Once he is gone, I look at the digital clock. It's 4:56 am. He set the alarm to 8:30 am, and I can only groan in anticipation of getting to sleep.
You remember Ein?
Another groan escapes as I try to get more comfortable, realizing the guilt trip was no where near over. I was the only one who had suspected him. Probably because kawaii~chan isn't real and Ein's "attitude" was just the same.
Highschool was the worst. I had started becoming kawaii in the last year of middle school. I was still immature enough to think I could change myself, make others love me. But I hate that others loved me. Because that wasn't the real me.
I take in a deep breath, trying to calm myself, but my face immediately scrunches. What is the smell?
Oh. It's me.
It's been at least two days since I had taken a shower.
Oh crap the sweater!
Why didn't Zane comment on it? Why didn't he make some type of snarky remark. Afterall, his talent was being a smartass.
Maybe he was just being nice.
But that wouldn't make any sense. Zane is anything but. Unless, he likes Kawaii~Chan.
He's wearing a mask, you know. He can't exactly smell.
True. But I bet he doesn't wear it in his sleep. He might smell it if he uses it later.
As I get up, I can see the couch from the dim lighting of the alarm clock. It has small bits of pink fur on it. I sheded.
Well... I can't sleep here tonight. Garroth might suspect.
I take off the sweater, hoping that my stink hadn't rubbed off on it. I go back to the bathroom, but not before grabbing as much fur from the couch as possible. Then I walk back into the bathroom. So much for a goodnights sleep.
I don't get in the tub this time though. Instead, the small fuzzy mat outside the shower is much more comfortable.
I didn't sleep.
...
Zane comes asking why I hadnt slept on the couch. He doesn't ask about the sweater, but instead looks slightly offended.
I answer back in a perky tone instead of the droaning one my body was begging me to give off.
"Meifwas shed Zane~kun! Kawaii~Chan wouldn't want Garroth to find her fur on the couch and suspect she's here."
It's silent for a moment.
"And as much as Kawaii~Chan appreciates your sweater, Kawaii~Chan hasn't had a shower in days Zane~kun! She stinks!" I let out a giggle, selling the act.
"You smell good to me." He mutters,
My heart leaps to my throat and my face grows even more red as I realize he was confident that I didn't hear him. Clearly, he underestimates meifwa ears.
"Well you can have a shower if you want. I would just have to stay in the bathroom with you- not that I would see- oh geez..." He stammers a bit more, before I stop him mid sentence.
"Kawaii~Chan could stay in her bathing suit!"
"G-good idea." Now I am nit the only one with a flushed face.
Zane yells toward the stairs, "Im gonna take a shower Garroth!" And then he ushers me to the bathroom.
We both go in and he shuts the door. Why am I so nervous!?
He apparently sees my face, saying: "Well I normally don't shower with the dokr open."
I nod, scolding myself, stepping into the tub. The water comes out and I let out a small yelp. It was freezing, I stand back a bit, allowing it to warm.
"You can borrow some of my shampoo and conditioner if you want." Zane is leaning against the sink, casually looking down at his phone. But by the sound of his voice, he is anything but.
I nod, though he can't see me. I squirt it into my hand. It- it smells good... but... what is it going to do to my hair?
It's a dark purple bottle with a kangaroo on it. I rub it into my scalp and as I do so, I take another glance at Zane. I never noticed it before, but his hair looks so shiny, soft and fluffy.
"You didn't close the curtain?" Zane asks as he looks up at me. He is no longer looking at his phone, but right into my face. His voice is filled with a certain type of disbelief.
My hands find the edge of the curtain desperately and it shuts with a fast swoosh.
"Kawaii~Chan is so weird." I hear him mutter.
Little does he know that it was actually me getting too comfortable.
