All the Faint Lights

Chapter Twenty Seven
"Whoa," I muttered as I walked into another part of James' house and saw some guitars hanging on the wall, "Do you play?" I asked and James smirked and nodded his head, '...I never knew that he did...'

"I haven't in a while, all of them gifts, but, I still keep 'em," James said as he walked up next to me and I saw the six guitars hanging on the over his office desk.

"That's a-" my eyes widened and I walked over towards the last guitar and smirked. I held my hand out, wanting to touch it, but was too afraid.

"Figured you would notice that," James chuckled and then walked up behind me, "It was my first guitar, my Gramps gave it to me."

"That's a Marti dreadnought," I said and then felt James' chest on my back.

"Yup, Vintage," he said and I smiled brightly, "The first of my collection," James said and then reached up and grabbed the guitar, "Here, wanna hold it?"

"No, I don't wanna break it."

"You won't," James chuckled and I carefully the guitar and sat down in his desk chair, smiling as I gently strummed the chords.

"The original strings?" I smiled and James nodded his head.

"How can you tell?"

"A gift," I giggled and James said sat in front of me, pulling a chair from the corner of the room, "It's official, this is my favorite room."

"I figured you would say that," he laughed and I handed the guitar back to him. I thought James was going to put the guitar back, but he sat it on his lap and strummed the strings to an familiar melody.

"Picture perfect memories, scattered all around the floor. Reaching for the phone cause, I can't fight it anymore, and I wonder if I ever cross your mind, for me it happens all the time," James smiled towards me and I wondered how he knew this song, it was one that was on the album that I made and gave to Trisha, "It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now," he started to hum along as I sang the chorus, "I just need you now-"

"Another shot of whiskey, can't stop looking at the door. Wishing you'd come sweepin' in the way you did before. And I wonder if I ever cross your mind, for me it happens all the time-"

"You can sing?!" my eyes widened and I knew my mouth was opened.

"Not really-"

"Bullshit!" I yelled and James chuckled and then stood up, his face red and he hung the guitar back up, "No don't stop."

"It's fine, I can't-"

"James, you can!" I said and placed my hands on his chest, "And that song! How did you-"

"Trish gave me your cd a while ago- You're good, Car," he said and I blushed and looked down.

"Thanks," I breathed and then felt James' hands on my arms, he moved his hands up to my neck and I looked up towards him and felt his lips being pressed against mine, '...God I could kiss him forever...'

I wrapped my arms around his chest and pushed my body into mine. We pulled away when we heard Matilda, James' dog, bark. I turned to see that she was rocking back and forth on her front paws, her tail was wagging and she was whining.

"What?" I laughed and bent down to see her walk over and want to lick my face, "No, licking."

"If you're going to play with her, you might want to change, I don't want her ruining that dress," James said and I looked up towards him and nodded my head.

-James-
"You could wear these, might be a bit big, but-"

"They'll be fine," she smiled as I handed her some sweats and a t-shirt, "Can you unzip me?"

I nodded my head and she turned around and pulled her hair away, I gulped as I grabbed the zipper, my fingers were shaking and my heart was pounding. I pulled the zipper down to the small of her back and gulped when I saw the tan smooth marble skin of hers, her black lace bra, the hem of her black underwear, '...Oh my god...'

"Thanks James," I managed to hear and nodded my head.

"No problem," I gulped out, "I'll uh- let you change."

I walked out of the room and ushered Matilda out when she wanted to go in too. The door was only left open a crack and I debated with myself about peeking. I sighed and then decided to sit on the stairs and wait for her to come out. Matilda sat down next to me and laid her head on my lap, I smiled and scratched behind her ear, '...Should have grabbed some clothes while I was in there...'

"So I think I can rock your clothes," I heard and turned my head to see Caroline walking out of my room smirking. She had the t-shirt tied in the back with one of her hair ties, so it was tight against her and the sweats were rolled up onto her hips, I wanted to reach out and pull them down and have my way with her.

"Looks good," I said as I stood up and she walked over towards me and smirked.

"You wanna watch a movie?" I asked and Caroline smirked and nodded her head, "All right."

We walked down the stairs and I kept telling myself to take it slow, it was pretty late, but I didn't want her to go home. I looked at the clock on the wall as we walked back into the basement and saw that it was almost midnight.

Caroline sat on the couch while I walked over towards the movie case, I felt my phone buzz and grabbed it from my pocket seeing that I had a few there, Sidney and Trisha asking me how things were going. I smirked and replied to both saying that things were good, Trisha then responded asking when I was bring her sister back. I wanted to say never, but I just responded saying it was up to her sister. I turned back to Caroline and saw that she was petting Matilda, who had taken a spot on Caroline's lap, "What movie would you like?"

"You choose."

"Don't complain if you don't like the movie," I smirked and Caroline giggled and rolled her eyes.

I ended up smirking and picking the first Saw movie, hoping that she never saw it, '...This should be fun...' I smirked as I took the horror movie and stuck the disc into the dvd player.

"What did you pick?" Caroline asked as I turned the lights off, and sat on the end of the couch, right next to Caroline.

I turned my body a little rested my ankle on my knee, stretched my arm out on the top of the couch, behind Caroline's head and pressed play. She groaned and then shook her head when she saw the title of the movie pop up, "I asked you."

"Shut up," she said and I chuckled.

I watched as she stood up from the couch and I watched her confused as she walked over towards the other couch and grabbed the blanket and then came back and plopped back down, sliding her legs under her. I smirked when she leaned into my side and pulled the blanket over her. I chuckled when Matilda curled herself in a little ball behind Caroline's legs and lay her head on her thigh, '...Glad they like each other...'

Half way through the movie, Caroline had been squealing and hiding her face into my chest, under the blanket and in her hands, but then stopped. Matilda had given up and jumped off of the couch and went to her bed in the corner of the room, sick of being woken up and accidently kicked. I looked over towards Caroline, she was leaning against me, her hand was practically on my lap, head on my shoulder, her other hand on the couch, she was sleeping. I smiled and pressed the button for the reclining part and pushed the chair back, I kissed Caroline's head and then laid back and closed my eyes, happy that for once in a very long time, I was falling asleep with someone's company.

-Caroline-
I yawned and blinked my eyes opened, feeling light on my face and sitting up a little to see that I was in James' basement. I looked next to me to see that I arm my arm wrapped around his stomach and I was laying on his chest. James was stretched back in the reclining part of the chair, his arm thrown over his eyes and he was snoring lightly. I smiled and then rolled myself over so that I was facing James and laid back down.

Just as I had closed my eyes, James moved a little and I opened my eyes to see him sitting up and stretching his arms. He yawned and then smiled sleepily at me, "Morning," he muttered and then rubbed his face.

I giggled and then pushed myself up and then knelt on my knees and smiled towards James, "Morning."

"Sleep well?" he asked and I nodded my head.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No reason to apologize," James said and I blushed and nodded my head, "I'm glad you did," he muttered and I saw his face turn a little red, "I like you Caroline, I've liked you the second I saw you standing behind your sister's desk. I know I didn't show it, I was an asshole, but-"

"You talk too much," I muttered and placed my hand on his neck and pulled myself up to press my lips onto his. I felt James' hand on my thighs and he picked me up and placed me on his lap, I leaned over him, my hands on his neck and his on my thighs.

James pulled away and smirked at me, and then reached up and kicked my cheek, "I'm glad we started over."

I smiled and then the kissed his cheek, his neck and then brought my lips to his ear, "Me too."