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chapter thirty-three

I woke up on the couch.

I normally can't really sleep anywhere else than my bed. I don't fall asleep very quickly. I don't fall asleep easily. I'm the exact opposite of a sim.

But here – it's been different. With Clay it's been different.

I could sleep in his bed before. I could sleep with him next to me.

And now I could even fall asleep in his arms on his couch.

I wiggled myself out of Clay's arms after I woke up. We slept in the corner of the couch, with him holding me.

The last time we really did that – before this all started – was probably at my eighteenth birthday, where we all kind of got drunk and Clay and I ended up on my attic. I only remember it faintly, but I searched there for something from my childhood, which I wanted to remember on my step to adulthood. I didn't find it, which made me tear up – and I'm really not the one to tear up in front of others. But Clay was with me... and was there for me. We talked. We almost fell asleep there on the attic.

That time he was also holding me in his arms.

I tried not to get caught up with memories as I made myself some coffee and waited for Clay to wake up. I didn't want to wake him on purpose, knowing that he's someone who likes to sleep in.

He didn't wake up from me escaping his embrace nor from the sounds of the coffee machine – he must be a deep sleeper. Another thing I am not – concerning my sleep.

But as after some time even Nick came downstairs, already fully awake, I kind of started to get concerned with Clay's sleeping habits.

"Is he still not awake?"

I turn to Nick, whose face is hidden in the fridge. He went to the kitchen after he came downstairs and after I went into the bathroom and got into some different clothes, I joined him.

I finish chewing on my breakfast before I answer him. "No. Still no sign yet", I joke, but actually really want Clay to wake up.

Nick grins, now pouring himself some orange juice in front of me. It seems like we once again buried our weird encounter and now are back to normal... I mean, I haven't figured out this "normal" between him and me yet, but it's this. "I swear, sometimes I have to come over to his room to wake him up, because I had to listen to his alarm for ten minutes and he didn't hear it at all."

I laugh and take another bite from my breakfast – fried egg on an avocado-toast – as I hear a voice behind me. It's quite silent and pretty raspy, but still, I grin as I hear it. "You could have just woken me up", Clay mumbles and as I turn my head, I see him rub his eyes. Even from his posture one can tell that he just got up.

"Good morning", Nick and I say at the same time, and I giggle.

We get back a sleepy "Morning" as well.

Nick is already back to making himself a sandwich, layering it with all kinds of ingredients as Clay lets out a huge yawn. I watch him as he brings his hands into the air, his shirt lifting a bit and exposing the skin just above his pants. It's just for a few seconds, but enough time to see the skin with its veins and...

Oh, come on... he's doing this on purpose...

I literally feel my heart make a jump and I have to force myself not to let out a smug grin – provoked by my sight.

Only when the shirt is back, covering everything there was to see I can pull away my eyes and... of course seeing that Clay noticed my look.

He opens his mouth, but I give him a look, halfway threatening him, halfway grinning – but really not wanting to hear any word about this.