Like Real People Do - Jill Roord

The Ocean Had Stilled

Jill's POV

"Goodnight you two," I bid Lia and Leah goodbye as they left the room and then the door closed; I was left in this silence.

Though it wasn't really silence, there was the steady rise and fall of Hunter's breathing to bring me peace. In fact the room was so quiet, I swore I could hear her heart beat, though maybe I was dreaming it up. But if I was correct, our hearts were beating in sync, so matched that they could've been mistaken for the same.
I wished I could find silence enough to listen to Hunter's dreams or wake her from the nightmares.

Hunter looked peaceful, her mind seemed quiet. Though seeing her so silent, only confused me more; I don't think I'd ever understand the girl. Hunter was loveable in every sense of the word yet also completely unlovable in every sense of the word.
It felt so easy to love her, people fell so quickly into those enchanting eyes and adventurous ideas. But people walked out when they saw the recklessness of her actions and thoughtlessness of their consequences. I knew she had unlovable characteristic but somehow my mind turned them beautiful, I loved that adventure, even if it worried me at times, it was such a vital part of her personality that I'd never change it.

I wouldn't change a single thing.

But we had an early start tomorrow and Hunter didn't need more people on her back, plus she still had her coat on and would wake up in agony after sleeping in such an unusual position. I felt bad to wake her, awful even, but I knew letting her stay like this would only be worse in the long run.

"Hunter," I whispered, "Hunter?"

"Hm," She questioned, still mostly asleep though which made me chuckle.

"You should get ready for bed," I suggested, still laughing at her burrowing her head further into my lap.

"Stop laughing at me," Hunter complained.

"I will if you wake up," I reasoned.

Hunter slumped up, her eyes still closed, "I'm up," She huffed, still sounding rather drunk.

"You should take your coat off maybe?" I laughed.

"Okay," Hunter agreed, but didn't move.

I chuckled at the girl, "Do you want me to do it?"

Hunter nodded, "please."

I gently took Hunter's coat off and hung it on the door and then untied her sneakers so she could properly sleep.

"Jill?" Hunter called for me, I don't think she realized I was still in the room.

"Yeah?" I replied, tying my hair up so I could sleep.

"Can I borrow a hoodie?" She asked.

I furrowed my eyebrows, turning around to see Hunter already wearing a hoodie, "You're going to be too hot if you wear two," I told her, knowing in her drunken state she wasn't clearly thinking.

"No, I just want to wear yours'," Hunter stated so directly that it did catch me off guard. 

"Oh um," I stuttered, "Yeah, course."

I pulled a sweater from my suitcase on the floor, seeing as I'd never bothered to unpack, and handed it to her. Hunter smiled up at me, "Thankyou Jilly."

"It's alright," I nodded, "Are you ready for bed now?"

"I was already ready for bed," Hunter stumbled over the similarity of her words, "You were the one to suggest otherwise."

I rubbed the back of my neck, slightly worried that I'd upset her, "Sorry about that."

Hunter giggled, "I'm just playing with you."

I smiled at the brunette, "Well it's bed time, Kim will kill us if we're late tomorrow."

"No she won't," Hunter shook her head, almost prideful in her words, "She'll kill me, you'd be fine."

I furrowed my eyebrows, maybe Hunter had caught onto things, "And why's that?" I sat down besides her.

Hunter turned her head towards me, smiling as she said it, "Because they know they have to keep me on a short leash or I'd be running circles around them all."

I was puzzled by the fact Hunter seemed so proud of this, almost like she found it humorous, "Don't you think that's unfair though?" 

Leah might kill me for digging into this situation with Hunter but I was seeing someone stab her in the back and letting the knife go in deeper and deeper. I had to try and tell her, or perhaps she did already know.

Hunter shook her head, "They do it because they care."

Then we were back to square one. It seemed Hunter couldn't see the obvious carelessness of her team members in regards to her. I wouldn't push anymore tonight, it didn't feel right when Hunter was wasted.

"We better get to sleep," I sighed, laying down.

Hunter agreed and then suddenly startled, "Wait!"

"What?" I was constantly confused by her.

"Why are you here?"

I looked around, a little bemused, "Because this is my room..."

"No, I'm rooming with Leah," Hunter told me, seeming sure of her facts.

"Yes but you fell asleep in my room so Lia is with Leah."

Hunter didn't seem to question it much more, "Oh, okay."

Suddenly I felt this doubt take over, second guessing everything, "Do you want me to walk you back to your room so you're with Leah?"

Hunter immediately settled, making me almost jump as she laid her head on my chest, "No," She sounded fearfully adamant.

"Okay," I chuckled, feeling the comfort of her weight on mine. 

"Thankyou for the hoodie," She whispered, I could see her fingers clutching onto the sleeves.

"Little big on you, no?" I chuckled. Hunter was shorter than me, though she wasn't by any means short, I was just tall so the hoodie drowned her slightly; it was endearing though.

Hunter shook her head, "It's perfect."

"And why's that?" I joked, not really expecting an answer.

"Because it smells like you," Hunter yawned.

Only Hunter would ever leave this euphoric feeling flooding through my body with words. Such simple words yet such complicated feelings.

"Sleep well Hunter," I told her.

"Goodnight Jilly," Hunter's voice was so quiet but sounded so peaceful. It felt like the ocean had stilled, the sky was calm and a sense of tranquility had fallen over us; just because something seemed quiet, didn't mean it was. Some of the quietest words ever spoken were the most powerful. 

"Goodnight liefde."

I wrapped my arm around Hunter's back, holding her gently close to me as I heard her breathing slow. I found myself listening to every breath, I found something new with each one. In my mind Hunter had already been asleep but by hearing my last word, I saw this small smile grace her face. 

I asked myself, those butterflies filling my stomach, were we friends or were we something more?