somnolescent

hour eleven - elyshia finally allows salvator into her apartment

"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." - Dr. Seuss

☾☆☽

"your apartment must have a mighty good heating system," said salvator, probably only half-joking. he was shivering, and as was elyshia as she led him down the hall to (yes, i know what you're all thinking) her unit.

"it's decent enough," elyshia said with a slight smile.

"decent enough? i need mighty good, elyshia locke," he groaned. "i now know what it feels like to be a snowman. it's not a very good feeling." his teeth were chattering as he spoke. "are we there yet?"

"you're making it sound like a road trip," elyshia said with a slight sigh.

ely finally stopped at her door and dug out her keys from the back of her jeans pocket. she unlocked the door and salvator practically ran her over like an american football player trying to reach a touch down. he immediately fell to her beaten black leather couch with a loud squishing noise and sighed in content. elyshia watched in amusement as he curled up in an attempt to get warm. elyshia hung her keys on the tiny hook beside the door. "do you want anything to drink?"

"you can make a good cappuccino right?" salvator immediately perked up. "like, with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle? and with a hint of cocoa?"

elyshia rolled her eyes. "just because i said, um, something doesn't mean i'll give you my famous coffee for free. not to brag or anything, of course."

salvator grinned childishly, his features lighting up with affection. "say it."

"what?" elyshia asked innocently, taking a seat over by the dining table, on an unstable wooden chair. the living room, dining area, and kitchen were all in the same vicinity, almost like one of those cheap hotel suites. but her apartment wasn't fancy or up-to-date like normal hotel. everything was perhaps sixty years old and worn or cracking.

"say this something," said salvator. "please?" why did he have to give her that pleading look again? elyshia already felt her walls of reserve crashing down.

"um..." she was blushing. elyshia never felt this way before. not once in her life. you had to understand it was incredibly hard for her, especially since she never so much as told anyone about the true events that happened that day. except for her grandmother. and salvator.

"how about i help you on that?" he winked at her and cleared his throat with a look of professionalism, like he was pretending to be the mc at an announcement ceremony or something. "elyshia meredith locke, i love you. i love how hard it is for you to fall asleep and yet you fall asleep in my arms. i love how you're like allie from the notebook, how you're stuck-up and prudish one minute then wild and carefree the next. i love how you took so long to trust me, but it was all worth it in the end because i won you."

she never believed romance novels when the main character, always a girl for some reason, said they melted every time a boy told them they loved them. seriously, three words and three syllables. she still doesn't. but she believes in "melting" when the boy told her all the absurd reasons why he loved her. that was something to melt for.

"i love you too," she said quietly. someone probably needed to use a fire extinguisher to put out the heavy heat spreading across her face. "although..." she frowned slightly. "how did you know my middle name was meredith?"

a strange shadow passed over salvator's face. "um... isn't everyone's middle name their grandparent's name?"

"you are a terrible liar, salvator saxon," elyshia deadpanned, frowning deeper. "how did you-?"