The Loner and Her

Chapter Fourteen : The Morning After

The sound of repetitive knocking wakes Gia up from her deep slumber. She groans a bit, wiping at her eyelids groggily, before saying, "What?"

"Giuliana! It's nine in the morning. Your boyfriend's already up- he even made breakfast!" It's silent for a moment, then she hears a hushed whisper through the white hallow wood, "He's a keeper, dear."

Groaning, Gia leans against her pillow, then stares up at the ceiling.

After using the restroom to do her morning routine within fifteen minutes, Gia exits the guest bedroom and walks towards the small kitchen.

"Hey, Gran," She says, leaning over to kiss her grandmother on the cheek in greeting.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," Carol says, sarcastically.

Gia rolls her eyes, "It's not even late," she says, as she glances at the clock over the stove. 9:24, it reads.

She, then, notices Griffin standing by the sink, as he places some cereal in a bowl for her. Noticing her staring he smirks, ever so slightly, in her direction, "Here. Made you some cereal," he gives her the bowl of corn flakes and Gia laughs.

Why did her grandma say he was a keeper if all he made was cereal?

"Thanks," she whispers before walking over to the kitchen table to sit with Carol. After making himself a bowl as well, Griffin quickly follows, and they all begin conversation.

"How was the sofa?" Gia asks him.

Griffin grins, "Pretty good. I forgot I was sleeping on a pull-out for a while until I fell asleep.

They both continue to grin mischievously as they remember what happened hours earlier.

Nine Hours Ago

At twelve-thirty in the morning, Gia cannot fall asleep.

She's tossed and turned the passed two hours, trying her best to knock out, but no such luck had happened.

Eventually, she got out of bed and exited the guest-bedroom, thinking a glass of water or maybe a midnight snack, would do the trick.

She passed by the living room before entering the kitchen, and noticed the television was still on, but mute, and a fully awake Griffin is sat up on the pull-out bed.

With her tired eyes hazy, she squinted as he mumbled into the dark, "Griffin? Are you awake?"

He's startled at first, but quickly composed himself at the sight of Gia standing there, in her pajamas.

"Uh," he cleared his throat, "Yeah. Couldn't sleep," he muttered.

Gia nods her head, "Same here," she said as she entered the living room.

"What time do you usually fall asleep?" He asked her.

She shrugged as she took a seat on the other sofa to the side of the pull-out bed, "Eleven, if I'm lucky. Usually, though, it's around midnight, but on my worst nights, it can be between three to the early morning."

"You?" She asked him, curiously.

"My usual time is, like, three."

"Why didn't you ever call me, like I said?" Gia asked him.

He narrows his eyes, "Why didn't you?"

Touché, Gia couldn't help but think to herself.

She decided to change the subject, "Why did you lie to my dad?"

Griffin didn't reply at first. He looked around the room, basically at everywhere else but her, "I don't know."

Gia couldn't help but say, "That's not an answer."

Griffin's head turned sharply in her direction. The look on his face was as if he was surprised she said that.

"Does there need to be an answer?" He grumbled.

Gia sighed, "There's always an answer."

Griffin scoffed and rolled his eyes all at once. "No. There's just a relevant answer, bullshit, and then more bullshit."

Gia narrowed her eyes in annoyance, "I don't understand."

"People make up excuses for themselves. Sometimes they're real ones, and other times, they're simply false or half-hearted."

Gia ran a hand through her messy hair, "So, what? You're saying that you don't want to lie to me?"

"Sure."

Gia groaned as she tilted her head back in irritation, "Are you always like this at almost one o'clock in the morning?"

"Like what?" He almost laughed.

She couldn't help but groan again, "You're so annoying!"

He let out a small chuckle, "I'm just teasing you, Giules."

She ran a hand down her makeup less face, tiredly, "By what? Having a pointless conversation with me that kind of makes no sense?"

Griffin smirked just a bit, "I like pissing you off."

She scowled, "Just answer the question. It's a simple one."

Griffin huffed quite loudly in response. He seemed to not want to explain himself. "I just thought you'd want to impress your dad."

Gia's eyebrows raised in surprise, "What?"

Griffin shrugged in return, "Yeah. You know, now he thinks his daughter is dating the son of one of the best lawyers in the state. I was helping you."

Gia mumbled sourly, "I didn't need your help."

Griffin snorted, "Yeah, you did. Giules, you looked like a deer caught in head lights at the sight of your father. And with the way he was looking at me, before he knew who I was, I just know you had to impress him, some how."

She remained quite after that. Glancing over at her, he noticed the far away look in her eyes. "You shouldn't have to impress your father, Giules."

She breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth. The crush she has on him is slowly getting to the best of her. "What if it's the only thing to keep him around?"

"But he's not around," he stated with irritation.

"But what if I can- "

"You're seventeen, Giules. If he's not coming around now, then he never will."

She turned her head to glare at him, "You don't know anything!" She shouted, but then cringed when realizing they could easily wake up her grandmother.

His eyes narrowed, "I know enough. I know you like to pretend it doesn't bother you that he's across the country, when it does. I know you hate the way he treats you, as if you're just some old friend. I know a lot, Giuliana. So don't pull that bullshit with me."

"You don't get it- "

"Stop saying that- "

"He's not my real dad!" Gia finally admitted, something that had been hanging over her head for far too long now.

She placed a hand over her mouth as her eyes welled up in tears. She's admitted so much to Griffin in one night, it's insane. She felt as if her brain is going to explode as her heart began to pump wildly in her chest.

"What?" Griffin asked, shocked.

She sniffed, pulling her long sleeve shirt she borrowed from her grandmother down to her wrists as she wiped her cheeks. "Please, Griffin. Drop it."

So he did.

It was a long and awkward fifteen minutes of just the two of them sitting there. Too awake to sleep and too lonely to be in separate rooms.

"When I was younger, my mom would sing to me to make me fall asleep," Griffin admitted, a bit embarrassed.

Gia looked up, no expression on her features as she simply stared at him, "What did she sing?" She asked.

He blushed, "Beatles' songs."

At that response, Gia grinned so hard she thought her cheeks would remain as squished as they were. "That's...amazing."

With hesitation, Griffin stretched out his arm to Gia. He grabbed her wrist and tugged her over to him, shocking her as he did so.

"Let's sing."

The two of them, very awkwardly, began leaning against the back of the couch while sitting on the pull-out bed. They were so close together, Gia could feel Griffin's upper arm as she leaned her head on it. He wrapped an arm safely around her, bring her just a little closer to him, but no too much.

They both sat there for at least a minute. Both unsure of how to start, secretly embarrassed to sing in front of the other.

Sighing to herself, Gia started in a soft mediocre voice, "Yesterday...all my troubles seemed so far away..."

He cleared his throat, waited a moment, and then continued the song, "Now it looks as thought they're here to stay..."

"Oh, I believe in yesterday."

"Why she-she... h-had to go...I don't know...she wouldn't say..." Griffin stuttered.

"I said, something wrong, now I long...for yesterday..."

They continued for a couple verses, until Gia suddenly feel soundly asleep. Griffin became exhausted, and swiftly picked Gia up and brought her to the guest-bedroom.

Present time

She still can't believe he sang to her, well, they sang together. She hopes he'll never bring up the discussion of her father until she's good and ready. She just isn't sure how long that will be.

This passed sixteen hours have been the most draining and exhausting she's ever been through. Will he ever understand her and her emotional difficulties? Will she do the same for him?

Her crush on him only multiplied after singing together and waking up to realize he was gentlemanly enough to carry her to her own bed.

Is she being selfish? Hiding him away and being the only friend he has. Maybe she should help him get out there more. Maybe, he can find some friends...or maybe someone he'll be interested in as more than a friend.

He's her best friend, and he deserves so much more. So much...

"Thanks for the cereal, Griffin," Carol says to the him, breaking Gia out of her thoughts.

He gives her a curt nod in return. Griffin hesitates, before saying, "Thank you for letting me stay the night here."

Carol raises her eyebrows in surprise. She knows the young man sitting in front of her rarely ever speaks, she has observed.

"Anytime, dear." And she meant it.

Carol left the kitchen, passing by the television only missing by a few seconds of breaking news.

Good morning, New York. Kaitlin here and I have the continuation of news from last night's story of what happened at the Mayor's Birthday Celebration.

Griffin and Gia both jump out of their seats, and run into the living room, to face the television. They both had forgotten to check the news last night to see what had happened.

Vitto Orlando was taken into custody last night, along with a few other nameless beings who have not been leaked yet due to the police wanting to keep confident.

Gia scowls to herself. Vitto Orlando? He works for her grandfather...

"Orlando and the other are accused of being involved in the shooting of Michael Caro, which led to his death in October 2014. Michael Caro was known for being in organized crime and there is reason to believe that is the cause of his death. Orlando and the others, are given reason to believe they are apart of organized crime as well."

Gia's eyes widen and Griffin looks confused.

"I don't get it? Why did our parents have to stay when this doesn't involve them?"

Gia simply glares at the white wall behind the television. All of what had happened is simply making more sense as she thinks about it.

"Oh, I have an idea."