His hands on my neck - Joel Miller.

27.

The next morning fell on Jackson, and only one house on the North saw no sleep that night. With the doors of the bedrooms shut, the two were in their own thoughts, but with silence instead of words between them. Hope had a couple of trips downstairs to take coffee, and by the morning Joel decided to enjoy the drink too. He stood for a moment in front of the door of the girl's bedroom and thought for a moment before knocking on it. Upon hearing the silence as a response, he opened the door and let himself inside.

-    C'mon I know you're not sleeping, - Joel sat on the edge of the bed, holding a cup of coffee in his hands, and keeping his eyes around the bedroom.

-    Do me a favor, get out and close the door please, - Hope was looking at the same point on the wall for at least one hour now. A hole in the wall she has never seen before. Small, yet noticeable.

-    I just wanted to check on you, - He turned his head, just to see her buried under the blanket making zero moves toward him. It was so weird to see a girl so distant yet cold after everything they'd been through.

-    Are you done? – A girl could still feel his presence in the room, understanding that he won't leave before unknown to her goal in his head will be accomplished.

-    And to admit one thing, - The man heard some noises, noticing that she finally turned around and was lying down on the bed, as she looked at him for a second. - You were right. It wasn't my assumption, it was Tommy's. I feel good, you feel good, and I don't see a problem with it.

-    Are you even serious right now? – She sat down on the other side of the bed, not escaping from the conversation anymore, despite the full wish to do so.

-    Absolutely I am, - Joel looked into her eyes, reestablishing the connection between the two.

The truth was that he was really comfortable. It wasn't the relationship, but he knew she cared about him, and as he heard yesterday, loved, and never asked anything in return. And now, when both, Ellie and Tommy knew, maybe it all would be a little bit easier.

-    Couldn't you say what was really on your mind before I told you lots of shit yesterday? – Hope covered her face with her hands, feeling the embarrassment rushing over her body. A huge wish of never telling him how she felt appeared in her mind but was done couldn't be undone.

-    As if I didn't know, - He let a smile appear on the edge of his lips. Of course, you can sometimes tell how other people feel by how they are treating you. He saw the fear in her hazel eyes when he would come back home with deep cuts, or blood all over, but she was always there to wipe it out and heal it. If she didn't give a damn about him, it would be a different story. He understood her feelings a long time ago but just wasn't vocal about it, same as her.

-    I am so fucking stupid, - She fell down on the bed, burying her face in the pillow as if in case she won't see the problem it will just disappear.

-    So, are we back on the same page where we were? – The man lay down on the other side of the bed, hearing the well-known creaking under his weight.

-    Yeah, before I kill you, -  A girl let a soft smile appear on her face, before throwing her pillow at the man as at least some sort of revenge.