Bloom

Chapter-19

Stella

The first light of dawn hits my lids and the fresh breath of an early morning sinks deep into my lungs. A smile plays on my lips as I try to slide my legs through the covers and onto the floor, but my legs don't move. They're tangled under a heavy weight, someone's weight. A body breathes beside me softly; a cocoon coddled around me. I don't believe my eyes when I see Zayn, his hair ruffled on top of his head, his mouth slightly parted as small snores escape it. He looks ravishing, breathtaking. Almost heartbreaking. The glow on his face and my covers complimenting his reflection compel me to not avert my gaze. He is absolute perfection, looking like a god finally at rest after dooming the world he created himself.

I am about to scream in shock but the events of last night come rushing to my brain. And almost suddenly my heart races again, a frown plasters on my face. I gulp as I pocket the memories back and exude anything I feel towards to my dad in a far away land. I will think about the inheritance later, the more important matter at hand is this extremely attractive boy stretched out across my bed.

My mind now tries to remember something else. How did Zayn Giovanni land himself in my bed? Did we sleep together? God no. Then what the hell happened last night? Hazy images of him carrying me across the hall flash in my mind. Sleep with me. No way in hell I asked him that, my cheeks redden at the flashback. I actually shared a bed with Zayn. What the actual heck?

Even if I am the last person on Earth who would welcome him to my bed, I still did. I was just as much part of this sleepover as he was, then and now. It's not only that his body is sheilding mine but also my body under him, touching him, perfectly balled against his protective cover. As per que, his eyes flutter open, he looks at me with confusion and then to the ceiling. I shudder under his gaze, nervous and awkard, body frozen in place. I steal a glance at him, he looks so beautiful. I almost want to kiss him.

Zayn stays like that, eyes glued to the roof. I know what's going on in his mind because it's on my mind too- we shouldn't be doing this, not like this, not sleeping in each others' beds. Even as these thoughts run through our minds, we don't move. We stay exactly the same under the exact same sheets, aware of how close our bodies are. Everyplace our bodies touch, it burns and the parts that don't touch ignite with the desire to. We remain in our cocoon that we built through the night, for I don't know how long. I guess none of us can find the courage to walk away from it. We cease to exist as souls tangled together in a bed, asleep but not quite.

Until the sun fully comes up and bright light floods the room, replacing the soft light of dusk. Zayn doesn't open his mouth, neither do I.

"What happened last night?" The silence is finally broken. Zayn's voice heavy from the morning, sends electric shocks through my ears.

"Nothing. I passed out." I coolly shun it off. I don't want anything to bother me right now as I already have a huge ass man unnerving me. With every cell in my blood I try to throw away any creeping painful reminders of my adolescent self.

"People don't just pass out. What happened?" He pushes me with dominance in his voice.

"I hadn't eaten anything since morning." I lie.

That seems to satisfy him as he sighs. "You should take care of yourself, Stella. You don't know what I went through searching for you last night." I love hearing his voice laced with morning dew. Like music to the ears while his lips are caramel candy to the tongue and his face a sight to behold.

I don't continue the conversation afraid that he will catch my lie. I slip out of bed and tread towards the door to avoid the inevitable.

"What's for breakfast?" His voice follows me. Now that we are out of bed, awkwardity finds it's way in. It was inescapebly awkard. And I wanted to escape the inescapable. I ignore his question, already having answered one.