Just The Two Of Us

Late-Night Talks

~Noah~

"Wake up!" The light was suddenly flipped on, forcing me to do as the voice instructed.

"Woah, woah, what the hell?" I mumbled, putting my hand over my eyes and trying to prop myself up on my elbows. The lights were practically blinding and even when my eyes were able to somewhat adjust to the lights, I was still pretty much seeing spots.

Through my squints, I saw Lilly standing in the doorway, wearing a baby blue tank top and matching shorts. I tried not to take notice of the fact the she kept glancing down at my bare chest. I mean, I was no body builder, but I'd still take what I could get.

"Lilly?" I asked, still confused and disoriented. I slowly started to gain my bearings. I leaned over and looked at my phone. "It's 1:30. What are you doing in here?"

"OK? OK? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?"

"Agh, keep your voice down!" Not only we're my ears sensitive from just waking up, but I didn't need everyone else in the apartment knowing about whatever the hell was going on between us. I fully sat up now. "What are you doing? Why are you here in the middle of the night?"

"Because I need to talk to you," she snapped, plopping herself down on the edge of my bed and looking over at me.

"Okay...?"

"Exactly!"

There was a long pause before "What?!"

"You don't say a word to me almost all day and then you just randomly text me, all cryptic and weird." She looked down at her phone to read out the texts from only a few hours ago. After she was finished, Lilly looked over at me questioningly, seemingly hoping against hope to get some sort of answer. I locked eyes with her for a moment, then I hung my head and let out an exasperated sigh. I put my hands over my face and rubbed my eyes.

"What? What do you want me to say?" I asked sharply. I was getting pretty annoyed, so say the least. "Did you want me to confess my love for you? Would you rather me have completely swept you off your feet before he did? I didn't really have much of a chance! I tried to, but now you're sending me mixed messages here! First you agreed with me earlier, saying that I shouldn't have tried to kiss you. Now, you're upset with me because I didn't do anything!" And she has the audacity to wake me up in the middle of the night? No one interrupts my sleep!

"Really? I'm the one sending mixed messages? Imagine how I feel!" she exclaimed. "You kissed me, then said you had made a mistake!—Did you really think that I actually agreed with you? Of course I didn't!—After that, you tell me you didn't regret trying to kiss and practically undress me with your eyes!"

I felt my face heat as I realized apparently how evident it was that I was staring at her yesterday.

"And then, you send me these weird texts where you're super passive-aggressive and obviously upset that I had just been asked out and that I didn't turn him down."

"Look, I don't know what to do, okay? It's hard enough trying to work out my apparently obvious feelings for you without everyone else putting so much pressure on me! I've got the record label breathing down the back of my neck when I just can't write anything right now, your brother is pressing me about you, and everyone else—"

"Wait, what?"

"What?" I looked at her, disoriented by my train of thought's sudden derailment.

"What has Dylan said to you about me?"

I could feel the color drain from my face.

Between you and your brother, I am going to die tonight.