Page 86 of Eye of the Hurricane
“I have to run home to grab my clothes before I come to your house,” I announce, breaking off from the group in the parking lot.
We’reall lounging around the living room watching a movie now. Katherine is next to me but due to her parents’ presence, we’re leaving room for Jesus. There is a tenseness to her that I’m not used to seeing. She’s usually so confidentin her plan and path that things seem to roll off of her with ease. Her parents seem to break that.
“We should all head to bed, long day tomorrow,” her mom announces as soon as the credits begin to roll. I expect someone to go against her, say they aren’t ready for bed or that they’re too old for a bedtime. They don’t though, she says jump and everyone already knows how high somehow.
Everyone heads to their respective rooms and closes their doors. I lie down on the air mattress. The vinyl of the mattress crinkles at every movement I make.
I try to turn my brain off to fall asleep. Which is never really an issue for me. I’m not easily stressed out. Seeing Kat so uncomfortable has me uneasy though. That’s not the way I like to see her.
So I lie there with my eyes open, staring at the ceiling and thinking of a certain blonde for hours. Until my phone vibrates next to me.
Katherine
Are you awake?
Ares
Yeah, I’m awake. Are you okay?
Katherine
I don’t know.
The three dots appear and disappear a dozen times before she finally sends a second message.
Katherine
I don’t know if this is allowedbut I miss you.
Ares
They’re your rules, Kat. You can do whatever you want.
Ares
For what it’s worth though, I miss you too.
Katherine
Will you come to my room?
Ares
Are you trying to sneak around with me, Kitty Kat? (;
Katherine
If I was having a better day I’d yell at you for that. They sleep like the dead, they won’t know.
I shut the office door behind me, trying not to make a single sound. I tip-toe across the living room and to her bedroom door. I open and shut it as quietly as possible.
I turn to face the bed and there’s Kat, laying there in a yellow and orange nightgown. It’s pushed up far enough on one side that I can see the lace detail on her panties. I snap my eyes away and back to her face.
“Will you lay with me?” she asks. I pull back her comforter and get in next to her. She doesn’t waste a second, she curls right up to my side and lays her head on my chest.
When every muscle in her body relaxes I think she might be about to fall asleep. But then I hear a muffled cry with a shake of her.
“Come here,” I say, pulling her closer to me, wrapping my arms around her.
