My Little Human Pillow

The rain fell in a hypnotic rhythm as the sky darkened, both from the clouds threatening a storm and from the approaching night.Many people disliked rainy days, but to me, they meant only one thing: spending time in my blanket fort, surrounded by pillows and cozy blankets, where I could hide away for hours with one of my favorite books.My grandfather George worked as a chauffeur for a very powerful family, and ever since my parents had died in a car accident, he had been the only family I had left. When he decided to take me in, he asked the Morgans for permission to let me live with him in the small cottage he occupied at the back of their estate. Fortunately, they had no objections, though they imposed one very clear condition: I was to stay away from the mansion and never enter it under any circumstances, except in the kitchen, where all the employees ate their meals.Our cottage stood beside the garage, where my grandfather was also responsible for looking after the family's num

The following morning, a few gentle knocks on the door woke me.I slowly opened my eyes and needed a few seconds to remember that Christopher had ended up spending the night with me. My back rested against his chest, and one of his arms remained firmly wrapped around my waist."Mia, are you awake?" a familiar voice asked from the other side of the door.It was Bea, one of my friends, who worked on the mansion's housekeeping staff.I carefully tried to pull away so I could get up, but Christopher reacted to my movement by holding me even tighter against him. I made a second attempt, and when it became clear that he had absolutely no intention of letting me go, I finally gave up."Come in, Bea."The door opened slowly, and my friend peeked inside, taking care not to make more noise than necessary. When she discovered Christopher sound asleep beside me, she smiled with a casualness that probably would have surprised anyone unfamiliar with the household.For those who worked at the Morgan

Once everyone had gathered at the mansion, I picked up my small suitcase and stopped in the living room doorway, not entirely sure whether I should go inside or wait for someone to tell me what to do.Most of the people there were Christopher's friends and were, on average, about four years older than me. To them, I was probably nothing more than a kid who hadn't even finished high school yet, and although I didn't like admitting it, they had a point.Christopher was the first to notice me and got up to come over."Guys, this is Mia. Mia, these are my friends.""Hi," I greeted them with a shy smile, raising my hand slightly.Most of them responded kindly, although Serena's sharp smile was far from welcoming."Well, well, Cris. You've been keeping this little secret to yourself," one of his friends commented, studying me with unabashed curiosity."Careful, Ryan. Mia is off-limits," Christopher replied with a sharpness that made me look up at him.I swallowed, surprised by a tone he rar

The following morning, I woke up to find the bed empty. I had no idea what time Christopher had gotten up, but I suspected he'd left fairly early to return to his bedroom before Serena discovered that he had spent another night with me.I lingered beneath the sheets for a few minutes, enjoying the peace and quiet, before getting up to start my day.Fortunately, the day passed without any major incidents, largely because most guests were still recovering from the previous night's party. Watching them emerge with dark circles under their eyes, expressions full of regret, and a desperate need for coffee made me grateful that I'd woken up feeling fresh as a daisy, although I had the good sense not to brag about it.I spent much of the morning playing backgammon with Jeff, Blair, and Tom, Blair's boyfriend. I discovered that all three were quite competitive, and that Jeff had the unpleasant habit of accusing anyone who beat him of cheating, which led to several ridiculous arguments and ple