Loving You Differently

Twenty Seven

Aria Adkins

My arms strain as I hold them high above my head against the wall, a tiny hammer and pointy nail clenched tightly in my fist as a slight burn makes its way through my muscles from the stretch.

"Okay, now a little to the left," I instruct, fumbling with the nail as I try to line it up in the corner.

The massive banner, which resembles the feel of a heavy tarp, abruptly slides to the right, causing me to lose my grip on the edge of it. Before I can catch it, it drapes over my face, blinding me.

My screech is muffled when I yell, "I said the left!"

"Sorry," Sid grunts loudly. I keep my arms pressed against the wall to keep my balance, listening to the plastic material crinkle as Sidney clumsily pulls it away from my face. I shift the hammer in my hand after it almost slides out of my grasp.

"I was falling backwards and had to catch myself before I broke my neck," She gripes.

I blow out a breath and shake my free hand out after it starts cramping. I look down from where I stand on the arm of the couch, contemplating on waiting for Austin and Lincoln to get back so that they can hang it up for me like he originally instructed me to do in the first place. I just chose not to listen and thought I could do it myself. With Sid's reluctant help of course.

"Should we do a countdown? Like, one, two, three, and then we hammer?" I ask, eying the nail in my hands.

"Why, so I can accidentally smash my thumb black and blue?" She quips sassily.

I pause. "I'm sensing some hostility here."

A growl escapes her lips and I try not to snicker as a faint blush creeps up her neck. Her face matches mine, blotchy and lightly shimmering with sweat, and her dark, curly hair sticks to her temples and cheeks.

"I cannot believe you roped me into this when we had two tall, strong men who were ready and willing to do it for us," She grumbles.

I ignore her. "Okay, on one, two, three, go, alright?"

"What the fuck ever," She murmurs, pinching the corner of the banner and the nail in between her fingers. "Let's just do this so that I can get the fuck down and make a sandwich before my stomach eats itself."

I make it to two when the front door swings open.

"Oh, thank God," Sid gasps, throwing the hammer to the floor. Which causes her side of the banner to fall. Thus causing the heavy-weighted material to slip down the wall sideways, taking me with it. I attempt to reach out and right it, and as expected, it doesn't work. I hear something loud thump onto the floor right before Lincoln exclaims, "Holy fuck!"

I attempt to swivel my body, hoping to land on the couch instead of the hard ass floor on the other side, but my sock-clad foot slips against the fabric of the couch and sends me flying backwards. A squeak escapes my lips right as a pair of arms snag me around the waist, pulling me against their body. The familiar welcoming smell of cinnamon invades my nostrils and I let my body fall into Austin's, my heart racing.

Pinned to the front of his body, I timidly peek up at him. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" He asks gruffly.

I pat his chest reassuringly and feign nonchalance, even though my body is vibrating with adrenaline. "I promise you no one was more fearful for my life than me."