Saved Me

✨ c h a p t e r t w e n t y n i n e ✨

Roman and I stood in front of my house ─ my actual house. We stood by the front door, holding hands. He didn't push me to go in ─ which I was thankful for. He squeezed my hand supportively when I took the keys out.

The house looked the same as it did when I left it. There was nothing out of the ordinary. The peach colored walls were covered with a few inspirational quotes done by my mom. We stepped into hall, my dad's office on one side and the open space on the other. He looked around, studying everything. As we walked further, we came into the living room. There were a few pictures on the wall adjacent to the TV. Most of them were of me, some included my extended family. Roman had a small smile on his face as he looked at them, probably because he was able to see a picture of me when I was younger. He refuses to show me any of his childhood pictures. On the opposite side was the kitchen with an island and dining room. The kitchen was covered in white granite and marble countertops. My mom was big on interior design after watching Love It or List It.

I led him upstairs. The first room on the right was my parents. The door was kept shut. I didn't want to go in there quite yet. The first room on the left was a guest, as was the second. The room at the end of the hallway was mine.

He was quiet when we stepped inside. He studied everything silently.

The room, too, looked the same way as the last time I was here. My maroon red walls were covered with posters of artists no one really knows. The wall by my bed was covered with pictures of my family, friends, and other random things. I had a phase where I got into photography but I never pursued it. My dresser had a few knick knacks on top of it from the vacations I took as well as gifts I've received. Right above my bed, I had a few glow-in-the-dark stars courtesy of Annalise during our third grade Valentine's Day party.

In summary, my room was full of decorations.

Roman sat down on my bed, extending his hand. I smiled softly, stepping towards him. He pulled me into his lap, kissing my jaw. "How do you feel?"

I rested my head on his shoulder, my arms wrapped around his neck. "I miss them," I whispered. He rubbed my back, tracing my spine. "It feels weird being in here. After...the accident, I didn't stay here. When Aunt Leah got custody of me, I begged her to let me stay here. I didn't want to move because my whole life was here. Everything I knew, everything I did came back here. Otherwise I would have moved to Jersey. I didn't want to let go of my life here, you know? I felt like I was leaving my parents behind. I didn't want that. I wanted to be as close as possible to them, physically and spiritually. But at the same time, I didn't want to live here. This house isn't the same without them. It felt empty, especially the first few months without them. That's why I stayed with my friends most of the time. I always had an alternative option. Whenever I needed to come here, I would but I'd leave just as quick as I came. I felt like I was disrupting everything. It sounds stupid, but it's true." I sniffled a little, trying to stop myself from bursting into tears once again.

"I know what you mean baby," he murmured, stroking his thumb on my waist. "It's okay to cry. You don't need to be strong in front of me."

We cuddled on my bed for the rest of the night. I clung to him desperately, never wanting to let go. He held me just as tight, leaving butterfly kisses on my face at random times. I don't know what time we both fell asleep, but by the time we woke up, the sun was shining.

"Good morning," Roman murmured. My back was pressed up against his back, his arms holding me securely. He loosened his grip on me as I turned to face him. I didn't think twice about morning breath before kissing him softly. A small smile appeared on my face. "What?" His stubble grazed against my face.

"I like the scruff," I murmured. He smirked.

"Yeah?" he asked, positioning one of my legs around his waist. I nodded as he kissed down my jaw. I shivered involuntarily when his teeth grazed the skin of my neck. His hands clenched into fists when I grabbed the hair at the nape of his neck.