Take Me To Hawaii

19. The Balcony

Take Me to Hawaii - A Tratie Fanfiction - Chapter 19 - The Balcony - Day 3

Katie was having the first good night's sleep she'd had since she'd arrived in Hawaii. No sickness to wake her up throughout the night and no overexhaustion that made it hard to fall asleep. Just an ordinary slumber. An ordinary slumber broken at half past one in the morning by the balcony doors sliding open. 

She sat stark upright. Her head flicked to either side of her, risking whiplash. It was becoming routine now, for her to wake up and find Travis' bed empty. She laid back down, resting her head against the pillows and closing her eyes again, hoping to drift back off to sleep.

A thump against the glass woke her once more. She tossed off the covers, shoved a blanket over her shoulders, and stormed to the balcony door with the intent of reprimanding him. She stormed to the doors and flung one open. Travis always was full of surprises.

Surprises like finding him leaning against the railing, his head hanging low. Katie wondered if he was cold. He was only clad in a thin white vest and his pyjama pants, though the breeze didn't seem to shake him. His hands flopped over the metal, a cigarette between the middle and index finger of his left hand. The smoke plumed from the burning end. It swirled up into the nights, fading with each and every step towards the heavens before disappearing entirely like it never could fully reach greatness. Smoke filled the sky once again, this time blooming from Travis' lips. He threw his head to sigh out the smoke, licking his lips before bringing the cigarette to his lips again.

She didn't like it. She didn't like how relaxed he seemed as he burnt a plant within the skin of another and slowly killed himself with it. It would be a regret he'd have half a dozen decades from now but a regret she'd hold tonight if she didn't do something. But she froze, watching him become intoxicated and finding it somewhat intoxicating.

"You're up early." She interrupted hoping he'd finally notice her presence and panic, hiding the flameless burning behind his back or tossing it over the balcony. He didn't. He barely even gifted her a glance, just took another breath.

"No. I'm up late." He spoke so quietly that she had to focus to hear. She strained her ears and her mind trying to scramble what he said into something logical.

"Haven't slept?" Katie clarified, pulling her blanket further over her shoulders and snuggling down into it. She stepped out from the balcony's doorway and onto the solid surface. It was now she noticed the plastic chair that balanced precariously against the other door like it had been thrown or shoved aside.

Katie shut her door behind her to prevent any of the smoke from filling her clothes with its scent. Travis had dropped his head back onto the railing taking a lunging step back. Katie hesitantly picked up the chair and stood it back on its feet in the corner of the space. Travis turned his head to the side finally meeting her eyes. He shook his head. 

Katie didn't quite know what to do. She had seen him angry before, he'd kick a locker or throw a punch. When he was happy he'd beam a cheeky smile or grin or smirk. No matter how he felt, she would hear him. Now though, now he was quiet. Deadly silent so much so he could be an assassin. Katie didn't like that. She didn't know how to deal with that.

"Was it my snoring?" She tried, playful in her tone. She thought that maybe joking with him would bring a loud laugh into the air around them instead of toxic smoke. She turned her back to the railing, leaning her elbows on it "Cause. I can get some sort of snore ring tomorrow if that'll help?"

"You don't snore, Kates." No laugh emerged from lips, only more smoke. His voice was broken and hoarse, whether it was from the cigarette or emotion she didn't know. All she did know was that she didn't like seeing him like this. She needed to fix it. Her mind went back to her fake fall on the stairs and her fake tears on the plane.