A Timeless Place

Chapter 18 - Part II

I hesitated, biting my lip, before taking a step and walking quietly towards Wes. I didn't know why I was being quiet, it wasn't like I was spying on him or anything. But it was just his figure, his solitary pose, his quiet and intimidating form leaning against that lamp post that made me move silently across to where he was standing. I stopped hesitantly behind him, thinking of something to say.

"Did the lamp post insult you?" I said, treading lightly but carefully.

Wes spun around wildly, his eyes wildly shocked.

"I thought you were sleeping?" his voice was strained. I could see him internally barricading his heart as he spoke. I had only those few seconds in which I caught him off guard that he was true- no facade. 

"I thought you were too," I pointed out. He pressed his lips into a line.

"Caught me," he replied.

"I don't really sleep," I said, not knowing what else to say. I wasn't exactly the best at confrontations.

"What do you mean?" he asked, running a hand through his hair, pushing the black locks out of his eyes. "Let me guess, you're a vampire?"

"I also sparkle in sunlight," I responded jokingly.

He gave me a weird look, "I get on with three, four hours if I'm lucky," I rambled on. What the hell was I even saying? Why was I even talking about my sleeping patterns now, when Wes looked like he had much more important things on his mind.

"No wonder you always look tired," he responded quietly.

I laughed, the noise sounding odd in the silence. We were soon both quiet, just standing there. And the odd thing was, it wasn't even awkward. It was an odd silence. That stretching silence where something was expected, but just delayed in its nature.

I leaned on the other side of the lamp post, our shoulders lightly brushing. Wes sighed, looking up at the night sky. The moon hung high in the sky, its brightness dulling out the surrounding stars.

"Did I wake you up?" Wes said, cutting the silence.

"Yeah," what was the point of even lying?

"Sorry," he muttered.

"Don't be," I said in amusement. I was glad I had awoken from that dream.

There was silence again.

I sighed at the dead-end nature of this conversation "Do you want to talk?"

"I thought we were talking," he responded. Even though I couldn't see his face, I just knew he was pressing his lips into an amused smile. And I realised, suddenly, I didn't want to slap that smile off his face anymore. I wanted to turn that smile into a wide and genuine smile.

"Wes," I said warningly.

"Kitty," he responded.

I rolled my eyes, shoving his arm playfully. He threw his arm around my shoulder, hugging me from the side and laughed, ruffling my hair.

I tried to push him away.

"Don't frown," he said, poking my nose. "You'll get wrinkles."

I slapped his hand away as he laughed at my glaring expression. I couldn't help it, I cracked a smile at him. 

"Want to go for a walk?" Wes asked suddenly. That shocked me. I really expected him to just push me away for him to be alone.

"Sure," I smiled in response, pulling his arm off my shoulders. I laughed as he pouted.