I'M A MESS

Chapter Fourteen

"Alright. I'll be going for breakfast now", I excused myself.

"Hey, Aaron", she calls out and hands me a towel. "Use it as an excuse to see her". She winks and leaves.

I looked at the towel and thought, I think breakfast can wait just a bit.

*** 

"Hey", I knocked on the door to the guest room. "I'm coming in, alright". I turned the knob of one door and pushed it open. Stepping foot in the room, I saw a huge lump on the bed and realized it was Isaac still lying down on the bed. I closed the door silently behind me, afraid that any noise would make him from his slumber. I walked to and placed the towel on the lamp desk. Turning my attention to him, I realized he was still sound asleep in the dress he wore yesterday.

'Y'know, he sort of passed out last night.'

I grinned to myself as lied down where he slept.

"Hey", I poked his cheek. "You still reek of wine".

"Mhmm..", he groaned as he shuffled comfortably on the bed. "Five more minutes..", he said, half-asleep. I chuckled at him. Seeming to be woken up by my chuckle, his eyes fluttered open and set their sight on me.

"Morning", I greeted him with a smile.

"Morning...", he responded and closed his eyes back again. All of a sudden, his eyes shot open and he, in an attempt to jump out of bed, fell down from it instead.

"Ow..!", he yelped as he fell on the floor.

"You alright?", I called out. He pops his head from the side of the bed and looks at me holding suspicion.

"Why are you here in this room?", he asks in a shocked tone, then stands up. "Did something happen last night!?" 

I gave him a grin. "I leave that to your imagination".

He paces back and forth and tries to immerse himself in remembering whatever he thinks he had to remember. As he paced, my eyes fancied on the sight of his bare back - with the dress he wore unzipped from the back and all. Ah, that skin-

"Aaron!", he calls out and walks to where I lied down. "Did something happen last night!?"

"Who knows?", I pointed at him. "Disheveled hair, unzipped garments, bare back, exposed upper chest. What other evidence would you like me to state?" He blushed at my musings. "Or maybe", I stood up and let my height tower over him, "I should begin by showing you the hickey on your neck". He covers his neck and dashed to the mirror. Upon seeing the fading hickey on his neck, he turned to me and pouted, "I'm not an idiot. This was the hickey you gave me the night before yesterday-". He abruptly covers his mouth.

Relief rushed through me. At least I'm not the only one who remembered.

"I'm quite sure you need not remember anything from last night because nothing happened, alright? But the other night", I walked to him and looked at his eyes on his reflection in the mirror, "is a different story. Something happened and I am very happy that you have etched the memory of that evening into your mind".

"That was..", he tried to reason out. "Nothing happened. Just a few.. kisses and..", he turned redder as he covers his mouth with his hands and mumbles into his palms. I stepped towards him and pulled his back on my chest, wrapping my arms around his slender shoulders.

"The very thought of it arouses you, doesn't it?", I whispered against his ear and his eyebrows trembled, "You prat.."

Oh,..his eyebrows trembled, I mused. I'm beginning to want this even more..

"Mind if we continue where we left off?", I traced my lips on his ear, making him shudder. He abruptly pushes himself away and knocks me on the floor.

"You wish", he cockily grins.

 ***

Isaac and I had breakfast together and spent the rest of the day in the garden where I lied down on the bench the whole time and Isaac, in the same red polo shirt and beige pants he wore yesterday morning, read a book as he sat on a bench opposite me.

"What are you reading?", I looked at him sideways. He flipped another page and replied without meeting my eyes, "My notes. You do know that our exams will be this Thursday. Today's a Monday and I can't afford to lose any time not studying".

I salute you for your dedication to your goal.

"Nevertheless, it's in perfect timing, isn't it? I'm feeling quite happy that there are no classes during the days before the midterm exams", I sighed. I heard Isaac close the notebook he was reading and leaned back against the bench, "Almost too perfect".

It was indeed a fair Monday morning and instead of getting worried about not being able to review, I was rather happy to be with Isaac - seeing him feel the wind against his skin and wearing a calm look on his face. The leaves were dewy from watering and the wind was getting slightly chilly, signaling the beginning of winter in a few months' time, but the sky was clear and I was filled with nothing but content.

 

Isaac's POV

 

"Almost too perfect".

Sitting on the wooden bench in the garden, my eyes fell from the sight of the clear sky down to the sight of the man I rivaled. The look on Aaron's face was rather calm despite the fast-approaching exams. I admit, I am a bit envious of his current quiet and peaceful state.

I wonder what he's thinking about..

Quite a lot has happened over the course of two days. Meeting his family, going to place I thought were out of my reach - all that because of Aaron.

'I'll let you take it all', his words rang in my ear, sending a sharp pang of pain on my chest. How can he say such a thing so nonchalantly about the things he's had all his life?

Aaron, I thought, how do you really feel?

Why do you make me want to see beneath the face you make right now?