The Bright Side of Darkness

Twenty-Nine

When I wake up, my back isn't as stiff as I had expected it to be. By the look of his sleeping position, Tay won't be so lucky. He could have easily moved out from under me and gone to his room to sleep, but he didn't. My head is still resting against his warm chest as he sleeps. I don't move for fear he will wake up. His face is so relaxed. He looks as if nothing has ever happened, and he doesn't have scars all over his body. There isn't a care in the world.

I brush my thumb over the scar above his top lip. It isn't as pink as it was a few weeks ago, but it still holds a rosy tint. It gives him a kind of rough look that is completely different from how he used to look.

He yawns, startling me as he opens his eyes. "Well, hello, there."

"Good morning," I mumble as my face turns red. He probably knows I was watching him sleep. His heartbeat thumps slowly in his chest, causing me to close my eyes to focus on the soothing sound.

"This is why I wanted to get the surgery," he whispers into my hair. "I can't wait until I can see your face again. Especially if I get to wake up like this."

I smile to myself and fiddle with my bracelet. But my thoughts get ahead of me. What if he doesn't like the new me when his sight has returned? He still remembers what I look like before, and it isn't hard to connect the two faces. But what if he preferred me when I was big? Maybe he has a thing for big girls and won't like me now.

Yeah, very unlikely, considering his past.

"Why did you like me before?" I look up at him and watch him frown in confusion. "I was fat, and people were always so rude to me. You always went after the skinny and popular girls."

"You weren't fat."

I scoff. "Oh, really?"

He sighs and rubs his forehead. "Em, you weren't fat. You had fat, but you weren't fat. You also have fingernails. You aren't fingernails, are you?"

I laugh. "I guess you're right."

Someone knocks on the door and unlocks it before either of us has time to process what is happening. I try to stand up but trip on the blanket and crash backward, trying my hardest to cover my chest.

"Hey, sleepy - Ahh!" Travis slaps his hand over his eyes and pushes Jackson back through the doorway. As I unsuccessfully scramble to find my shirt, Travis begins laughing and enters the house again.

"It's not funny!" I grab the blanket again and cover my chest. My shirt doesn't seem to be anywhere, and no way am I gonna stand here in just my bra.

"Here." Tay grabs his hoodie off the arm of the couch and hands it to me.

I try not to blush as I pull it on and glare at Travis. "You couldn't have waited for one of us to open the door?"

"My bad, my bad. I didn't know you two were, uh..." He tilts his head to the side.