Visionaries

six

// SIX //

I feel beads of sweat form around my temple and trickle down to my neck. My hair is warm and some strands stick on my skin. I try to ignore the uncomfort, but something else is bothering me. I stretch my arm to my shoulders, but feel something on them. I feel another presence, another hand. I try to calm down before I address the situation. No one could have gotten in without a key or without knowing where we put the spare we made.

My breathing still doesn't calm, although I am fully conscious and awake. The after effect of my dream still lingers, but I do not remember a thing. It might have been the one with Darius, but I usually remember that one. The mix of a person next to me and the feeling of pain and fear isn't a good one.

I grab the hand that is on my shoulder and squeeze it. I put a little more strenght in it to hear the reaction. A small cry of pain comes from a familiar source. I force my eyelids open and see Darius' face on top of mine. He has a hand above my head and a shy and guilty smile.

Millions of thoughts are running through my head. Is there something wrong? Is this a warning? Is this where I find out he doesn't trust me? Or when he shows me that I cannot trust him?

I cannot think straight. I try to focus on a single thing. His facial features. The moonlight shining on his face make me see his smile. A bit crooked, but a shining white smile. He has a slight hook nose. A lite north are his two big ocean blue eyes that shine and could hypnotize me in an instant. I let them wake me up.

"What are you doing here Darius?" I say rubbing my eyes, trying to shake off my sleep.

His smile falls and he almost feels like he has annoyed me, I think. His eyebrows furrow and he bites his lower lip. Even though I cannot fix my bad attitude when I'm awoken from my sleep, I try to make him feel better. I try to fix the situation.

"Is there something wrong, Darius? Tell me."

I push myself in a sitting position to show him that he has my attention. It takes all of my strenght, but I feel awake when I'm sitting. He sits beside me and plays with the bed cover. He softens it and keeps rubbing it with the palm of his right hand. He almost hides his face from me. I curve my body so I can see his face better.

"I need a place to stay. I'll explain in the morning because it's 3 AM and you need sleep and frankly, I do too. Nobody saw me come in and I'll find someplace before tomorrow night."

I put my hand on his arm before he continues babbling. I don't know if he's loud ornif I'm impatient, but I really want him to stop talking.

"It's fine, Darius. Just don't wake Cass up. She's worst than me," I say hittint my pillow with my hand before hitting it with the side of my face. "There are extra pillows and bed covers in the last drawer in the wardrobe."

"Thanks."

I watch him, turned on my side, take the stuff he needs and set everything on the floor. He shuts the door and slides under the covers. Thank god we don't have wooden floroa. When he turns around and I know he's settled, I let myself fall deep in sleep again. It doesn't take long for my eyelids to feel heavy again.

***

The room almost feels empty when Cass isn't around. Since we're completely settled and still will be here for about two more weeks, Cass decided to get back to her normal daily tasks. I woke up at 8 AM to a sticky note on my forehead. I blew it away before catching it mid air again. With a messy handwriting, Cass let me know that she had left for a run at 7h45.

With a number of huffs and puffs, I manage to get myself out of my bed. I stand on my two feet, staring at my bare legs only covered by very short PJ pants.