Home Base

Chapter 21: Adjustments TBD

Trenton's POV

Sunday, November 4th, 2018

Having my family not be there when I got home kinda sucked. I didn't think the house would be that empty when I got there. The rooms still had the bedding and curtains and all the basics and stuff but just seeing it made my heart hurt. After I dropped off Paige at her house, I went back to mine and just cried. The hole in my heart just... I don't have words.

That night, last night, that was the only time I recall crying myself to sleep. After that, I kinda just felt like meh. However, what did cheer me up was Paige coming in the door. At that point, I had just taken a shower, but it didn't hide my puffy eyes. She immediately set down the pizza she brought on the counter and climbed onto the couch with me. I laid down again and her head laid on my chest. She didn't say anything, she just offered me comfort when I needed it. This... This is what I needed. No press, no worries about life, I just needed time to relax.

Even still, I could see that Paige wanted to ask me something, but I did not have the energy to speak. So, I just pulled her closer to me, to the point where she was basically laying on me. I felt so desensitized that I don't think I was functioning properly. However, the day must go on. Paige would periodically nuzzle into my neck, play with my hair, and kiss my cheek. I started crying again and just held her close, squeezing tight. "What's wrong?" she finally asked. Her voice concerned, and for good reason.

I didn't respond right away, but I knew I needed too, "I just miss them," my voice sounded scratchy, hoarse, and like someone just choked me out. I winced and rubbed my throat.

Paige climbed off me and laid down next to me and moved my head onto her chest. You know those chills you can get on your scalp if someone move their fingers the right way? They reverberated throughout my skull and some of my tension just drained. The one thing I did do without a problem was moving the Xbox into the living room. So I reached for the control that I had next to me and turned on Netflix. Some of my friends were inviting me, so I set myself to 'Do Not Disturb'. When that didn't work, they spammed my phone. In their defense, they haven't heard from me in a few days, so they are checking up on me. Great friends they are, but right now, anything in New York was just a reminder of how much pain I'm in.

"You aren't trying to Netflix and chill me aren't you?" Paige joked.

A hoarse chuckle escaped me. I shook my head no and just browsed through to find some random action movies, and found Baby Driver and it piqued my interest. I started it but paused it; I heard it was an alright movie. I sat up finally to actually watch the movie. Paige went to go get the pizza she left on the counter and I decided to follow her instead. I needed to move anyway. That shower was the first one I've had in a day, disgusting, I know. However, I had hit that point of not caring, and right now, I'm really trying to avoid it. Paige was searching for plates in the house and I silently chuckled at her flustered state. "Top right cupboard, on the left," I whispered.

Paige turned around, her cheeks flushing, before grabbing a plate, "Shouldn't you be resting?"

"All I've been doing was resting since yesterday," I replied, turning on the oven to two hundred degrees before grabbing some tinfoil and grabbing some pizza. "I don't know how long ago you got it, but I like eating my pizza first warm, then after the first day cold," I said leaning against the counter.

Paige came right up to me and snaked her arms around my chest before I picked her up and set her butt on the counter. Her immediate reaction was to wrap her legs around my waist. Right now, a hug from my loving girlfriend is the best thing I have, that and pizza, because food. She surprised me when she tilted my face up and laid a kiss on my lips. A chaste one before I responded hungrily. A lit bit of gnawing on her bottom lip elicited a soft gasp and her grip tightened. I pulled back, "Sorry, I'm not in the right state of mind for that," I whispered.