Represent

Chapter 36

Beams of sunlight trickling through the blinds, accompanied by the soft chime of my alarm, woke me up. I had slept well, and now I was greeted by the warm, relaxed feeling that followed a good night's rest. The only thing that was slightly odd to me was the line of pressure I felt across my waist. Maybe it was a pillow or something--but no, it was too warm. The groan emitted reminded me that Liam was over, and that there was no reason to freak out.

Not wanting to wake him up, I tried to slide out of his grasp. I wasn't used to waking up with someone like this, so I wasn't very successful.

"Deja?" Liam said groggily. "What time is it?"

I stretched out my arm and grabbed my phone, which was on the nightstand. "It's 7:30am."

"Good," Liam sighed, repositioning his arm around me like I was a stuffed animal. "We can go back to sleep then."

"Not good," I countered. "I have to pee and I have to work today."

Liam groaned and tightened his grasp. "Call in sick and stay with me."

"I'm not sick, and it's too late to call anyway," I said firmly, though I really did just want to hit the snooze button. I tried to pry his heavy arm off me, but he was too strong. "Liam! I have to go!" I laughed. "Don't you have to do something today too?"

"Not anymore," he said, finally releasing me. He rolled over and bunched the covers up, leaving me exposed and freezing. I would have been annoyed, but I needed that kind of cold encouragement if I was ever going to get ready. "You kickin' me out?" he asked, still sounding half asleep.

I paused for a moment. I felt like I should have told him to go on home since I wasn't the only person living here, but seeing Liam all curled up in the covers like a kitten made it really difficult for me to give him the boot. "No. You can stay. I'll just text Nia and let her know you're still here."

"Where she at, anyway?"

"I don't know. Last night she was studying with a few of the people in her class. Maybe she decided to spend the night." I unlocked my phone to text her and was greeted by a text from Nia herself. "Oh yeah, says it right here. I guess she fell asleep studying. I'll just text her and let her know-"

"I'm gettin' up, I'm gettin' up," he groaned, peeling the covers off. "I can give you a ride to your job, too, if you want one." He sat up on the side of the bed and dropped his chin into his hand. "My head hurts."

"Well, you drank a whole half a bottle last night. It should hurt." I, too, got out of bed and started to get ready. "A ride to work would be nice, actually."

The work day was pretty normal. Liam offered to give me a ride back afterwards too, which was kind of him.

"You didn't have to do that," I said as I got into the passenger side.

He shrugged. "No big deal." He started driving me home while I picked over the selection of music in his iPod, which was connected to the car speakers. Most of his music was too trill for me, but I finally settled on some Drake. After a few moments, he spoke again. "Hey, are you busy tonight?"

"No, not really," I answered as I scrolled through my phone. Nia would be home, and I hadn't seen her in a while, but it's not like I couldn't go a few more hours without her. "Why?"

He sniffed. "Nothin'. It just gets quiet in the evenin's."

"Don't you work in the evenings?."

I thought I saw him tense up a little. Then again, he seemed to have a permanent steely look. "Nahh. Not right now." That wasn't the first cliffhanger comment he'd made, but I wasn't gonna argue him down right after work. Maybe later he'd open up about whatever was going on, because it was clear enough to me that something was up. "So you gone come over or what?" he said eventually.