: Chapter 22

The giant’s threat to come and get his jacket back was forgotten by midnight.

I flicked through the television channels between scooping up large spoonful’s of ice cream into my mouth straight from the carton.

There was not a lot to watch at night, so I had settled for a crime documentary.

During a commercial break was when I started to hear noises. I lowered the volume and listened to the large sounding footsteps.

I had expected my father’s drunken stumbles it did not sound like that.

When the sounds turned to a knock at the door, I slowly walked up to the door and carefully opened it with caution.

Taking up all the space of the doorway with his wide shoulders stood Stone.

I leaned against the doorframe as I crossed my arms over my frog pyjamas, glaring at him ‘What are you doing here?’

His eyes flicked over me once before he chuckled ‘I told you I would come back for my jacket.’

‘I didn’t think you were serious!’

I realised my mistake. Stone was always serious. The permanent scowl was evidence of that.

‘It is twelve at night.’ I stated before instructing ‘Go home.’

‘No.’

He did not move. Neither did he look like he was going to budge any time soon so I stood to the side and let him in.

Leaving him in the living room, I made my way to my bedroom to retrieve his jacket before returning through the hall with it.

When I returned, I found the ginormous bulky man sprawled across my couch.

‘Make yourself at home.’ I said in a sarcastic tone before joining him on the sofa.

The giant did not make room for me to sit down so I ended up resting one of my legs on top of his.

My words were muffled by my full mouth of ice cream as I held the carton out to him ‘Do you want some?’

He shook his head as he watched me shovel another large spoonful of the mint choc chip content in my mouth.

‘More for me then.’ I voiced before faking a shudder ‘I did not want your cooties anyway.’

Stone cocked his head, a small suggestive smirk making its way onto his mouth.

I rolled my eyes and moved my head away so that he would not see my blush.

The midnight visitor motioned to the television showing the murder investigation before chuckling ‘This is grim to be watching at night. Are you trying to get inspiration on how to get rid of me?’

‘Of course not.’ I said softly before laughing ‘I already have a plan. That is why I let you in. My bathtub full of acid is waiting for you.’

He chuckled again before his attention drew to something else. His dark eyes set on my mouth.

His hand reached up and neared my face. He flicked his thumb over my bottom lip, rubbing at the spot of ice cream. He then brought his thumb up to his mouth and sucked the content that was once on my mouth.

The sound of my heartbeat was heard in my ears as I quickly looked away from ‘I… I am going to change the channel.’

I switched the station over to one that was showing an alien documentary. We watched the show quietly as I started to relax further and further into the sofa until I had my head near the sturdy shoulder.

‘I wish I would see an alien.’ I said as I watched the man who had seen one being interviewed on the television.

‘Medusa, that guy is lying.’ Stone pointed out as he switched his gaze from the show to me.

I sat back and looked up at him ‘How do you know that?’

‘It is obvious.’

My head went down as I stared at my hands and uttered quietly ‘I can’t really understand people’s behaviour. I have never been able to pick up on social cues. It took me to the age of eight to learn how to point at something and recognise what it was at the same time.’

My brain worked differently from others. It was whimsical and sometimes even irrational.

I did not just lose my mother a year ago. I lost a part of who I was. I had learnt my behaviour from her. I had been told since I was young that I copied my mother’s mannerisms and reactions and took them on as my own. I had learned how to mask my lack of social skills by practising how my mother treated people.

A year ago when I lost her, I had to learn more about who I was as an individual. I had to learn who Ella was and how she reacted to the world and others.

Stone’s head tilted downwards as he gave me his undivided attention.

‘I can explain why aliens chose to abduct cows, but I struggle to understand humans.’ I murmured with a small laugh.

His mouth twitched as he moved his arm, so it was resting on the cushion behind my head.

‘Why do you think aliens abduct cows?’ He asked.

‘My theory is that they are testing for an animal to genetically advance to defend their planet and eat all of their enemies.’ I explained ‘The best animal to take is a cow. Cows have four stomachs and that means they can eat more people.’

He kept quiet until he let out a rough laugh ‘You are wild, Drizella Miller.’

‘I don’t know if you have noticed but I am a little crazy.’

‘I know.’ He claimed nonchalantly ‘It is the only thing that is not little about you.’

I grabbed the pillow behind my back and threw it at his face.

‘If I was an alien, I’d choose you to defend my planet.’ I admitted.

‘Yeah?’

‘Yeah.’ I confirmed ‘Look at the size of you! You definitely have more than four stomachs to eat the enemies.’

Stone’s lip went up in a small smile as he shook his head down at me again.

‘Are you planning to go home anytime or are you planning to sleep over?’ I joked.

He sent me a lazy smirk before insisting ‘Pass the pillow behind you.’

‘For what?’

‘To sleep.’ He answered like it was the most obvious thing ever.

‘Excuse me?’

The colossal pain taking up all the room on my living room seat laughed ‘I’m staying.’

‘No. You are not.’ I argued before muttering ‘Demanding ass.’

I never said anything more for a while because my eyes were starting to flutter shut. I felt my head fall back onto his shoulder before I jerked back up.

‘Fine. You can sleep here.’ I yelled in frustration, giving up ‘But you are on the sofa.’

His smirk was too triumphant. Too aggravating.

‘This does not mean I forgive you for keeping Kermit away from me or for kidnapping me.’ I pointed at him accusingly ‘I am only letting you stay because it is late. I don’t want you falling asleep while driving.’

‘Careful Medusa.’ He taunted ‘You are starting to sound like you care about me.’

‘Pfft. No.’ I crossed my arms as I argued ‘I just don’t want to see that motorbike of yours damaged.’

‘Whatever you say.’ He replied, his voice teasing.

I walked over to the television and switched it off at the wall before I turned back to face the sofa ‘Goodnight.’

‘Night Medusa.’

‘Don’t let the bed bugs bite.’ I joked before walking away.

‘Same goes for you.’ He rebutted, an underlying meaning to his words ‘I hope nothing crawls into your bed.’

‘I don’t mind bed bugs crawling into my bed.’ I replied as I pressed the light switch ‘As long as it is not a large Lurch.’

When I turned away and headed down the hall, the last thing I heard was a husky whisper.

‘I can’t make any promises.’

Racing off to my room, I feared I would stay up thinking about him. The other thing that scared me was that I had purposely left my bedroom door open.

I lay on my bed for a while. I rolled around until the sheets became wrinkled.

The dark ceiling was the thing I focused on as I tried not to think about the occupant of the room down the hall.

Letting out a groan, I pulled the duvet covers back and quickly yet quietly tiptoed through back to him.

It was dark but I could see the huge outline of him on the sofa. He took up the whole space and I figured that it could not have been comfortable.

His large body made everything look small in comparison. He made all my furniture look like it was made for children.

Like I was a few minutes ago, Stone was staring up at the ceiling deep in thought.

That was until his gravelly voice called from the darkness ‘Medusa, I know you are there.’

I could not even see his face, but I knew he was smirking. It was clear from his voice.

‘Have you ever seen the structure of The Great Wall of China?’ I called to him.

He hummed a deep rough noise ‘What about it?’

‘We are going to build it out of pillows.’ I told him ‘You are going to stay on your side of the bed, and I will stay on mine.’

Stone got up in a haste from the sofa.

I turned on my foot and marched down the hall. He followed instantly and was quick on my heel. He walked so near behind me that I feared if I stopped, he would collide into my back and run me over.

Grabbing the pillows, I built a significantly tall wall in the middle of the mattress.

The pillows took up a little room on the bed. It was the large giant that took up all the space with his wide shoulders.

I turned on my side and closed my eyes until I heard a noise.

The sound of metal from a belt and then something hitting the floor broke the silence.

‘What was that?’ I asked, my voice quiet and nervous.

‘My jeans.’ The deep voice replied.

‘So, what do you have on now?’ I questioned, warily.

‘Nothing.’

I blurted out ‘What!’

‘Relax, Medusa.’ He chuckled ‘I still have my boxers on.’

Turning around, I faced the wall of pillows and noticed that they were shaking slightly. It was like a mini earthquake.

The next thing I knew, one of the pillows flew across the room and hit the wall. . A layer of the wall had been destroyed.

The last thing I heard before I fell asleep was a grumble.

A deep grumble enunciated the words ‘Fucking pillow wall.’