The Awake

Feelings

I celebrated with the girls in their hut, until around 12:30 and I guessed I dozed off. I woke up sitting in the same chair I had fallen asleep in. Someone had covered me in a blanket.

The room was dark. It was too dark to see my watch but I guessed it was morning. I could hear breathing on the other side of the room. I assumed it was Emilie and Brianna sleeping. I stood up from the chair and let the blanket fall from my body. Trying not to make any noise, I stumbled through the darkness, looking for the door. My foot bumped into something metal and it fell over and rolled until the wall stopped it. I stopped moving to listen for the girls. I could still hear Emilie's steady breathing. I slowly started moving in the direction of the door. Then a voice called from the darkness behind me.

"Hello?" Brianna called out. "Drayton? Is that you?"

"It's me." I answered. The light came on and lit the room. Brianna was sitting up in her bed looking at me. She was covered from the waist down in her blanket. Emilie was asleep in the bed next to her's. I just smiled and continued to move for the door.

"Where you going?" She asked when I put my hand on the doorknob.

"I was just leaving. You can go back to bed." I said looking into her beautiful eyes.

"I'm awake now. You don't have to leave." She said stretching. I let go of the handle and returned to my chair. She put her glasses on and looked at Emilie. Tyson was sleeping next to her face. I looked at my watch, now that there was light, and saw that it was 4:00 in the morning. She looked at me then tilted her head to the side. "Why are you over there? Come sit next to me."

"Oh, okay.." I said standing up. She moved her legs so I could sit down next to her. I could feel my face turning red as I sat down, only several inches separating us. I could tell she was thinking deeply about something. I could see it in her eyes.

"Do you think things will ever be the same?" She asked softly.

"I do. In time, things will get better. I know it." I replied, looking at her. I just couldn't look away. My heart pounded every time I was around her. If only I could tell her how I felt. Getting it out would take a lot of weight off my shoulders. I wanted to ask her if she felt the same, but I didn't have the courage. I decided to break the silence."Do you like it here?"

"I love it her.. It's just that I miss the way that things used to be. My family. My life.. Why did this have to happen?" She trailed off. I could see tears forming in her eyes. I scooted closer and wrapped my arm around her. She buried her face into my chest. I sat there holding her for a long time. I felt at home as I held her. I had the urge to say something but I held it in. I rested my head on hers and shut my eyes.

"Drayton, can I ask you something?" She asked looking up at me.

"Of course." I answered, wiping a tear from her cheek.

"Do you...." Then she stopped. I waited for her question but she shook her head. "Nevermind." She put her head back on my chest. We sat there until the sun had began to rise. That was when I left the hut to go make some coffee for the others. She never left my mind.