Going To Be

Chapter Two - Strong

We ate the pizza on the balcony. The city continued to buzz all around us, like time, it never stopped. We didn't talk much, after such a long arduous day I was both exhausted and famished. Just being close to each other was enough. We sat together on one of the deck chairs, I was between his legs and my head lay on his chest. The warmth of his body was enough to send me into a dozy daydream. I was almost completely asleep until I felt his hands rest on my shoulders.

"Hey, let's go in." He murmured. "You're exhausted."

"I've missed you so much." I exclaimed. "Sleep seems like such a waste of time."

"Are you kidding? I've been waiting a week to fall asleep next to you."

My heart skipped a beat, the entire week I'd come home to an empty apartment, showered, forced myself to eat then climbed in to an empty bed. I'd felt pathetic being so down about him being away, especially when he was just following his dreams. Now it felt a little less tragic because he felt the same.

I stood up and looked down at him, his smile melted my insides. Being apart really did make being together all the more sweet, even if at the time it had felt like a dull ache in my heart.

I held my hand out, he slipped one of his hands in mine and pulled himself to his feet. Before we walked inside he picked the pizza box up off the lounger. I closed the door behind us while he cleaned up the leftover pizza and the box. An unstoppable yawn washed over me as I walked back across the hardwood floors towards him. His blue eyes sparkled, and he held his arms out, without a thought I walked into them.

He smelt like cologne and the mint laundry powder his Mom liked to use. He hadn't been staying there, but it didn't surprise me in the slightest that he had gone home to do his washing. He missed home and all the trappings that came with it; more than he liked to let on.

"Bed." He said, his voice was soft but I knew his words were an order. He knew about the importance of the showcase auditions. "You've got a big day tomorrow."

I didn't say anything, I was too tired. My words would be nothing more than a messy mumbled concoction that made no sense. I walked with him in to the bedroom, the bed was still unmade after our earlier tryst. I didn't bother to get in to pajamas. I had put track pants and a t-shirt on earlier anyway. Once we were both in the bed, warm under the blankets his arms snaked around my waist. I wanted to freeze the moment in time and not ever move. Like this we were happy, like this we weren't bound by the wants of others. It was just the two of us, together.

"Night baby." I heard Jackson murmur as my eyes grew heavy and closed. Darkness washed over me, and I had a dreamless sleep. I woke to the alarm blaring beside me. Jackson was already up. I turned and hit the nightstand, aimlessly looking for the button to turn the obnoxious sound off. It was 6am, too early to wake up, too early to get up, and too early to leave the apartment. The door creaked as Jackson walked through with a mug. "Green tea and muesli." He smiled placing it down nightstand.

"Breakfast in bed." I smiled sleepily.

Jackson nodded and opened the blinds. The light streamed in, brightening the room up in an instant. I sat up, but it was with great reluctance. "Thanks for the breakfast."

"My pleasure. I guess were taking separate cars today." He frowned.

I nodded as I picked up the mug of green tea and sipped. "It's really fine."

"I just wish Bevan had done everything before I left the place last night. He promised me a few days' rest."

Jackson stood up and walked over to the wardrobe. He pulled a pair of jeans from the shelves and a shirt from the rack. "I'm going to have a shower if you want to join me." He smiled, he looked over at me, and his wide grin hit the corners of his blue eyes, shining with mischief. I looked at the clock and shook my head. "I can't." I pouted. "The auditions start at 10am, and I want to go through my piece."