Unrequited

chapter 8

My head whipped towards the bed like a startled deer. My breath caught. I couldn't believe my eyes. My room, my familiar space, yet something was off. Then I saw him, sprawled on my bed like he owned the place. Kenneth Andrews, with his infuriatingly handsome face and those piercing grey eyes that could pierce steel.

"Shut that damn alarm off!" I shrieked, the sound echoing in the pre-dawn quiet. "And more importantly, what the hell are you doing in my room, let alone my bed?!" My whisper-yell turned into a full-blown glare, but it seemed to have zero effect on him. He just sighed dramatically, sat up, and slid closer, his presence filling the room with a heady mix of citrus, wood, and cedar. I was lost in the trance of his cologne, barely daring to imagine what would happen if I met his gaze.

Shaking myself out of my stupor, I glared again. "Care to explain this unwelcome visit, Andrews?" I spat.

"I need you to come with me. Now," he muttered; his voice rough with sleep.

"At 4 am?!" I yelled, my eyes widening as I glanced at the clock. "Are you insane?!"

Before I could finish what I intended to say, a hand clamped over my mouth, silencing me. His warm breath tickled my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. He held me captive, his other hand resting behind my head. My heart hammered against my ribs, a mixture of fear and something else, something I couldn't decipher.

I struggled, trying to break free, but his grip was unyielding. "I'll let go," he whispered, his voice sending goosebumps erupting on my skin, "if you promise not to scream and come with me."

His words were like a siren song, stirring something deep within me. But I couldn't give in. I shook my head, and he shrugged. "Fine then, I won't."

I should have been furious, but the truth was, I didn't want him to let go. As long as he held me, I felt safe, strangely comforted. My hand, on its own accord, reached up to touch his face, but just as my fingertips brushed his cheek, reality slammed into me like a cold wave. I pushed him away, hard.

"You don't just break into someone's room and demand they follow you!" I hissed, putting as much distance between us as possible.

He regained his balance, his face now serious. "Are you coming or not?"

"No."

He smirked, and before I could react, the world tilted. He'd scooped me up like a rag doll, throwing me over his shoulder with practiced ease. My surprise turned into a shriek as I clung to his shirt.

"Kenneth, put me down!" I yelled, my voice muffled against his fabric.

"Not until you promise you'll come with me." His voice was stubborn, unwavering.

With a sigh, I relented. "But I need to change first."

Hearing this, he gently set me down on the bed. A happy grin spread across his face as he wrapped me in his arms. My body froze, my heart a hummingbird trapped in my chest. This man, was a walking enigma, a puzzle I could never solve.

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At nearly 6 AM, Kenneth's cheerful announcement, "We're here!" did little to dispel the confusion swirling in my head. The Welland canal viewing point, bathed in the pre-dawn darkness, offered no clues as to why we were there. Finally, I gave voice to my bewilderment, "Why are we here?"

His grin widened, revealing a dazzling set of teeth. "To see the sunrise, of course!" he exclaimed. My frown etched deep since our arrival, deepened further. "And why are we watching the sunrise... here?" I pressed, my voice laced with a touch of incredulity.

His eyes widened as if I'd sprouted a second head. "Because it's our thing?" he countered, a hint of bewilderment creeping into his voice. The confusion on his face was almost comical, and I fought the urge to burst into laughter. Our thing? As if we ever shared anything that could be called "ours." He was, after all, my ex-best friend's boyfriend and the love I once harbored for him had curdled into a bitter mix of regret and disillusionment, courtesy of his girlfriend's betrayal. 

 "Our thing?" I scoffed, feeling the phantom sting of betrayal from his girlfriend echoing in my chest. "Kenny, it's been seven years. We've changed, everything's changed. And sunrises? I haven't chased them in years. Not since I realized..." My voice trailed off, my eyes drifting towards the horizon where the sun was beginning its ascent, painting the sky in fiery hues. "Not since I realized I could never have it," I whispered, the words hanging heavy in the air.

Kenneth's body shifted beside me, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his eyes. I met his gaze, expecting to find anger or even dismissal, but instead, I saw only confusion. His brow furrowed, and the realization slammed into me like a tidal wave. This wasn't just about sunrises.

"I think we should leave," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper. My gaze sought refuge outside the window, unwilling to face the unspoken emotions swirling between us.

"But-" Kenneth began, but I cut him off. "Please, Kenneth. I don't have the energy for anything that might waste my time right now." My words were firm, a finality echoing in them. The only thing I needed right now was to escape, to put distance between me and the ghosts of our past. And that meant getting back in his car and driving away, leaving the sunrise, and with it, a part of myself, behind.