Page 23

The dim moonlight trickled through the kitchen windows, casting enlarged shadows across the floor and countertops. The tiled floors were cool to the touch under my bare feet. I needed water.

An unexpected jolt coursed through my veins as a figure was sitting at the counter. There was a bowl of cereal in front of him. His spoon was halfway to his mouth when he paused at the sound of my gasp.

“You should have seen your face.”

I opened the refrigerator. The light beamed at him, allowing me to see his flushed face and half-opened eyes.

“When did you get home?”

“Ten minutes ago.”

I wasn’t surprised because his bedroom was next to mine, and as a light sleeper, he often woke me up in the early hours of the morning.

He stood up to put his bowl in the sink, but in his drunken stupor, his foot hooked on the leg of his chair. My instincts kicked in and I dove for the cereal bowl and let him fall to the floor with a thud. His body would make less of a noise than shattered glass. My decision was justified.

“Ow.” he said, rolling himself into a ball on the floor.

“Get up, Asher.”

“No.”

The fall did nothing to sober him up. I debated leaving him there, but despite our differences, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I lifted him and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

His movements were unsteady, which worsened as we ascended the steps. It’s as if the steps were as unpredictable as the waves in the ocean. Despite his entire body weight being shoved against my side, I powered through and got him into his room. I launched him onto the bed. The mattress bounced for a moment as if it were a trampoline before it steadied. He rolled onto his back and groaned.

“Thanks.”

“Too bad you won’t remember this in the morning.” I said, backing away to his door. “You never do.”

??

10

“I don’t want just anyone to hold.”

Beautiful Soul, Jesse Mccartney

Sawyer

The morning emerged from its frosty slumber. The sun pierced through the clouds, painting the sky in hues of rose and amber. I inhaled the crisp air before entering the school library.

As I opened the door, the scent of aged paper enveloped me. My ears perked at the sound of hushed whispers and the turning of pages. I walked through the aisles of books, dragging my fingers along the aligned spines.

“I didn’t think you’d show up.”

I never noticed the slow huskiness in his voice until now. Every syllable he spoke was with purpose.

“I could say the same about you.”

I turned around. He was leaning against the shelf beside me with his hands tucked into his front pockets. His dirty blonde hair framed his piercing blue eyes. His chiseled features sculpted an air of confidence, as if he was aware of his natural beauty. The long-sleeved gray shirt clung to his silhouette like a second skin. Arrogance danced in his eyes as if he thought of something that amused him.

“You’re supposed to be checking out my essay.” He said. “Not me.”

I’d forgotten why I was here. The captivating literature distracted me.

“Hilarious.”

I approached the nearest table to hide my rosy cheeks. His mom asked me to help him out with an essay he was working on. I assumed she did it behind his back, so I never thought he’d show up.