Cataclysm

1.9

By the time everything was gathered, it was around two in the morning. We stopped in Anna's apartment at the top of the building. I sat down on the couch and fell asleep almost instantly.

I woke up to Anna's soft voice. "Joel," she sang, sweet as honey. "Joel, handsome, it's time to get up. It's time to start breakfast."

"Five more minutes," I mumbled, rolling over. She pulled the blinds up, spilling bright sunlight into the room, and I squeezed my eyes tighter. "No," I groaned.

"Come on. Get up." She brushed her fingers over my shoulder, and then poked my side teasingly, tickling me.

I jumped with a shriek and nearly kicked her over, falling into the floor with a yelp. She started to laugh, and though I tried to glare at her, her laugh melted my heart and I smiled back.

"Not a morning person?" she said.

"Definitely not." I yawned and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, wincing as sharp pain bloomed through my face.

"By the way, your face looks like you smashed it against a brick wall. Okay, enough messing around. Come on, Sleeping Beauty. Let's get started."

Pretty soon, the smell of pancakes, bacon, and eggs filled the air. Together, Anna and I cooked a large breakfast, complete with milk and coffee. I wondered how the Unnaturals would act on caffeine, though I shrugged it off soon after the thought came. It wasn't important; just a passing thought.

Once we'd finished, Anna leaned over against me, just slightly, and wrapped her arm around me. "I missed you," she said, looking up at me.

I smiled back, my hand finding its place on her waist. "I missed you, too, Anna."

"Where were you? You never came to visit."

"I'm sorry, I just ..." I hesitated here. I'd just been running away from her. Running away from the inevitable heartbreak. But somehow, I'd made it back to her. Was that some sort of sign?

"Just what?" She stood up on her toes and pulled in close, her lips brushing over mine as she spoke.

I dropped my eyes and started to pull away, and she gently but firmly kept me in place. I wasn't sure if I loved her - not like I thought she loved me. We'd dated for almost a year, but then I'd felt like I had to let her go and stay friends instead of romantic partners. Sometimes, she was just ... a little too excited about the whole love deal.

"Joel, what's wrong?" she asked, her voice so kind, and yet there was something underneath the kindness, something I couldn't quite identify. She was still close enough that our noses were nearly touching. She smelled like coconut.

"I'm sorry, Anna, I ..." I didn't know what to say. I didn't even know how I felt.

"Will this make you feel better?" she murmured, nearly smothering her words with a kiss.

Again, I noticed that behind the gentle concern, there was passion. It wasn't scary or uncomfortable, but it was there. Slowly, she pulled me closer, and though my hands were on her waist and shoulder blade, where she liked them, I didn't hold her any tighter, even as she slowly became more passionate. Her eyes were closed, but I kept mine open. The flutter of guilt settled in my heart, starting to make me uncomfortable, especially as her hands tightened almost in a possessive manner, caressing my neck and the small of my back.

I pulled back a little and she broke to catch a breath, long enough for me to say a few words. "Anna, please," I whispered.

She kissed me again, though it was brief this time. "Yes?" she asked.