Dreaming Together

Chapter 2

"I'm sorry for last night. The breakfast's on table. - Max." the sticky read.

"His hungover ass cooked better than my sober self," she thought as she poured maple syrup on her pancakes.

Just as she was settling in to work on her novel, there was a knock on the door. It was Jessie, their undergrad neighbor, asking to borrow their makeshift couch for a party that night. Lena agreed, and returned to her writing, eventually falling asleep by the window.

When she woke up, it was already late afternoon and Max was sitting at the kitchen table, pouring himself a glass of lemonade as he read through financial reports. Lena shivered in the cold, damp air and made her way to her room to get under the covers.

As the evening grew colder, Lena stepped outside for a cigarette and to listen to some Kodaline. She met Dylan, and the two chatted about the upcoming Kodaline concert in the city.

"The next time those kids ask you to borrow our fridge, go ahead," Max called out from the kitchen. "Give them everything in our house, Miss Santa."

"At least they speak to me nicely," Lena retorted with a wink. "Unlike some grumpy roommates I know."

As they continued to banter, Lena suddenly realized she was locked out of her room. She twisted the knob for the fifth time, feeling frustrated and cold in the evening air.

"I can't believe you let them leave the house with those plates," Max continued yelling. "There's a huge middle finger drawn on the back of them, you idiot."

Lena rolled her eyes and shot back, "Why don't you let them live their lives? Just because you don't like to party doesn't mean the rest of the world has to be as boring as you."

Lena trudged down the hallway, her anger rising with each failed attempt to open the door to her room. She was locked out, left to shiver in the cold evening air.

Max panned his door on her face.

She let out a sigh and resigned herself to a night on the hard floor, curling up with her arms as a pillow. She shivered, hoping the morning would come quickly.

The moonlight streamed through the window, casting a soft glow over Lena as she lay on the floor. She looked almost ethereal, with her curls tumbling around her face and her lips full and inviting. Even Max couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt as he watched her shiver.

"Get up," he whispered, as he knelt down, offering her a hand.

Lena grumbled and swatted his hand away. "Shut up," she muttered.

But Max persisted. "You can have a part of my bed. I'll sleep on the other end. Come on," he said, trying to coax her into his room.

Lena hesitated, the thought of sharing a bed with Max seemed like a terrible idea. However, the warmth of his blankets and the prospect of a good night's sleep were too tempting to pass up. She reluctantly followed him into his room.

Inside, Lena was struck by the eclectic decor. A dreamcatcher hung on the wall, a Batman poster was tacked up next to it, and a miniature of Elon Musk sat on the desk. She sank into the warm blankets and let out a contented sigh as the warmth seeped into her fingers and toes as she snuggled into them.

"God bless you, Max" she whispered.

"Heck you" huffed Max, pulling back his part of quilt that Lena had completely taken over.

It was faster than she thought she'd ever fall asleep in a stranger's room. That too someone she had always wanted to strangle to death.

As Lena drifted off to sleep, hugging her pillow tightly between her arms, she couldn't have known that her peaceful slumber would be interrupted by the sounds of a tumultuous fight happening just outside her window. At first, the noises were distant, like an echo in the back of her mind. But as the voices grew louder and more agitated, Lena's peaceful sleep was shattered.