Curls for the girls

Wake up

Nika's POV

I slowly woke up, blinking against the soft morning light that filtered through the blinds. My head was heavy, a dull ache making itself known as I stretched and groggily rubbed my eyes. I reached for the pillow beside me, but my hand didn't meet it. Instead, my fingers brushed against something warm and soft.

Confused for a second, I turned my head and realized I wasn't alone. Ty was lying next to me, her face relaxed and peaceful with her blonde hair sprawled over the pillow, her arm draped over my waist. Her breathing was slow and steady, and for a moment, I just watched her—taking in the way her hair fanned out around her face and the faint smile on her lips even as she slept.

I was still trying to piece together the night. I remembered the party—how much fun we'd had, how I'd gotten a little tipsy, and then... I remembered Ty. I remembered how she had helped me out of the car, supported me when I could barely stand on my own, and then—how she had carried me inside.

But this... this was different. This was new.

I shifted carefully, trying not to wake her, but the closeness between us felt so natural. The way her body fit against mine, the way her hand rested on me without any hesitation—like she belonged here, just as much as I did.

For a moment, I forgot about everything else—the uncertainty, the questions I'd had about us, and the worries I'd carried about whether I was enough for her. All of that faded away in the quiet, in the warmth of her presence beside me.

I took a deep breath, my fingers lightly tracing the lines of her hand resting on my stomach. This was real. We were real. I could feel it in the way her body pressed into mine, in the way my heart beat a little faster whenever I looked at her, even when she was asleep.

Ty shifted slightly in her sleep, pulling me a little closer as she murmured something under her breath. I couldn't catch the words, but the sound of her voice in the quiet room made something flutter inside me.

I smiled to myself, running a hand through her hair and brushing it away from her face. She looked so peaceful, so content. I could've stayed like this forever.

But eventually, Ty's eyes fluttered open, and she blinked a few times, her gaze landing on me. The corner of her mouth quirked into a soft smile.

"Morning," she said, her voice still a little rough from sleep.

"Morning," I replied, my heart skipping a beat at how easy it was to say. I didn't have to second-guess it anymore.

Ty's arm tightened around me, pulling me closer as she leaned in to kiss my forehead. "You okay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

I nodded, though I could feel the weight of the night still pressing down on me. "Yeah, just a little headache. I'm fine."

"Good," she said, her voice warm and reassuring. She brushed her fingers over my cheek, her touch light but affectionate. "You really had me worried last night, you know."

I blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You were out cold in the car, Nika. I carried you inside, made sure you were comfortable. I wasn't gonna let you stay out there in the car alone."

I blinked again, a little surprised. "You carried me?"

She chuckled softly, the sound low and amused. "Yeah. Didn't want to risk you sleeping outside in the cold. I'm stronger than I look."

I felt my face warm, both from the closeness of the moment and from how much her words meant to me. Ty had been there for me in so many ways—more than I even realized.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice softer than I intended. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Ty kissed the top of my head, holding me even tighter. "You don't have to. I'm never going anywhere, Nika."

And in that moment, lying in the bed with her, wrapped up in each other, I believed her. I had no more doubts, no more worries about whether or not I was enough. With Ty, I was exactly where I was meant to be.