Behind Your Walls

08 | right or wrong?

When I wake up the next morning, I find Carter sleeping on the couch.

He has changed into a grey pullover shirt and trousers which provide him with a fresher look. His eye is still swollen although the darkness around it appears to have lightened. He lies turned to his side and his arms are hugging his frame.

I climb down from the bed and arrange the sheets before walking over to him. I kneel on the floor, moving my face closer to his. I lift a trembling finger to touch the cut on his cheek. It is less rough than last night; the ointment seems to have done its work. I remove my finger hesitantly just when his eyes snap open and he focuses on me like he has no idea where I came from.

"Good...morning," I greet him with an awkward smile.

He blinks before getting up with a quick movement. He groans when his stomach hurts and momentarily shuts his eyes to endure the pain.

"Careful."

I get up and stand in front of him, suddenly very conscious that I haven't brushed my teeth yet. Nothing scares me more than morning breath.

"Hey," Carter says, looking up at me. "What's the time?"

I look around the room to find a clock stuck to the wall above the window. It reads 8 o'clock. My lips part at the realization that I have slept too long, a strange thing for someone who has had a sudden change of bed after many years.

"It's eight."

He nods and then turns his attention back to his wound. "You woke up just now?"

"Yes."

"Doesn't look like it."

He smiles and I don't know if he meant it as a compliment or not.

"Can I use the bathroom or do you want to go first?" I ask.

"You go first."

I nod, turning back and heading over to my bag. I take out my brush, towel, and my outfit for the day before getting up and heading to the bathroom.

The bathroom is not very spacious but has enough area for a toilet seat, a bathtub, and a basin. I walk to the basin and let my thoughts drift away as I brush my teeth. I still can't believe that I am in Carter Bell's house and that it all happened within the last twenty-four hours.

Yesterday, around this time, I had only dared to stare at him on the bus but today I am in his house, in his bathroom, brushing my teeth and I am not one of his one-night stands. If today wasn't a Sunday, I would have had to go to school and pretend that I hadn't spent the night here.

I rinse my mouth and just when I am about to strip off my clothes and head into the shower, I hear a knock at the door. I open it to find Carter with one of his hands on his stomach and the other leaning against the doorframe.

"Do you need to use the bathroom?" I inquire, confused at his sudden intrusion.

"Is she looking?" he asks instead, making my eyebrows come together in bewilderment.

I am about to ask who he is talking about when I see Melody near the door of the sitting room. She notices me looking at her and pretends to be cleaning the dust around with a mop in her hand.

"Yes," I say.

"Good," Carter murmurs before placing a hand on my arm and pushing me back inside the bathroom.

I gasp as he enters inside and locks the door.

"What're you doing?"

He looks at me with a finger on his lips, signaling me to be quiet. He presses his ear to the door as if he is trying to listen to something. After a moment or two, he turns around.