𝔼𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕟

Chapter 7 : Insomnia

Alex wakes up unusually late. He guesses it's the reason he doesn't hear the boys laughing in the kitchen.

So he drags himself out of bed after an hour of sleep and then goes through his morning routine of showering - brushing his teeth - picking clothes - then goes downstairs.

When he walks into the kitchen, he hears Ivy before he sees her.

"Fuck this shit !"

She's standing in front the stove, with a scowl on her face and the tip of her finger in her mouth.
Alex manages to stop himself from making a comment about how 'you don't hold a boiling kettle with your bare hand.'

Barely.

"Good morning."

Ivy turns around, her face full of distress.

"Did I wake you ?"

"No, no you didn't," Alex assures.

Ivy relaxes instantly.

"Okay, good. How did you sleep ?"

Ever since Alex offered his friendship, something between them is appeased, the air free of tension.

Ivy doesn't lock herself in her room as much. On the rare occasions she sniffs at her food when she's told Alex cooked is either to mock him, or out of habit.

The flinching has stopped and so have the death stares and mean comments.

Things are better, but Alex feels there is a limit he can't go over, a line he can't cross, like he still has to watch every single thing he does or says, but if it means they can say good morning without a fight, then he'll take it.

"I didn't," Alex snorts.

He has no idea how his body hasn't shut down yet.

"How come ?" Ivy asks, her tone filled with concern.

Alex likes how easily she goes with it, and he wants to prolong the moment, so he sits on a stool while Ivy prepares her tea.

"I have really bad insomnia."

Ivy chuckles, "That makes two of us. Define bad ?"

"Bad, as in, I could spend three nights in a row with zero amount of sleep and on the fourth day, get maybe five hours, tops."

Ivy frowns but doesn't say anything. She clears her throat, and Alex can sense that she has more to say, but she keeps quiet.

Once she's done, Ivy pours the tea in a pink mug and places it in front of Alex.

"I'm sorry, I'm a terrible cook, I'd burn the house down if I tried to make eggs. This is the best I've got."

Ivy looks at Alex with uncertainty and a faint smile, then sits across from him at the table.

Alex has no idea how to react to this. He just stares at the mug.

Ivy picks up on his hesitation and starts speaking again after a minute of Alex inspecting his tea.

"A week ago, I would've been mad at you for not drinking it. Hell, a week ago, I wouldn't have made you the tea. But I'm trying, Alex, I didn't poison it, I promise."

Alex knows this. He just isn't used to this side of her yet. This shift from angry to sweet. This is the kind of thing she does for Tyler, not Alex.

Never Alex.

So now he feels like shit for not drinking the damn tea in the first place.

Alex looks at Ivy and raises a brow like he's doubting the part about it being poisoned.