Peridot. [c.t.]

thigh chafing, claw clips, virgin shirley's.

- SPRING 2009 -

The ceiling fan always did a mighty job at plucking me away from my dreams, its incessant buzzing being the responsible factor to lull me to sleep, as well as waking me up when I least deserve it.

My body felt heavier than usual after a long study session, a groan escaping me when attempting to stretch, but only to be pulled off to the side to my dissatisfaction and interrupting what should've been a rewarding release of tension.

From my position laid back on the narrow mattress, I open a single eyelid to give myself a quick glance over to pinpoint the genesis of the warmth spreading all through my side and down to the tips of my socked toes, none of which were caused by the extra layers of clothing I'd throw on in the wake of the early spring chill after a long and withering winter.

The pressure against my stomach comes back once more, only this time I register it's my hand placed over my stomach with most of my arm stretched out over her own, her own arms trapped under mine as they curled against herself — her fingers barely hugging my bicep. A noise resembling a hum of contempt coming from herself.

Like many times before, she'd just fallen asleep sitting straight up against the wall and nearly fell off the end of the bed when I caught her after coming back from putting our shoes in the doorway.

Mom and dad weren't exactly keen on having dirty shoes around the house, and I wasn't about to unleash their wrath because of it.

I laid her to rest comfortably off to the end that met the wall to defy her odds of eating shit — it wouldn't be the first time — and I took the opposite side, ready to take the fall if need be.

It hadn't been the first time we'd shared a bed for a post school nap, or any nap for that matter. anywhere she'd fall asleep, I'd be right behind her, and vice versa.

By the groan escaping her puckered lips, I pulled my arm from over hers and fold it over my head and let my palm cup the back of my head to give her some room, but she seems to be against this and hides her face in the crevice between my torso and bicep.

A thick chuckle escapes me, sleep still very well present in my movements and words.

"Sleep good?" She hums in agreement, her arm ungluing itself from her chest and curling around my stomach, pressing my body impossibly closer to her until her face revealed itself to me. Slightly puffy and abundantly flushed, letting me know she did, in fact, had a good few hours dozed out.

"I think Macey did sleep with Jack during winter break." Her eyebrows shot up, a laugh tripping out of me at the manic look in her eyes I'm sure she thinks is teasing.

"Did Lou confirm the rumors?" She turns pensively up towards the ceiling, slumping on her back to mirror my body's position, but I turn on my side to face her, anchoring my elbow on the pillow beneath us to hold my head up in my palm.