Revision (COMPLETE)

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

It had been a long day; her haggard appearance supported that. The whites of her eyes were streaked with red and the surrounding skin was so puffy it felt weird to blink. She stared at herself in the mirror wondering how she'd ever managed to find so many tears for a man she thought she didn't love. Didn't love—that was strong, maybe. Deep down she always knew she loved her father, despite everything, but she certainly had never liked him very much—or respected him for that matter.

She splashed some more cold water on her face in hopes that the swelling would go down. She'd looked horrible all day, however, without make-up the effect was quite startling. She hadn't imagined that streaks of black mascara and smudged eyeliner could look better than no make-up at all. Boy, had she been wrong. At least the remnants of product distracted from her pallor complexion and shiny red nose.

She was already in her pajamas, exhausted to the core, but she couldn't seem to make her legs travel to Genna's room where her friend was waiting. Fin was crashing on the sofa bed in the basement, and the urge to be near him was burning a hole through her. With every fiber of her being she knew it was wrong, but she couldn't stop herself from quietly descending the flight of stairs.

"Hey. Are you awake?" she whispered in the darkness.

There was silence for a second and she began to turn back. "Yeah," he finally responded. His quiet voice answered as her foot creaked on the first stair.

She waited for a brief second until her eyes adjusted to the darkness. The clocks on the television components were casting just enough illumination to make out his frame in the bed, snuggled under a large down comforter. "Do you mind some company?"

Again there was a slight pause. "Not at all." He patted the mattress next to him. "Do you want me to turn the light on?" He reached for the tableside lamp.

"No," she said perhaps a little too quickly. She took a deep breath as she closed the distance between them. She sat on the edge of the bed facing away from him, trying to regain some composure over her breathing. It was odd, she surmised, that the small flight of stairs would have her so out of breath.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. No. I don't know," she admitted. "I didn't want to be alone." Her voice pleaded out through the dark. It wasn't entirely the truth, though, after all Genna was wide awake upstairs—and all too eager for Delaney's company.

"Come here." His voice was barely above a whisper. He lifted the covers, holding them for her to crawl under.

She brought her legs up and stretched out on her side, her back to toward him. Before she could settle herself, he reached his arm around her and eased her closer, her body fitting snugly against his. She exhaled loudly, expelling all of the air she'd been nervously holding in.

"You're shivering," he said. He tightened his hold on her; his body so warm against hers.

They lay there in silence for a while. The only audible sound was their breathing, and that had finally begun to slow. As he held her, she tried to compare it to being with Shane. She quickly cast thoughts of Shane aside. It made her feel guilty—and she didn't want to stop what she was doing.

He gently kissed the back of her head, and squeezed her tighter. Today he'd dried her tears when she cried and kissed her gently on the hair as he held her, he'd been her rock. She honestly didn't know how she would've made it through the day without him.