Sunset Memories

Chapter 4 - Sleep Is A Crime

''Oh, God. Are you drawing stupid sunsets again?'' Alexander asked. He plopped down on the couch beside me, shiny with sweat and reeking of weights. 

     ''There's a really nice one out there tonight,'' I shrugged, jabbing my pencil in the direction of the greasy kitchen window, the only other view of the sunsets from the house. 

     Alexander made a noise. Pfff. ''Why aren't you in your bedroom drawing it instead of here?'' 

     ''Mom's helping Danielle move in.''

     He laughed. ''Must really suck to have a girl in your room for the next year.''

     ''I don't mind,'' I said, shrugging. 

     Alexander looked at me closely for a second. He stood up as Mom rushed down the stairs. 

     ''Bedtime,'' she said breathlessly. 

     ''C'mon!'' Alexander cried. ''I was gonna practice with the guys! And it's only nine!'' 

     ''Danielle is exhausted from jet lag,'' Mom said as she put the tea kettle on. ''And she does not need you boys to keep her up for the rest of the night.''

     ''My room's soundproof!''

     ''Enough!'' Mom jabbed a finger at Alexander's chest. ''Bed. Now. Or else you'll be grounded from the attic for the next month.'' 

     Alexander stopped protesting and slowly made his way up the stairs. Mom looked at me before I left. 

     ''Luca, you're going to have to move some of your clothes into the bags I put in Alexander's room,'' she told me. ''Don't wake Danielle while you're up there.''

     ''Got it,'' I said as I climbed the stairs. When I reached the main floor, I passed a shirtless Alexander. 

     ''I'm going to work out,'' he muttered to me. 

     I nodded, throwing my sketchbook on the mattress that I'd be sleeping on for the next year or so. Then I went over and slowly pushed open the door to my--well, actually it was Danielle's, now--bedroom.

     The lights were off, but a reddish glow illuminated the room. I glanced at the bed and saw the covers turned over, the mattress unoccupied. 

     ''Danielle,'' I whispered. 

     There was a noise by the far end of the room, and I saw a flash of hair, auburn-colored from the red light. 

     ''Luca!'' Danielle stood up from my chair, grabbing the hem of her pj shirt and meeting my eyes nervously. 

     I raised my eyebrows. ''Hey. What're you doing? I thought you went to bed.''

     She sighed, relaxing her shoulders and brushing back her hair. ''Promise not to tell your mom?''

     ''Yeah.'' 

     Grinning at me for a second, she scampered back to the window where the sun was setting, slashing red and orange colors through the bedroom. I walked over slowly, taking in her position. She was covered with shadows, but I could still see the outline of her variegated pajamas. By her temple, little flyaway blond hairs drifted in the breeze; they looked like they must tickle, but she didn't twitch. Her hands were gripping the edges of my desk and she was kneeling on the chair, lost in a daze. 

     ''Tomorrow,'' I said, ''I can take you down to the lake, if you want. You know, to see the water.'' 

     She looked at me, seeing that I was now directly beside her. ''Really?''