Freedom Ignited

5; a blade under our pillows

IGNATIUS' POV

We stay like that for a while and eventually everyone else comes and joins us. Our faces pointed up at the stars like we were the only people on the damn planet.

    "We should get going, it's late." Ivy says and Isaiah grabs hold of Liv with a groan.

    "We're all gonna stay over and I know you don't have class until three, why not just stay over?" Isaiah says. He doesn't even need to ask me for permission considering he basically lives here anyways.

    "We don't have clothes," Ivy points out.

    "Um, hello?" Cali raises her arm in the air like everyone forgot a girl actually lived in the house.

    "It's too late for the subway alone," I whisper to Ivy, her head touching my own. She smelled like strawberries. I fucking love strawberries.

    "We can all crash in the living room so you're not lonely," Adrian says in a low voice. I hear someone slap him. Definitely Cali.

    "Fine," Ivy grumbles and we all start to move back inside, dusting the dirt and grass off our backs and asses.

    We bring in all the pillows and blankets from the closet and move the coffee table into Adrian's room to get more space. It reminded me of when we were kids and everyone would crowd together on the floor, none of us daring to leave the middle of the room even if there were three empty beds down the hall.

    Sinner, Casey and I change in my room, both of them just putting on a pair of sweatpants, no shirt. If I was alone I would do that too, but with everyone out there and my back full of scars it wasn't an option.

    Ivy took a spot right next to me, the sweet strawberry smell even stronger this close. Her arm ignited my skin when she brushed it against my own and I could only help but wonder if it would feel like that everywhere. I didn't need a girl but come on, I'm still a dude.

    We turned the TV on, some stupid comedy playing on the screen, and one by one we all fell asleep. Ivy was facing me when I turned my head to get comfortable, her mouth open just a tiny bit blowing hair out of her face just as fast as it fell onto it. The last thing I remember doing before I closed my eyes was pushing that one strand out of her eyes; I swear I felt her twitch under my hand.

    I woke with a jolt, again. My body was slick with sweat and suddenly wearing a t-shirt felt like a horrible idea. The clock in the kitchen read four in the morning when I stuck my head under the sink and stripped off my damp shirt. I needed air.

    Sinner turned around when I swung the front door open, a cigarette hanging from his fingers as he sat on the porch steps. "You have a nightmare too or am I just a pussy now?" He tossed the pack and my lighter to me.

    "Haven't slept since that night," I responded after lighting up. If I was being honest, I hadn't slept more than a few hours in almost three god damn years.

    "Me neither," He takes a long drag, barely even opening his eyes. I could see now, without the goofy smile on his face, how tired he was.

    "So we're all a bunch of wimps, huh?" Casey sat down on the other side of me and lit his own cigarette.

    "Bad dream?" I asked already knowing the answer.

    "Somethin' like that," He shrugs. Casey and I got along because of how quiet we both were inside. Sinner and Oz were the loud ones, always messing around and making jokes while me and Casey didn't speak unless spoken to, and even that was a rarity.

    "You sleep with your shirt on every night or just when you're next to a girl?" He nods to my chest, now bare.

    "It's not just her, no one's seen them yet." I run my hand over the back of my neck to feel the lines etched into my skin. "I had a dream awhile back and Adrian was already up, I nearly pulled my blade on him. I was so scared."