Chapter 9: Sharing (Aria's POV)

"You're going to make me sleep on the two-seater?" I asked in disbelief. 

"On the couch. That's not a two-seater," he replied. 

"I don't care what it is! I'm not sleeping on that." 

"And why not?" he asked, putting his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants.

"Because I'm a guest," I said. 

"Then stay in a guest room," he retorted smugly. 

"I would have but it's not what your parents asked of me," I argued. 

"That's not my problem," he shrugged, walking over to the right side of the bed. 

I rushed over, sitting on the left, pulling my legs up in front of me. 

He stood up, glaring at me. "Get off my bed." 

"It's mine for tonight," I shrugged. 

"No, it's not." 

"Yes, it is." 

"Get off." 

"No." 

"Get off." 

"No." 

"Get. Off," he said slowly, warningly. 

"Make me, your majesty," I smirked. 

He kneeled beside me, probably ready to push me off. "You won't get off?" 

"No," I shrugged. 

"Fine," he huffed before lying down. But not on his side. Instead, he lay down right beside me. His arm touching mine, his leg touching mine, his hip touching mine. 

I looked down at him weirdly. "What are you doing?" 

"I'm sleeping," he replied nonchalantly. 

"This is how you sleep?" 

He nodded. 

"And this is also how you sleep when you're sharing your bed with someone?" 

"Sharing?" he chuckled. "I don't share anything." 

"Oh," I laughed. "How kind of you, isn't it?" 

"Hmm," he nodded again, reaching out for his phone and bringing it to himself, looking at it. 

I ignored him and just sat against the headboard. I looked to my right, out the window. The moon looked really pretty tonight. It looks like it's a full moon. "Sharing is caring," I said, looking down at him. "Isn't that what they say?" 

"Yeah, it just so happens that I don't care," he mumbled, without looking at me, and kept scrolling through his phone, replying to emails from the glimpse I got. 

"Didn't anybody tell you it's rude to be on your phone when someone is talking to you?" 

"Are you?" He looked up at me. "Talking to me?" 

I glared at him before rolling my eyes and grabbing the hair tie from my wrist. I put my hair back in a ponytail and stared at the moon to kill time. I have a hard time falling asleep most nights. It's just how my internal clock works. I sleep pretty late and then wake up near noon as well. Rent dates excluded. It's important to be up early on those days because I have to go and exchange everything I stole for money. 

I snapped out of my thoughts when I felt his hip digging into mine. "Wow, personal space really is a foreign concept to you, isn't it?" He ignored me and continued ignoring me. Which is starting to get on my nerves. I hate being ignored, I hate it when someone acts like I don't exist to them. I gritted my teeth before snatching his phone out of his hands, ready to throw it onto the floor. 

He shot up, glaring at me. "Give it back." 

I smiled sarcastically, dangling it in his face. "Take it." 

He leaned forward to grab it but I retracted my hand. He huffed, trying again but I tucked the phone behind my back. "What?" he huffed. "What now? You want to have a conversation with me? Is that why you don't want me on my phone?" He narrowed his eyes at me. 

"I don't like being ignored," I mumbled. 

"Really? Doesn't being ignored make it easier for thieves?" he smirked tauntingly. 

"I've had my fair share of being ignored, I don't want it anymore," I said, taking his phone and sliding it to the other side of the bed. When he reached for it, I lay down and hogged up the space that I needed. 

He turned and glared at me to which I responded with a satisfied smile. "See? Sharing isn't so hard to do," I smirked. 

"Who'd want to share anything with you?" he mumbled under his breath. 

"You know you don't have to be such a prick," I huffed, propping myself up on my elbows. 

"And you don't have to be so annoying," he retorted. 

"I didn't do anything. You're the one getting all close and personal," I laughed humorlessly. 

"Why would I want to get close to you?" 

"I don't know, maybe you secretly like it," I smirked. 

"You wish," he chuckled. 

"No, you wish," I grinned, getting out of bed and grabbing a pillow. I walked over to the small couch and set the pillows down. 

He watched me while I lay down, staring up at the ceiling. "I thought sharing was caring," he said. 

I turned to look at him. "And I thought you didn't care." 

"Suit yourself," he shrugged. 

I rolled my eyes, looking away from him and closing my eyes, willing myself to go to sleep. Tomorrow, I have to go home and bring whatever valuables I own. I also have to tell Riya. She's going to kill me for not telling her in advance even though it's not something that I knew in advance either. But that's just how she is. And I don't know how I'm going to face her and explain, but I know I have to. 

I woke up the next morning with a sore body because I had to practically shrink myself to not fall off the couch. I groaned, rubbing my eyes before slowly standing up. I winced almost instantly, my hand going to the wound on my back. "Oi," I mumbled under my breath while trying to look at it but I couldn't catch a glimpse. I glanced over at the bed where his royal highness was still fast asleep. I threw my hair up in a bun and went into the bathroom not bothering to be quiet. 

I made a knot at the end of my shirt and then put my back to the mirror, lifting it up and trying to get a glimpse of it. I cautiously reached behind, touching right under the wound. I pulled my fingers back and saw blood. I rolled my eyes and started looking for the first aid kit. I opened the cabinet under the sink and found it. I went outside where he was still sleeping. 

"Hey!" I shook him up a little but didn't get any response. "Hello? Wake up!" I shook him a little harder but still... nothing. I grabbed a pillow, smacking his head with it. "Oi! Wake up!" 

He got startled before groaning and rubbing his eyes. "What?" he glared at me, finally fully awake. 

"Get up," I demanded. 

He rolled his eyes but sat up nonetheless, rubbing his eyes before pulling his sleeves down to where they ran a little past his palms. "What? What do you want?" 

"I'm bleeding. You need to clean it and put a bandaid on it," I nodded. 

"Do it yourself," he mumbled sleepily. 

"I would if I could, genius." 

He glared at me while pushing his sleeves up. He snatched the first aid kit from me and grabbed my arm, pulling me down to sit in front of him. He opened the kit, got a fresh cotton ball, and put some medicine on it. He lifted up my shirt before tapping my shoulder. "Scoot up." 

I moved forward and he started cleaning the wound, blowing on it, and being gentle, unlike last time. I winced when he pressed down a little, holding the cotton there while grabbing a large plaster bandage. 

He tossed the cotton in the trash can under the desk and got it in. "Hold your shirt," he ordered. I reached back and held it up while he took the backing off until he could stick it on and then smoothed it out with his finger. "Done," he sighed. I stood up and grabbed the first aid kit. 

"Thanks," I said, closing the box and going to put it back in the bathroom but he grabbed my hand, pulling me back. I clicked my tongue as I fell onto the bed. "What?" 

He hesitated, staring at me. "I'll probably change my mind but... if you ever need to stay here again, then take the bed." 

I blinked in surprise while he took the kit from my hands and went into the bathroom without saying another word. He came out with his toothbrush in his mouth and opened the closet, grabbing his clothes. "The guest room straight down the hall, to the right is probably fine. You can use the bathroom there. In the left cabinet, you'll find an extra toothbrush," he said without looking at me. 

I grabbed my stuff and then followed his directions into that guest room. I looked around the room, confused. I don't know what they consider 'prepared' because this room looks completely prepared for a guest's arrival to me. I could easily have stayed here. 

I shook my head, leaving my stuff on the bed and going into the bathroom. I decided to take a shower when I go home to grab my stuff rather than now. I just focused on freshening up and then I rushed downstairs. Nobody was there but when I was nearly at the main doors, I spotted Mr. Harry. I ran over to him. 

"I'm leaving," I huffed. 

"But-" 

"I'll be back later, don't worry, I'm not escaping," I rolled my eyes. "I'm going home. I have things to bring." And then before he could say anything or anyone could stop me, I made it to the main gates. 

Only the guard wasn't opening it. I glared at him before yanking the keys from his belt and unlocking the gate before he could stop me. I then opened it and ran, tossing the keys back to him through the gate and then running off.

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Chapter 9

next chapter: orders