Moon Girl

Thirty Five - Playing With Hair

"Hello Hardy family!" Krystal smiled as she leaned on the archway leading to the living room. Smiles spread around the room.
"Hi sweetie." Mrs. Hardy answered.
"Krystal, do you want to watch Judge Judy?"
"No, let's paint our nails and gossip." Hannah rolled off the couch with a heavy thud.
"No," Blake whined at his sisters. "You can't keep stealing her! We are watching movies all day."
"Can I join?" Gabriel smiled brightly at her brother.
"Absolutely not, you talk too much." Hannah snorted a laugh. "So do you." Her smile quickly flipped to a frown.
"Catch you later?"
"Tomorrow?" Gabriel quickly offered.
"This week?" Krystal countered.
"Deal!" Hannah screamed, still laying on the floor.
"Okay, goodbye!" Grabbing her wrist, Blake pulled Krystal to the kitchen.

They grabbed chips and other candies like a regular movie theater.
"Soda?"
"Yes."
"Popcorn?"
"Can you really watch a movie without it?" Blake smiled at her. His eyes racked over her outfit.
"I like your pajamas." Her eyes dropped as she played with the strand hair from her bun.
"She always liked her pajamas big so, Nancy did. I mean, we really weren't the same size but because she liked her pajamas bigger I could fit." Krystal rambled nervously.
"Krystal?" Her eyes snapped to his. "Are you nervous?" A sigh escaped her lips.
"No, I just don't normally wear her things. Quite, frankly, all the stuff we have of hers just sits, collecting dust in the house. Sometimes I feel like we just hold it, just in case she comes back, you know?" Blake nodded, understanding the feeling.
"When you care about someone, alive or not and they leave, you want them to walk through the front door. You want them to come back because you never wanted them to leave in the first place."
"Yes!" The microwave beeped, letting them know the popcorn was done.

I hate that he lost someone, that he feels the pain I do, but it's nice to know that someone understands.

There was no need for lunch or dinner, the pair just snacked on junk foods and drank cans of soda to wash it down.
"I don't remember the last time I ate like this." Krystal slouched on the couch.
"Eating what you want?"
"No, pure junk food." They laughed.
"Got to admit, it's freeing."
"You pronounced fattening wrong."
"Hey, I eat like this once a week and I look gorgeous."
"Lord, I will abandon you to hang out with your family. There shall be no ego in this room. With as much as we just ate, I can barely fit in here." The two chuckled slightly.

About a half an hour into the next movie, a wave of drowsiness scratched at their eyes. Blake yawned, thew a pillow down and laid his head in her lap. Subconsciously, Krystal start to run her fingers through his hair. Without hesitation, he leaned into her touch.

If I hadn't know her for as long as I have, I would think she's done this 100 times with a sorts of different boyfriends. How can someone want to be so close to another? I understand the need to want to be with someone but I think my obsession is just that, an obsession. It can't be healthy to want or to need another person like this.

Lord have mercy on me, but I think I'm completely and totally in love with him. How can I not be? If he ever so, chips away at my damaged heart, I will end him! Something tells me he won't. Maybe it's all the truths he's told me, dispute how it makes him look. He's honest, that's all I can ask of a person, right? His father saved me from an accident all those years ago, but Blake saved me from myself. I think somewhere in there, he loves me too. Or at least I hope so.

I think I'm going to fall asleep, but I refuse to let her stop. Surprisingly, no ones played with my hair before, not l since my mom did when I was a kid. God, I love this girl.

Blake moved his hand that wasn't tucked under his body to Krystal's knee. She didn't flinch at his contact like she used to; actually, she welcomed it. Her attention dipped from the tv to watch Blake as he slowly fell asleep at her touch. Krystal smiled to herself.

Yup, I'm a goner. I'm completely in love with Blake Hardy. He might annoy me sometimes, but I am completely in love with him. Wheatie was the start of the fall but tonight was the final nail in my coffin.

After the movie, Krystal slowly slid herself from underneath sleeping Blake. Quickly, she bowed to give him a light kiss on the temple. He didn't stir at all.

I've been waiting to do that for so long. I wish it was his lips instead, but baby steps Krystal, baby steps.

After leaving the media room, she rushed up to Blake's room. It looks just as messy as it always does. It was all Blake, everything. The hanging posters and shelf of trophies. She laid the envelope on his pillow and snuck out.

Krystal tip toed from his room towards the front door. She ran into a tall figure.
"Oh sorry." She sheepishly smiled up at Mr. Hardy.
"You're alright. Where Blake?"
"He fell asleep during the movie and I didn't want to wake him. I also don't want my parents worry, it's starting to get late. Tell Blake I'm sorry." He gave her a strong smile.
"Of course, Krystal." She clutched her keys tight in hand. They didn't exchange another word. Just as she reached the door, footsteps fumbled down the stairs.
"Krystal!" Hannah and Gabriel stood on the stairs. "Bye." They smiled down at her. She grinned back up at them.
"Bye guys."
"Hey Krystal?" She nodded for Gabriel to continue. "Thank you." Krystal dropped her hand from the door knob. Mr. Hardy lingered in the doorway near the stairs.
"What are you thanking me for?"
"For being Blake's friend."
"Like a real friend." Hannah added.
"Most people want to be friends with us for the money or the popularity, as selfish and conceded as that sounds, it's true. We come across a lot of fake friends." Krystal nodded.
"We know you were annoyed with Blake at the beginning. He kept asking us to be friend with someone who didn't want to be friends with him." The girls giggled. "But we also know you really do care for him. So, for that, we thank you. Blake doesn't act like it, but he loves the attention. Not in the way that he craves attention, but he likes that you think of him and are around him."
"I think she means your affections, not your attention." Krystals cheeks ignited.
"Well, Blake is annoying." She confirmed. "But I also have to thank him for a lot. For the first time since Nancy, I'm living again. I don't remember the last time I've done some of these things. Before Blake, I couldn't tell you the last time I laughed or even joked. I couldn't tell you the last time I had faith or got out of bed with a reason. So maybe you have me to thank for Blake's happiness or whatever but I have him to thank so much more for." She shook her head. "Even if I could say it, I wouldn't know how, words aren't my strong suit." Her mind wandered up to the letter on his pillow; praying that would be enough for him. The Hardy sister clung to each other with excitement. "Goodnight girls."
"Goodnight Krystal." They said together.

Muffled footsteps shuffled around the room. Blake's eyes fluttered open to the sound.
"Krystal?" He croaked.
"Sorry kid, just me." His dad whispered.
"Where's Krystal?" Blake sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
"She had to go home, sorry kid. She told me to tell you, she's sorry she had to leave." Blake nodded. Clinging to the pillow that smelled faintly of her.
"Yeah, okay." He grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and turned over.
"Goodnight son."
"Night dad."