sheets while trying to maintain some distance. It's not like we haven't slept in the same bed before, but we're not kids anymore and I'm so utterly head over heels for her that I don't think I can control myself when it comes to her. Tonight is a fair example of that.

Mia shifts her position, her head resting on my chest now which takes me by complete surprise.

"Don't leave me Art." Her voice is desperate.

"Never."

I wrap my arm around her, pulling her closer to me, our heart beats becoming one.

"Arthur?" Mia mumbles and looks up at me.

"Yes princess?"

"Thank you for always saving me." She says, her head lying back on my chest.

My chest warms up because of her words. Truth is, I would come to her rescue in a heart beat every single time.

"Mia?" I ask, unsure if she's fallen asleep. I get no response back.

"I love you." I whisper, even though she's in a deep sleep but a part of me hopes that she somehow heard it because it took me too much courage to admit it, to say it out loud.

I hug her tighter and smile with the thought that tonight, just for tonight, I get to hold her in my arms and pretend that she loves me back. Tonight, I get to get a glimpse of a version of our future together, if she'd only see me the way I see her.

Please don't be in love with someone else...

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