Nights Awake With Porter

(9) When did this happen?

The grin on his face was breathtaking. His teeth were so perfectly white and the smile was so crooked. It took everything in my power not to stare at him for too long. “I think a sleepover would be,” he stopped, looking for the right word. “Outstanding.”

 

I nodded my head in agreement, and stepped out of the car. I didn’t bother to pull out and park in my driveway. Why would I? My house was literally eight steps away from his. Getting up to the front porch, with Porter following slowly behind me, I lifted up the mat to get the key.

 

“I see you got a new spare,” he leaned closer and put his chin on my shoulder. It was a weirdly intimate position, and oddly enough, I liked it a lot. I liked it a lot more than I should have. Of course I couldn’t see him because he was behind me, but I could still feel his close proximity.

 

Finding my voice I said, “yeah, I also found my set at the school.”

 

I slowly pushed the door open, and wasn’t surprised to be welcomed by an empty house. My mom wouldn’t be home til way late, and I’m sure that she won’t come upstairs to check on me. Once she gets home she’s usually so exhausted that I wouldn’t be surprised if she fell asleep standing.

 

I grabbed Porter’s hand, and began walking up my steep stairway. My house only had two bedrooms, a laundry room, a kitchen, a living room, and two bathrooms. It was pretty small, but it was enough for my mother and I.

 

My room was exactly the way Ang and I had left it. Make-up was scattered everywhere, my drawers were pulled open, and clothes were spread around the room. I squat down and started to pick things up. “Sorry about the mess,” I tried to hide one of my bras behind my back. “Angie and I had a sleepover last night.”

 

In the corner of the room the rickety old ladder I used to sneak into Porter’s room was propped against the wall. “It’s really not a big deal,” he muster, looking around.

 

I lifted my chest, slightly relieved that he wasn’t judging my horrendous room. His had been so clean when I went. I walked over to my drawers and placed my bra in one of them, and then started closing the others.

 

When I turned around he was inspecting the ladder.

 

“Is this how you snuck into my room?” his voice was incredulous.

 

I couldn’t help, but laugh, “Yeah, by the way that was a dare. I didn’t just try to steal your boxers for the heck of it. Angie is just a really, really messed up darer.”

 

I jumped onto my bed and pulled a pillow to my chest. This was kind of weird. Having Porter inspect my room was kind of weird. He seemed so curious with everything he saw. My room is super decorated with pictures. He stopped at every frame and observed it, sometimes he even had a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

 

He seemed to be in deep thought, I was kind of surprised by how much he had sobered up. I decided that I couldn’t stand being in my dress any longer. I needed to slip into something comfier. Throwing my legs over to the side of the bed, I proceeded to climb out.