ALL THE LOVE WE LEAVE BEHIND

Chapter 22

I twirled around in my blanket and pressed the home button on my phone to check the time.

3:04 am.

I groaned and kept fondling around in my bed, unable to sleep. I had been waddling my body in twists and turns for the past hour trying to shut my eyes but my brain just seemed unable to comprehend the simple notion:

'Doze off.'

I had fallen asleep with immense ease at the beginning of the night but had woken up by the need to empty my bladder. After my eyes refused to shut, I finally gave in and went to the bathroom. When I got out, my mind defied letting me go back to my dream. So, here I was twiddling and rotating around my silk sheets, with my bra tucked firmly underneath my pillow- loathing ever consuming coffee.

3:06 am.

Why was time flying by so slowly?

I tired my hair up with the black tie around my wrist, hooked my bra under the gray tank top I had on and headed to Dylan's room- if he was up as well, at least I'd have someone to talk to besides the ridiculous characters in my head.

My routine with Dylan had fallen back on track, which was no doubt a good thing- but a part of me missed the possibility of us being together- it had just faded.

The day after my lunch- Dylan and I had dinner- which I cooked and burnt, and while he was out I tidied up the place including his disheveled room- found a bunch of bills in his room, which I never figured out why they were there- but I didn't ask him about it. After an evening of consuming possibly the worst cooked meal in the world, we washed the dishes and went to sleep. The next three days went on the same- monotonous.

The door creaked as I walked into Dylan's room. His bedside lamp was still on, and his mac was open on the side, but the space looked neater than it had the last time I had entered.

I guess my cleaning did help.

I proudly grinned at the thought, as my eyes traveled away from the inanimate objects, and onto him.

It took me less than a second to be mesmerized by his exposed chest, and loosely tied sweats that revealed his ripped torso- was it possible to have this many butterflies in your stomach?

I hated the answer to that question- why and how was he able to have this effect on me? And was I an idiot to have not seen this before?

I listened to my thoughts as I tiptoed to place a blanket over him, resisting the urge to give him one of those movie forehead kisses- ogling him while he slept was creepy enough, there was no need to scare him off to another world.

My eyes tried to take their gaze off him, but nothing in the room was interesting enough. That is until my eyes leaped to his desk- once again, why were there highlighted numbers printed out on a bill? I recalled the memory of his excel sheet, as I snapped out of my intrusion. It wasn't my business. I shut the nosy part of me and tapped my feet back to the door, but my toes managed to slip just as I turned around, causing the charmer's eyelids to fly wide open, as his back bolted upright.

"Dear God." His deep, lethargic voice breathed out, as he rubbed his eyes together. "What the hell are you doing Blair?" He glared at my legs which were spread like a toad on the floor. I couldn't make out if he was upset or cumbersome, but judging by his bloodshot eyes- it was probably an equal blend of both.

"I- couldn't sleep." My mouth flustered- now his morning voice sounded sexy too? When did this happen?

"What?" He was so stifled, that I felt guilty for waking him up.

"Nothing. Just please go back to sleep." My mouth babbled, as I realized, I had just disturbed the couple hours of sleep he had- not to mention we had an early morning internship to get to after dawn, which he was now going to be attending- grumpy.

"Well, I can't do that. I'm awake now." He lay back down, with the blanket falling off- as I rolled my eyes and subtly put it back on.

"Am I that repulsive? You can't even look at me? He said that with sarcasm, but I merely rolled my eyes- no need to get into a debate I'd lose.

"You're imagining things," I said, slipping away, as he smiled and lifted himself.

"Why are you up so late? Is everything okay?" He checked as I nodded in glee.

"Yes, just caffeine rush," I mumbled, as he tapped on the bed, offering me a place to sit. I accepted and squished myself in, just because it would get awkward had I rejected. I was the one who snuck into his room in the first place so that kind of put me in the red zone and not him.

"Do you want to go somewhere?" He inched closer, as I bought my arms together.

"Go where?" I asked, as his fingertips began to trace my bare arm. I had to clench my gum to keep it from smiling like a maniac, while he remained unhinged.

"Just change and I'll surprise you."

"It's pretty late Dylan," I whispered- but as always, he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Well going out is better than staying in an enclosed bedroom with you." His comment infatuated me with over a zillion emotions- I still had my charm.

I smiled as I bit my lip. "Where do you want to take me?"
"It's a surprise." He answered as I raised my eyebrow.

"You already surprised me last time." I fought.
"And was it not delightful?" He asked the question he knew the answer to.

"Yes but-"

"Then change." His eyes commanded, as I scowled, to which he said, "Please. It'll be breezy and I don't want you to catch a cold."

"Okay." I compiled but added my own bit of wordplay. "Only because you said please."