Sarawat's Story

Part XX: Easy Like Friday Morning

Friday morning arrived bathed in sunlight that silhouetted everything in my apartment with a white haze, made worse through my tired eyes. Rapidly blinking was of no help, so I squinted and tried to acclimate to the new day. Any other Friday morning, I would have pulled the covers over my head or hid my face in the pillow until the sun was higher in the sky, but once I realized I was alone in bed, I was more alert than usual. Straddling the space between consciousness and sleep, I craved a few more precious moments to bask in the warmth of my bed, especially the area where Tine had slept and only left a few moments before. I hugged his pillow, inhaling his scent, and I listened to the sounds of the shower.

Whether I fell asleep again, I am unsure. But it felt as though I had blinked, and then I heard the door unlock. Tine floated out, dressed in his uniform. The white of his shirt was blindingly bright, and he looked like he was glowing. He walked to the kitchen cabinet and pulled down a cup. After pouring himself a cup of juice from the fridge, Tine leaned against the counter and started tapping on his phone.

I exhaled long and slow, and in a raspy voice, I said, "Tine, don't go."

Tine continued to look at his phone. I was unsure he had even heard me. Then he said, "I've got a class I can't miss."

I groaned. "Just skip it."

Tine put his cup on the counter. He walked towards me, and the closer he got, the clearer my eyes could see his face. I inclined my upper body onto my elbows; the excitement of Tine returning to bed had my brain and body alert. Tine bent down towards me – Oh my god, I'm about to get a morning kiss, I assumed – but then he flicked my forehead and sucked his teeth.

"The first rule of dating was that we wouldn't skip our classes, remember?" Tine asked. "It's only the first day, and you already want to break a rule."

I sighed, falling back onto my pillow. "When am I gonna see you again?" I asked as I stared at the ceiling.

Tine walked back to his cup of juice and sipped it. "Why don't we meet up after the game tonight?" he asked.

"But that's so far away," I whined.

Tine burst into laughter, and I rolled onto my side to watch him. He walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. I scooted close to him, burying my face into his side until he pushed me away with a scoff. "Don't mess up my shirt," Tine growled, straightening the fabric where my face had crumpled it. "When did you become such a baby?" he teased.

"Whatever," I mumbled.

Tine ruffled my hair, and I exhaled happily. He smiled, then asked, "What are you gonna do today?"

"Wait for you," I replied.

Tine shot me a dirty look, then laughed. He stood up, and before I could pull him back to the bed, he dodged my hands. I scowled as he walked to the front door and started putting on his shoes.

"Try to be productive today," Tine said. "At least get out of bed."

I grunted.

Tine rolled his eyes as he turned and reached for the doorknob.

"Wait!" I yelled, bolting out of bed. I wrapped my arms around him before he could react and buried my face in the nape of his neck. His body tensed. "Can I at least get a hug from my boyfriend?" I asked.

Tine's body relaxed as he sighed. He slowly spun in my arms until we were face to face. His cheeks were as red as his lips. He hugged me back. "Now, can I go to school, y'big baby?" he teased.

"Fine," I frowned as I released him.

Tine rolled his eyes but ruffled my hair again. "I'll see you tonight." He turned and walked out of the door, leaving me standing with a smile on my face. I wanted him to turn around and burst through the door, telling me that he had changed his mind and would spend the day in bed with me. But after a minute of nothingness, I walked over to the bed and plopped down.