Midnights

we're opposites aren't we

The digital wall clock near the wooden sliding door says it's eight minutes past two in the morning.

Still, like dipping in a warm bath with a chardonnay on hand and soothing music amidst one chilly afternoon. Assuring, like waking up in the middle of the night and finding your old cat lying next to you, curved into a ball of fur. Calm, as if everyone has resigned into a deep and undisturbed sleep.

The eight of them ended their silly period and went straight to their respective rooms right before midnight. It was a long day after all, even if it hasn't ended yet for Colet

Or.. a long week?

Or.. months?

Quite disorienting.

They were like cyborgs who have the same, repetitive routine each passing day. Consumed by their fully booked schedules and commitments one after the other. Cyborgs, but with feelings, senses, and limits.

Demanding. That even when one or two were sick, there's a family emergency that they had to attend, or it's the time of the month, or just... they're not just in the mood, like any other human would experience—BINI had no choice but to persist with activities.

Fortunately, that ended tonight.

Minimal silence envelops the entire kitchen area, except for Zild, who's been singing the same song on loop for twenty minutes in less than twenty decibels.

That warm white pendant light hanging from the ceiling in the center of the dining table illuminates a part of the kitchen and the adjacent granite countertop, enough for slight movements to be lit and guided. 

It's been half an hour since Colet— of course , in her favorite hoodie and pajamas—decided to stay in this part of BINI's group home to dawdle and have some of Jhoanna's favorite chocolate drink, which she heated up to complement the cold rainy weather.

Colet has been tossing and turning for an hour in her softly thick bed, as she couldn't find the perfect position to rest peacefully before accepting the fact that she won't be able to sleep. 

She mentally reminded herself of confessing what she had stolen from the younger, supposing that it would lessen the degree of annoyance that Jhoanna inevitably shows to all of them once she finds out.