07: Friends? Friends.

❝ When you're with me, no judgement, you can get that from anyone else, you don't have to prove nothin' you can just be yourself ❞

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Walking down the cliff was an arduous task.

My legs shot jolts of pain occasionally, as I limped, groaning. Olivia was fast asleep and had acclimatized to Simon's back as he huffed and puffed, nevertheless carrying her.

Sometimes, I wondered if Simon liked Olivia but I figured it was none of my business.

I trode last in the file that we were descending in, for which I was glad because I was too slow to walk in the front. Ray trudged right in front of me, and I caught him shooting casual looks once in a while but since I was too tired, I didn't take it into much account.

Once we finally reached the corner where we had parked our car, Jason slipped into the front seat taking into consideration the knocked out Olivia.

Simon carefully placed her beside me as I sat between her and Ray, her head on my shoulder as she mumbled some inaudible words. I saw Simon smiling softly at her through the rear mirror and my heart just melted to form a puddle. How insanely cute they were!

Ray yet again fixed his eyes on the dark scenery, my eyes catching his moving along the shadows of trees. The moon shone brightly, hiding behind the tall trees most of the time.

My eyes were heavy with sleep and they begged me to close them and let them drift into the land of neverary.

I forced them open, rubbing them ferociously, trying my best to rub off the sleep from them. As stubborn as I was, they were too and hence kept closing and making my head fall downwards.

A hand held my head and pushed it down its shoulder as my head happily nestled in it, glad to have found a pillow nonetheless.

My eyes looked up to see Ray's brown, beautiful irises looking into mine, something shifting in them. This emotion was unbeknownst to me and I think I had never seen it in his eyes.

His fingers glided over my eyelids, shutting them close as his left hand found itself on my shoulder, holding me in place and making me more comfortable.

Sleepy or not, my heart started beating faster and warmth spread through me, contrary to the coldness I felt earlier. It seemed that I was leeching of his warmth, and I was not against it.

I was practically plush against his rock hard chest and I could feel his muscles flexing occasionally as he moved to make me more comfortable.

This feeling that rose within me was different. This emotion that crept up was different. I felt different around him, I felt as if I was safe, loved and protected from all the bad things in this world. If I was in Ray's arms, no one could ever touch me. I was invincible.

I knew he was watching me sleep but I was far from being sleepy now. The wheels of my mind churned and churned, contemplating over these feelings that I was starting to get whenever I was around Ray.

Since the first day I met him, I was intimidated by him and not just because he was insanely handsome, that too, but mainly because he made me feel nervous. In a good kind of way.

"Stop tiring that already tired little brain of yours and just sleep." His deep, manly voice came out as a whisper near my ear but sent shivers down my spine. Heat pooled in the lower region of my body and my cheeks adorned red tint which was definitely not from the makeup.

Shifting to look up at him, I noticed that the proximity of our closeness was insanely less. If only I moved my mouth an inch closer, my lips would brush and devour that beautiful mouth of his.

He said nothing as we both continued to look at each other before he pulled my head down again to make me sleep.

"Sleep." He grunted.

I acquiesced and obediently shut my eyes close, shoving those smutty thoughts of mine to ponder upon later. His warmth comforted me like no other, not even my favorite blanket, and I snuggled in close.

My mouth was so close to his man nipples.

Oh how I wanted to suck on those in that very moment.

I didn't know when I fell asleep to the thoughts of Ray.

××

I was moving as if someone was carrying me. My eyes peeked open to see Ray's chin. He had picked me up bridal style and was taking me somewhere.

Where?

"What the—" He shouted as I abruptly decided to try to stand up, forgetting that I was in his arms.

He stumbled, yet gained his balance and held me firmly, looking down upon me. We were so close, yet again.

"Stay still, could you?" He screeched, starting to walk again.

I found my voice back. "Where are you taking me?"

Even in the dark, I could see him smirking as he shook his head. "Where do you think, sweetheart?"

"Put me down this instant!" I was nervous now, but yet my heart didn't want to calm down because I was inside Ray's radar.

He laughed gingerly and my heart jumped happily for no reason. His laugh was so cute, why couldn't he laugh more?

"We're home, June." He put me down and I saw my house in near vision.

So he had carried me back home.

Why?

"Why did you carry me back? You could've woke me up." I glanced at him to see him playing with one of the numerous rings he wore on his hand. It was kind of hot.

"You were in a deep sleep. Simon said it was bad manners to wake up a sleeping girl and so I decided to carry you back." His voice was soft, as if he was scared that he had committed a mistake.

"Oh okay, thank you." I sent a small smile his way, and saw his eyes sigh in relief. I was happy that he was now comfortable with me and trying to do everything he could, perfectly.

"Im sorry for making you carry me. It must have been uncomfortable." I apologized, eagerly waiting for what he had to say.

"No that's okay I guess. We were all tired." He nodded, playing with his feet now.

"Okay, thank you again." He looked up and just stood there for a while until it got really awkward because we both didn't know what to say.

"I'll get going then," he said, standing up straight.

"Goodnight." I whispered, as the chilly wind blew, making me shiver and lower my voice.

He stopped and looked at me for a while before removing his leather jacket and swinging it over my shoulder.

I froze, his breath fanning my face as he adjusted the jacket and zipped it up.

"I don't know why I did that, so don't bother asking me." He took a few steps back and scratched his neck, nervous.

At that moment, I wanted to gather everyone from school and show them that Ray wasn't cold or rude. If anything, he was kind at heart and cared for people around him.

I failed to understand why would anyone be scared of him or be disgusted because the Ray in front of me, right now, fitted in none of the categories. Right now, he was just a normal boy helping a friend in need. He spoke properly and made an effort to show his emotions.

"At moments like these, I really wonder why would anyone call you coldhearted or an asshole." I voiced out the thoughts that were circling in my mind, wanting to be let out of the cage.

He laughed, almost a humorless laugh and shook his head.

"At moments like these, I fail to understand why would I want to help you." His eyes bore into mine, demanding for an answer.

"Because on the inside, you are kind and soft. It's just that you've imprisoned that wonderful Ray somewhere deep. It's just started to resurface now." Maybe, it was a reaction to some incident which occurred in his past.

"How easy it is for you to read and understand people, when all I have ever longed to do my entire is to understand what others feel about me." His words made no sense in that moment, but maybe they meant something to him. I could sense it and also the tinge of sadness that didn't fail to coat his words.

"You can never understand someone. You can just hope that they tell you how they feel so that you can tell them how you feel. Unless you don't talk about your feelings, they will always be something uncertain to you." I blurted.

He seemed to search something and then his eyes gleamed as if realisation had struck them.

He nodded fast, agreeing to my point. I could see he was vulnerable right now.

I could feel the millions of thoughts and questions that were racing through his mind, questions that were left unanswered and closure which he never got. Anger flashed across his face which was replaced by confusion and then by sadness. If only he would talk to me.

"Ray."

His neck turned to meet his eyes with mine.

"Yes?"

"If you ever want to let it all out and never, ever talk about it again, I'm always here. I wont ask any questions, I won't want any answers. I'll just listen. To everything you've always wanted to speak out, I'll listen without ever judging you. Gladly, okay?"

I swear I saw a tear slip his eye as he fought battles internally, his exterior physic trying to remain as calm and collected as possible.

I wanted to be there for him but I could do nothing. I had put my hand forward. It was upto him to take it, or let it be.

"Okay." He croaked after a while, looking everywhere but at me.

"Goodnight Ray." I smiled.

"Goodnight June." He looked up, a different emotion settling in his eyes.

At that moment, there was this immense magnetic pull which just wanted to drag me towards Ray and kiss him. I wanted to kiss his worries away. Kiss him so bad, that he forgot being sad. Kiss him so deeply that he turned blind to everything around him but me.

I wondered whether it was just me or him as well, because he seemed befuddled too.

What was this thing between us?

Attraction? Probably, I thought, remembering those dirty thoughts I had about him back in the car.

He snapped out of the trance we both seemed to be in and turned back to walk towards Simon's car.

I started walking to my front door; Ray's smell wafting through my nasal canal through his jacket which hugged me. He smelled of mint and candy, not like the strong deo's other boys adorned, which had us coughing for five minutes straight.

Ray was finally my friend and I was so happy about it.

Mom seemed to be asleep considering it was eleven in the night so I quietly locked the doors and slipped up in my room, immediately getting a change of clothes.

I checked my phone for any messages, particularly for Katie's message, but there were none. So, she was still mad at me.

As my head hit the pillow, I groaned in satisfaction, snuggling deep into the sheets for warmth but it didn't compare to Ray's arms.

Ray.

I couldn't seem to get him out of my mind.

Were we just friends?

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Extremely sorry for the short chapter. I really like to explain a particular situation or incident in a single chapter, no matter how long or short it goes :/ Thank you so much for 82 reads <3