Let Me Sleep

Chapter 7

I don't think my body knows how to sleep more than two hours.

10:30 PM.

My neighbor was probably still awake. I didn't move from my lying position on my bed. He might hear everything with this paper-thin wall between us.

But why didn't he tell me that I was being loud before?

In the dark, I felt around for my cell phone to see if it was on my bed beside me. It was under my butt. I unlocked it and texted Michelle. She probably won't answer until after her shift though.

Hey. I have lots to update you on. Btw, has our neighbor every complained about noise from us?

I reached for my lamp and turned it on. I sat up and my stomach grumbled.

My neighbor wouldn't be able to hear me in the kitchen, right? He can only hear everything I do in my room? I hoped this were the case.

I tiptoed over the clothes on my bedroom floor and headed for the kitchen.

My phone buzzed. Michelle answered! She must have been on break.

Sweet. Do you mean Leo? He's talked to me about the noise a few times. I think your bedrooms are right next to each other, but I'm not 100% about his apartment's layout. I probably won't be home long after work. I'm gonna hang out with Jonathan.

Were we talking about the same person? Professor Hudson was Leo? This had to be true. We only had one neighbor living next door because Michelle and I had a corner apartment.

Yeah. I met Leo today. Have fun with Jonathan. We'll talk later.

I put my phone on the kitchen counter and turned around to face the fridge. I prayed that Michelle had some leftovers somewhere. I don't want to cook anything because the pots and pans will be loud.

"Yes!" I whisper-shouted. Michelle had left some pasta.

I heated it up in the microwave and planned what I'll cook for her tomorrow in return. I looked in the freezer. She really likes this frozen orange chicken from her favorite grocery store. I'll "cook" it for her tomorrow for sure.

I ate the pasta in silence. Normally I'd turn on the TV or listen to music, but that was now forbidden. It was just me and my thoughts tonight.

After a few bites, I realized I could be reading the textbook while eating. I crept back to my room and retrieved Leo's textbook. I turned back to the page I left off. I got a headache and closed the book.

I took a deep breath and exhaled roughly. "How am I supposed to do this by Monday?" I turned the book over to see how many pages it was: 800.

I finished eating the pasta in anger and put my plate in the sink. "I'll clean it later," I whispered. Dealing with the dishes would be too loud. Or was I making excuses for myself? All of these tasks would just pile more and more if I kept doing this.

What's a silent activity I can do? My body isn't ready to go back to sleep.

I went back into my room and looked around. I saw my earphones on the nightstand. I plugged them into my phone and turned on some music. "This should help with my boredom."

I sighed and started picking up my clothes on the floor. I organized them. I quietly picked up the books I knocked over earlier. I thought about selling some of the textbooks I didn't need anymore. I slowly unzipped my backpack and took out the papers I stuffed inside. I put them in their designated folders and binders. In total, this took 20 minutes and it felt good to get these done.

"I can do laundry!" I took the dirty clothes I've been meaning to wash for a while. I got my supplies, quietly exited the apartment, and went downstairs to the community laundry room. I wish I had a washing machine and dryer in my home, but at least I didn't have to go to a laundromat.

Wow, where was all this motivation coming from?

I went back into my unit and looked around my room to see what more I can do.

I sat at my desk and began to clean it out. I found an old journal that I abandoned. I felt bad. I needed to stop doing that.

Since Michelle won't be home for a long time, I should write down everything I want to tell her later so I don't forget.

I did that and I had to keep stopping because my hand got tired from writing. Maybe I should have typed it all instead.

When I was done writing, I looked at the time on my phone, midnight, and it was time for me to put my clothes in the dryer. I went downstairs, but on the way back up, I ran into my lovely neighbor. He was coming home from a night out. He gave me a nod of acknowledgement and went in his home.

I could have been loud in my home this whole time. Now I really have to be quiet.

I flipped through the guitar books that Madison gave me while waiting for my clothes to dry. I moved over to the kitchen to try some chords without worrying about Leo hearing me.

It was fun learning where to put my fingers, but I found strumming to be a little difficult.

My fingers began to get tired and it was time for me to finish up my laundry. I took them out of the dryer, folded them (for once in my life), and put them away. I felt accomplished.

I decided that I should try to go back to sleep. I did my night routine and read Leo's textbook the rest of the night to help me fall asleep. It worked.