Jean and Danny

Jean and Danny 4

"Oi! Time to get up for school!" My father called, shoving my bedroom door open, like he did every morning.

I growled as my eyes fluttered open, and my body spasmed, the shock of waking up from the dream taking over me. Just like it did every morning. No coaxing, no warning, just BLAM! Wake up. It was a very effective method to get my headaches to restart, but at least it shocked me into being awake. I threw my blankets off, and then sighed, realizing I was still in my work clothes, and my jacket. Small jolts of pain sprouted throughout my body, as I realized I'd slept in a weird position, yet again. I sighed, then sat up, hearing multiple things crack as I did so, but ignoring them. They were a side effect of how I'd slept. I shrugged, as I gathered more clothes quickly from my room. At least I'd slept solidly, unlike the rest of the nights where I'd come home from work and feel too giddy to get a proper rest.

I walked into the bathroom and shed my clothes after closing the door, shivering as I did so. I bit my lip as I turned on the water, and while I waited for it to heat up, I looked behind me, towards the small cabinet mirror, and I was surprised.

Rosy red cheeks contrasted my pale complexion, as a handful of freckles dotted across it gently. Kisses from the sun. My lips seemed bigger, and even redder than usual, and the cracking that normally covered them seemed to have lessened a lot. In fact, I couldn't see any cracks in them at all, or any teeth marks, like what I normally saw when I woke up. I looked at my cerulean blue eyes, and saw that the pupils were dilated, as if I saw something I liked. My long, sandy-blonde hair framed my girlish face, and suddenly I realized why I had been hired as a checkout guy. I had a friendly, girly face. Pulp red lips, and a cute smile. I was a customer attraction. I sighed. That's why Daniel liked me, right? Because I was girly? I looked down at my chest, and saw two small lumps there, which made my thin stomach seem even skinnier.

I sighed. I really was a girly guy.

I spared a quick glance at the mirror before I stepped into the shower, and was embraced wholeheartedly by the scalding hot water. I smiled as the water seemed to set fire to every inch of my pale flesh, including my face, and despite the pain I enjoyed it. I changed the water temperature a few seconds afterwards, and then grabbed the soap, and got started on cleaning myself. I don't know why I always turned the hot water on first. I don't know why I stepped into the shower when the only thing that was on was the hot water. I guess it was just one of my idiosyncrasies.

I sighed with relief as I slipped out of the shower a few minutes later, feeling clean, refreshed and ready to start the day. I scrubbed the steam from the mirror with my hand, and looked at my face now.

My hair was almost black because of the moisture it had accumulated in the shower, and I saw beads of water droop from the ends, and onto my shoulders, sending shivers down my spine, and making my skin tingle. It was almost like someone was tapping on my shoulders with their fingers. Drumming on them.

My cheeks reddened and I knew it wasn't from the heat. I slapped them a couple of times, and shook my head. That was stupid. I shouldn't have even been thinking about water being human hands-

Suddenly some water trailed down my chest, sending even more shivers down my spine, and forcing my memory to display Daniel's hand on my shirted chest yesterday morning.

I wanted that again. My mind changed the image almost immediately, and suddenly, I was shirtless, and we were both in the shower. I shook myself violently, wanting to slap my face more violently, but then I'd worry my father, and I'd probably leave a mark.

Another image. Teeth marks on pale skin, trailing down my chest and - I shook my head harder, flicking water droplets in every direction, as the embarrassment crept up on me even harder.