𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 | ✓

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩 𝟐𝟓

It's getting closer to winter, making it cold and wet outside. But I can't complain all that much, I love the snow.

Benny comes to a stop outside, and after I thank him, I climb out of the heated car and into the crisp air. With a shiver, I wrap my arms tightly around my body and quicken my pace up the footpath to Luka's front door.

It's been a few days since Ryder's been gone, and I've spent almost every night on the phone with him, sitting in bed, smiling at the phone like an idiot until I fall asleep. It had been normal until last night, when I suddenly woke up in another panic again.

My first initial thought was to call Ryder. Despite it being five in the morning, he answered almost straight away and managed to calm me down and get me back to sleep like usual.

But staying in the apartment alone was slowly driving me crazy, so I decided to spend the night at Luka's. Plus, I haven't seen him much lately and I've missed him so maybe we can make up for the time we've lost these last few weeks.

As I stepped inside his apartment, a comforting warmth enveloped me, making me smile. I slip off my shoes and shut the door behind me before making my way up the stairs. As I reached the top, I noticed Luka sitting comfortably on the couch with his laptop open in front of him.

However, as soon as he caught sight of me, he hastily shut the screen and moved it aside with a warm smile on his face.

"Hi." He greeted me, welcoming me over to the couch beside him. With a quick smile, I plopped myself down next to him, pulling the blanket over my body and once I'm comfortable and content, I finally respond, "Hi."

When it would get really cold and snowy outdoors, we used to do this all the time when we were kids — cuddle up under a blanket and binge-watch a bunch of movies all at once. So like old times, that was the plan for tonight. It restored a sense of normality.

We bickered over what movies to watch like we always do, before we eventually come to an agreement. We always end up watching the same movies anyways.

After a few hours, I felt myself falling deeper into a sleep on Luka's lap as a Christmas movie plays on the television. When suddenly my phone pinged, lighting up on the coffee table in front of us. Being too comfortable and warm to move, I decided to ignore it. If it was important, they'd ring.

"Who's that?" He says, his voice barely above a whisper. I re-adjust my head, nestling deeper into his lap with my face buried in the fabric of his shirt. "I don't know." I murmur in response, too tired to have any interest.

I feel Luka shuffling above me, but I ignore that too, feeling my eyes get heavier as I drifted off to sleep.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

I toss a little on the couch as I slowly wake up, my eyes fluttering as they adjust to the bright room around me. When I realise where I am, a small smile curves on my face as I sit up. I scan the room to find Luka.