Fluorescents

57

" How many secrets
can you keep?"

He sings in almost a whisper, using the towel to dry his hair before setting it down and rummaging through his suitcase. Unfortunately once he finally finished his shower he came out fully clothed.

" Cause there's this tune I found that makes me think of you somehow and I play it on repeat." he continues, my lips almost instinctually turning into a smile at the sound of him singing. He scratches his back and another involuntary giggle leaves my lips. He turns around to gaze at me and I close my mouth, desperately trying to hold back my laughs. He rolls his eyes, a grin slowly creeping into his lips at the continuation of my childlike demeanor. " you should rest, sweetheart." He says laughing lightly towards the end as he closes his suitcase.

" why do you have so much clothes on?" I ask, a frown implanting my lips. He laughs lightly but doesn't even bother answering my innapropiate question. " I like it better when you don't have any on." I tell him, still gazing at him as he moves into the bathroom and reaches for his toothbrush. He brushes his teeth in front of the mirror and I watch him from the bed, his eyes catching mine as we gaze at each other's reflections through the mirror.

" finish your water." He orders me once he walks out of the bathroom, my hands reaching for the glasslike bottle and following his command. " now go to bed sweetheart." He tells me as I down the whole bottle. He lays down on his makeshift bed and I stand, the sound of him groaning lightly coming from behind me as I walk towards the recycling bin and toss the bottle. I turn around and catch him looking at me, an agitated expression on his face but an amused look in his eyes. I raise my hands in surrender and he adjusts himself, his hands coming up and landing behind his head as he gazes up at the ceiling. Although he only looks up for a second before his eyes begin to follow me again. My hands grasp the comforter and I tuck myself in, turning the light off before I place my back facing the door and turn to look at him. My eyes adjust to the darkness and I watch him, the light from the city on the other side of the glass wall illuminating him. His attention is set on the ceiling again but I don't bother looking away from him as I speak.

"Alex?" I call quietly from my side of the room, his shuffling insinuating that he heard me.    
" Alex?" I repeat myself in the same almost whispered tone. He mutters to insinuate that he heard me and I clear my throat. " We could always have sex when I'm sober." I state, my tipsy state controlling my sex drive & judgement. He chokes on seemingly nothing before laughing, this time my sense of humor doing little & keeping me from laughing.

" sweetheart-" he sighs, shuffling on the couch but still gazing up at the ceiling. " I don't- I don't do-" he groans, the silhouette of his arms coming up and running through his hair following.  " I don't tend to be exclusive, sweetheart, I-" he goes on but I interrupt him before he can finish.

" I know." I mutter briskly, not wanting to hear his claims in order to protect my pride. " I'm just saying." I shrug, clearing my throat and adjusting myself on the bed to look up at the ceiling. Although shortly after I move once again and turn to look at him, his head moving shortly after and turning to look at me for only a second before looking up at the ceiling again.
" I just mean it wouldn't hurt to have a little bit of fun." I shrug the sound of him laughing stopping me from speaking. He runs his hands down his face and groans quietly.

" sweetheart, just rest." He tells me a light laugh leaving his lips. I scoff in my spot and turn to look away from him, my body unamused by him not agreeing. I shuffle back and forth in my spot and what seems like hours go by, a headache already treading on my scalp. The sound of him sighing startles me but I stay put and quiet, listening to his breathing.