FOREST

3 - navy blankets and white dresses

All of them ended up taking a taxi to Kaden and Spencer's apartment. It was 3 AM when they arrived, and they burst through the door, Layla holding Tamara's mouth to prevent her from shouting, as she laughed under her hold, her red lipstick smudged.

"Okay, so," Kaden scratched the back of his head as he turned on the lights, his swollen eyes narrowed as they adjusted to the whiteness, "Two of you can sleep in the living room, L-Layla goes with Spencer..."

"And I go with you," Melanie, filled with alcohol, wrapped her arms around Kaden, and looked up at him, batting her long eyelashes. He looked over at Tamara who was hugging Layla and didn't seem to mind.

"Uh, okay," he moved a piece of hair that fell out of his bun behind his ear. His eyes landed on Zoie who quickly looked away and started walking towards one of the sofas. She was barely drunk, her eyeballs had a small red rim around them, but other than that she seemed perfectly fine. The white dress with the open back glorified her glowing skin as she bent down to take her heels off, her spine barely visible under the soft layer of nakedness.

Kaden walked over to the closet and took out a pillow, white sheets and a navy blanket. "It looks like we don't have any more bedding," he said as he walked back into the living room. Spencer was lifting Layla into the air and she was kicking him and shouting into his hand.

"I ruined it the last time I puked, I thinkkk," Spencer slowly grinned, "Okay, Tamara you're with them," he gestured towards Melanie and Kaden, before his arm fell down next to his body.

"Oh, I'm not going with them," she smiled sloppily, but the decision didn't sound very pure.

"Fiiine," Spencer rolled his eyes as he lifted Layla higher because she was slipping down his body, "Zoie, you're with them."

Melanie and Kaden looked over at Zoie, who was on the other side of the room, looking confused, with furrowed eyebrows.

"Excuse me?"

"Zoie you know that Tamara will never change her mind," Spencer barely managed to get the words out of his mouth, and it took all of them a bit to process what he was saying.

The big window behind Zoie made it appear as if she was from another dimension, intensifying all of her edges as she spoke, "And so I won't even have a choice?"

Melanie walked over to her and took her by her wrist, "It's just one night, Zeeeeee." Before Zoie had a chance to say anything, Melanie pulled her towards Kaden who pointed to the door of his room and then watched as Melanie and Zoie's bare back disappeared behind the wooden door.

"Don't you dare touch my girl," Tamara warned, making him turn around. She took the bedding from his hands and threw it on top of the leather sofa, climbing on top of the mess she made. Then she closed her eyes, Spencer and Layla ran away into Spencer's room and in a second Kaden was left alone.

He turned off the lights and walked into his room. The first thing he saw was Melanie - only in her black underwear, standing by the bed. If she wasn't gay, he knew that the situation would be much different. But obviously, she didn't see him as an opportunity, and it didn't mean anything to her to stand like that in front of him.

He didn't mind. Sure, he didn't think she was ugly, and if she had wanted to have sex with him he wouldn't have refused, but she was nothing special.  He walked over to his dresser and pulled out two unworn t-shirts.

"Here," he threw one over to Melanie and then turned to Zoie.

"I'm fine sleeping in this."

The white dress didn't seem comfortable at all, but she seemed at peace with her decision.

"Suit yourself," shrugging, he put the t-shirt back into the drawer.

After hanging up his jacket over one edge of the bed, with one swift move he removed the shirt he was wearing, then his pants and socks. Before he switched off the lights, in the corner of his eye he saw Zoie blushing, and a small smile threatened to appear on his lips. Then he walked over to the bed. For a few seconds Kaden stared at Melanie in the dark, waiting for her to lay down first.

"Oh, I'm not sleeping in the middle," she stated, and he rolled his eyes and plopped down. Melanie followed him, pulling the blanket over her body. It was very obvious that the navy blanket wasn't big enough for all of them, even though Zoie hadn't laid down yet.

"Zoie, do you want to be in the middle?" Kaden opened his eyes a bit, watching as she sat down onto the bed.

"I'm good."

He noticed that all she ever did was assure him that she was okay - in the club, with what she was sleeping in, not having a blanket.

She laid down next to him, making sure that there was space left between the two of them. Her hair brushed against his face in the process, leaving the smell of smoke and orange shampoo lingering in his nostrils.

*

The numbers on the neon blue clock read 5.17 AM.

Kaden felt Melanie curled up against his back, as his eyes adjusted to his surroundings. He felt a sharp pain in his head, but was too lazy to get up and do something about it. In front of him was Zoie, her naked back facing him. Strands of brown hair were falling onto the pillow, uncovering her pale neck and cheek, the blue light from the clock ricocheting off them.

Even though he had the blanket over him, the room still seemed cold. Zoie's arms wrapped around her own body confirmed his thoughts and he tried pulling the blanket, but it wouldn't budge because Melanie was somehow laying on top of it.

"Shit," he whispered, sleep laced in his voice. He reached out his hand and managed to grab the jacket he hung over the edge of the bed a few hours ago. Careful not to hit Melanie with it, he positioned it in his arms and moved towards Zoie. Slowly, he placed it on top of her, but as soon as his breath hit her spine, her whole back arched, a quiet shriek bouncing off her tongue.

"Ohmygod," she muttered under her breath, her heart racing, "W-what are you doing?"

She laid frozen, her eyes wide, staring into the dark.

"You seemed cold," Kaden whispered and felt Melanie turning in her sleep, but she didn't wake up.

"I'm not cold Kaden," she said, and it was the first time he heard his name roll off her lips. Too quietly. "I'm-"

"Fine," they finished in unison, and he smiled, even though she wasn't able to see him. "I know you are, it's all you keep telling me."

She shifts uncomfortably, pulling the jacket closer to her. With his legs, he managed to throw a bit of the blanket over her feet.

"Thank you," she whispered, before drifting off to sleep.

(on the top you have a picture of how I imagine Zoie, and please don't forget to vote, comment&fan,ly)