Bittersweet Agony

Chapter 12

The days carried on in mostly the same routine for the next few weeks. The days I had jobs, I'd do them as asked, and the days I didn't, I usually stayed in my room by myself. The nights were the worst, but I spent most of my time downstairs watching movies throughout the nights to keep me occupied.

That is, until one night I had company.

"What're you doing down here so late again?" Blake rubbed his eyes and trailed into the kitchen.

"You know the answer to that." I glanced at the clock on the wall and saw it was 2:36 in the morning. "What're you doing awake so early?" I queried.

"You know the answer to that." He mocked, and I heard the fridge suction open.

I ignored him after that and went back to my movie, until I heard shuffling in the kitchen, and saw a shadow retreating to the staircase.

"Leaving so soon?" I joked.

He turned to me with a blank expression, and that's when I noticed the three bottles of beer he had in his hands.

"And you weren't even going to share. I'm offended." I clutched my chest in mock hurt, before turning back to the tv.

"There's plenty more in the fridge." He called, just before I heard his door shut softly.

I sat back into the couch, attempting to ignore my thoughts, when I saw the credits rolling and got up to pop another movie in.

It's going to be a long night. I thought to myself.

*~*
A week later, I was greeted again in the middle of the night. But that time, it was different.

A hand reached out to me, enclosed around a glass bottle with condensation forming on the outside, and I looked to see the person holding it.

I wasn't surprised Blake was downstairs, but I was surprised he stayed. And I was even more surprised he offered me a beer.

"Do you want it or not?" He asked impatiently, shaking the bottle once.

I took the bottle from his hand and sunk back into the couch. "thanks." I whispered softly.

Over the month and a half since the incident with Zach, things between Blake and I had gotten tolerable. We were by no means friends, or even on "good" terms, but we didn't constantly bicker anymore. We acknowledged each other's prescience, and accepted that I was there, and we'd have to get along eventually.

It was silent between the two of us for a long time, as we both pretended to watch the movie and not get lost in our thoughts.

"Why don't you sleep anymore?" Blake broke the silence.

"I never did. Why don't you?" I countered, glancing at him.

"We've been over this." He sighed.

"So why'd you ask?"

"Making conversation," he shrugged.

"Okay," I said. "Great conversation." And I couldn't help the tiny flicker of a smile that flashed on my lips.

My eyes flicked to his for a moment to see him staring at me, and his expression mimicking mine. "I never claimed to be a great conversationalist." He smirked.

It was silent again as we sipped our beers and watched the movie as the time ticked on. Eventually the sun rose and brought everyone in the house with it.

*~*
The nights carried on that way for another week or two, and Blake was downstairs with me almost every night. Sometimes we'd talk, sometimes we wouldn't. But when we did it was never too serious. We found out that when we talked about personal stuff, we both got irritated and started a fight. So it was easier to stick to the basics.