Bed Buddies

Pillow

~Ian~

Pillows are important.

It is on them that we have the best of dreams, and the most beautiful conversations with our special somebodies.

It is them into which we scream to let our frustrations out, it is them that we clutch when we're craving a hug, into them we cry on endless nights.

Pillows are like our personal emotion absorbents. They soak our overflowing sentiments like a friend in need.

Yet I was here, feeling more lonely than I ever could, texting another equally bored person, while my head rested on the softness of my pillow.

~Noah~

I held my favourite pillow to my chest with the help of my knees as I sat on the bed, wondering what to do.

It had been a week since Ryder broke up with me; a week since I had stopped smiling at every other person, except my little children. Why was this proving to be such a difficult time? I had been through so many of them. I should be used to it by now.

But I so wasn't. I still found it hard to let it settle into my head that Ryder was gone. Our relationship was gone. Our conversations, the kisses, blushing for him, all of these were memories of the past. I was alone again. But what was so wrong with me that I always ended up being alone? Why was I never the dumper but always the dumpee?

"Fuck my life!" I screamed aloud at the top of my lungs. Nobody was going to stop me. This flat was my own. The neighbour upstairs always had night duties. I was solo and free.

But what was the advantage of being free? I had nothing to celebrate about it.

My phone dinged from somewhere in the sheets and I quickly scoured for it. There was a message from my high school best friend, Trevor.

"How are you holding up?" It read.

I sighed. I had half the hopes that it would be Ryder deciding to check up on me, or perhaps reconsidering the breakup. But as usual, I was fooled.

"Better," I texted him back. I so wasn't. But I didn't want to bother him with the truth. It was already too good of him to be there for me all the time, despite us being towns away. He was still in our old town, near where my parents lived, working on his startup. I was proud of him and happy for him but it didn't stop me from wishing that he was here with me, hanging out and chilling so I could feel a little less lonely.

It's not like I had no friends. I had co-teachers from school whom I hung out with every now and then after school hours. But I did not have much fun with them. It just wasn't a very fitting vibe.

"You should try a dating site." Trevor's next text read. I rolled my eyes. It was these dating sites that had caused all the problems. I had thought I could find someone good there, someone I can keep. But all of those dates turned out to be nothing more than flings.

"I've had enough of them." I replied.

"How about sexting sites?" He suggested, adding winking emojis afterwards. I chuckled.

"I don't wanna."

"You should give it a go, Noah! Those can be fun. Besides, you just want to let off some steam. I won't suggest looking for something serious right away."