When the sea brings you home

Disney

I was obviously affected by the alcohol in my system, whoever, no matter how drunk I could be, his grin was unforgettable.

He helped me get all the way to his room, where I plopped down on the mattress and made myself comfortable. 

- What do you want to watch?

"Depends.. what do you have Jakey?"

He rumbles through a pack of DvDs, "Uhhhh The hunger games, Divergent, Harry Potter, some old Disney stuff-"

"DISNEY!", I interrupt.

He chuckles. "Disney it is."

As he prepares the movies, I realize how soft the bed is. God, I could sleep right now if I wanted to.

- You can if you want to, I don't mind.

What?

I look at Jake, who was also eyeing me. Realizing I said that out loud, I blush a little.

"No no, I just... want to watch the movie."

He simply shrugs.

The screen suddenly lights up, and the original introduction of Disney productions starts.

Jake sits next to me, and I'm so focused on the animated Aladin story that I barely notice him putting a blanket over my shoulders. 

~~~

I wake up to the sound of fabric rustling. 

I squeeze my eyes, the bright light coming from the ceiling isn't welcomed by my sight.
Nevertheless, I lift my head a little, trying to locate myself.

"Hey", I let out in a raspy voice.

A half-naked Jake turns around.

"Okay now I'm definitely awake."

 He laughs, but really it wasn't a joke. "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you up". He bends down a picks up a shirt from the previously opened drawer and puts it on.

I assume he turned around to hide his perfectly sculpted torso from me given the intimacy of the situation: it was night, I was asleep in his bed, and we were both alone after watching a movie together... do I really need to give more context? Nonetheless, it only made me notice his back and shoulders, the way they were effortlessly flexing when he moved, only to be later covered by the soft tissue of his pajamas.

I try to clear my head before he catches me staring.

But he clears his throat and takes a folded blanket in his hand.

"Sorry I've woken you, you can go back to sleep", he says softly before heading towards the door.

He was halfway out of the room when- "Wait", I called.

He puts his head a little through the doorframe, waiting for me to say something.

For several seconds I just stare at him, then I come to my senses and clear my throat.

"You don't have to. I'll sleep in Tina's room, if that's okay."

I pick myself up from the bed, but his eyebrows furrow. 

 "But you can sleep here it's fin-"

"I'd rather not. Let's say it just seems... unethical", I say softly.

He draws back a sharp breath.

- Oh, okay. Sure, you can take Tina's, don't worry.

An awkward silence follows, but frankly, it's way too late for me to pick up on it, and I just pass by him with a small, shy smile.

But let me tell you, that is not the attitude Morning Beatrice adopted.

Unethical? SERIOUSLY?

I go down the stairs, beating myself up over what went down last night. But after a good sleep, my mind's clearer than ever, and now, my choice of words is gonna be way more convenient. 

- Mornin'

Jake greets me back with a smile, but his eyes don't meet mine for too long.

I sit on the barstool chairs anyway and decide to directly discuss the elephant in the room.

- I'm sorry about last night.

He looks up at me, surprised.

"What are you sorry for?" he asks, confused

"When I said unethical...", I continue, "I noticed that it kinda took you aback. And I know you well enough to understand why it did."

He sighs. "I wasn't-  taken aback. Just a little surprised, to be honest. We slept in the same bed countless times  when were kids, and yesterday I wasn't even gonna stay in my room. I don't know... I guess I felt like it implied something."

"I didn't mean to give you that impression, Jakey. It's just... I saw it a little differently on that moment, maybe? Not in our usual platonic way. I mean, your sister isn't here, we're all alone together and we're not the kids we were anymore. Our friendship has changed and-"

"Our friendship has changed?" he cuts me off with a chuckle. "Jeez, Prior, relax! There's no need to explain, I understand that you didn't mean to put a wall between us, and that's all that matters."

He outturns the bar counter to face me a little closer and takes my hands in his. "Our friendship hasn't changed, Beatrice. And if it has, it only improved. We still like each other the same way we did before"

  "Really?" I ask in a small voice. "Cause I don't wan the illusion of having more to it ruin what we have."

 "There's no room for more, if that's what you're worried about. What we already have is special enough, right?"

He looks between my eyes just as I stare into his. 

"Right", I whisper a beat too late.

Jake doesn't seem to notice it, though, and smiles widely.

"Then everything's good". He places a small kiss on my left cheek and disappears from my sight.

No, everything was not good.