The Stare

Chapter 9 : The Sleepyhead

~Ethan~

Finally, there it was, a rare and cherished moment of tranquility. Her ceaseless chatter had come to a temporary halt, and the world around us seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. It had been a while since the symphony of her voice had filled the air, and now, the atmosphere was simply serene, like a lullaby sung by the night itself.

The perpetual chatterbox, whose vocal cords had seemingly been on a marathon of their own, was now in a deep slumber. Her words had seemingly decided to take a vacation, leaving her in blissful silence. As I glanced over, I was genuinely captivated by the sight.

She wasn't just peacefully asleep; she was downright adorable. Her face, typically a canvas of animated expressions and witty remarks, had softened into a portrait of pure tranquility. Those furrowed brows and mischievous smiles had been replaced by the gentle curve of contentment. It was as if a mischievous sprite had momentarily transformed into a slumbering angel.

Her tousled hair framed her face like a halo, and her lips, which had been engaged in rapid-fire banter just hours ago, were now curved into a serene smile. If only the world could see this side of Kiara, they'd be charmed as I was in this very moment.

But alas, the tranquility was short-lived. Her expressions shifted, now revealing a mix of sadness and fear. She was muttering in her sleep, but I couldn't quite decipher her words. I mean, I didn't speak Kiara-ese, after all.

My hand, almost of its own accord, gently found its way into her short, ruffled hair. It was surprisingly soft, akin to a child's hair, and as my fingers lightly traced through the strands, it felt like caressing a fluffy cloud. It appeared to have some effect; her restless muttering seemed to quiet down, and she nestled into a more peaceful slumber.

"Shhh, it will be alright."

As I continued to drive with one hand resting casually on the wheel, a nagging thought began to creep into the recesses of my mind. It was a question that seemed to defy explanation: why was I being so inexplicably nice to her? After all, I couldn't deny the fact that she had a knack for being incredibly annoying, like a mosquito buzzing relentlessly in your ear on a hot summer night.

My hand retraced its steps back from her hair, and I couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all.

After a short while, the car glided to a halt, and we had arrived at her place. I even considered adding a dramatic 'Ta-da' for effect, but I resisted.

I gently called out, "Wake up, Kiara." My voice was a mere whisper, an attempt not to startle her too much. Yet, she remained peacefully ensconced in dreamland, undisturbed by my efforts. I tried again, this time with a tad more volume, "Kiara, we're here. Time to wake up."

Seeing that my previous attempts had failed to rouse her, I sighed and decided to give it one more shot. "Kiara," I called out, my voice firmer this time, "we've arrived. It's time to wake up." Reaching over, I gently tapped her shoulder. "Kiara, we're here," I repeated, my patience wearing thin. "You need to wake up now."

"Kiara, we're here," I said, my voice firm as I shook her gently. "Time to wake up."

But what in the world was going on with her? Is she some kind of she-devil? I couldn't help but think. Is she dead or something? 

But seriously, what kind of mystical slumber was this? Was she secretly a vampire catching up on her beauty sleep, or had she entered another dimension altogether? My patience, already stretched to its limits, was now tiptoeing on the edge of sanity.

And then, finally, a response came, but it was nothing short of a nonsensical mumble. "5 more minutes, please... dfhuivgfidgfiugfh."

As I struggled to make sense of her sleep-addled mutterings, an amusing idea popped into my head.

Should I go the extra mile and carry her to her place? Nah, that's way too dramatic and theatrical, and she certainly doesn't deserve such chivalry. She hasn't exactly earned herself a grand escort. I mean, I may wear many hats, but being this nice? Not really my thing, especially not for her. Besides, I have to adhere to the strict "No touching Kiara Policy."

"Uh, Fuck it " I muttered to myself in frustration. Without much choice, I turned the car around and started heading back to my place, with Kiara still blissfully asleep in the passenger seat. It seemed like there was no waking her from this impromptu nap. The universe had spoken, and it said, "Thou shalt not disturb Kiara's slumber." 

A/N - How do you think Kiara is gonna react ?