The Untouchables

The Untouchables, Chapter ten

I snuggled down into the blankets. These ones were soft and dry, not sweaty and scratchy, and I was so, so tired..

"Emilia," Riley's voice drifted through the darkness not close enough to stll be in the bed and I knew he'd climbed out. "What are you doing?"

To be honest I was too tired to form a sentence. Then he turned the lamp on. I groaned and put one of his pillows over my head.

I felt the matress move under his weight and then he was prying the pillow off my face and staring down at me, confusion etched into every part of his face.

"Riley," I complained in a whiny voice. "Turn the light off."

"Emilia. Why are you in my bed?"

"Your sheets are soft, mine are damp and itchy..." I said, my eyes sagging under the heavy weight of extreme tiredness.

I threw my arms over my eyes and shut them tightly. Was it too much to ask for him to stop complaining and shut up? I hadn't a good nights sleep in a while and it was hitting me like a train now. I came to his room because I thought out of all my friends he'd be the least likely to kick me out.

"Why are your sheets damp, Emilia? For the love of god, please don't say you pissed yourself." I smiled at this, though I could barely make out what he was saying through my heavy exhaustedness.

"Naaw... I, uhh...  sweat when I have a... a, umm...nightmare... It's kinda gross, but..." I mumbled into my arms. I didn't feel embarrassed to tell him, he'd understand.

"Emilia... Are you OK now? Are you still scared?" His voice was soothing, and I knew he wouldn't send me back to my own bed.

"No. My father was there so it was only a dream." I said this sentence clearer than any other sentence I'd spoken to him that night, though I choked a little when I said 'dream'. I hated the sentence I'd just spoken. 

Riley repeated my name and turned off the light. He stayed on one side of the bed and I stayed on the other. "Get some sleep, OK?" 

"Mmm..."

I rolled into the dip in the middle of the bed and closed my eyes. I was greatly annoyed, however, when five minutes later, sleep had not come. Five minutes ago I'd been dying to sleep, but no that the lights were out I was only too aware of the boy lying next to me, breathing evenly.

My breathing was even too. If anyone had seen us right now we'd probably look like we were fast asleep in the same bed, a couple.

I closed my eyes again and willed myself to fall asleep, to forget about Riley sleeping beside me and go to sleep.

I would have to, if Riley hadn't been one of those people who moved around alot in his sleep.

I felt his hand touch my back and my breath caught. He was going to roll on me, I could see it coming.

His hand touched my shoulder and I felt him move closer to me. I couldn't help it. I rolled over to face him, so I could see when he was going to roll on me and push him away.

"Riley!" I said at the same time he said "Emilia!"

"I thought you were asleep!" We said in sync. 

"Why were you touching me?" I asked, staring into his wide blue eyes.

"I... I, um, couldn't sleep, and... I wanted see if you were asleep..? But, why didn't you stop me touching you if you were awake the whole time? And why aren't you asleep?"

"I thought you were touching me in your sleep, so I wasn't alarmed or anything... And I can't sleep..."

Riley wriggled closer to me.