Chapter 204 Warmth at Midnight

Chapter 204 Warmth at Midnight
Laurette’s POV

The sound of an object falling to the ground pulls me from my slumber with a start, causing me to bolt forward, my frantic eyes looking around my room in search of him. 

Nothing. He wasn’t here yet. 

Heaving a sigh, I lean down to find the source of the noise. My phone lies a few feet away from the bed, and I assume I must have knocked it off the drawer as I nodded off. I tap the screen as I bring it up, frowning at the time. 

It was five minutes past midnight already. 

“Why isn’t he here yet?”  I muse, staring longingly at my open window. The cool breeze fans my face and hair, and my nose picks up the faint smell of petrichor, subtly announcing the coming of rain much later. 

I unlock my phone and find Hosea’s name, tapping the call button beneath. It rings a few times, but eventually moves to voicemail on my last trial. 

I rake a frustrated hand through my hair, pressing my heavy eyes shut and looking up to the ceiling. I’m stuck between being angry and being worried about him, but I fear the anger is slowly overpowering the concern. 

Placing my phone back on the drawer, I adjust beneath the duvet, deciding that I’m just going to go to bed instead. But even then, I only end up tossing and turning throughout till I find myself laying awake with my eyes glued to the ceiling. 

“I was literally nodding off two minutes ago why am I wide awake now?”  I grumble out loud, frowning at the ceiling. 

“I specifically told you not to wait up”. 
My eyes snap to the window, where a thick mass of jet black curls and black sweats was climbing through my window with feline grace. 

“Ahh!”  I shriek, sitting up in a flash as my heart nearly bursts out of my chest. I settle into a fit of heavy breaths when my eyes register Hosea, who was now staring at me with a blank look on his face. “You scared me”. I wheezed. 

“I thought you were waiting for me?” He yanks down the zip of his hoodie, pulling it off his shoulders and draping it over the back of my chair. 

“Was not”. I lie, looking away from him. I feel the bed dip in front of me, the scent of mint and clean leather enveloping me as Hosea crawls over to me on the bed. 

“You definitely were.”  He breathes in my face, brushing his nose against mine. He regards me with a long look, skimming over the contours of my face before leaning back. He sighs, adjusting to sit beside me on the bed. “I’m sorry”. He looks down, studying his hands. 

“You’re late”. I chide. 

“I’m sorry for that too.”  He turns to look at me. “I couldn’t make it obvious who you were in front of…”

“I figured it was because of your guest”. I pick up after he trails off, my eyes studying his face as I ask my next question. “Who was he?”

Hosea sighs, looking tormented by the subject. For a moment I think he wouldn’t give me an answer, but then he speaks, “Technically my boss”. 

Oh. 

“Technically?”

“He’s my boss’s right hand man. He comes down here once in a while to check how things are going.”

“Ohh…”. I press my lips together, looking around as I think of a response. All I have are questions, but as I recall when Hosea told me to stop asking questions I didn’t need the answers to, I gradually shove them down. I take my phone in my hands, flipping it around in my fingers. “I wondered why you didn’t call.”

“I was… occupied. I’m sorry”. He rasps, raking a hand through his hair. 

I nod, even though I can tell there is more to his words. “Are you gonna keep skipping school?”

He lifts his eyes to mine, and there is a slight surprise in them, even though his lips pull up.  “I must’ve missed enough times for it to seem like a habit, huh?”  

“I’m surprised Dorian hasn’t called you”. I tease, making him laugh as he nods, 

“Yea”. 

A gentle silence settles between us, the low buzz of the ceiling fan being the only notable sound. 
Hosea pushes off the bed completely without a word, and I watch with confusion as he begins adjusting the sheets, walking over to my side. “Lay down”. 

I do as he says without protest, mainly because my body is growing weaker by the second. It feels like sleep is slowly drawing closer now that I have seen him. 

He adjusts the duvet over me, lowering unto his knees and leaning down to be on eye level with me. “What are you doing this weekend?”

I blink. “Hm? This weekend?” He nods, awaiting my response. “I’m not sure… I haven’t made any plans yet.”

“Don’t make any. I’ll come pick you up at 5 on Friday”. 

Friday is two days away, but I can’t contain my curiosity. “Where are we going?”

He pushes my hair back from my forehead, his tender smile melting my insides. “You’ll see. Pack for a few days.”  He stands to his feet, glancing at the corner of my room, where the bags are arranged. His smile turns impish as he looks back at me. “And bring that black dress with the lace hem along.”

I part my lips to ask why, but my voice catches when he leans down to press a chaste kiss on my lips. And before I can utter another word, he is flying through the window and disappearing into the night. 

I let out a breath, but feel the heat rising to my cheeks so violently that I have to press my face into the pillow. I giggle into it, kicking my feet like a little girl at the giddiness spreading through me. 
And just before I eventually give in to sleep, I notice my desk chair in the corner of my room. 
Where his hoodie still hangs.