My eyes widened in shock, but I could not push him away. The door opened, and my mom walked in. "Oh Mother of the Moon! I'm sorry guys." She hastened out of the room, I heard her slippers making slapping sounds, as they echoed down the hallway in retreat.
Baron raised in head and looked at the door. "See, you scared stepmom out of your room."
Feeling quite disoriented and my cheeks staining scarlet red at what had just happened, I could only stare in mild horror. Baron had kissed me and my mom had seen it, seen us. She had seen us locking lips, and was probably on her way to telling David. If the other boys knew, it was going to be more messy than it had ever been. I thought of Aaron and my conscience slapped at me. But why? I frowned immediately. Why was my conscience slapping at me? Aaron had not been there for me. He believed I was a criminal and defended Katelyn when Baron asked her to apologize for calling me a thief.
"Will you eat your food now? Or do I have to feed you more kisses?" He wiggled his brows playfully, looking perfectly calm like nothing had happened.
For some reason, that made me feel relieved. I had almost thought things would be awkward between us. But trust Baron to make it look like nothing had happened. He was still his usual crazy, wonderful self and I was grateful for it.
"You do not have to force me to eat." I eyed him.
"Kisses it is then." He came for me again but I dodged him and ran from the bed and round the room, my laughter echoing in the confines of my room. I was about to run into the bathroom and lock myself in there when he caught my cloth and draped me back to the bed.
He began peppering my face with kisses, it tickled me, erupting laughter from me. I tried to push him off but it was almost impossible. I could not push him away, not when I was wrapped beneath him. We were both careful not to spill our trays of food.
"Will you eat now?" He raised his head long enough to ask.
From the gleam in his eye, he was ready to dip his head again. "Okay, fine. I'll eat." I finally succumbed.
"Finally, she surrenders." He grinned victoriously.
I eye rolled. "You bully, you coerced me."
"You just could not withstand my charm." He bragged.
"One of these days, I'll prove you're not worth the hype you're giving yourself." I told him.
"That day will never come because there is no proof." He pushed my tray near me. "Eat." He ordered, pulling his own tray of half devoured food close to himself and continued eating.
I reluctantly dug in but as soon as the lamb touched my tongue, my stomach opened and my appetite grew. I started tearing a piece here, drinking a spoonful of thick soup there according to my appetite, and it was quite satisfying. Baron chuckled beside me but I ignored him. I knew why he was laughing. And I refused gracing him with a stare, I was avoiding his complacent smirk that would prove that he had been right all along about my hunger.
"You've grown quite the appetite, haven't you?" I heard the tease in his tone.
I should have known he was not going to let it rest, I would never hear the end of this. "You're going to brag about everything, aren't you?"
"Yes, of course." He flashed me a grin.
I shook my head and continued eating. My phone buzzed again and it was the same message and the sender was still unknown. My heart skipped and I grew hot with nerves and fear all of a sudden. Who was this person and what did they want with me?
"Are you alright?" He stopped eating to look at me. I got the feeling he was already suspecting something was up and I could not let him know. I put on a smile.
"I'm good. You worry too much." I said with forced cheer.
But he did not look like he was buying into it. "Are you sure? Because you look pale all of a sudden."
I had to find a way to make him believe it, else he would insist and until I understood what was happening, I could not let him know. Even though I was tempted to let him, I could not. He had stuck out his neck for me a lot. "I swear I'm fine." I insisted, throwing a small piece of my lamb at him to prove the point I was fine.
He seemed to believe me, and shrugged. "If you say so." He went back to his food.
Every once in a while, I stole glances at him. "How are you liking the food?"
"It's good." He nodded.
"I like it too." In honesty, the food was good but I had those two texts nagging the back of my mind. It had disoriented me, returning the mood Baron had struggled to bring me out of. I sighed. When would I have peace? I just hoped none of this would affect my mom. Speaking of which, why had she come into my room? Maybe she wanted to see me. Had she heard already? Had David told her? "Do you think your dad has heard?"
"About what happened today?"
"Yes." I nodded.
"I don't know. Maybe yes, maybe no."
"Why do you think my mother had come? Could it be she had heard and was here to talk about it?" I asked, feeling nerves disrupt every part of my system.
"Or maybe she had just come to check up on her daughter. It's been a while she'd saw you, you don't have to keep biting your nails and hitting your head over nothing."
"I do not bite my nails or hit my head." I countered.
"That was figurative."
"Oh." I went silent, picking at my food.
He noticed it and I heard him sigh. He held my hand and squeezed comfortingly. "Everything will be fine, Katherina. Trust me."
I smiled, staring into his face. "I hope so."