I lifted an arm that was somehow draped around his neck. I rubbed my eyes, trying to wake up, and lay back down on the bed. Should I get up? Nah, that took too much effort. Besides, I didn’t even see the sun. I’m going back to bed.
Turning on my side, I snuggled back into my spot and closed my eyes. I mean, he was asleep, right? So maybe he won't mind if I just pretended he was my teddy for a while.
That reminded me. I needed to get my teddies out so I can name them.
"What are you smiling about?"
I looked up to see Darius looking down at me, his eyebrows knotted.
"What to name my teddies," I said and he suddenly broke into laughter. I glared at him. "Hey, what's wrong with having teddy bears? Just ‘cause you have no childhood."
I heard a loud bang downstairs and groaned. The parents were up. But then again they were always up. I don’t want to think about what they had planned for us today.
I closed my eyes to try to get back to sleep and felt something on my cheek. I opened my eyes, frowning at Darius. "I'm trying to sleep." He was trying to get the hair off my face.
Tucking my hair behind my ear, my eyes met his and for the second time in twentyfour hours, I felt the same tug inside me.
That weird feeling you can't quite explain. And just like last time, it ended just as quickly as it began.
The door burst open and we both jumped apart, me going under the covers and Darius sitting up. The smell of something strong and horrible told me it was my mother. As always, she sprayed way too much perfume than needed.
I heard her say, "Is she still sleeping? Wake her, or she will sleep like that for all of eternity."
"I'm awake," I said, peeping out of the sheets.
"Well, get ready. We're heading back today," she said.
I frowned. Already?
But then it had been a week. Well, it would be a week but the journey itself took a while. I sighed, thinking about the routine back home. This week was near perfect, near, but going back would change things again. The ringing of Darius's phone confirmed that.
He was going to go back to work and I was going back to my 'housewife' duties by sitting like a porcelain doll.
"We're leaving soon. Hurry up, Ivory."
I closed my eyes as I heared her footsteps fade away and rolled onto my stomach, placing my head in the pillow.
"Whatever," I muttered. I planned to sleep at least another half hour. I mean, the sheets were so warm and so cozy and smelt like Da—
Whoa!
I sat up and hopped out of bed.
"What happened to sleeping at least that half hour?" he said and I looked over my shoulder. Did I say that out loud?
"Eh, I will, in the car," I said, grabbing my suitcase. Wait, wrong one. I walked out of the room to the guest room where my clothes still were.
Like I said, and I never broke my word, I slept in the car. Like a baby. Maybe worse since I did take up 2 of the 3 seats at the back and made Darius squish into a corner. But a girl needed her space to sleep. And then we were pulling into the driveway.
The only good thing about returning to this house again would be my orchids. I have to check on how they were doing. I also have to call Alicia and Rose and everyone. Which reminded me about that stupid cocktail party tomorrow. Do I have to go?
"We'll be back in a week to check up on you both. Goodbye," said my mother. I rolled my eyes at her and returned my dad's hug. Mother is not the one who would know anything about a proper goodbye.
'Take care," whispered my dad and I nodded, waving as the parents left. Thank god for that.
"Where are you going?" I asked as Darius called for the driver.
"I have things to do at work. You can have the day to yourself and go see Rose or something," he said, grabbing the files as Ma came out. Wow, how considerate. Or not.
I rolled my eyes in exasperation. Yep, just like I thought. Back to normal.
Wrapping the blanket around my shoulders, I lay down on my back looking up at the stars. Then I heard the door to the backyard open.
"Now why would anyone with a brain be out here when it’s warm inside?"
I looked over my shoulder and saw Adrian walk up to where I was. He stood with his hands in his pockets.
"What are you doing here?" I asked. Adrian looked at the ground, kicking something away and sitting down and I sat up.
"I said I'd come by, plus I had to visit my favourite sister-in–law. Or Cousin-in-law."
"Darius. Isn't he-"
"I know, he's at work. He spends most nights there so if I were you, I wouldn't wait up," he said, looking up at the sky.
"I wasn't waiting up." I frowned and looked at the moon in the distance. Don't kid yourself, I thought. I was sort of waiting up, but thought I’d see the stars. So it wasn't really waiting up, was it?
"What are you doing?" Adrian was asking.
"Looking at the stars." I watched the fog come out of my mouth. It was freezing outside but there was something warm about being here.
"Why? They're probably dead and we just don't know because of the distance," he said. "They're so beautiful, though. They're in their purest elemental form."