I couldn't believe it when I found myself agreeing to marry my best friend that night.
**a ForthBeam short story**
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author...
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I was up before my alarm went off on Monday morning.
Maybe "up" isn't quite accurate. I'm not even sure if I managed to sleep. It certainly didn't feel like it. My eyes were gritty, and I felt dizzy with fatigue even before I could open them.
Getting into bed drunk and passing out next to my best friend was one situation, but choosing to climb in next to him while sober and fully conscious was a whole new experience. Throughout all the years of our friendship, sleepovers had never been like this. During high school, it was usually staying up all night playing video games and eating junk food. Even when Beam stayed over, he always slept on the couch. I wasn't sure if there were any rules of bed-sharing etiquette that I should be aware of.
The only people who had shared my bed were the casual flings and brief partners who had drifted off to sleep beside me after intimacy, so intertwined limbs and lack of personal space had become the norm. However, with Beam, things took a different turn. It had been years since I last felt uncomfortable around someone like I did with him.
I teetered on the brink of slumber, fearing that my body might unintentionally entwine with his once I succumbed to sleep. To avoid encroaching on his space, I maintained my distance, restricting myself to the edge of the bed. Sharing with Beam was no simple task either. It seemed that as soon as the lights dimmed, he sprouted an additional fifteen limbs, and each one found its way onto me.
When the moment came to rise, I felt drained yet oddly content. Waking up early was my norm, and on those rare nights when I managed a solid eight hours of sleep, I relished the quiet morning hours before anyone else was awake. On average, I squeezed in a complete workout at least three times a week before the rest of the world stirred.
As the morning sun beamed through the window, it cast golden stripes across the duvet. I glanced over at Beam, who was still fast asleep, his long lashes resting gently on his cheeks and his hair tousled from his restless slumber. For a moment, I allowed myself to forget that he had spent half the night with his head on my pillow. In that moment, he appeared so peaceful and innocent, wrapped up in my cozy blankets.
Good thing I knew better.
I quietly slid out of bed and tip-toed towards the bathroom, being careful not to disturb him. As I emerged from the shower, I instantly felt invigorated, although the air in the room was slightly cooler than I preferred due to the climate control.
Last week, my company was granted our inaugural government contract—manufacturing structural panels for the Air Force. Apart from the significant financial gain, securing a government contract of such magnitude was a remarkable achievement. It brought immense joy to our team at the workshop, but also introduced a considerable amount of pressure. I made sure to arrive early to ensure that everything was in order. It was important for me to verify that our suppliers had delivered as promised, our equipment was working properly, and the materials we had were of the highest quality.
