I ended up canceling dinner. Sawyer doesn't need to know that. I stayed locked in my room. I did eat the sloppy joe Sawyer made me.
It's almost four in the morning. I make sure to be ready and dressed by the time I head down stairs.
I quietly make my way down the hallway, careful not to wake anyone up. He's here in this house, somewhere and I want to avoid that somewhere. I forget how dark this house is when there is no sunlight. Luckily there are nightlights plugged into the wall.
I don't hear anyone awake. I head straight to the kitchen for water and maybe some breakfast but I'm not that hungry. I stop at the door, it's opened just a small crack, the lights are on.
I search for the noise I'm hearing and my eyes land on Sawyer standing in the kitchen. He's shirtless and making aggressively quick movements. Sawyers back is facing me. His hard muscles are working hard under his tattooed skin. He calms as he turns the stove on. He looks so angry and hot as he cracks an egg open.
My mouth is dry and my thoughts are all over the place. Especially back to that awful dream of Sawyer in the shower. I don't know if he can hear my heavy breathing or the creak of the door but he immediately stops his movements.
I don't want to be the first to speak but he gives me no choice as he stares in my direction with wide and angry eyes.
I slowly open the door, "hey." My voice is annoyingly hoarse and tiny.
"Morning." He breathes.
"What are you doing?" I ask, clearly knowing what he's doing. But I have nothing to say and I ask dumb questions.
"Couldn't sleep." He breathes heavily. "What are you doing up?" He flips his omelet, and I can't seem to find the strength to look away from his tattooed body.
"Just wanted to make sure I'm not late to class." I confess.
"Class?" He questions, he plops the omelet on a white glass plate. He pours himself a glass of orange juice. I notice he's glistening in sweat and out of breath. Was he working out?
Sawyer catches me staring, "Running." He answers my thoughts and I nod.
"Well...Class seems to start so early. I don't want to miss it." I shrug. My attention is on his food now. He nods but his eyes don't meet mine as he takes a bite of his cheesy omelet.
"Class isn't until one today." He takes a bite out of his food. He almost seems amused but I can't tell by how serious he sounds.
Are you kidding me?
I stare at him, hoping that somehow this is him just being mean and petty but he continues with his eggs.
I refuse to ask if he's going to finish it, but I get the smell of eggs and it makes me want to vomit. Either I love eggs or I hate them.
"Are you sure class starts that late?" I question.
"Yes." He quickly mutters and he starts to wash his dirty dishes.
I open my mouth to say something but Sawyer stops me, "It's too damn early Opal. Just go back to sleep." He says almost in defeat. Almost like it's a waste of his breath to talk to me, like he doesn't really want to tell me that but I'm such a bother that he needed to.
"I want to go home." I tell him. "I'm tired. I don't have family. I don't have a good support system. And if I'm a huge bother and problem then what's the point?" I croak, my eyes water. I'm not sure if I'm angry or sad. But I do want to go home. There is no point staying here.
"I miss my mom, Sawyer. My dad. My brother. If you don't take me back I'm leaving on my own. I don't care what you say." My voice rises, hoping my stern words help him understand what I feel.
