❛ i closed my eyes and i saw you. ❜
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
" I SHOULD GO." She says, yawning softly as she tosses the blanket aside to stretch her legs out. They'd been there on the couch for hours—in the same position watching back to back movies. It was only 11, and she wished she could stay longer but she needed to be up early tomorrow morning for class.
"Yeah. Okay." River ripostes, trying to mask the tone of disappointment in his voice. He knew that she had early classes in the morning but it still didn't prevent him from selfishly wanting to spend a few more hours alone with her. Not to mention he enjoyed the way she cuddled up close to him whenever she got too cold or how she would bury her face in his chest and hide whenever a frightening scene came on the screen.
Of course River knew that her actions were simply due to an in the moment ordeal and not because they conveyed a deeper meaning of her hidden feelings towards him. Though they never sat down and conversed it—not that he would want to, per say, but he had came to the conclusion that this unwritten build-up of friendship that was developing between them would only remain just that.
It was evidently clear that Ronnie had no intentions of dating anyone at the moment, or at least as far as he could tell. Also given the fact that she displayed no signs of affection or liking towards him in anyway, was another primary reason as to why he decided to keep his feelings secret.
River didn't want to scare her off just in case the feelings he had for her weren't reciprocated. He wanted to save himself from embarrassment and most importantly he wanted to keep Ronnie around, even if that meant secretly crushing on her from afar.
"I can walk you to your car, if you want. It's dark outside and it's not exactly the best time to be out there alone in this neighborhood." River states, following her pursuit and sliding his arms through his jacket.
"You're such the gentleman, River." She smiles, zipping her jacket up and attempting to toss her hair over her shoulder until she noticed it was caught in between the small necklace that dangled around from around her neck. "Shit." She murmurs.
"Everything okay?" He asks, glancing in her direction and noticing her struggling. He's already walking towards her before she could even provide him with an answer.
"Yeah. Just this necklace—somehow my hair got caught in it while I was trying to put my jacket on and now I can't detangle it." River stands behind Ronnie, immediately spotting the issue. He brings his hands up and lightly grasps ahold of the necklace. His fingers tread through her raven colored locks as he pries the loose strands free from its entrapment.
River gulps nervously, trying not to acknowledge the fact that he was standing so closely behind her and that he could smell the kiwi strawberry shampoo in her hair taunting him.
"Is that better?" She heard him ask, the question suddenly catching her off guard. He was standing so close that when he asked the question she could feel his lips and the whispering of his words brushing against her ear. The warmth from his breath sent a surprise shuddering feeling down her spine, making a hitched breath catch in her throat.
"Y-Yeah." She croaks, clearing her throat and chuckling nervously hoping that he hadn't noticed. River releases the loose grip he held around her hair and let it flow gently down her back. "Thanks." She said after finally turning around to face him again.
