Unraveling Shadows

Part 2: Chapter 23

"And if beauty is terror... Then what is desire? We think
we have many desires, but in fact we only have one. What is it?"
"To live."
"To live forever."

-The Secret History  

"Are we all set?" Leia's dad asks everyone before everyone settles inside the caravan. "Rhyse, me and your dad will be in the car up front, want to join the guys?"

"Yeah, that'd be great, Mr. Harlow, but my friend's not here yet." Rhyse steps up the small three step stairs with Leia's small suitcase and Carla's maroon gym bag.

"There's one more then? Then you boys stay here with the girls, we'll take the ladies to the front with us." Leia's dad pats Rhyse's back as he exits the caravan. "Rhyse your friend came! Buckle up we're leaving now!"

And Myles appears out of nowhere, "Answer your phone. Did you leave it on silent or something?" Myles tosses his bag onto the mini couch and hugs a 'hello' to his friend.

"Hey, I've got to go tell the girls to get ready before we take off without them knowing." Rhyse tells his friend before he walks down the caravan towards the one bedroom installed.

He knocks twice before he opens the door, Leia was lying on her back on the bed, her knees up, and her palm to her forehead. She sits up immediately against the bed frame. "Hey." She barely makes out.

Rhyse stops himself from sighing, "Hey..."

"What's going on?" Carla asks as she pauses midair from placing sanitary items into the cupboards. They forgot she was here. "Ah... I should probably leave then." She shuts the wooden cupboard carefully and squeezes past Rhyse who makes way for her to leave the tight entrance.

Rhyse slides the door closed and walks over to Leia, taking a seat on the side of the bed next to her. He leans in close to her ear, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine..." She mumbles, "Just tired." She yawns and sinks back down into the bed, her back facing Rhyse.

He sighs, rubbing his face with his hand. He hesitates but slowly places his hand on Leia's thigh. She flinches at his touch, and he felt it, embarrassment and awkwardness hitting him in a wave. She does not jerk away from him, so he closes his eyes and focuses on healing the aching part on her thighs.

"Thanks Rhyse..." She mumbles, her voice muffled into the pillow.

"You're welcome." He exhales. "H-hey Leia..."

"Why did you call me those names?" She turns around to her other side for him, facing him this time as his hand slides onto her other thigh. Sending sparks and fire from deep within a forbidden spot he's trying so hard to ignore.

"What names?"

"Were they for foreplay? It didn't seem like it..." She closes her eyes, "I was thinking about it so hard but I just don't... I don't think that- Rhyse, I'm serious when I say everything means nothing... I just needed to have you have some sort of responsibility over me after that being my first time- Gosh this is fucking embarrassing- But I really need to make sure we both get marr-"

Before she could finish her sentence, she's hushed by Rhyse whose hand left her legs, and is met by the warmth of her cheeks. Rhyse was so close; except he only placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I will take responsibility." He reaches into his pocket to pull out a small purple colored box.

Leia shows no reaction, she doesn't gasp, her eyes don't widen. She remains stoic like she was expecting this but she also did not want it.

"You asked for it, and I'm willing to take responsibility Leia for taking care of you, looking after you and meeting your needs until this deal breaks us apart." He opens the box o reveal a beautiful diamond and gold ring. "Will you continue this with me and marry me, Leia?"