The Book Fight

CHAPTER 12: Sleeping Beauty

SEKANI

I am on a bed but it’s not mine.

I know this because my bed is not as big or as soft as the one I’m currently submerged in. Yi’s has silk sheets, so I’m scared to open my eyes to find out where I really am.

I just really hope it’s not the bed everyone hooks up on at the Smith’s Lake House. I would have preferred to sleep on the side of the road since it’s way more sanitary.

I stretch my hand to my left and its empty but when I stretch it to my right I touch someone. I feel skin contact and its firm but smooth.

“Shit.” I peel my eyes open and push down the covers over me.

It seems I’m in a black sweatshirt and skinny jeans but my right leg is draped over the person next to me. The weird part is, the person has it firmly locked in between his slender thighs.

I shut my eyes again and turn to the empty side of the bed. The room is pitch black so I’m not sure if it’s still night or now day.

“For fucksake, do you always move around like that when you get up?” A raspy voice speaks when I try to remove my leg. “My mom likes you but she’ll be pissed if you break anything.”

I sigh in relief when I hear it clear up.

“Aston?” I check behind me and touch his head to feel the short strands, he even releases my leg from his iron thigh grip.

“Yes Sekani, its me.” Aston tugs the covers over our bodies.

I have never in my entire life, been so glad to hear his voice like I am now.

“Why is your room so dark?” I try to rub off the ache on the side of my head.

“Dark walls, thick black curtains, closed doors, take your pick.” His raspy voice fades into the pillow.

“What time is it?” I feel my watch and it’s there, right next to my friendship bracelet.

So far, so good.

“Sekani. I spent the night taking care of you, which means I went to bed really late.” He pulls the covers over his head. “I don’t know what time it is but your phone is under the pillow and your shoes are under the bed now stop it.”

I want to scold him for snapping at me especially after all he has done but I decide maybe it is too early for this. Plus, this headache is splitting my head in half.

“Fine.” I pull out my phone and press the middle button but it doesn’t switch on so I close my eyes again and listen to my head pound and pound and pound.

“Sorry, I get cranky when I don’t get enough sleep.” Aston presses something that turns on the LSD lights under his bed. “I didn’t mean to be so curt.”

Curt? He was being an asshole.

“You must not get ‘enough sleep,’ a lot then.” I throw the covers off me to purposely hit him with the blankets.

“You probably have a headache,” I feel the bed shift. “I have aspirin in the bathroom, do you want me to switch on the main light?”

“No, I’ll explode if you do.” I squeeze my eyes shut because I remember how bright his overhead chandelier is.

“Good, I like the dark.” Aston returns from the bathroom with a bottle of painkillers, a glass of water and dare I say a softer attitude.

“Thanks,” the light dim blue light is easy on the eyes.

“Sure and my mom probably made food. She knows you are here, so you can just go down to eat.” I notice he is shirtless again, “I’ll take you home when you are ready.”

Rewind.

“Kim saw me drunk?” I fall back on the bed and cover my face with my hands.

What a horrible way to make an impression, I really like his parents.

“No, she heard me carry you in and I played Family Guy as you threw up half your body weight.” Aston sits on the bed after putting everything on his bedside table. “Then I went and knocked on their door to inform them you were sleeping over.”

“And what did they say?” I know he can’t see me but I am truly embarrassed.

“I love Sekani, of course it’s alright even though you are not asking.” He imitates Kim’s chipper voice so I can’t help but smile. “Now go away! Father threw a pillow at the door.”

“Thank you,” I remove my hands from my face. “For taking care of me all night, for giving me a sweater, for everything else you did that I don’t know about.”

I genuinely don’t remember anything but him being there.

“Well, you did faint into my arms and I was ready to go home so it all worked out.” Aston yawns. “It’s really no big deal.”

“But it is. You saw me throw up,” I watch him lay down. “You carried me up a flight of stairs and—”

“Do you by any chance remember anything? Before you blacked out, I mean.” He turns his body to me.

“Just MJ taking my photo then nothing,” I keep my eyes on the ceiling.

My head hurts so much, I don’t even want to remember anything.

“Then you and I are good Sekani,” Aston clears his throat. “Now, either go get food and let me take you home or go back to sleep.”

But everything hurts.

I bury my face in a pillow and realize my hair is in a bun on top of my head. “Aston, did you tie my hair up with a t-shirt?” I asses the thing around it.

“Rest Sekani,” he turns the LSD lights off.

“Fine.” I close my eyes and doze off immediately.

I am still annoyed but I am also very tired and this bed is the most comfortable thing in the world.

“Mom, I told you we are alright and we’ll come down once Sekani is awake.” I wake up to Aston’s whisper.

“I know but it’s almost 1pm. Are you sure she is not sick? And that her parents know she is okay?” I know that’s Kimberly’s whispery voice.

“Yes. I texted her best friend to tell them and she said they are away this weekend, so everything is sorted now please stop checking on us and let Sekani sleep.” Aston doesn’t bother to whisper then.

“You really like her don’t you?” I am surprised by Kim’s question.

“Mom,” Aston’s tone deepen.

“When you said she was sleeping over, I thought you meant in the multiple guestrooms we have because you never let anyone in your bed but imagine my surprise, when I came to check up on you to find her too.”

“Is it a problem that we slept in the same bed?”

“We both know it’s not,” Kim answers. “Just let yourself be happy Aston and don’t let Sekani spend the whole day without eating.”

I wait for a response but only hear the door close.

I feel Aston walk back to bed and lay down close to me. I stay completely still as he grabs the covers and pulls them higher on my body.

“I don’t regret setting my eyes on you Sekani,” he assures.

I remember bits and pieces from last night but it’s clear I missed something big because Aston’s sentence sounds familiar.

I don’t know how I fall asleep again but I do and the only reason I wake up is because of my need to pee.

Since it’s back to being dark, I use memory to get to the bathroom but Aston must have a problem with light because his bathroom is just as dark. I find the switch just by the door and the brightness that explodes, nearly blinds me.

“f**k!” I stumble against the marble counter top.

“Sekani?” Aston is by the door in a second. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” so much for trying not to wake him up. “It’s just the light but I’m okay.” I open my eyes slowly as his footsteps move away.

I come face to face with my reflection and to my surprise, I don’t look as bad I expected.

The eyeshadow shimmer is all over my face but other than that, mascara is not running down my under eyes like I expected. My baby hairs are still intact and my eyes are not as puffy.

Aston must have washed my face after the throwing up but I still do it again and the cold water feels amazing on my hot skin.

I shrug off the sweater and thankfully my top is still on. It can be undone by a pull of a string in the back so it’s a miracle it still is, which I sense is the reason why he put the sweatshirt over me in the first place.

“Last night was crazy,” I wipe my face. “Aston?” I call.

“Yeah?” He is at the door in a second.

“I’m going to hop in the shower, is that alright?” I’m already unbuttoning my jeans and pulling the back knot of my top.

I need to cool down, the hot flashes are too much.

“Of course, everything you need is in the cardboard under the sink. Do you want me to grab you a few clothes to change into?” He hesitates as I turn the shower on and grab a towel.

“Yeah, a t-shirt should be okay.” I drop my underwear and step in.

I don’t know how long I take but it’s all misty when I get out but I feel amazing and new. I wipe the mirror and grab the toothbrush by the sink but its only when I’m rinsing, that I comprehend what I just did.

Oh lord.

“Is everything okay?” Aston asks when I walk into the room only in a towel.

He tries his best not to look but I didn’t really do a good job at drying myself off, so I am dripping.

“I just brushed my teeth,” I confess but Aston remains unaffected. “With your toothbrush.” I point out.

“Oh,” his bushy brows scrunch a little. I brace myself for the scolding or signs of repulsion but all he says is “alright then” as he hands me a pile of folded clothes.

I return back to the bathroom and put on the black shorts and a large grey graphic t-shirt.

“Okay, if we don’t go down and eat, my mother is going to come up here and force feed us.” Aston is still shirtless. “Well, force feed you.”

“I am starving,” I try not to notice how he is still in last night’s jeans or how the band of his Calvin Klein underwear is showing.

“Do you want me to put a shirt on?” Aston stands to give me a full view of his sculpted body.

No. I will never want that because his body is—

“It’s probably best you do,” I turn away but I hear him snicker behind me. “Is there something funny?”

“No but let me grab a quick shower before we head downstairs,” Aston opens a drawer and takes out a toothbrush still in its packet. “Oh, last night Yi was a little drunk but I did tell her you were coming home with me so you better check in since it’s almost 6pm.”

“My phone is dead.”

“I charged it.” Aston stops by the door to add, “I think I like my clothes better on you.”

“I think I do too,” I glance at the mirror in the corner. “I just might keep them.”

“No objections here,” he closes the door after giving me wink.

Fighting my blush, I grab my phone on the bed and dial ‘Sunny Soon-Yi.’ Since my father is out of town, she is supposed to be staying at my house till Monday but it’s not a coincidence she hasn’t called yet.

She is probably still deep in cuddles because Ryder treats her like princess especially when she sleeps over after a night out.