Page 47 of The Devils They Are
To be fair, I didn't realize I was going to do this either. My body decided to take charge and bring him here, which is ridiculous if you ask me. That's how all horror movies start.
Without waiting for a response, because I expect him to say no, I walk inside, leaving the door open. Before I can make it down the hallway to my room, the front door closes behind me, and I find Rylan standing inside. His eyes dart around with curiosity, checking out the living room to his left. At least I kept myself busy over the weekend with stress cleaning so it's pretty spotless.
"It's… cozy," he remarks, earning a snort from me.
"Probably tiny in comparison to the mansion you live in," I shoot back. But I'm not bothered by it—I like our house. It holds all my favorite memories, even the ones I try not to think about anymore.
Heading into my bedroom, I grab his gym shorts from atop my dresser, quietly gasping when I nearly bowl him over as I spin around. I didn't realize he had snuck in behind me.
"Nice bedroom," he grins, taking in the light blue walls.
My eyes scan it with his, giving a little shrug in reply. "It's not much but it's my safe space."
I have no idea why I'm telling him anything, or why I brought him here in the first place. This is Rylan Astor we're talking about, for fuck's sake. But still, there's an odd peace in our meetups, and I find myself finally able to drown out my own demons whenever he's around.
"It's nice," he says, eyes lingering on the double bed. "It's definitelyyou."
I'm not sure if he's referring to the purple bedding that matches my hair currently, or the random Lawless Dragons posters on the wall above my desk, but either way, I have to agree with him.
"Here," I tell him, holding out the freshly washed shorts. "Though, I'm sure you own multiple pairs."
Rylan grins, brushing my hands with his as he takes the neatly folded material. "I do. But these are my special pair now."
Oh, shit. The way his eyes are watching me, his words… it's enough to send flutters down my chest into my stomach. I need to control these strange sensations, because even though we agreed to peace, that's all it can be.
That's all we can allow.
Sure, the playful banter is fun. But being friends is not on the cards. Neither of us could survive that. Too many people rely on us, and we'd break a system that has been in place long before we were around.
Clearing my throat, I jiggle my car keys. "I'll drive you back to the school. I assume your car is there."
"It's not," he says quickly through a tight jawline. When he catches me looking at him in sheer confusion, he smiles brightly. "I got a lift with Tai this morning, but he had some errands to run so I said I'd find my own way home."
"Oh," I mutter, caught off guard. "Uh, would you like a lift back to yours?"
Rylan nods. "I'll give you money for gas if you like."
"No, it's fine," I say.
Famous last words.
Because why does it feel like there's alarm bells going off in my head?
I can't help but notice that when I pull into the Astor residence, Rylan's truck is nowhere to be seen. But I don't dwindle on that fact, pulling up at the wide-circular entrance.
There's a little turning bay on the gravel, surrounding a bronze statue of… something. It's very abstract, like the artist just took to the metal with a baseball bat until it warped into an acceptable shape. When I park in alignment to the front door, Rylan looks over from the passenger seat, eyeing me with a hint of uncertainty.
"Would you like to come in? I can give you back the shorts. You might want to use them for other things." There's nothing sinister or mocking about his tone, and for once, I actually find myself amused by his taunts. But seriously, fuck those damn shorts.
Laughing, I reply, "Sure," still questioning if I've left my sanity somewhere.
Turning off the engine, I slip out of the truck, staring at his house.
It reminds me of a large house from a fairytale, vibrant green vines lining the dark, charcoal cottage bricks. The wooden door is polished, reflecting our physiques as we approach.
There's a keypad by the front door, hidden from view by the shrubbery, and Rylan punches in a code without bothering to hide it.
Interesting…
