Love Comes Last

7. Tipsy

Song: Honest- Bazzi

Several hours later, I wake to the sound of a chainsaw. Upon further inspection though, I realize that there is no chainsaw in my bedroom, thankfully, but rather a viciously snoring Eli with his arm still slung over my body. My eyes find the time, and through the sleep blurring my vision, I read that it is 6:51 am. The sun is still barely awake yet, just as I am.

Groggily, I roll over to face Eli, and I have to bite my tongue so that a giggle doesn't escape my lips. The arm that isn't over me is shoved under the pillow that Eli's face is squished up against. I hate to wake him, but I'm not sure what time he needs to go to work.

"Eli," I say softly. His snoring continues. My hand comes up to his side, and I shake him lightly. "Eli, wake up." To my amazement, his snoring actually grows louder. I roll my eyes and begin jarring him harder. "Eli, what time do you need to be at work?"

The chainsaw cuts off, and Eli's eyes slowly open, finding mine. "Hmm?" He groans, stretching his arms out and then pulling me closer so that we are chest to chest.

"Eli, stop," I grumble, wiggling away just before he pulls me right back against him.

"Go back to sleep," he whines, half-asleep.

"What time do you need to be at work?" I repeat, frustrated.

"8 o'clock, why?" He replies, closing his eyes again. I squirm out of his grip again, but this time, he scoots closer. "Stop pulling away," he grumbles, nearly asleep again.

"Since when do you want to sleep beside me?" I ask, annoyed. I'm not use to sleeping beside someone else, and laying beside Eli while I'm pantless just makes it feel even weirder.

As I say this, his eyes open, and he glances down to me. "What makes you think I don't want to sleep with you?"

My forehead creases. "Probably because you've never tried until last night. Even when our families would take trips together, and we would share a room in the condo, you would sleep on the floor."

He frowns. "I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable. You haven't exactly been very happy to be around me either."

"How could I be happy around you when you ignored me every time I talked to you?" I counter, feeling my frustration grow. Is he blaming our distance on me?

"Well how could I have talked to you when you made me so damn nervous?" He says, raising his voice.

I stare up at him, now confused. "Nervous? Why did I mak-"

"I don't want to talk about it," he says, pulling his arm off of me and rolling onto his back.

My eyes sink into the back of my head, and I huff. "Of course you don't."

We lay there in silence for a while, adjusting to being awake, until finally, Eli breaks the silence. "I need to get ready for work," he says, his voice sounding annoyed. He shoves the blankets off and hops up. When he is gone, I let out a long, irritated sigh. Now that he is gone, why not fall back asleep for a couple more hours?

***

"What about this one?" Reyna asks, holding a fitted, black, dress up to her curvy figure.

I nod. "That one looks good."

She scoffs. "That's what you've said about the last five dresses. I need my wing woman to help me find a bangin' outfit for tomorrow night, and you're always so pumped when we come to this mall. Why are you so distracted?"

I grin at her, apologetically. "I think I'm just nervous about tonight. I don't know what to expect. Victor's niece is really sweet, and I'd love to go route for her at her game, but it just feels like Victor is always undressing me with his eyes. Plus, I've been thinking about getting a job."