She sits by the window, head restibg of her collar bone, nose in a book. I smile, elated by just the look of her. Beautiful curling hair falls in her face, sheilding the world of her endless dark eyes. I try to catch my breathe, because, once again, they pull me in. I debate disturbing her inner world. I know that whenever she has that face, her thinking face, she's no longer in this dimension. And for a while, no voice can reach her. I don't bring her out of her thoughts by touching her light brown skin or stroking her dark brown hair. I know she doesn't like being disturbed. But still, there's and air of caution around her, even when she's with me, that never leaves her eyes. Or her heart.
She looks up at me, the tiniest bit of disappointment hanging in her aura. "Hey'," she says. She shifts, and as she does, her sholder blades protrude as if they're trying to escape her skin. She struggles with it for a while, but gives up eventually. Her hands tense, slightly at first, then more noticeably. The sun hitting her is calm and warm, as if it's embracing her.
"How's the research going'" I ask.
She looks at the book, holding on to some misguided hope for a while, then throws it to the ground. "More stupid human magic. Fake," she spits the words. "I need something ancient. Strong. Borderline deadly. Otherwise, I don't see what's going to change me back. Or Mike." She scowls deeply, extending her arm to punch the wall. She looked at the wall, checking to see if it broke, and yells out in frustrastion.
"I'm weak," she says angrily. "I'm ugly, flabby, stupid, and just weird!" She gets up and paces, listing different ways her knew body is lamer than her original. Laurelle Isn't human. She doesn't know what she was originally, but she knows it was better than her human body. She knows it has to something to do with the water. She hurts when she's not constantly hydrated. She begins flinging her clothes off, and she brings me from my thoughts.
"Wait'" I yell hurriedly. I turn around, begin walking away, but she grabs my hand. I try to look away.
"Stop," commands. "You have to wash me." I look up, frowning deeply. Another unreasonable request.
"I'm a guy," I remind her.
She huffs. "So? You're mine, so wash me." Without even missing a beat.
"No."
"You're going to lose this battle'" she warns.
I know I am, but I still press on. She knows how to get her way. "Look-"
She rips her bra off, revealing her bare chest. "There. You've seen it. Now grow up and wash me."
I sigh, doing the best I can to hide my pink face.
She drags me to the bathroom, showers, then removes the shower head and demands I spray her. I still try to avert my eyes. The girl has a boyfriend and she forced me into washing her. No doubt, she's probably a princess. I try to ask her how she got turned into a human to humor her, but she doesn't answer.
"I don't know," she says flatly. "I have athoritave issues, so that might be it."
I scoff. "Yeah, right. I see the way you behave with teachers around."
She cocks and eyebrow. "That's only because I have something to learn from them. It's better to paint a smile on that to remain ignorant."
I laughed, wonerous. I felt a pang of want. If she weren't with someone-
No. Totally innaprops. Not right. Stop it, Dylan.
She sighs, and hugs me. I freeze, my heart beat quickening. I drop the shower head, and try to reason with her, only to find she's past out. My pulse quickens. I flick a curl out of the way, and just for a second I'm tempted to break a rule or two.
But no, my resolve is stronger than that and I pick her up, dry her off, and put my shirt on her without looking. I throw on some boxers for good measure and tuck her in. I move to kiss her forehead, and I have to stop again. Instead, I stroke her hair and sing about nothing and everything.
He's gone off somewhere, and here I am. Wanting something I can never have, never in a million lightyears. I get up, turn the lights off, light a candle, and close the door.
She hates lingering open doors.
