Talia's POV 
I was seriously beginning to reconsider a lot of things. Reconsider why I just would not take Kael's offer up and spend the rest of my miserable existence with him here, safely tucked far away from everyone who could hurt me. 
But I wanted more. I was greedy and I hated it. I just did not want to settle for not knowing what life meant beyond these walls. While I got lost in my head, he pulled me closer to him carefully avoiding all the parts of my skin that were either welts or plain open wounds, leaving very little room for him to rub his big masculine arm against mine. 
  “I'm sorry, again.” He was apologizing for what I counted to be the third time I honestly wasn't angry, if I was I probably would have bolted out in mad rage at the mention of his confession. It all has proved to be for the better. 
My butt has begun to grow numb from sitting up. I tried to change sitting positions but there was little wiggle room. I didn't think I wanted to sacrifice the comfort and warmth of his body for the cold embrace of the mattress against my skin. 
Even though we both were trying so hard to not have the conversation, it was going on in our heads. I could sense it in the air. 
  “I'm not blaming you.” I replied after what seemed like a hundred years. 
  “To my face, yeah.” It seemed like he had his mind made up. Maybe it would just be smarter for me to let him beat himself up over that while I languish in my own misfortune, keeping the both of us busy. 
  “Is it too soon to ask what you're going to do?” He asked me, peering into my face to make sure I hadn't slept off. 
  “I don't know.” I managed to say. My heart was broken, maybe my will to live too. “I never had a contingency plan.” I confessed, even if it was something he probably knew already. 
  “Just know you could always stay here,” it really did sound like Kael has been waiting since forever to say that line, “I mean, that's if you want to.” He added as an afterthought, albeit an impotent one. 
I didn't mean to laugh but I did. It was funny, really funny. Thankfully, he was too ashamed to look at me, I know I looked like a mess , something the cat dragged in. If not for the constant head rubbing and patting and stroking that Kael had been giving to my hair since we cuddled up, it would have looked like an old wig. 
I finally caught my breath after a good laugh and had the sense enough to stop laughing. 
  “Would I be a proud idiot if I said I knew that already?” I asked him. The humor in it was rushing back but I did my best to keep it at bay. 
  “Yes.” I knew he didn't mean it. It was just a weak and desperate attempt at a comeback and healing his bruised ego. 
  “So much for being Mr Tough, huh?” I continued to jibe him. It seemed really fun watching the lines of muscles on his jaw appear and disappear when he bit hard, feeling him fight the contraction of his biceps too, it made me feel like I was in him, like I was part of his body. 
  “I don't know what you're trying to do, but it's not working.” it was working and we both knew it. We had a good laugh after that. It suddenly seemed, for once, like everything would be alright. I drew a deep breath and at that moment swore to be positive and maybe just go with the flow. Kael really is not a bad person, and if that's what it comes too, hell, I'm attracted to him already. I just would never let him know. Nothing good would come out of it if we ever don't end up together and there's still a very high chance of that not happening. 
  “How are you?” I asked him. I wanted to distract myself from me. 
  “Why does it feel like it's the first time you're asking me that? He shit back. I really wasn't even expecting a direct answer to that, I know Kael, I guess… 
  “Maybe because it is?” I replied. I really don't remember whether I have or haven't, and to a large extent, I don't think it even matters now. 
  “It's the first time you're getting over yourself, huh?” He asked. I was quiet because I didn't know where he was driving at yet. “Is it a coincidence that it's the first time I'm also rocking you out of your misery?” Now I get it. He's feeling himself, trying to buy some credit, funny guy. 
  “You're a funny guy.” I replied instead. 
  “A truthful one too.” He huffed like someone who just said something spectacular. 
  “You're free to assume whatever about yourself.” I planned to burst his bubble, and I was going to go all the way 
  “You're just a sad little woman who is too proud to acknowledge the truth when she sees one.” I've never really seen his playful side, and so far, I'm liking it. He has my mind wondering what he's up to next and I'm loving it. A better pass time than worrying and crying, huddling up against the wall all alone. 
  “I honestly too,” He continued, “I appreciate the fact that you're getting to know your housemate very well, also caring for him. We're going to be stuck together for a while, hopefully a long one. We can but keep the atmosphere nice and peaceful, right?” He said so many things that should have had me reeling from side to side, coupled with the body language, gestures and comical facial expressions, but there's only so much my body could take, so I decided not to overstretch my fortune. 
  “You seem like you've been dying to have one.” I said to him, I see the initial resistance creeping, but he lets go. I won this round. “You're welcome.” I quipped, proudly. 
  “On a more serious note,” The humor had left his voice and he held me closer, “if there's something I'm not doing right, I'd love it if you could just say it. I want you to enjoy your stay with me.” 
  “I don't want to owe you.” I replied to him and it was the truth. 
  “What would you owe me by letting me know when you're not cool with what I'm doing?” He sounded confused. His tone threw off my logic from its train. 
  “I don't know, I don't know.” I really didn't know. “I don't want you to get used to me, I don't want you to miss me when, if, I'm gone.”I replied cautiously. 
  “When.” He corrected me. “We both know it's a matter of time till you dash out of here, you're holding your breath, we know that.”