CHAPTER 12

Ava's POV

The abrupt ring of the doorbell snapped us out of our intimate moment, leaving us both startled and disoriented. We quickly disentangled ourselves, Xavier sitting back on the couch while I straightened my dress and cleared my throat. I opened the door to find the pizza delivery waiting outside. I paid him quickly, feeling a flush of embarrassment as I collected the boxes.

Once inside, I placed the pizzas on the table and began adding the seasonings. In an attempt to diffuse the lingering tension, I suggested, "Shall we watch a movie?"

Xavier looked up, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Sure. Let's watch a horror movie."

I raised an eyebrow, slightly apprehensive. "A horror movie?"

"Don't tell me you're scared of horror movies," he teased.

I scoffed, trying to mask my nervousness. "No, of course not. Kids are scared of horror movies."

Ava, don't let him know you're frightened; otherwise, he'll never let you live it down.

We settled on Insidious, a film Xavier seemed particularly enthusiastic about. I laughed nervously, though inwardly, I was dreading the spine-chilling scares.

We began watching, pizza in hand. Midway through the film, I found myself utterly petrified. My fear intensified with every unsettling scene, and I paused the movie, turning to Xavier who was nonchalantly devouring the last slice of pizza.

"I guess you should leave. I'm feeling sleepy," I said, attempting to mask my fear.

Xavier glanced at his watch, then at the window. The rain was falling heavily, something I hadn't noticed until now.

"I'll head out now," he said, starting towards the door.

"Wait, how will you leave in this weather?" I asked, concerned.

"I can manage," he replied confidently.

"Did you come by car?" I inquired.

"No, by bike," he said, giving me a look that suggested he was already aware of the futility of his decision.

I hesitated for a moment before offering, "You can stay here tonight if you want."

"Okay," he said simply, tossing his bag onto the couch and returning to the living room.

I found his complexity both intriguing and frustrating.

"Come on, let's continue what we were doing," he said, sounding as if he were stating an obvious fact.

I was taken aback by the unintended suggestiveness of his words and quickly corrected myself, "What were we doing, exactly?"

He looked at me with a smirk. "We were watching a movie."

His taunt was followed by, "Duh, you must be thinking something else."

I shot him a look, my cheeks flushing. "No, I wasn't thinking anything inappropriate. Now, let's just watch the movie."

We resumed the film, but my fear escalated as the tension in the scenes grew. When a particularly frightening moment occurred, I clutched Xavier's hand and let out a terrified scream, causing him to burst into laughter.

When the movie finally ended, Xavier was still chuckling. "Even a baby would be braver than you."

"Shut up," I retorted, playfully hitting his shoulder.

"Where will I sleep? It's still pouring outside," he asked.

I joked, "Usually, animals sleep on the floor."

"And babies sleep in cradles," he countered, his tone equally playful.

"The left-side room is yours for tonight," I said, feeling slightly annoyed by his teasing. I then retreated to my own room, feeling a bit sulky.

"I need some pants," he called out.

I frowned, "I'm a girl, you idiot."

"I highly doubt it. I've never seen you in anything remotely girly, and your room is proof. I've never seen a girl who is this messy," he teased.

I rolled my eyes and went to my closet, retrieving a pair of my dad's track pants. I handed them to him, "They're my dad's, so I'm not sure if they'll fit."

Later, when I opened the door to check if the pants fit, I was greeted with a sight that made my jaw drop. Xavier stood there shirtless, his toned physique on full display. My gaze lingered on his well-defined abs and muscular chest. He noticed my lingering stare and smirked.

"Done checking me out?" he asked with a playful glint in his eye.

My cheeks burned with embarrassment. "Good night," I mumbled, quickly retreating to my room and slamming the door behind me. I flopped onto my bed, burying my face in the pillow and screaming silently in mortification.

Despite my exhaustion, I found myself tossing and turning for hours, unable to sleep due to the relentless rain and eerie noises outside. Seeking comfort, I eventually turned on the TV, settling on Friends for some distraction.

Xavier emerged from the guest room, rubbing his eyes like a sleepy child. He looked both adorable and attractive in his shirtless state. He sat beside me, his presence warm and comforting.

"Aren't you tired, Ava?" he asked softly.

"No, just needed to watch something," I replied.

He nodded, and we watched the show together, sharing a blanket. I didn't realize when I fell asleep, but I was lulled into a deep slumber, feeling safe and content beside him.