Him - Ruel Van Dijk

Twenty Six

Tuesday - 8:42 pm

Almost three hours later, we had consumed dinner and washed.

Ruel had found the Ruel hoodie in my closet and had decided to wear it, surprising me when I walked into my room.

It fit him perfectly.

I set up the mattress with a few pillows and a blanket, getting myself comfy.

"Isla, if you don't want to sleep on the mattress you don't have to. I'd be more than happy to switch with you." He had said. I obviously refused to let him sleep on the floor, and after a little persuading, I managed to get the boy to drop it.

We lay on our separate beds, listening to the noises that managed to travel into my room through my closed window. It was sort of nice, being able to listen to the noises of the night.

But I was unable to become tired, and by the sounds of the moving on the bed, Ruel found it hard too.

"Isla?" The voice of the boy pierced the somewhat quiet room, almost startling me. Almost.

I hum, showing that I'm listening.

"Can we start over?"

The question takes me by surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's just that we sort of just try to annoy each other, and I don't want our relationship to be like that. I swear I'm not as bad as I have been to you."

"Um, sure."

"Can you come up here then?"

I hear him pat the bed beside him, and I find my way to the place he was indicating I sit at.

We sit there, neither of us doing anything.

"Hi," Ruel sticks his hand out to me. "I'm Ruel."

"I'm Isla." I reply, taking his hand in mine and giving it a firm shake.

"That's a beautiful name. It suits you."

"Thank you." I smile. "So Ruel, what's your favourite colour?"

"It's gotta be brown. How about you?"

"Definitely a light shade of yellow."

And so, for the next hour and a half, we sit there, talking about everything from the place we want to visit most to the things we regret the most.

And I've gotta say.

He really isn't that bad.