Don't Wake Me Up - Shawn Mendes

PART FIFTEEN

         My Monday morning alarm rings, and I stop it before I'm too woken up and can't go back to sleep. As I close my eyes, I hear a grunt coming from behind me, and I am reminded that Shawn is right next to me. 'If I'm dreaming, baby, please, don't wake me up,' I think to myself. But I'm not dreaming. He wraps his arm around me and places my head in the hollow of his neck. I fall back asleep.

I wake up about an hour later, and when I turn around to look at Shawn, he smiles and wishes me good morning.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" I ask him.

"I did actually. Maybe it was the company."

"Oh really? I don't sleep well with someone else in my bed," I tell him.

"What? I'm sorry. Should I not.. Should I have gone back home?"

"No! No, I'm sorry, I hear how it sounds now, I just meant I usually worry I'm being annoying; I feel like I can't move, or like I'll wake up the other person, I basically feel uncomfortable. But I'm surprised I slept very well! Don't worry about me."

I almost blew it! I kiss him quickly on the lips, and get up to go to the bathroom. I bring my phone and go through my notifications, answer my friends's texts about getting home safe. I wash my face and I congratulate myself on taking off my makeup before bed yesterday. I come back out, and offer Shawn some breakfast.

"Do you like waffles?"

"Waffles? You can make waffles?"

"Yeah Shawn, it's really not that hard!"

"But like, don't you need a waffle iron?"

"Yes..."

"And you have one here?"

"Wow, I thought I'd need more to impress you, Shawn. Being an international pop sensation and all."

He laughs and smiles at me while I take out the waffle iron from the cupboard.

"I'm just saying, it's not the first kitchen appliance people normally get!"

"Okay, that's true. I got it as a Christmas present. And it's always a fun breakfast when there's company over," I reply.

"Oh. Is there- Do you often have company over for breakfast?" Shawn asks me, unable to hide what he's truly asking.

"I don't kiss and tell," I reply. I'm not just a tease in the bedroom. "I'm kidding! I mostly mean friends that sleep over," I say, reassuring him. "But what if I didn't?"

"No- I mean- I don't-" he sighs.

I laugh at his lack of words.

"I mean, you do you!" he finally says. "I guess we never really talked about exes, have we?"

"No, we haven't. I don't know why, but I'm not too excited to know about all the gorgeous celebrities I'm being compared to," I confess to him.

"Okay, let's change the subject!" Shawn replies, sensing my discomfort. "But, just so you know, you have nothing to worry about."

It makes me feel a bit better. I start getting the ingredients out to make the waffle mix. Shawn tries to participate, but he is of no help, so I have him sit on the other side of the counter. We chat about my friends, what Shawn thought of everyone, and my phone dings.

"Oh, Alice, you have... A new match. On Tinder."

"What?"

"Yeah. Sorry, I shouldn't've looked," Shawn says, barely hiding the disappointment in his voice.

"No! No, it's fine. I don't even know why, I mean, I haven't been on there in forever."

"Hey, it's fine! You don't have to justify yourself. It's not like we talked about being exclusive or anything," he says, half-heartedly.

I stop what I was doing and look him the eyes.

"I know that. But I meant it when I said I liked you. It's a bit early for labels, but I haven't had any interest in dating someone else."

The sincerity in my voice made him feel better, and he says:

"I don't wanna see anyone else either."

"Alright then! So, let's see where this goes. What do you eat with your waffles? I have maple syrup, nutella, bananas. I probably have some frozen berries too- Oh I know!" I cut myself off.

"Wow, what?" Shawn asks in confusion.

"I just remembered! The Friday before we met! I hung out with Abby, and she asked if she could check my Tinder, to see what it's like with guys! She must've swiped right on a few of them for me."

"Wait? Wouldn't Abby- couldn't she make her own account?"

"She has her own account."

"But why couldn't she see- Oh! I didn't know she, uh..." he hesitates.

"It's not a bad word, you can say it," I try to coax it out of him with a teasing smile. "She's a lesbian."

"I know it's not a bad word! I just didn't want to assume anything."

"It's fine! She'll have a laugh."

"Wait, you're not gonna tell her!" Shawn asks, worry in his voice.

"Why not? You were so cute. Thinking, making connections, reaching a conclusion."

"Oh my. Please don't tell her, Alice!" he begs.

"Fine! I won't. But just so you know, Thom and Mateo aren't just 'best mates' either. And Scott isn't just Xav's roommate."

"Oh my god, Alice, I'm not clueless!"

"I'm just checking! Waffle?" I say with a comical, house-wife smile.

"Please!" Shawn exclaims, happy I stopped teasing him.

While we eat, I unlock my phone, and go into the settings of my Tinder account. I scroll to the 'Delete account' button, and push my phone towards Shawn.

"Will you do the honours?"

"Gladly!" Shawn replies. He licks his finger, sticky of maple syrup, and presses the button on my screen. He presses the home button, holds his finger on the flame icon, and taps the 'x'.

"There!"

"Feel better?" I tease him again.

"Yes, actually!" he replies.

"Yeah, like any of these guys would ever stand a chance," I add, not necessarily directed at Shawn, but not under my breath either.

"Why not?" he asks me, with a smirk.

"Oh, okay, now you wanna hear all the compliments? All the nice things I have to say about you?"

"Yes please!" he says, grinning from ear to ear.

I shake my head and smile.

"Eat your waffle."

He keeps smiling, and eats another bite.

"Mmmh, I'll have to sleep over more often, these waffles are too good!"

"Yeah? Wait 'til you taste my crêpes!"