Crystal Eyes

-(26)-

-J a m e s -

      I awoke when the clattering of something jolted me into reality. I opened my hazy eyes and saw Ellery in my bathroom, looking guilty for dropping a basket of my washing items. She was gathering them quickly and signing spontaneous apologies. I smiled, flipping back the covers and drawing the stray hairs away from my head.

      It's okay, I needed to get up anyway. Good morning.  Ellery swept the hair from her face and placed the basket back on my countertop. I waved her over and she waddled to the edge of my bed and sat cautiously on the edge, bouncing tentatively.

      Morning. Sorry, I woke you. Before she could glance back, I darted forward and clutched her playfully, hauling her across the bed. She shrieked and wiggled while laughing, a laugh of pure joy and calmness. 

      Ellery gazed over at me. I rolled over and wrapped my hands around her waist, tugging her impossibly close. Her arms came around my neck, instead of being shy as I'd imagined she leaned heavily against me pressed her head against mine. Are you going to go straight to school or back home? I signed curiously. I knew my mom would be in at any minute to call me for breakfast. 

      I'm going to have to go home so I can change and shower. Then I'll be at school. Thank you for letting me stay, again. She wiggled closer and nuzzled herself into me. Her body pressed against mine, I hadn't even been able to think before she roped her hands around my neck. She kissed me and it was nothing like the others we'd shared. It was different, real. She was letting herself be vulnerable, letting herself trust me. She'd shut her eyes, even though she fretted the darkness. 

      I clutched her tightly even before I knew my mouth had started moving against hers fluidly. My heart picked up a beat, or two or three. I wasn't making an effort to count, not as her mouth parted and everything seemed to erupt so suddenly that the bed swayed under me. A small sound slipped past her lips. Her hands, her talkative and delicate hands, fell from my neck and fisted on my shirt as if I was the only solid form and everything else was threatening to collapse under her.  

      She tore away with a large gulp of air, her eyes fluttering in a haze. I pressed her hand right over my heart to let her feel the erratic mess it was. My chest was heaving beneath her palm. She grinned, being overly smug. What was that for? I signed, my hands trembling embarrassingly. Her breathing was just as heavy, if not more than mine. 

      Before she could answer, a fist rattled on my door and startled me. "James! Breakfast! Come on!" I grumbled an answer, giving the illusion I'd just woken up, then pushed the covers away from us both. My mom wants me down for breakfast.

      Okay, I should go. My brother is probably freaking out. Thank you. We both stood and she slung her arms around me. I brushed her soft silky loose black curls and slid my palm on her neck, pressing a kiss there. She sucked in a breath and gathered her things a moment later. Bye.

      Those three words hung in the air, I wanted to say them, sign them and show them to her but she twisted away. She crawled out the window and into the musky morning air. I kept my eyes on her until she wasn't in sight. 

      Just as I'd gotten dressed for the day, my phone chimed noisily. I flew myself at it, the prison was calling. The prison! Finally, my dad was calling to explain why he'd been so absent lately. I was beginning to worry, about to tell mom so she could work it out. I hadn't talked to him in weeks. Since the night we'd spent at Declan's when he hung up.