Handcuffed

chapter 10

It was four o'clock in the morning and David was sitting on the mattress, Indian style. He put his cheek in his hand and his elbow pierced his left thigh. Even though he was like this, his eyes hesitated between closing and staying open.

The warm body next to him moved and David stopped dancing between the line of falling asleep and being awake. He turned back and saw that Simon had taken his fists to his eyes so he could rub them. As a result, the boy exclaimed the word "shit" somewhat loudly followed by a whimper.

— Idiot, —David muttered, laughing softly.

— Shit, fuck... —Simon opened his healthy eye. It took a few seconds of hard work by his sleeping intelligence to understand that David was sitting strangely and awake earlier than usual.

— What are you doing?

— Nothing. I've been awake for a while.

— What time is it?

— 4:24

Simon is irritated and looks for a position that will allow him to go back to sleep, but David, blushing slightly, speaks to him.

— Hey Simon.

— Mgh.

— Can we take a shower?

The one-eyed boy raised his head slightly from the comfortable pillow so that he could see him with a question mark over his pupils. He was incredulous that his partner was asking him such a thing.

— What, are you crazy? It's too early!

— Please... I need it.

— Why now?

David couldn't resist holding his gaze and lowering it into his lap. He prayed that his blushing would go unnoticed by the early morning shadows.

— I need it.

— Fuck! All right, but you owe me one big. BIG.

They walked to the bathroom and took off their clothes. Simon kept wondering why David wanted to shower so urgently. Then his answer came when he saw the shorts David was wearing as pajamas and a wicked smile painted on Simon's lips.

— Not so hot, Simon —David asked behind him as he moved the shower handles.

— Like your dream?

—... what?

Simon chuckled.

— I know what happened.

The water came out above them. Simon turned around and the two boys looked at each other, one with a funny expression and the other trying not to express his nervous feelings.

— Well, you shouldn't care.

— You owe me one big, David, —said Simon, still with that sly smile on his thin lips, before he took the soap and started washing.

— Are you going to tell your friends about this too?

— No. I don't want to risk going blind.

David laughed.

When they finished showering, the sun was not yet up, so they decided to lie down in bed again, good-smelling chemicals and citrus. Normally they would turn their backs, but for some reason, this time they went to bed face to face.

Simon saw David's thin eyes slowly closing, but he asked a question. Rarely did curiosity overpower the boy, but when it did, doubt would not leave him until it was answered truthfully.

— David, who did you dream about?

— With eight girls. Let me sleep.

— That's a lie.

— How would you know?

— Intuition. I'm very intuitive.

— And very annoying too. Let me sleep.

The black-haired boy let the conversation die in there, but he was sure he would insist again.

Time passed and soon they had to prepare breakfast, as Julie had the day off and was not yet awake, and leave for school.

— It's Halloween or what? —joked Sebastian as he saw them arrive, although he couldn't help but be relieved to see them alive after what had happened yesterday.

— Arrghhh, all aboard! —Another idiot got funny making that weird pirate voice.

Simon was wearing a pirate's patch to cover his nasty bruise.

— I forgot my fucking sunglasses at home and this idiot didn't have any, but he did have a freaking pirate costume in his closet.

— It looks great, doesn't it? —David asked, very happy.

That day they sat down with Benny. Although the tension was palpable in the air for the first couple of hours, soon Simon and Benny began to understand each other, albeit at a minimum. David was grateful that at least Benny was no longer directing murderous glances at the black-eyed man.

— David.

The boys were in the green area, walking, it was the fifteen-minute break.

— Simon.

— Are you going to tell me who you dreamt about?

Benny raised an eyebrow, but let the two of them continue their conversation.

— Why are you so interested?

— I just want to know. Know who.

David rolled his eyes— you know what I think?

— What?

— That you're asking me because you suspect it was you.

Benny made a discreet expression of surprise. The conversation was getting interesting.

Meanwhile, Simon laughed loudly— what! Obviously not!

— There's no other explanation.

— Then you dreamt of a man.

David didn't answer. For Simon that was a yes.

— Who was it?

— Look, Simon, I know my hypothesis is right, so let me just confess that I couldn't dream about you because you're not my type.

Simon made a face as if he had slapped him. He turned to see David totally impressed.

— No?

— No. You're not even close.

David looked at Simon and laughed when he saw his face.

— What? First time you've been told that?

— Indeed I do.

— Welcome to the club.

The surprise and disbelief did not leave Simon, so he suggested a situation.

— Let's see, let's play snog, marry, or push off a cliff.

— Oh my god...