The One in the Middle

Chapter 3- Can You Feel the Wind of Change?

The day drifted into night, and I hadn't realized how long we had spent at the park. It was time to eat dinner, and I was invited to have dinner with the Gibbs. Mom won't mind, I know that. 

But I also can't stop thinking about what Robin told me, and how we shared our first kiss. What's worse is that no one knows and I can't share this with anyone. Especially not Mom because she doesn't know about anything. 

However, I've noticed the different feelings I get when I'm around Robin and when I'm around Maurice. 

Around Robin, I feel comfortable and like anything can happen. It's exciting and new. The perk (I guess you can call it that) of liking your best friend is that all of the teasing and fun is combined with all of the flirting and all that. 

But around Mo, it's different. It's like we don't know what to say to each other, but there's so much to say simultaneously. I know he gets nervous around me, but it's just because he's naturally like that. That's all I've ever known him as. But it's like I absorb some of that feeling whenever I'm around him and it's strange to me. 

As dinner finished, I found myself falling asleep on the couch. It's not uncommon for me to be sleeping over at Robin and Maurice's house, or for them to be staying the night at my house. Although, what is abnormal is me sleeping on the couch since I'm usually in Robin's room. 

My eyes are shut tightly, darkness surrounding me as I sleep soundly on the couch. I have no idea what time it is either, but I do know it's late. 

I'm woken by someone lightly shaking my shoulder. 

"Hazel...? Are you up?"

I open my eyes and see Maurice standing above me, his hand still holding my shoulder. "Well, I am now." I chuckle at my response. 

He has something on his mind, I can tell by his facial expression. But I don't feel nervous as I normally do when I look at him. It's more like I feel happy, and something else I can't begin to describe. 

"Do you, I don't know, want to stargaze with me? I can't sleep, and I thought of you," Maurice offered. 

'I thought of you...' Those words rang through my mind as if they were being spoken in an echo-infested hallway. It went right to my core, it seems. 

However, I smile and whisper, "I would love to." 

He helps me up off the couch and we head up to the roof where the night sky is stretched up above us. Sometimes I take for granted how beautiful the night sky is because as I look at it right now laying next to Maurice on the roof, I realize to look deeper and you'll find the inner beauty that's not-so-hidden. 

And again, I have no idea what to say or what to do. I sit there, running so many things through my mind at once trying to figure out a possible topic of conversation. 

"Am I that boring?" he comments, a grin on his face. 

I grin also because I love to see the playful, funny, and friendly side of Maurice that I never seem to see because he's so shy and withdrawn all the time. Well, perhaps not shy more like quieter than most people. 

"You're not boring, I just don't know what to say." I look up at the stars and soak it all in. 

"Thank you for inviting me, Mo," I say, looking over at him. 

He has this wide, happy grin that you can tell is genuine and full of emotion. It gives me this fizzy feeling on the inside, and I think a part of me that I've buried deep inside me has recognized what this feeling is. 

Then, a shooting star flashes across the sky and we turn to each other. 

"Make a wish," he adds. 

I wish I knew what I was feeling...

"What did you wish for?" I ask inquisitively. 

"It won't come true if I said anything." He laughs and it echoes through the night air. 

We're both silent, and I can't help but look at him for a second. It's interesting to see how he just lays, watching his chest rising and falling as he breathes. 

"Hazel, can I tell you something important?" he questions, turning to me once again. 

I raise an eyebrow, and I wonder what it is he's asking about. "Of course, you can always talk to me!" His face flushes momentarily before he composes himself. 

We both sit up to get a proper look at each other, though. 

"Well, this may be weird to say but, um, I-" Maurice stops himself short and takes a deep breath in. "I'm just going to say it: I like you. A lot more than I say, actually." 

That's when his face turns a deep shade of red, and I find that I'm blushing too. 

It hit me. I know what this is. I like him. Oh my god, it all makes sense now... 

"Maurice, I think I like you too," I admit. 

*** 

The night goes on, and we've lost track of time. I feel his head on my shoulder, and I see that he's asleep. 

I smile shyly and carefully pick him up to take him to his bedroom. Surprisingly, he's not that hard to carry. 

The hallway is dark, and the only light being the moon. Gently so I won't wake him up, I set him down on his bed and smile at him. I take only a moment to get a good look at him. Moving his hair away from his forehead, I place a light kiss on his forehead. 

Robin's room is only down the hall, and I decide to say goodnight to him too. I smile at the thought of seeing Robin sleeping. He looks so peaceful as I see him lying in his bed, the sheets coming up to his chin. 

I kiss him lightly on the lips. He hardly stirs and gives the slightest hint of a smile. As I exit his room, I feel the urge to go back into Maurice's room and give him a proper goodnight. 

So, I do and walk back into his room. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he stirs. 

Suddenly, I hear him mumbling. "Don't go..." 

He talks in his sleep... It's kind of cute, I'll admit. 

But then I saw his eyes were open, and he had a sleepy smile on his face. "You're not leaving, are you?" he asks quietly, hardly above a whisper. 

"If you don't want me to, I won't," I reply with a sweet smile. 

"Good, then stay here with me. You can even sleep here, but we'll stay on opposite sides of the bed if you want. Here are some pillows we can use as a barrier..." he rants quietly, reaching for the pillows and putting them in between us. 

I blush lightly. "Ok... goodnight Maurice." 

"Goodnight..."

*** 

I slept pretty well, considering that Maurice was right next to me the whole time. 

When I woke up, I was surprised to see that I had rolled over the pillows and my head was on his chest, and his arm was wrapped lightly around me. 

We were quickly able to act as nothing had happened, and I think it'd be best to keep it that way for the time being. 

I was reminded of that as I saw Robin coming out of his room. And a pit of nerves formed in my stomach and reminded me that nothing can be as simple as I thought.