Sheets | ✓

FIFTEEN

My eyes burned as I stared at the glowing screen of my laptop, the pillows I used to prop myself up in bed slipping as I stretched my curled back. My neck popped a little as I rolled it, rubbing my tired eyes beneath my glasses. Clicking my phone's home button beside me, I squinted to make out the blurred white lines on its screen. 1:26am. Usually fast asleep by 11, this was late for me and I was definitely feeling it. Yawning, I dropped my glasses back down over my eyes and looked at my computer again, typing the last few references of my biology assignment and saving it. 

I scoffed a little as I scrolled back to the top, Nico's name sitting next to mine beneath the project's title. 

"He doesn't even deserve to get his name put on this," I said, rolling my fatigued eyes before closing my laptop, my room now blanketed in complete darkness. Shoving the computer onto my bedside table, I snuggled deeper into my blanket and shoved my pillow beneath my head. Before I was overcame with sleep, I quickly unlocked my phone and sent a short, flat message to Nico.

Wesley Dillon - 1:30am
I finished our project
Not going to urs on Saturday
I'll submit it on Monday
Dont worry, ur name is on it

Tossing my phone onto my bedside table after putting it on silent, I closed my eyes. Consciousness began to ebb from my body, until there was a muted glow of white light blinking through my closed eyelids. I let out a low noise of annoyance as I rolled over, the light disappearing. I frowned in the dark, my arm tugging on the pillow as I tried to pull myself back into the lull of sleep. I failed miserably.

Frustrated, I rolled back onto my right hand side and picked my phone up with clunky fingers, almost knocking over my lamp in the process. I winced as the bright light of the phone seared my eyes, immediately turning down the brightness. The little light in the corner blinked blue, a message waiting for me behind my passcode.

Is it Nico?

The thought came to me so easily and so comfortably that I was taken aback for a brief moment. If someone asked me three weeks ago that I would be expecting a reply from Nico Beckett I would have snorted and choked. Now I just choked.

My fingers were tentative as I opened his message, my phone impossibly close to my nose as I struggled to read the small print without my glasses on. 

Nico Beckett - 1:32am
Saturday's not a study date then

I blew out a forceful chestful of air in relief, though there was a small kernel in the pit of my stomach that was a little disappointed. I moved to reply, but before I could Nico had sent another message, one that sent a blow directly to my gut.

It's just a date

"The fuck! A date?" I hissed to myself, cheeks red as I quickly typed a reply, my fingers moving with new found vigour as my tiredness seemed to seep from my muscles and into my mattress.

Wesley Dillon - 1:32am
Hell. No
Nope
No
No way in hell
Fuck you

Nico Beckett - 1:32am
You already did 

I sputtered as I read his fast reply, and I could just hear his mocking chuckle in my head. Gritting my teeth, I pulled away the blankets around my waist, sitting up in my bed again. Reaching for my glasses, face drawn, I shoved them onto my face and smashed my fingers against my phone.

Wesley Dillon - 1:33am
Forget about it
All of it
I don't want anything to do with you
Our project is done
So leave me alone

Nico didn't reply straight away to my message, and I grew nervous. My phone screen dimmed as I stared at it, my throat dry. Tapping the screen to keep it alight, I nibbled on the peeling skin of my lower lip, the fingers of my left hand tapping against my crossed knee. I yelped as my phone suddenly vibrated in my hand, the small device slipping from my fingers and hitting corner-first against the side of my foot. I ignored the slight ache from where my phone stabbed my foot, desperate to see Nico's message.