the one before me - mr harrigan's phone

7 - plan failed successfully

❝ it really hurts, when I need to so bad, but I can't see her. ❞

- juliet by cavetown
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MATILDA'S POV

"Tell me if it hurts," I said, icing his bottom lip which started to swell immensely. He hummed in response while I dabbed it with a handkerchief covering an ice cube. He winced a couple of times, but urged me to continue.

"The faster you do it the sooner this'll be over," He said, closing his eyes in order to ease the pain.

"Well, luck is on your side right now, because I'm done," I said after applying some ointment on the cut. I gave him a warm smile, setting down the ointment and heading to the sink to dump out the ice cube from the damp handkerchief.

"Thanks," I heard him say, getting up from the stool and walking towards me, closing the running tap after I had washed off the cloth.

"My pleasure," I responded, looking up at him in pride, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be heading to the couch,"

"For what?" He asked, turning around after I'd started heading to the living room.

"To get ready for bed? Do you have any extra blankets I could maybe use?" I innocently asked.

"Hell no, no way you're sleeping on that couch and you know that,"

"And what if I do?" He walked over to face me, his figure towering above me.

"No chance," He chuckled, leaping onto the couch before I could, "See! I'm already on it!" He spread his legs on the cushions, refusing to give me space.

"Get off!" I playfully said, trying to carry his feet off the couch.

"Woah, what's going on?" Craig's father had finally gotten out of his room, peering down from the railings to see me attempting to pull Craig off of the living room sofa. I let go of his lower body and stood aside, Craig looking up after the room had gone silent.

"Matilda doesn't want to sleep in my bed," Craig said. I shot him a look, his cheeks fuming red after realising how utterly wrong that sounded, "I- I meant that she wanted to sleep on the couch!" His dad just looked at him weirdly, chuckling.

"I get what you mean. Matilda, why don't you stay in Craig's room? I'm sure he doesn't mind," Craig looked at me with a winning smile, sending a wink in my direction to annoy me.

"Sure, where is it?" I asked, Craig still smiling at his one-time victory

"It's just up the stairs, first door to the right, bathroom is next door," Craig's father said, pointing to the birch door, the light reflecting off the bronze doorknob. I sent him a thumbs up, looking down at Craig who was still staring at me with a smug look on his face.

"Oh shut up," I mumbled, ruffling his flattened hair on my way upstairs, "'Night, Craig," I said, speeding up the stairs.

"Hey! I'm not going to freeze down here! Get me a blanket!" I heard his muffled voice yell out from the living room, "Matilda!"

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My mind drifted away from the blank feeling you have when you fall asleep, and eventually, I felt grounded. I stirred around in the bed, trying to wrap my arms around the pillow I usually had beside me, but it wasn't there. My eyes jolted open, the scent of the bed completely different from mine. I brought the blanket up to my nose and sniffed it, the strong smell of cologne and conditioner easing my thoughts. I had completely forgotten I was at Craig's, and not sleeping at mine. I engulfed myself with the blanket, like a little child warming up in the winter nearby the blazing campfire.