Underage

[26] Anger Management

Underage

[26] Anger Management

I find comfort in his arms around me and my arm moving up and down with his stomach. From where my head is at on his chest, I can faintly hear his heart beating. His stubble tickles my face when he moves, which he does a lot in his sleep.

I can taste the thirst and bad breath on the back of my tongue. Ethan's arms are wrapped around my waist. They're locking me tight against his bare chest. I try to untangle myself from him, but he flexes his arms and readjusts his grip. His legs are entwined with mine. Any move I make to take my leg back, he tightens his hold.

It's late, and even though I had fallen asleep for a while, I can't find my way back. My eyes won't seem to stay closed for any longer than ten seconds. I'm surrounded by darkness. The outside street light casts an orange glow onto my curtains. If I stare long enough, I can make out a face in the orange light. With my head on Ethan's chest, the door to the balcony is right in my line of sight.

We put Magnus in the spare room for tonight. I set his doggy bed in there, but he doesn't seem to like to use it when there is a fully functioning bed, or couch, or chair to lay in. He's recently found he loves to chew on the wooden legs of the table in the living room, so the pup is usually lying in here with me. When Ethan's over, we put him in his own room. He complains for the first few minutes. He'll scratch at the door and whine, but then he'll find his food or his toy and he'll completely forget about us.

Ethan stirs before kissing my exposed shoulder. He then groans and buries his head in my neck. His words are whispered against my skin.

"I did something stupid."

"I don't want to know."

I'm tired of bad news. We just stopped fighting; I don't want to have to start another one.

"Yes, you do."

"Is it spray-painting a train in the middle of the day stupid, or—?"

"Worse," he says. "Your mom called right after you fell asleep. I didn't look at the name before I answered. She wants us over for a late lunch today. I tried to tell her that I thought you were working, but she's already talked with Miss Annie to make sure you weren't."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't," he says. "You love me."

"If love means I constantly want to strangle you, then sure, let's go with that."

He chuckles, kissing my shoulder once more, before flopping onto his back. "She wants us there at one."

I can't fall back to sleep that night. Ethan falls asleep with his face in the crook of my neck, his breath hot against my skin, and in the middle of telling me a story. He's almost on top of me, but I don't care. My hand finds the top of his head and plays with his dark hair. It's getting longer than he usually keeps it. He moves every so often, his facial hair scratching at my skin. It sends tingles down my skin and to my toes.

As the night turns into dawn, I finally doze off for half an hour at the most. Then, I'm awake again, and nothing is helping me fall back to sleep. I ease Ethan off me and find myself in the shower. I close my eyes and let the warmth of the water spread over my body. At one point, I remember falling asleep while lying in the tub, and when I wake up next Ethan has his arms around me and is turning off the water.

"Do you know how dangerous it is to fall asleep in the bath?"

"It wasn't a bath, dumbass," I say.

"Same thing, Thea. I was scared when I woke up and you weren't there. Then I heard the shower running and I was going to get in with you, but you were passed out. You could have drowned."