The Dragon

Silent

16 years old

"Hey sexy..."

"Hey beautiful..."

"It's been 11 years, Mark. And now, here we are."

"11 years and we're finally fucking together...bad choice of wording."

"Well, y'know, while we're at it..."

~~~

I shot up from my dream as I rubbed my eyes and breathed heavily.
Did I just have a dream about...
having sex with Mark?
No...no no no no no no...
Oh god, if he ever found out...he'd hate me!
I can't break his trust like that!
I'm just his friend.
His only friend...
Plus he can hardly handle friendships or family relationships, he'd never want to even be in a relationship!
I'm so stupid...

"Hey, Linds? What's up? You okay?"

I turned to see Mark lying on the floor, having just been startled by me waking up in the dead of night. Then I realized where I was. I was at his house, in his room, in his bed...
uh oh.

"Mark? Why are you sleeping on the ground? I told you I'd sleep on the ground."

"I moved you. I wasn't letting you sleep on the floor. Even with a sleeping bag and pillows and shit."

"Mark, I know you can't sleep on the ground, and you know it too. Just let me sleep in the sleeping bag."

He just shook his head as I sat up in the bed, about to get off of it before he spoke up.

"We could just both sleep on the bed. It's a win win."

My face went bright red, and he quickly corrected himself.

"Not like that...I mean, we've been friends for like 11 years now, it's fine. I trust you."

He looked down as his cheeks turned a light pink from embarrassment. Honestly, it was really cute.

"Ok. It's fine."

It was not fine. But he's not sleeping on the floor, and he won't let me sleep on the floor, so I guess it'll have to do. Then he stood up, climbing in and lying down on his back next to me. We lied there for a while, and just as I was about to drift back to sleep, I heard him start talking.

"Y'know, I really hate it. Not being able to sleep on the floor or even really leave the house. I can't even go to school anymore. It's gotten worse. I obsess about the little things, like everything being dirty, including the floor. I take enough showers for 10 people probably. And I hate not getting to do things that you enjoy too. I feel awful that I couldn't go to your orchestra concerts, or go hang out with you at the mall. I'm sorry...I just want to get better. I don't want to be sick anymore. I don't want this fucked up brain. And I know you can't hear any of this because you're asleep, but I really am sorry that you have to deal with me. You've been such a great friend, I just wish I could return the favor."

I was tempted to keep pretending I was asleep, but instead I rolled over and pulled him into a big hug.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for, Mark."