We Can Sleep Now

Chapter 22

I awoke to the sound of some one else's breathin, panicked for a moment before realizin it belonged to Daryl.

Quickly, I made sure my hair wasn't in its usual birds nest, then I just laid and listened to his breathin.

My palm found a way to his jaw and cheek, and I couldn't help but leave it there lookin at his face.

He stirred and I whipped my hand from his face.

"Mornin." He says lazily, I expected him to get up and leave in a rush.

But he lingered, actually shuffelin closer to me.

"Your freezin." He gruffs, I hadn't noticed how cold my hands were until he held them in his warm ones.

"I'm always cold." I smile a bit and he laughs, for a second he stares into the distance, somethin catchin his mind.

"Hey, you okay?" I ask a little concerned by the lines on his face.

He doesn't say anything just let's go of my hand and rolls onto his back.

"I don't talk about this stuff much, you know?" I nod.

"I just saw you, an' me, we were happy and liked me a lot but Beth you were so sad at the same time," he rolls back over to me suddenly, grabin my face in his hands, "you cried in front of an elevator." His eyes move back and forth inside his skull, scrutinizing the details of my face.

"I did." I croaked out, not wanted to ruin the moment, but to let him know it was true.

"Why?" He let's go of my face but stays laying parallel to me.

"I don't know Daryl, I was tired of life I guess."

"I get that, but, just please don't get tired of it again okay? I need you."

My face gaped at his words, had he just admitted to some sort of need for me?

"Okay. Promise."

°°°°

There was a knock at the door that day, as I played with two children a woman who lived in Alexandria dropped off.

I was the town babysitter, which was okay, I loved children.

Surprised I opeded it, checkin the clock to see if I had lost track of time.

As much as I claimed to play with the children, I always went back to this mornin in my head, and dwelled in the thoughts.

Openin the door, a very well dressed Max stood starin back at me.

"Max, I what's goin on?" I asked, lookin behind me to see if the kids were still kindly playin.

I was surprised he knew where I livesd, but then again there were probably only fourty people livin in Alexandria.

"I just figured I'd stop by, are you busy?" He rocked back and forth on his heels, but not nervously, just nonchalantly.

"Sorta, but come on in." I smiled a bit as he strides into the room.

"Babysitting?" He asked lookin about the livin room, the kids crashed and boomed as their planes plundered to the ground.

"Yeah." He sits on the couch and bounces up and down to test its springs.

"When are you off?" He asks, I glance the clock, I only had another half hour.

But I didn't want to tell him that or he would stay, and I was honestly scared Daryl would see him and think somethin else of me.

I couldn't bare the thought of Daryl believin I was into someone else, he would give up on us.
But your into Max, you had this debate with yourself yesterday.

"Uh I don't know know." I answer realizin I had been starin into space.

"Great, then I'll stay" He smiles again and so do I, maybe it won't be so bad.

After thirty minutes go by and my lungs are goin to collapse from laughin so hard, the kids finally go home.

Max had tried absolutely anythin to get the kids happy and giggly, which included attemptin to do the worm, runnin around like a super hero and many other things.

The mothers were pleased when the kids laughed and paraded around their invisible capes followin Max's example.

"Well that was fun." He says as I plop back onto the couch.

He starts to assend the stares, not tellin me where he was goin.

"Your rooms up here right?" He calls down to me. I take off after him, reachin him before he can open my door.

"What?" He cocks an eyebrow as I breath deeply from breath shortage.

"You've seen my whole house but I can't see your room?"

"No you can-" I quickly announce, "just not without me."

"Afraid I'll find something in there?"

"Maybe." I have to admit, it was fun flirtin with Max, he made me feel like a teenager.

When we enter the room he stares at the ceiling in awe, the walks over to the piano, and hits a couple keys.

"You play?" He asks intrigued, I shrug a bit and he makes his way around the rest of the room.

"Well I should go, thanks for the fun." I smile and he caresses me in a hug.

But it lasts just a moment too long, and I am the one who had to pull back.

I only get far enough for him to kiss me.

It was odd, Daryl, Jimmy, and this other ninth grader were the only boys I've ever kissed.

And each one was different.

There wasn't any tounge and it wsndt fierce or electrifyin.

We both pull back and he nervously runs a hand though his hair, while I still grasp what just happened.

"Sorry Beth that was stupid, I'll go. Sorry." With that he left the room.
You liked it.

A voice sneered inside me, slut.

Suddenly I felt more guilt then I ever have in my life, and it was all because that stupid Max kissed me.
It was a mistake, he apologized.

"Beth you okay?" Daryl asked suddenly by my door frame.

"Yeah." I blink rapidly, still standing in the same spot in the middle of the room.

"Okay." He says backin away, I don't try to smile.