Silence in the sound

Chapter Four

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get to sleep. My thoughts about this entire experience consumed me. After what I imagine was a couple of hours, I got out of bed and walked into the living area where Deklan was sleeping on the couch. I debated with myself on whether or not I should wake him up.

T: Hey, Deklan

I said gently shaking him

D: Tianah?

He groaned sounding half asleep

T: I apologise for waking you, I just couldn't get to sleep I have a lot on my mind

In his half asleep state Deklan reached out his arm to my waist and mumbled,

D: Come here.

As he gently pulled me onto the couch his arms reached around my waist, I was blushing like crazy and my heartbeat at one hundred beats per minute. His hands felt safe, the warmth they admitted to my body had me speechless and before I knew it, Deklan was back to sleep. Did he realise what he had done?

I felt comfort and safety in Deklan's embrace and I was able to drift to sleep easily.

By the time is was morning I had awoken to myself and only myself on the couch, I got myself up and groggily went into the bedroom where I saw Deklan asleep in the bed,

T: What the hell!

I gasped

D: Shut up I'm sleeping

Deklan whined but there was no way I was letting this go, what was he doing? Did he comfort me purely so he could take the bed, leaving me stuck on that crappy little motel couch?

I tugged on Deklan's arm until eventually he opened his bright blue eyes, he seemed bothered but then again, who isn't annoyed by being awoken in the middle of the night and then again in the morning? Ew, why was I feel consideration for Deklan?

After a few minutes, Deklan got out of bed and I asked him

T: What the damn hell happened last night, you stole the facking bed!

D: I "stole" the bed? You woke me up being all wah wah I can't sleep, so I comforted for like five minutes then you feel asleep

He shrugged as if it was nothing,

D: Once you fell asleep I went to the bed cause the idea of you makes me hurl!

Deklan said it as a joke but I couldn't help but feel a little offended, I mean, I wasn't that repulsing... right?

Deklan and I chatted for a bit before heading out of the motel and continuing on our journey from Broomehill to Tambellup, on the way through town Deklan made sure to stay consistent with simple forms of PDA such as hand holding and at one point, a short-lived embrace.

After we were around a half an hour outside of Broomehill, he released his hand from the grasp of mine and went back to acting like his usual self, in a way it was nice to see the real him, but at the same time, it was nice to feel wanted.

If I'm being honest, touch is something I take with sentiment. I love to be loved and I love loving people. It was hard for me, though. Deklan wasn't about to be an exception to my resilience but I must admit, there was some there... Chemistry? Tension? A past bond with unspoken nothings? I couldn't be sure, but as I was just about as deep in thought as I thought I could go I get interrupted by the crippling Marge Simpson himself,

D: Halfway, yippee!

T: Yippee? What sort of loser says that?

I said, trying to act as if I wasn't out of breathe from this tremendous travel, unlike Deklan, how could he do this so effortlessly? He had so much stamina, I found it admirable!

We continued our walk and after some tiresome hours, I looked into the distance and saw it. Tambellup, our next destination.

T: Look Deklan, look!

Deklan looked down at Tianah to acknowledge her excitement.

T: So, fancy motel tonight?

Deklan scoffed before replying,

D: Who said anything about motels? Tonight, we sleep in the wilderness!

T: Excuse me, what?! Nuh uh, only your own Dekyboy.

Deklan rolled his eyes and I knew he wasn't going to put up with me complaining any longer so I just went quiet and let my mind ponder about the possibilities that camping in the bush entailed.