Before the sleep

Chapter twelve

Daddy

Today felt like an off day. I woke up with sweat beading my body even when the AC was working at full blast. Darkness was slurping at my soul, taking away the light in my life. I had the sudden feeling that a planet was being edged between Irene and me. I had to call her to make sure she was still here, that she still wanted to be with me.

I must have come off as the needy boyfriend for assaulting her with ridiculous questions when dawn was still hiding on the other side of the continent. I just had to make sure it was me being paranoid. Hearing her voice, hearing the words leave her mouth settled me enough for me to get ready for work.

Perhaps it was really my paranoid side working on overload but everything and everyone represented a threat to me. The trees swayed too much, the professor talked too loud, and the clients ordered too slowly. They were all irritating. When my day was over and I was free to join Irene, my insides were hanging on a thread.

I met her outside of her world history class. My breath itched up when she walked out in her cut offs shorts and tank top. She hadn't seen me yet because she was smiling at an Asian girl. I leaned in the wall with my hands tucked inside my jeans' pockets. I loved to admire her from afar.

Her entire aura was glowing but it was lacking the carefree attitude. Something was bothering her.

My spine strengthened and my feet moved without waiting for my brain to fully catch up. I watched her head move slightly to my direction before going back to the girl. Then, it came back to me and the stress on her shoulders lessened.

She said something to the girl before meeting me halfway. "Joseph," she sighed with her head on my chest. "I thought you had another shift today again."

I rested my chin on top of her hair. "I called in sick."

"Why?" Her voice sent delicious vibration throughout my body.

"Because I wanted to spend some times with you."

"I like that," she smiled up at me. "I need you right now."

I tucked a stray hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "What happened?"

"Nothing," she moved away until only our hands touched. "It's just another Carmen drama."

Carmen's dramas were always the same. It was her accusing Irene of doing something she disapproved – like dating me. She acted like she was Irene's mother. It scared me that here might be some ulterior motives behind her so called worried stance. "Can I help?"

"No, she's going to get over it. I'm sure of it."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," the mischievous sparks returned to her green eyes. "Do you want to go to my dorm? Carmen's not coming back until later and I don't have any more classes for the day."

That was usually how Irene's troubles started. When we were alone she always opted for pushing my buttons. There was no way I would last much longer despite my best efforts. The worst part of it was that I never failed to cave in. How could I not when she was hypnotizing me with those big emerald eyes?

"Or we can go back to mine. It's quieter."

"Deal," she said before I could retract my proposition.

Irene and I in a room by ourselves for countless of hours while she had those teasing lights in her eyes. Trouble was clouding in the atmosphere.

My mouth opened to say something else but she was already yanking me forwards. I could easily stop her. She was lighter than a twig but unlike my mind, my body did want to go along with her. I wanted to be locked away from the world with her. Just us inside the room, lost in the new territory that is each other's body.