Don't Forget To Breathe

Chapter 15

It is incredible how easy it is to become accustomed to comfortable things. I've slept in alleys for the better part of my adult life and after a few weeks in a bed, the back pain from sleeping on the ground one night is almost unbearable.

Lauren is still asleep on my neck, she barely moved throughout the entire night, while I barely slept a wink.

There were so many thoughts flying through my head and I tried my best not to let them affect me. It was easy for me to get carried away in my thoughts. Since last night's kiss, I have pictured about a thousand scenarios in my mind about how things are going to change between us.

My favorite one, but the least likely, is that Lauren wakes up today confessing her undying love for me and we live happily ever after. Even though life has taught me there is no such thing as fairy tales it still doesn't hurt to dream.

Another scenario would consist of a very grown up talk about our feelings back home in the penthouse, where I confess my feelings and she doesn't reciprocate. She'll tell me that she was vulnerable after the mugging and our fight and that her emotions carried her away. I'll nod and tell her that I understand and that she shouldn't worry about it, not matter how much it destroys me.

But the scenario that feels like it would be the most painful one, is her completely ignoring what happened. I don't know why this feels like the worst possible thing to me. Just imagining that something that meant the world to me, would be so irrelevant to her that she doesn't think it should even be acknowledged.

A sudden movement jolts me out of my thoughts and it is not from the sleeping girl on top of me but from behind some trash bags that lie a few feet away. My hand immediately lands on Lauren's shoulder trying to stir her awake.

"Laur," I say softly "Wake up"

At first, she has no reaction but when the trash bags move again I make a point to shake Lauren's shoulder a bit harder.

"Lauren," I say again, raising my voice this time. The green-eyed girl releases a strained groan letting me know that waking up wasn't in her plans for anytime soon.

When the bandit reveals himself I can't help but release an "Ew" which catches Lauren's attention. She opens her eyes and sees the rat that is larger than my forearm and screeches into my ear making me jump back slightly.

"Fuck" I mumble with a soft giggle. It is not common that I see someone as confident and sure of herself as Lauren act like a little girl.

With so many years on the streets, I've grown accustomed to seeing such creatures surrounding me. Clearly, the girl who lives in the penthouse is not.

"It's not funny!" Lauren says as she rises to her feet.

Her outburst only makes me break out in a fit of giggles as she keeps attempting to back away from the rat that is simply crawling back and forth probably confused by all the sounds.

"Ugh! I hate you" Lauren says as she begins to look for an exit. But the alley is too small. The only way out of in front of the dumpster and that just so happens to be where the rat wants to stay.

After my laughter settled, and Lauren successfully hid behind me from the menacing rodent, I calmly grabbed our things and began to feel bad for laughing when I felt her shaking hands hold on to my shirt.

"How are we going to get out of here?" she asked desperately.

Her question made an involuntary chuckle release from my lips.

"Lauren," I said quietly "Trust me, that thing is more of afraid of us than we are of them"

"Speak for yourself" the architect mumbled from behind me.