All We Know Is Falling: Fall With Me: Volume One by Nicole Thorn Page B

looked to me. “Not that I’m not happy to see you,” she looked back at the clock, “but it’s not nearly three yet.”
    Hale’s face darkened when I said, “Walter called. His dad died.”
    “Oh dear. Is he alright? Where is he?”
    “Scotland.”
    Her eyes flashed to Hale and I knew she was trying to form a sentence vague enough for him to not understand and specific enough so I’d know. “Who’s he living with?”
    “A married couple. They work for…Louie,” I went for the easiest name that she’d understand.
    “Ah,” she nodded. “He could have come here.”
    “He said Louie didn’t give him a choice.”
    She looked down. “Yeah, he’s not one to ask what you want. But he always knows what’s best. Don’t doubt that.”
    I laughed quietly.
    “Might I ask,” Hale stepped in. “Who the Hell is Louie?”
    Mom and I looked at each other. She said, “Just a man we know.”
    I stepped in. “Don’t worry, you’ll never have to deal with him. Ever. He doesn’t care much for the lives of us little people.”
    I grabbed Hale’s arm. “Why don’t we go to my room,” I said after a couple minutes of silence.
    “Okay,” he took my hand and we started walking. We got to my room and I led him in. I didn’t have any place to sit other than my bed. I never have anyone over, so it wasn’t a problem until now. We sat on my bed and I took in how awkward this was. I’ve never had a boy in my bed before. Or my room.
    What are we supposed to do now?
    Hale looked around my room, taking in every inch of the place. Probably trying to piece together my personality from all of the things I keep in here.
    “Your bed is quite soft,” he finally said.
    “Thanks…?”
    He laid down and rested his head on my pillows. He closed his eyes and I stared at him. His hand was on his stomach. He was tapping his fingers and there was a hint of a smile on his lips.
    I wanted nothing more than to lay my head down on his chest and have his arm around me. I wanted to feel close to someone.
    Him.
    I wanted to feel close to him. I’ve spent my whole life being detached from people. And I was just as okay with it as they were. No one ever tried to be my friend. Enter Hale. The one person who decided that no didn’t mean no. He kept trying to know me and I was crumbling too quickly. He was in my bed and I couldn’t even remember how we got to this point. But part of me was glad that we were here. And that terrified me.
    What would happen if I really started caring about him? I’d be his friend and then I’d have to watch him get old. Then I’d have to either watch him slip away, or leave. Because it wasn’t safe for him to know what I was. And I couldn’t be the reason he died. I’d never live past that.
    “Rory darling,” Hale said with closed eyes. “Are you watching me?”
    How’d he know?! “No,” I lied and looked out the window, just in case he opened his eyes.
    He reached out for me and he brushed his fingers against my hip. “Would you lay with me?” he opened his eyes and suddenly we were staring at each other.
    I didn’t want to say no. So I just laid down on my side, facing him. He moved so he was facing me too.
    “Thank you,” he said. “For trying to help me today. I appreciate it.”
    “No problem. I’ll find that file for you. I just need to talk to that Brooks guy.”
    He smiled. “Are you going to threaten him too?”
    I shrugged and arm. “If I need to.”
    He didn’t say anything after that. He just brushed my hair out of my face and watched me. His hand moved down from my face to my side and down to my hip, where he kept it. I didn’t stop him.
    Then he moved closer. And I still didn’t stop him.
    He moved so that he was half leaning on me. His nose touched the side of mine and he was so close that when he closed his eyes, his eyelashes brushed my face.
    I leaned up and parted my lips slightly in anticipation. His lips brushed mine a quarter of a second before the door