𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 | g. w

9. sleeping beauty

"Imagine the look on Mia's face when she realises we've caught them both right-handed."

"Should we wake them?"

"No, let them be. They'll probably come to it soon enough anyways. Oh look—there she is."

I wake up to the sound of whispering from around me, and it takes a good few seconds before I realise that both Fred, Alfie and Lee are standing at the foot of the sofa, staring down at me. At first, I'm confused at their curiosity, but then I realise just why I slept so peacefully last night.

George has his arms around my waist and my head is still resting comfortably against his chest. I feel the warmth of his body radiating against my skin, and his beating heart seems to calm me in a way I've never felt before. Fred, Alfie and Lee let out several snickers, still watching us. I feel my cheeks grow hot, and it's far too late to play it off as something other than the fact that I feel completely nervous around him, despite how content I might feel in his presence.

George stirs in his sleep, letting out quiet moans and I find myself smiling at the sounds he's making. He's cute, I think, my heart hammering within the safety of my chest.

"She's quite loved up, wouldn't you guys think?", Alfie asks teasingly.

"Oh yeah, haven't you seen the way they both act around each other? It's disgusting", Fred continues.

"Oh come off it", I say, making it known that I'm awake now and have heard their entire conversation. They continue to chuckle at me and the compromising position they've found me in, and I find myself rolling my eyes at them, but that only seems to egg them on even more.

A few moments later, I feel George moving under me.

"Oh look—sleeping beauty's finally awake." Fred says cheekily.

"Hmmm", George groans, somewhere in-between and awakened and sleeping stage. He places a wet kiss on my temple and I'm home. It feels like I truly belong within the comforts of his arms, and I'm already dreading the moment when I know he'll untangle his limbs from mine. "What time is it?", he says groggily.

It's not until he opens his eyes fully, attempting to adjust to the morning light shining in through the window of the common room, that he seems to realise we're not entirely alone anymore.

"Why, hello there you two", Lee grins, and George groans, letting his head fall back onto the soft surface of the headrest.

(...)

The rest of the day is spent shutting the three of them up, pretending as if I wasn't sleeping with my best friend the whole of last night. They won't stop sniggering and calling us both names whenever they get the chance. I've heard them refer to us as love birds a few too many times at this point.

I'm not particularly bothered by it. I don't really care that they tease us, in fact, I quite like the idea of people referring to me and George as a couple. I just wish it was true...

Ever since the boys found George and I cuddled up together, I can't help but feel as if he's been acting differently around me. I'm not sure if he's ashamed or if he regrets ever falling asleep with me, but I can't say that it doesn't make me question his feelings about it. I mean, I've more or less always been in love with him, and I've never entertained the thought that he would return those feelings. But as of late, I can't help but wonder if a part of him—however small—might actually like me as more than a friend. Maybe it's just my fantasy speaking, and maybe it's just wishful thinking, but the idea of it being even the slightest bit true, makes my heart leap out of me chest.

So why is is so god damn difficult to just confess to him how I feel? Why can't I just pull him into a broom cup board somewhere and tell him?

Well, first and foremost, I'm scared shirtless. Still bloody terrified that he'll shut me down, and that things will become awkward between us. I don't want that, I would never want that, and so I just keep it down. I push down my feelings and go about everyday as if I'm not madly and irrecoverable in love with one of my best and oldest mates.

It's better that way. That way, no one gets hurt. At least that's what I keep telling myself whenever I so much as contemplate uttering those words.