Bloom

67. rolling emotions

Haven

"Why didn't you say anything?! You're insane. I thought it was just an innocent crush. He's autistic, don't you realise that it's never going to work out?" Norah whispered loudly, making me sigh, somewhat in defeat, knowing she would never understand.

Turning around in bed, I got comfortable underneath the covers, staring at her. "I know he's autistic. It doesn't matter to me. So far, it's been so good. I give him enough space. He's honest- he'll let me know once things are going too fast."

"Oh, yeah? Tara told me he tells you answers you desire, sometimes. As in, he'll be afraid to hurt someone's feelings." Norah snapped, I got the feeling she was jealous.

"Leave it be, Norah. It's between me and Zeph." I answered shortly, rolling onto my back. It had been two hours since Zephaniah had gone to bed, he was most likely asleep by now. If not- something would've been wrong.

I listened to the guys whispering on the other side of the wall, beds creaking as they stepped in. I hoped it would be quiet enough for Zephaniah. I hoped he would sleep through it. He had seemed really tired, I wondered if he was feeling overwhelmed.

He hadn't had a meltdown, and that had surprised me. It had to come once, wouldn't it? He had only been out of his comfort zone. New places, new smells, new sounds, new faces every moment of the day. I wondered how he had managed so far.

Just one more day and one more night sleep. Just one more, and we would be going back home.

"Whatever. I thought friends told each other everything." Norah turned her back to me and sighed deeply, covering her ears with the covers.

I glanced at her, I felt bad but at the same time I felt as if I didn't owe her anything. We weren't best friends- we were school friends. There had to be a line somewhere and besides, what would she do with the information? What did it gain her? They only criticized him Zephaniah, anyway.

And they didn't even know him.

Staring at her for another while, I sighed, somewhat, sadly, and stared at the bed that was above me. Zephaniah flashed through my mind, I pictured him sleeping. I smiled, turned onto my left side and faced the wall.

I was content. I was happy.

Slumber took over me not much later, taking me away to the greatest unknown.

"Shut up! Shut up, I'm trying to sleep!" Norah's loud voice awoke me from my deep slumber, her fist knocking onto the wall even louder. "Luke!"

"What the heck, Norah?" I frowned, a deep, sleepy sigh leaving my throat. "What's wrong?"

Norah sat up and ran a few fingers through her dark blonde, knotty hair. "Those guys, I don't know what they're doing, but they're being extremely loud. It's three am! We have somewhere to attend tomorrow morning."

"Yeah." I answered, still in a sleepy state. Something was rapidly hitting the wall, the guys hissing and talking loudly. I couldn't make out what they were saying, until Luke's voice screeched above every other noise that was currently inside and outside the house.

"He's choking, dude! Do something!" He sounded as if he was panicking.

It suddenly hit me.

"No, no, no." I swallowed nervously, stumbling over the covers as they were stuck to my foot as I stepped out of the bed. Quickly jumping up, I straightened my night dress and ran over to the guys' room, slamming open the door. "What's wrong?!"

Luke's face was red, his eyes were wide. "He's dying! I don't know, do something!"

Zephaniah was sleeping, onto his stomach. Except, he wasn't sleeping; he was seizing.