The Anti-Love Pact

Chapter Six

Noah

I lay down flat on my bed, arms behind my head, and I stare up at the ceiling. Tina is fast asleep on the couch outside. The image of her crying during the game of Jenga fills my mind and I feel for her. It's only been a week since our breakups, of course it still hurts. Mine still does.

I see Sarah at work almost everyday. My best efforts to avoid her are shattered when we have meetings and when our classrooms are literally in the same wing.

I shake the thought of Sarah out of my head and reach to turn off my lamp. I hear my door creak open, ever so slowly, and I look up.

Tina is standing there, hair disheveled, and her eyes are still barely open. I sit up and rest my head on my headboard. "Tina, you ok?"

"Mmmm." She trudges herself over and sits at the foot of my bed. She says something in a voice so low I can't quite make out her words.

"What?" I move up, seating myself next to her at the foot of my bed.

She repeats herself, in a voice that's louder but still barely audible. "Can I.. stay with you.. tonight?"

My face twists in surprise. Huh? "Tina, you're drunk." I pat her head with a laugh.

She turns her head to look at me, with a dead-serious expression on her face. "Noah.. just tonight.. please." She manages to get her words out in small increments. I can tell the effects of alcohol are still hitting her.

Regardless of how long we've known each other, we have never shared a bed. In my mind, Tina would be the last person to ask this, but here she is. Not that I'd find it weird because we are close friends, but it feels...

She gives me that puppy dog expression she likes to use to get me to give in to something. Her bottom lip slightly sticking out and her eyebrows pinched together. Her head is slightly tilted down, but she's looking up at me.

I know she just doesn't want to be alone tonight, not after what happened. And maybe I don't want to be alone tonight either, so I give in. "Sure."

Her expression quickly changes to a happy one and she crawls to the empty side of my bed, resting her head on my pillow. I position myself back to where I was, and lay down next to her.

There's a still quietness in the air, and I'm sure Tina has fallen back asleep. I continue to stare up at the ceiling before I hear words being spoken softly next to me. "Do you think our pact is working?"

"I do." I respond. Of course, there are times when I feel myself getting hurt again or times where I feel I need to search for love too, but at the end of the day, I do think it is working.

"I get to cook less, that's a plus." I hear her giggle at my remark.

"I really wouldn't be able to do this without you, you know?" She says, shifting her position to face me.

"I wouldn't either."

I turn to face towards her. She grabs my hand delicately and brings it closer to her, holding it between us. I watch as she moves her thumb up and down the back of my hand.

"Your hand is so big." She giggles.

"I think your hand is just small, no?"

She continues playing with my hand, staring intently at it. My focus moves from our hands to her eyes, and I swear I see it sparkle. At least she's not crying anymore. A strand of hair rests on her cheek, slightly blocking her vision.

I let go of her hand and move it up to her cheek, moving the strand of hair from her face. I keep my hand there for a little while, and our gaze meets. All of a sudden, I'm hyperaware of my heart beating in my chest. What is this?