Along came Avery

3 6 . h i s l i p s

I can't sleep. I can't sleep.

I came in here, took a quick sizzling hot shower again, hardly washing off the cold sensations because the feeling of Avery's hands, and changed into a nightdress this time around, thinking that I'll find it easier to sleep after what happened but no. My mind won't let me sleep. My mind keep replaying what happened, echoing what he said.

Avery. What an idiot, who made me an idiot.

I have to kiss him. I have to. The more and more I think about what Nate did, the more I feel like I have the right to also cheat. To also kiss and not tell. To do what Avery has been tempting me. To take his offer and kiss him. Sleep with him. Something!

I'm so desperate and it's infuriating. But I'll be satisfied if he kisses me. I know this.

After more seconds just laying g on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, I decide to reach over to my phone on the side table and click to see the time. 03:17am. It's still three! It's been three for the past hour — no it hasn't, but it feels like it has. The sun is yet to rise in a few hours and I have not a wink of sleep in my eyes.

I have to kiss him. It just makes sense to do that. Act now, regret later.

I get up, pulling my dress down and then silently moving to my door. I slowly open the door and then leave it partially closed. After tiptoeing to my brother's room, I take a pause to listen. Considering she was awake moment ago, like a good hour ago, maybe she is still awake or maybe she went back to sleep. I can't know, at this point.

My hand gently grabs hold of the handle, and I twist it before sticking my head in. After seeing no signs of movement in the rather dark room, I walk further in before closing the door behind me. The room is only lit with those bright lights in the garden, so huge shadows cast over the room.

My eyes wander to the bed. Avery isn't here. The balcony door is open, but he can't possibly be outside once again, even after we were caught red handed. Maybe he's out to just get air? He did say he has insomnia, didn't he?

I walk further towards the balcony, my feet softly tapping against the tile ground and then I try to peep my head out. There's no signs of the boy.

"What—" I squeal, turning around to see him exit the bathroom silently. "—are you doing?"

"I was just... coming to make sure you're okay and all."

"By tiptoeing?" He walks further to the bed and places picks up his phone off the side table. Meanwhile, I take in his physique covered in his plain tank top and boxers. He's still wearing my brother's stuff like it's his own. "Seems like you're doing something you shouldn't."

I hum a bit. Avery sighs softly, then sits at the edge of the bed and glances up at me. With the reflections of the bright light, I can see his displayed pupil. I mean, why does he have the lights off, to begin with? Sure there's enough light provided but he can't see in the dark, naturally.

"I actually came to say thank you." Excuses. You were wrapped around him a good hour ago.

"You've already thanked me."

"No, I mean... for what you did. Five years ago. It took me some time to process and understand the depth of the situation." I scratch my forehead a bit, shifting my gaze away from his unblinking eyes. "You did something very, very few people would do. I know you were keeping a promise you made with her but still. You didn't even have to. You really could have outed me the moment they questioned you. You could have told them it was me. I could have paid the price of what I did, really. You didn't have to take the downfall..." I slow down when I see Avery stand to his feet and manoeuvre his way towards me. "I can't... the times you paid for my mistakes, I can never give them back to you, but I can only show you the amount of gratitude to deserve for what you did."