Stories I Write When I Can't Sleep

Stay

"Are you still cold?" I mumbled as she pressed herself closer to me. Her head nodded minutely against my shoulder and I bit back a sigh. I shifted slowly, drawing my arms around her trembling form. The library movie screening had already started when we snuck through the huge oak doors. Now at the back of the freezing room,we had our jackets wrapped around us and a steaming cup of mocha in our hands. However, Emma had complained that she was still cold and proceeded to hug my free arm and then interlaced our fingers together. With my arms around her,Emma leaned into the crook of my shoulder and yawned. "You wanna leave?" I whispered into her ear as I felt her shiver from the cold again. "Let's stay,Beth. Isn't it your favourite genre?" She mumbled and I tightened my arms around her. Emma did not enjoy mythological movies or anything long-winded that was not a romance film. The fact that she had agreed to come with me had already been a huge move on her part.

"Thanks..."I nuzzled her cheek,growing worried as her cheek felt like she had walked through a snow storm. "Nevermind,this movie is boring. Let's go." I could imagine her eyebrows furrowing as I stretched my stiff legs. Standing up,I offered her my hand and could not stop a grin from spreading on my face when she blinked sleepily at me. Everything Emma did was always so endearing. "Come on,aren't you cold?" I asked as I took her chilly hands in mine. She sighed as she stood up and I grabbed our drinks before pushing open the door silently. Emma sluggishly inched her way out of the room as I followed behind at an even slower pace. She took her cup and I drained mine in seconds before sighing in contentment. Emma just shook her head at me and said,"C'mon Beth,let's go home."

We were best friends since primary school even though we were worlds apart. We met in our CCA and were often partnered due to our similairty in our physique,skill and speed. We had been inseperable since. She was soft spoken and motherly while I was loud and brash. Studious and playful. Innocent and mature. However,she was the yin to my yang and I hoped that I was hers. Because I had loved her since we were young girls,struggling to learn how to throw a ball properly. But I have never told her a thing nor have I even showed signs of liking her more than a friend. Twelve years of liking her from afar does that to you. I was her friend and that was that.

"Beth!" Emma's sharp call snapped me out of my reverie. I started and stumbled before turning around to face her. "Huh?" I blinked intelligently. She stared incredulously at me before shaking her head. I realised in embarressment that I had walked right past our shared aparetment building. "Sorry,"I muttered,cheeks hot. I jogged into the lobby and pressed the lift and waited for Emma to catch up to me. "Bethany,you have been daydreaming alot more... Have you been getting enough sleep?" See what did I say,motherly. I nodded and raised my eyebrows,masking the way my heart would always beat out of time when she spoke to me. "You sleep lesser hours than me..." I deadpanned which was somewhat true. Emma was a self-proclaimed nightowl and always ignored me when I called her to bed. But I always would wake up earlier,shaken from my sleep by bad dreams and nightmares.

"Well..."Emma pouted as she stared at the metallic doors of the lift. I smiled and entered the lift,quickly hitting the button for the tenth floor. "You want Starbucks tomorrow?" I asked as she yawned sleepily again. "Sure..."Emma pressed herself onto my back and mumbled into my shoulder. My fists immediately clenched and I struggled to maintain my calm façade. "C'mon Em,we're here..." I mummured as she shook her head into my back. I steeled myself and scooped her up. Emma instantly clung to my front,arms around my neck as I carefully balanced her and fished for my keys simultaneously. Unlocking the door was easy. The hard part was getting her to go to let go. "Emma..."I quietly called as I walked to her room, "Time to go to bed." Emma cracked open one eye and tightened her hold on me. "No Emma seriously,let go." I grated out. Her body pressed so close to mine was wrecking havoc on my body and there was only so much I could take. I was only human afterall.