Flowers and sunsets.

Bad blood

           

"Uh, why do you think that?" I ask, effectively changing the subject while I ponder on what to tell the girl. She looks guilty now, kind of sad that she ruined the mood by asking this. If it was any other thing, I'd feel bad for her.

"Uh Charlie.. well, she mentioned something and I noticed that you don't really talk to her like you do the others." She says softly. A lock of hair falls in front of her face but she doesn't move it. She looks a bit scared now, since I still haven't said anything but I have to find a way to fix this mess.

"Um, I don't know how to... " I trail off and she looks down, avoiding eye contact. Fuck, why did she have to mention Charlie? I can't stand her but I'm not about to reveal our entire history again.

"Look, we uh have some bad blood between us. It's a past thing, about ... a girl." I explain vaguely but she nods her head and smiles a forced smile which I return.

"Do you still want to watch a movie?" I offer, trying to break the growing tension in the room. She nods her head a bit too quickly. I tell her to sit down on Darlene's bed and shove both beds together, putting my laptop at the end, right in the middle of the two beds.

"I'll go grab a drink and snacks. You can choose a movie if you want, Netflix is open." I instruct before standing up and grabbing two glasses and a bag of m&m's.

"I haven't said this yet, but thank you for inviting me. I didn't know you were quite the cook." She says and I can hear the smile through her words. I suspect she said this now that I'm with my back towards her, she's still shy with compliments.

"No problem, and your company isn't too bad either" I chuckle without turning around. She chuckles, too, before moving over to choose a movie I suppose. I join her soon after with my drinks and snacks. She takes them gracefully and smiles.

I look to the screen and see the beginning of the Little Mermaid. Trying to hold back my laughter, I look over to see her giggling softly.

"Really? The Little mermaid?" I laugh, not able to help it. She laughs with me, a happy and childlike laugh.

Once stopped laughing, we both focus on the movie that's already started to play. It's been a while since I've seen it, so my interest is surely peaked. I look over at her sometimes during the movie, and she's focussed solely on the screen. The same way she was when she was cutting up vegetables earlier. Her eyes are bright and her forehead creased, in an adorable way.

She doesn't notice me watching her, fortunately. It would be quite awkward. I don't even know why I did that. Guess I really need to get laid or something.

When the movie ends, I look over to her. Her small frame rests on the small bed, fast asleep. I smile a small smile, she looks so damn cute. What do I do with her now though? She's asleep, in my dorm on Darlene's bed... Should I wake her? She looks so peaceful though, more peaceful than I've ever seen her. She always looks so on edge, so scared to do the wrong thing but now that she's fast asleep here, she looks so much younger.

I decide to leave her be, after all I slept in her dorm a while ago, too. My own bed is cold when I lay down on it, the blanket providing me with not enough warmth. For a moment, I consider getting into bed with her but I brush off the thought. Where did that even come from?

Thinking of the movie we just watched, I fall asleep.

The next morning is less awkward than I thought it would be. She made me coffee, and that alone makes my morning better.

"Thanks" I grin, grabbing the cup and inhaling the sweet smell.

"You're weird." She smiles softly, watching me as I take my first drink. I shrug, enjoying my drink. She's still looking at me, but her eyes tell me she's far away again. She does this often, retreating in her own mind. It's weird, I mean I zone out often, but she doesn't just zone out. It's like she's thinking about something so far away, like she's in the memory. She's totally dissociated, disconnected from her body and the reality around her.