Midnight Talks #Wattys2017

ten

| CHAPTER 10: KYLE

EVELYN AND I HADN'T SAID MUCH after that, the atmosphere felt thick and almost claustrophobic with confusion, tension and the smallest sliver of understanding and content. The dark warmth of twilight settled in enveloping us as the hours ticked by until morning, the dimming string lights above us acting like stars in our own makeshift universe that no one else could see. Darkness became my only friend at night as if all the familiar faces of day disappeared leaving me with him. My own thoughts. My insomnia cuddled me, spoke to me during the night making me feel as if Ihad several purposes and was more useful in the day, until tiredness swept in and tripped me up every night trying to remind me that I am human.

My eyes drifted to Evelyn's still frame, her hair covering the cushions that she had under her head. "Kyle" Evelyn stressed making me snap out of my trance, her eyes now locked on mine. "Why are you staring at me?" She sighed turning her body towards me, my shirt covering her like a dress, skimming her thighs.

"I was just thinking, why aren't you sleeping?" I asked with a frown, it must've been around 3am and her eyes still glowed fiercely even in the dim light. I turned towards her, giving her my full attention. She fumbled with her fingers, picking at the edges of her fingernails before muttering a "same."

An anything but casual 'what's on your mind?' slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it, her eyes met mine giving me a soft smile then casting them back to the floor as if she was too shy to speak. I got up from my 'bed' and laid down next to her, putting my arms underneath my head and stared at the lights.

"Confession one, until this moment, laying here with you, I used to sleep on the floor between the toilet and the bath." I spoke grimacing at how idiotic I sounded. Evelyn broke into a fit of giggles until tears lined her eyes.

"You what?" She choked on her laughter, her tone so light and care free.

"You heard me."

"But why? How do you do that? Is that why you have no beds in your apartment."

"Well yeah, and no. It's easy to fall asleep anywhere as long as you're comfortable, it started by accident when I was drunk and Matt and I decided to fill the bath with shaving foam and I must blacked out because I woke up there and it was really comfortable." I summarised earning a nod from Evelyn.

"Why did you tell me that? No offence, I liked the story but it was a little random.

I smirked. "You've seen the movies, where the couple talks whilst in bed until they fall asleep?"

"But we aren't a couple and this isn't a movie?"

"But we could be." I retorted.

"No thanks, I'm alright Taylor Swift."

"'If we were a movie' we could tell everyone 'The Story Of Us'." Yes Kyle, two puns in a row, you can retire to your throne. Although I found my puns hilarious, Evelyn however didn't and gave me a tired nudge with her arm.

"Just so you know, you aren't funny."

"You're not a good liar," I winked feeling myself yawn and my eyes growing heavy, Evelyn next to me in a sleep-like trance.

                                      ••••
WAKING UP TO A LOUD, OBNOXIOUS KNOCK on the door was definitely not what I needed that morning and by the time the mornings dull rays peered through the blankets of our forts that morning, Evelyn and I were a tangled mess beneath the sheets and although my bones ached and my hair undoubtably was sticking out in several unneeded directions, I felt almost as alive as I did last night when I fell asleep in the library. Evelyn's body curled up into a foetal position, her dark hair covering the majority of her face making her look like a weird reincarnation of the Grudge.