The Story of Scömìche Part 2 (Completed)

Chapter 9

I wake up unusually early: 5:00 am. After deciding that I can't go back to sleep, I wander out into the house. The second my foot leaves my bedroom, Wyatt pounces and digs his claws into me.

"Shit!" I yell, quickly slapping my hand over my mouth. After waiting several seconds, I determine that I didn't wake Mitch up. A harsh glare is thrown in the cat's direction as he scampers off, eager to hunt shadows in the living room. Not sure what to do with myself at this early hour, I stand in the hall for at least a minute before trying Mitch's bedroom doorknob tentatively, and it turns. I take the opportunity to open the door and join him. For a few seconds, I linger in the doorway, just staring at his sleeping form, peaceful and worry free. The stillness of his body almost reminds me of when he was in the hospital, but he looks more alive now, more human. I move to the bed carefully, trying as hard as possible not to wake him, and lay behind him. I instinctively wrap one arm around his waist and rest my forehead between his shoulder blades. He is wearing my shirt again, and I inhale his scent on it, kissing him lightly. He somehow does not wake up, and the calmness of the room and just the fact that I am with him lulls me back into sleep.

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When I wake up again, Mitch is facing me. His eyes are half closed, and he is watching me with a very slight, almost unnoticeable smile. I have one arm under his head, and the other still around his waist. Wyatt is wedged between us, and Mitch is stroking him gently, making the cat purr loudly.

"Morning." I say, closing my eyes again. He moves his hand from Wyatt and lets it fall on my face.

"Good morning."

"How long have you been watching me?" I open my eyes again just in time to see his cheeks turn bright red.

"Not very long. Only, like, an hour and half." He smiles a little wider, and I lean forward just enough to touch our lips together. His hand slides down my cheek, down my neck, and lands on my collarbone, tracing along the bone with his thumb. He takes his lips to my jaw and moves along it and down my neck, down to my collarbone on the other side of his hand.

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For a long time, Mitch and I just lay in bed, talking about nothing important. Eventually, he decides that he has to go to the bathroom, and I do the same. While I'm at it, I brush my teeth and get dressed, too. It takes me what feels like forever picking out my clothes, but when I finally do, I'm proud. I drag a brush through my hair and go out into the living room. Mitch is laying on his stomach on the floor, head propped on his hands, watching, surprise surprise, Once Upon a Time.

"You seem to be addicted to this show." I say, coming to sit next to him.

"Girl, tell me about it." he says, not looking over even when I place my hand on his back. I trail my fingers down the bottom half of his spine and rest my hand on his tailbone. I smile a little and begin tickling him, which catches his attention. He jolts away and rolls onto his back, leaving his stomach exposed. His laughter echoes through the house as I continue. Between fits of laughter he tries to get me to stop, and when I finally do, he sits up quickly and pushes me onto my back. I land with a short thud and he crawls over to sit on my stomach.

"There. Now you can't tickle me anymore." His feet are placed firmly on my wrists as he stares at me.

"Am I a comfortable chair?" I ask, trying not to let on to the fact that I can't breathe very well.

"Surprisingly, yes."

"Do you want to go see my parents today? It's my mom's birthday, which means that some of my cousins will probably be over, too."

"Yes! I love your family so much!"

"Mitchie?"

"Hmm?" he says, turning his attention back to the TV.

"I can't breathe." He looks back at me and jumps off, only to lay down next to me a second later. I stay on my back, but he turns on his side, taking each of my arms and positioning them. He puts one under his head as a pillow and the other across his chest, under his own arms. The back of his head is close to my cheek, and every time he takes a breath, his back pushes against the side of my rib cage. I stare up at the ceiling, wondering how I got lucky enough to have him.

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It turns out that only five of my thirty cousins came over, along with a few of my mom's sisters. As soon as Mitch walks in, ahead of me, I hear, "Mitchie!" screamed loudly. My cousin, Lucy, appears from around the corner, running at full speed. She hugs Mitch's legs with such intensity that he stumbles backward against me.

"Lucy, let go so he can walk." I say, smothering my laughter in Mitch's hair.

"He can walk with me here. Right?" She looks up at Mitch, who smile down at her and says, "Sadly, I can't." She huffs and contorts her face into a pout before walking away. He takes a step away and turns to face me.

"So, are we telling them about us?"

"Do you want to?"

"It's your family. It's up to you."

"Maybe don't necessarily just come out and say it, but you don't have to hide it." He leans forward and kisses me.

"Good." My cousin, Mariana, comes around the corner with a grin on her face.

"I saw that." She says, only barely slowing down to whisper, "I'm impressed with you." The she disappears. I smile a little to myself and follow the sound of chatter to where my mother is. As usual, the kitchen.