Romantic Homicide

Chapter Seventeen

Jackson has been stressing me out.

His entire look has completely changed.

The pink that was under his eyes is now black. He tries to sleep through class every chance he gets. His grades have been dropping little by little. We skip lunch everyday just so he can take a nap. He's been looking skinnier.

Every time I ask what's wrong he says he just can't sleep. I will not have my fake boyfriend or any boyfriend of mine die due to no sleep.

It was soon after the sun had slipped away did I find myself at Jackson's house. I climbed up a tree and threw twigs at his window until he opened it.

Under the pale moonlight his skin glowed and he looked like a handsome prince. His room was dark all around him, telling me he had been trying to sleep but he looked wide awake.

"Autumn? What are you doing here?"

I crawled over to his windowsill and let myself in. I clambered through the opening and landed on his carpeted bedroom floor with a soft thud. I jumped up to quickly dust off leaves from my coat.

"To help you sleep of course."

He stared at me as I slipped my jacket off and hung it on the back of his chair revealing my pajamas underneath. I surveyed the room.

It was dark so I couldn't see much, but it was clean. I saw the big bed and headed towards it.

Now normal people might be like "why are you breaking into my home and invading my personal space aka my bed?" But Jackson is not a normal person.

He shrugs and takes his shirt off. I noticed his tan was fading like he hadn't seen the sun in a while. He looked...weaker. Sickly.

It made me want to cry and punch him in the face.

I know he's going through something but why did it have to be him of all people?

He climbed into the bed and we both remained on our own sides. We laid there for an awkward moment before I talked to break the deafening silence.

"You know, I'm here to help you sleep."

"It's working." Jackson responded in a sleepy voice.

I turned my head to see Jackson's eyes fluttering closed. Apparently my mere presence gave him comfort.

"Well this isn't helping me." I mumbled but not wanting to ruin his peace.

He grumbled something back and rolled over to hug my side.

He completely folded into my side with his arm over my stomach and his head leaning close to my shoulder, his hair tickling me.

I used my free hand to brush his hair out of his face and run my hands through it. A few moments had barely passed when I could feel Jackson completely melt into my body.

He was fast asleep by my side, his breaths fanning against my arm.

The darkness soon filled my vision and I was fast asleep.

-

I awoke to the loud alarm blaring next to me.

I groaned and rolled, almost laying on top of Jackson. I rubbed my eyes and remembered that I was in his bed and not mine. I looked outside to see pitch darkness still.

I frowned and climbed over the sleeping lump to check his phone.

He had an alarm set for 4am. I clicked dismiss and crawled back under the warm covers. Jackson's body heat hit me like a wave, silencing the chill that threatened to run along my body.

"Jackson." I whispered and rubbed his shoulder until he stirred.

He slowly blinked and stretched his arms out, nearly knocking into me.

"Why do you have an alarm set for 4am? Are you crazy?" I glare at him, sad that I was awoken so early.

It takes him a second to understand my question, still having a foggy mind.

"Uhm...oh because I'm usually awake right now and the 4am mark tells me my dad's up. I pretend to be asleep if he checks on me but he never does."

He yawns and presses his body into me once more, wrapping his arms around me.

"Okay so that means I can stay until your mom wakes up?"

"She's working from home at the moment so she doesn't wake up until 8am." He explains tired.

"So I'll set an alarm for 6am and we can wake up then?"

He hums in response and seconds later he's fast asleep. I smile softly while looking at him. The dim lighting only lets me see so much, but I can still see the cute pout his lips are doing due to his face being slightly smooshed.

I make sure to run my hands through his hair soothingly, brushing out any strands from his face.

If only he could sleep this perfectly every night.

I roll over so my body is facing his and move closer so there's no space between us. My head is rested on the pillow while the top of his head brushes my chin.

I can't fight the tiredness off any longer and close my eyes.

The last thing I remember is his breath against my neck.