This Winter

Chapter 40

Senior Year

"I have to go home, Noah," I laugh as he pulls me against his body. Exerting all of his strength to do so.

"Just for a moment?" he asks.

"We've had more than a moment," I laugh and shimmy my phone from my pocket. Looking at the lock screen for the time with his arms still clutched around my body. "The plays going to end in five minutes. I should get going."

He sighs and finally releases me from his arms, as if I couldn't have easily broken his hold earlier. "I love you," he smiles.

"I love you too," I tell him and kiss his cheek.

"Don't be shy, Ethan," he teases and places his hand behind my neck, guiding me to his lips.

When we end the kiss I pull myself up from his chest. Leaning back until I'm straddling his waist and looking down at him. "Goodbye, Noah," I sing in awful high pitched voice.

"I can't leave if your on top of me, idiot," he laughs and shoves playfully at my chest.

"Okay, okay. I'm going," I laugh with my hands up defensively, while swinging my legs off of his lap.

He adjusts his pants once I'm finally off of him. His head turned to look at the clock on the dashboard. "Wish the play was longer," he mumbles.

I kiss him one more time before exiting the car. He follows me, stretching his limbs once he's out of the constraints of an uncomfortable backseat.

"Can you drop me off at the front of the school?" He asks as he walks around the front of the car to the passenger seat.

"Sure," I nod and take my seat in the driver's side.

"I parked my car up there," he adds while pulling down the sun visor to check his neck for hickeys.

"I didn't leave any," I assure him.

He flips the sun visor up, relaxing into his seat. "Just checking," he shrugs.

***

My mom is half awake when I get home. The pain pills missing from her nightstand and the cup of water empty. Her sheets tucked to her chin with only the flickering of a sitcom on Tv to light the room.

"Do you need anything?" I ask from the doorway of her room, the backpack still loosely on my shoulder and keys in hand.

"Maybe just some more pain pills and more water for the morning," she croaks.

I nod my head and drop my backpack to the floor walking to her nightstand for the glass. "You feeling okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I just woke up," she assures.

Grabbing the glass of water I walk out of her bedroom and to the kitchen, fetching her a glass of water and pain meds. Also dropping off my keys.

"Does it hurt?" I ask once I'm turning the corner to her room.

"Just my stomach. It hurt when I woke up," she sighs, "Might hurt when I get up to use the restroom. I'll find out in a few minutes if it does."

I hum, a little concerned and my stomach feeling queasy at the idea of feeling her pain. "Well here's your medicine for the morning," I tell her and place the white pills on her nightstand along with the glass of water.

"Thank you," she smiles, "Sleep well."

"Goodnight, Mom."

***

In the morning I'm groggily eating a bowl of Cheerios. Scrolling on my phone and trying my best to stay awake long enough to get to school.

The sun is just beginning to rise and the house is utterly silent besides my chewing, so sleep seems pretty tempting. Especially knowing my mom's probably going to be asleep.. which makes me want to skip school all together like yesterday.