The Illusion

Thirteen

I launched my book across the room, sighing as it hit the bookshelf and fell to the floor. That ending was fucking infuriating. Not a single answer to any of the questions I had. I hate books like that. That end on not only an out of place happy ending, but ones that don't seem to close off anything either. It ruins the whole book.

"I didn't know we can throw books at stuff." I scrunched my face up, adding the book to my tracker app in my phone.

"Fucking shit. I hate books that have such a crap ending. If they're part of a series it's fine but that's a fucking stand alone." I stood up, tugging the back of my top as I put it on my 'never read again' shelf along with the other books that made me want to find the author and force them to write a second book, or more chapters just to finish it off better.

"You finished it? You started that yesterday with Alara. I'm not even 3 quarters of the way through this one yet." I flopped back down into my spot across from him.

"Me and Alara have really quick reading paces. You have no chance of keeping up with us. Do you know how many books are out there that I want to read. I have to be quick to be able to read as many as I can." I crossed my arms, laying back on the sofa, staring at the vaulted ceiling. Horny, finished a shit book, too late to start another since I've got a bed time to help me sleep right. What a fucking night.

"Did you like this book?" I tipped my head back, looking at him upside down for just a second.

"Yeah. One of my favourite series."

"What are all these dots in the margins?"

"What dots?" He patted the spot next to him and I grumbled, shimmying up until I was in the corner beside him. "Oh those. Those are from my second read through. Some people annotate or use like see through marker stickers for stuff they think is important or has a certain feel, I put a dot there."

"All of these?"

"They're important in the later books." Leo nodded. "Where abouts are you?"

"They just got to James' house."

"Oh, they got out?"

"Yeah. Warner could touch her though." I nodded. "How?" I shrugged.

"I'm not spoiling it for you." Leo rolled his eyes, looking at his watch. "Bed time right?"

"Having a routine is just going to help you get used to sleeping through the night again. You're going through a lot right now physically with all the training and mentally with everything else. You need to rest. A full 9 hours." I stood up, waiting for him to slide his bookmark into place before we walked quietly down the stairs and over the hall into his room.

We were both already ready for bed, teeth brushed, pyjamas on. I laid down in what was now apparently my side of his bed. My charger, my water bottle already there without me needing to say a damn thing. Furthest from the door and opposite to where I'd been last night.

"Got everything you need?"

"I think so." He nodded, flicking the light switch until it was just the bathroom light tinting the room a light blue. He said if I woke up in the middle of the night the light would make it easier for me to see where I was and that I wasn't still in the dream. It wasn't that bright but I could just about see in here. "Leo?"

"Mhm."

"What are we doing tomorrow?" I settled back into the pillows, turning my body in the cold, crinkly sheets. Fresh. Not smelling of him. I hate it.

"Just practicing everything. Work out in the morning, shooting in the afternoon. The more we do it the better you'll be. Why? Did you want to do something else?"