Crystal Dark Sky

37

Harry :

My eyes finally open and my sleep finally comes to an end. But when I stare up at the ceiling, it is not the one of my hotel room's ceiling. This ceiling has a cream-ish shade whereas mine is white.

I tiredly blink my eyes twice and try to settle my mind. I adjust myself in sitting up and let out a breath. I slept quite well, I can feel it. I feel a lot better than other usual days. I stretch my neck on both sides and completely sit up.

And the next time when I open my eyes, they go rest on a sleeping body on the sofa. Instantly the last night strikes me. Apparently that is Ashley sleeping there, and I know it for a reason.

"Can you please sleep on the bed? I promise I won't sleep next to you. I won't do something that will make you uncomfortable. You can trust me with this."

I remember her assuring me when she got aware that I don't prefer sleeping with anyone next to me. I did not completely trust her on what she said but somewhere in her words I did not find the everyday fake-ness of others. It was foolish of me to even give her a chance but I don't think it was entirely foolish, if paid closer attention.

She kept her words.

I had planned that I will stay awake but just lie myself down. When my eyes got heavy enough to sleep peacefully was out of my notice. The last thing I remember is her placing a wet cloth on my forehead, it felt so good against my sweating hot skin. Her touch didn't feel like danger, it was delicate and gentle.

I walk down the bed and walk up to the sofa. She's hunched like a soft toy in the sofa with her lips puckered out. Her hair fanned all behind with few strands fallen on her face. When some of them probably tickles her ears and eyelids, she tries to push them away from her face. But not being completely successful, I lean in and help out.

The windows are open, and just a thin piece of sweater is covering her as a shield with shorts as bottom, the fan's also on its high speed. I open the bedside table's last drawer to pull out a single sized blanket and place it over her. She immediately grabs the ends and lets out a sigh, also relaxing her hunched body. She was cold. But her lips are still puckered, pink and soft and innocent.

I look around the room for a pen and a paper, if I get one. I must, afterall she's here to do studies. Looking for a paper, I see a notebook lying on the bedside table. I didn't have to open it for a place to write on, there was already a new, unused sticky note stuck on the top of the notebook.

I grab the pen kept beside it and scribble whatever I had to and peel it off. Then stick it on the book she was reading, Good Girl, Bad Blood, and walk out of the room.

Ashley :

The sun was peaking crazily through the window when I woke up. It usually has the curtains blocking the sunlight, but last night I had them opened for Harry. When I sat up straight, I half expected him to be sleeping still but he wasn't there.

I was so deeply sleeping after I layed on the sofa, I can't say when he even left. Maybe, he didn't sleep quite as well I expected him to be sleeping. Could be he was pretending just because he doesn't trust anyone whilst he's asleep, or whatever is up with him. That kind of made me feel bad that I wasn't able to help him out when he needed it, without even asking for it. Also, I literally had forced him to sleep on my bed when he cleared out that he doesn't sleep with anyone beside him.

But I maintained his privacy and respected something he wasn't comfortable of.

And now here I am in a cafeteria sitting with Alex. After the classes got over at the university, Alex asked me out for some coffee or tea. I had nothing to do either so I came along with him. The others went on some side seeing of the city and I just didn't feel like today.