Closer Than You Know

I woke up somewhere between five and six. I was still on the pool chair. This was not a dream. I went up to my bedroom to all back asleep. Connie woke me up around ten.
“Miss Melrose you need to get up for breakfast. The Lanes are here. You need to dress pretty!” She said in her Spanish accent.
“Connie, I am going back to bed,” I said pulling the blankets over my head.
“Princesa, you need to just relax and go see that, how do you say hot, fiancé of yours!” She said cheerfully as she sat on the edge of my bed. Connie worked her Spanish magic and got me out of bed. I threw on jeans and an old t-shirt from middle school. I’m not dressing pretty for the people who are going to ruin my lives.
On the dining room table was an elegant spread of food. Any kind of breakfast food you could want was there.
“Melrose, so glad you could join us!” My mother said. Everyone got up. I sat down in the seat next to Oliver.
“Morning,” He muttered.
“Good morning!” I said sarcastically.
“Sleep well?” He asked with a smirk as I grabbed the bowl of fresh strawberries.
“Extremely,” I said darting my eyes at him and then offering him the bowl.
“I’m allergic.”
“Well then ya better take them!” I said.
Our parents conversation came to a hault when Henry stood up.
“We have some more exciting news,” He started with a smile. Then he grabbed his wife’s hand. “With all the wedding planning going on for the wedding in January Melrose we have all decided it would be best if you came to live with us in New York,” He said smiling.
“I don’t see why I need to,” I shrugged. “Pennsylvania isn’t far from New York.”
“But we think it’s be more fitting if you went to school with Oliver and lived in the same setting. You need to develop a relationship,” Mrs. Lane said.
“Develop a relationship?” I scoffed. “This is being forced!” I then looked to my parents who remained silent. “You must love this. Finally getting rid of me.”
“Honey, that’s not it at all.” My mom started.
“Save it,” I said with tears in my eyes as I got up and walked back to my room.
~*~
One hour later and Kay was at my house with a box of tissues.
“I cannot believe they’re doing that! It’s so… so-“ I cut Kay off.
“Medieval. Ridiculous. Idiotic. Barbaric.”
“Exactly,” She said as she played with my hair. “But at least he is hot! Seriously that boy could do anything he wants to me any day,” She said.
“Ew, he’s an asshole,” I told her.
She looked down at me arching an eyebrow, “A very hot asshole.”
“I don’t wanna go,” I said.
“I honestly don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll visit me,” I looked up at her.
“I’m going to be your maid of honor!” She laughed. This made me smile. The thought of having Kay actually in my wedding was comforting even under these circumstances.
“I was actually thinking of my cousin, Tiffany!” I joked then she pushed me off of her lap and I rolled onto the floor. We were in hysterics at my fall we didn’t even realize someone was at my door.
Oliver poked his head in the room and just looked at us for a second with wide, disturbed eyes.
“My parents wanted you to know we are leaving for the city in an hour but someone will pack your stuff for you so just bring necessities.”
“I’m Kay and if you lay a hand on her I will kick you ass,” She said sitting up on my bed darting her eyes at him.
He looked at her with a ‘what-the-hell’ expression. “Don’t plan on it.” Then he shook his head and shut the door.
“He is soo fucking hot!” Kay exclaimed falling back on my bed but hitting her head on my headboard. This put us back into a hysterical fit, one of my final times in my own bedroom at home.
~*~
Against my mind I hugged my parents because in my heart I knew I’d miss them the moment I walked out of the door. We were driving back in the Lane’s limousine. They flashed their money by driving around in this car with a driver. My parents owned cars and drove it themselves. It was probably just a city thing. Oliver spent most of the ride texting as his parents made small talk. I put my headphones in and drowned the world out until I fell asleep.
I woke up when Oliver nudged me.
“Wake up,” He said. I was leaning on his shoulder. The car was parked and we were the only two in the car. “You’ve been drooling on me since we hit New York State.” This immediately made me shoot up and he laughed. I did not drool. I checked my mouth and I was dry.
We got out and we were outside of an apartment building. My light army jacket over my t-shirt and jeans felt like it wasn’t posh enough for this apartment. It was all marble.
“Welcome back Mr. Lane!” The Doorman greeted and Oliver just smiled with me in toe.
The lobby was pure marble with mirrors up the ceiling. It smelled like a hotel. In the elevator Oliver hit ‘PH’. Penthouse. I wouldn’t expect anything less from them.
The Penthouse was breathtaking. I stepped out of the elevator and gawked at the living room. It was furnished with white armchairs and two white sofas with intricate details, in the center was the coffee table. Behind everything was the huge window showing the view of the whole city.
“Good to see you awake, Melrose!” Henry said as he walked into the living room. “This is the living room and right in there is the dining room and kitchen. Oliver will show you to your bedroom before you get a tour of the apartment.” He smiled at me.

Then he disappeared. Oliver just sighed.
“He’s already disappearing to his office,” He said and then he walked down a long hallway and I followed him. “We talked about this in the morning. My parents think we should be sharing a conjoint room. I objected to the idea. I have a girlfriend. But they decided if we were to be married we should stay in the same room. My mom also said that there should be clothes in the closet and drawers in here for you that her assistants got while we were away.” He said opening the door to a very neat and orderly room. He had posters to bands on the wall. But other than that he had one huge wall that was just a window that was a spectacular view. The walls were navy blue but his bedding was silver.
“I want my own room,” I said.
“Take it up with them, Princess.” He then laid on his bed and put his phone up to his ear. “Yo bro, gig tonight?” He said into the phone. I walked out determine to find my way around this monstrous penthouse to find an adult who would give me my own bedroom.
~*~
Thirty minutes later and arguing with Mrs. Lane and Harry they agreed to give me my own room, that connected into Oliver’s by the bathroom. This made me more relaxed that one thing was going in my favor.
In my new room I stripped down and decided to take a hot shower. When I got out I realized that I had no clothes besides the ones in Oliver’s room. I poked my head out into his room through the other room. The coast was clear. I tiptoed quickly across the carpet to one of the two dressers to find some underwear. I opened one drawer and found Oliver’s boxer-briefs.
“Going through my underwear is a bit creepy don’t you think?” Oliver’s voice made me jump and almost lose my towel. “Look if you want to get naked on our first night just ask.” He smirked.
“I’m looking for clothes. Don’t flatter yourself,” I said. He pointed to the other drawer and then the door on the opposite wall. He was laughing at my uneasiness.
“I have a gig tonight at a club tonight. You don’t have to come.”
“I’ll come,” I said.
“Don’t dress like a twelve year old then,” He said turning around. “Leaving in twenty.”
“Asshole,” I muttered as a chill ran down my spine.
I was standing there naked with clothes in hand in Oliver’s room. I suddenly hated New York.