Once Upon a Time (Editing)

Chapter Eight -- Jay

We arrived in the town at night fall, walking in on one of the many forest trails. The town houses were dark, only the street lamps illuminating the streets. I lead Max, who was worn out and gripping his side, over to the main part of the town, where all the inns and stores were. 

Walking into the closes inn, the Forest Pass Inn, I let Max sit in one of the chair, and go up to the front desk.

Putting on my best smile, I say to the man behind the desk, "Good evening."

"Hello," he says in a heave southern accent. "How may I help you?"

"My boyfriend and I were wondering if you had any rooms available," I say, still smiling, acting as innocent as I possibly could. 

"You are in luck tonight, miss," the man says. "We have only one room left." He hands over a pair of keys. "When will you be leaving."

"We plan on leaving late in the day tomorrow," I inform him, taking the keys and tucking them in my pocket. 

"I suggest staying longer, miss, your boyfriend doesn't look very well," he says, looking over my should at where Max sat, hunched over in his chair. "May I ask, what happened?"

"We were attacked on the trail by robbers," I say, sadly, letting the smile fall, and looking over my shoulder at Max. "He fought them off to protect me."

"Ah, young love," he says, catching the hit of emotion in my voice. "Well, have a good night now."

I nod and walk back to Max, keeping up the act that we were in love. Speaking to him quietly, I tell him to get up. I put one arm around his waist and he puts an arm around my shoulders. We walk together up the stairs and to the room number that  matches our key. 

Placing the key in the lock and turning it, I walk in, Max's arm still around my shoulder. He's leaning on me, and I can feel something dripping onto my shoulder. Setting him down in a chair, I see that his nose is  once again is bleeding. 

I get the piece of cloth from my pocket and run into the little bathroom to run it under water. Once it was wet enough, I rushed back out and pushed the cloth to Max's noise. He was already asleep when I got back, snoring softly. I laugh through my nose as I stand and wipe up the blood. 

Max jerks awake, pushing me away and I land hard against the wall. He looks around terrified, his eyes still glazed from sleep, before they clear up and his gaze meets mine.

"Are you okay?" He asks, slowly walking over to me. 

"Fine," I say, still shocked form having the breath knocked from me. 

"I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Just shocked me, that's all," I reassure him.

Taking the few steps that separate us, I stop in front of him. I reach up and, using the cloth that's still in my hand, start whiping away the blood again. Max catches my hand in his and brings it up to his lips. I can feel heat rising to my cheeks as his lips brush against my scared hand. 

I pull my hand away and try to scowl at him, but how ever it turned out, it must not have been very good. Max laughs loudly, the noise sounding loud in the small room. Ignoring him, I reach up and wipe away the blood. 

Putting the cloth down on the dresser to right of me, I turn back to face Max.

"I told the guy at the front desk that you're my boyfriend," I say, looking up at in his eyes. 

Max smiles. "Really?"

"It was the only thing that made sence," I defend myself. "Well, you could be my brother..." 

I laugh as Max scowls. His face loosens up and Max laughs. He leans down and pushes his lips against mine. It was so quick. I looked at Max in shock as he pulls away. His cheeks are turning red and he won't look me in the eye.

"Sorry," he mumbles almost inaudible. 

I don't answer, just stand on my tip-toes and kiss his cheek gentaly. "You don't need to be sorry."

Turning quickly so Max can't see how bright  my cheeks are getting, I grap my pack and dissapear into the bathroom. Pulling out a pair of hand me down sweat pants and a hand me down shirt, I undress and redress quickly. I take a second to gather my thoughts. 

Max had just kissed me. Kissed me. It was the first time some one had kissed me that wasn't family. I felt all tingly and I could steel feel the heat from his lips on mine. A shiver went up my spine as I sat, letting the coldness from the tile floor seep into me. 

A knock on the door sent a shock through me, and I stand up, opening the door. Max stands in front of me in sweatpants and a t-shirt. 

"Let's get some sleep," he says, taking me by the hand and leading me over to the bed. 

I climb under the covers and Max climbs in on the other side. There was only one bed in the tiny little room. Two chairs near the dirty, yellow window, a bathroom, and the bed. The bed is big enough for us to lay next together with some room, between us. 

Laying down, I find sleep hard to come by. My thoughts drift off to the day that my mother past. 

I was laying next to her that morning, and had just be awoken by her sudden ragged breathing. My mother looked at me with her beautiful eye, now so dull, and her hair lay splashed across the pillow behind her head, dull too, but well kept. She had me brush it every day. 

My mother gripped my hand under the blankets, and I knew that something was wrong. I sat up and climbed over to sit next to her. 

"Mommy?" I asked in my small five-year-old voice. 

"Be a good girl, Jasmine," she whispered to me. "I am leaving you, dear, and you will have to live on your own. I'm sorry I couldn't leave you more, dear."

"Hush, Mommy," I said. "Be quiet and save your energy. The you won't die."

She let out a feeble laugh, the last one I ever heard. "If only, Jassie, if only that were true." She coughed, causing her body to shake violently. Once she stopped, she breathed heavily. "Jassie, promise me you'll always to the right thing."

"I promise, Mommy," I say. "But please don't die. I love you so much, you can't possibly die."

My mother never answered. Her eyes closed and the breath left her body. It took me a while to figure out what had happened. And once I did, I almost starved to death, sitting in the room with her cold, dead body, not crying, not moving. Just waiting. Waiting for what, I never knew. 

I come back to the present to find myself crying, again. Max is sitting up next to me, looking down at me over the mound of blankets.

"You okay?" He asks, voice sticky with sleep.

I nod, but the tears keep coming. 

Max lifts the blankets and has me move closer. Then, laying down, he lays my head down on his chest. The sound of his beating heart lulls me into a dreamless sleep.

The last thing I here before drifting off is, "Sweat dreams, Jay." Max.