Melt me

Chapter 37

Kenji

Nazeera's delicate laughter rings in the air, crashing waves of joy over me. I'm also chuckling, turning onto my side so I can see my beautiful girl.

"Stop laughing at me." I grab onto her wrist that's covering her mouth and move it away. Though it doesn't stop her giggling.
"It wasn't even that funny."

"You literally said that goats lay eggs. We weren't even talking about goats."

"No I didn't." I protest,
"I meant to say birds. I was talking about birds!"

She twists her neck to look at me,
"How do you mix up birds and goats?"

"I didn't get a high school education Naz, what do you expect from me?"

She nods solemnly, biting into her lip in an effort to contain herself. We stare at each other for a minute. I let out a scoff when her chin wobbles and her smile grows.

She starts cracking up again and my hands drop hers. I huff, rolling back onto my back.
"Okay. Keep breaking my heart."

"Fine. Fine I'll stop."
She says, hooking her left leg over both of mine.
Nazeera lays on top of me, resting her head in the crook of my neck.
She sighs,
"You're so dramatic."

My arms wrap around her and I triumphantly kiss her head. I slip my hand under her shirt and soothingly rub her bare back. We've been shut in our room all morning; Nazeera requested a maid to bring us breakfast so I wouldn't starve to death.

It's like those days when Nazeera had more time off and we'd spend our mornings in each other's arms. Talking and laughing for hours.

For the past two days, Nazeera has been slightly more relaxed. Not as much as I'd hoped. I'm not sure if this is a minor fluke or not though I have my fingers crossed that this is a sign she'll be better soon.

I hear a muffled snicker so I pinch her. Nazeera in return squeals and slaps my hand. She props her chin up on the pillow beside my head. Her fingers reach up and rake through my hair. The tenderest of smiles drawn on her lips.

"I love you." She utters. I whisper the promise back, place a kiss on her hand, every one of her knuckles. Her honey brown eyes brighten as I overflow with bliss. You would be surprised but Nazeera is one of the softest girls I know. Not to everyone, of course. Just me.

I love that I'm the only person that has ever had the opportunity to see her like this; this vulnerable and unreserved. When it's just us she's fully comfortable, completely herself. I savor the fact that the true her has always and will forever be solely mine.

She presses her mouth to my cheek and we lay here happily. There really is nowhere else I would want to be. Nazeera tilts her head and purses her lips in thought as I twirl my fingers in her silky strands.

"Hey Kenji," she says after a moment,
"Have you ever wanted to get your GED or even a degree?"

"Hmm. I dunno." I answer truthfully.
"Everythings always falling to shit so I've never really thought about that too much."

She nods, "yeah but things have calmed down over the last two years. We reopened schools for everyone. If you want to go you should."

I mull over it. Going to school doesn't sound bad. I have sometimes been bummed out about not graduating high school or even elementary. It doesn't seem so real to think of. That the world is now normal enough for me to be able to do that.

I shrug,
"I'm probably too dumb to pass anyways."
That earns me a flick on the forehead.

Nazeera glances at me with a touch of sadness embedded in her angelic, serene face.
"No, you're so smart. You really have the potential to do anything, have any job."