The Whole Damn Night Sky

"I'm scared."

"Yes, I understand," Bradley says. "Okay, yes Principal Jones. Okay, alright, goodbye."

The house fall silent, and in my half-awake state, I begin to drift back to sleep, but my subconscious is screaming for me to get up and ask Bradley to come back to bed with me.

But then I remember it's Friday and Bradley has to work.

My eyes drift to the clock on the cable box and I sigh. It's 6:23 in the morning.

I sit up and rub my eyes.

I hear keys jingling, and then footsteps, and then the keys stop jingling.

I didn't hear the front door open.

I rub my eyes again and look at the clock for the second time; just to make sure I read it right. I did.

The footsteps stop right outside our door, and then Bradley walks in. He looks stressed, but his face brightens considerably when he sees me awake.

"Good morning, Angel. What are you doing up?"

I swallow the saliva in my throat to moisten it. "I guess..." I mumble, half awake, my voice higher with sleep. He smiles. "I guess I woke up when my subconscious realized you were gone."

I could seriously cry at the thought of waking up, and at the thought of spending the day without Bradley.

"Well..." he takes his shoes off and pulls off his shirt and jeans so he's down to his boxer briefs. He climbs into bed with me. "I'm jobless, so I can stay with you."

Suddenly, I'm wide awake. The only thing still sleepy is my voice.

"You quit your job?" I ask.

"Nope." He sighs. "Apparently Mr. Jones got promoted to principal yesterday. I was so out of it and upset that I missed work. Noah said he took care of it." He frowns. "Just...I guess he got mad and he fired me."

"Jones did?" I ask.

"Yes."

I scoff, angry. "What the hell? He's going to have to hear from an angry fiancé."

I kick the covers off of myself and begin to get up, but he grabs the hem of my panties.

"Stay." He says.

I'm only wearing a white long sleeve shirt and panties.

I look at him, and then sigh. "Okay, just for you." I lie down and settle in his arms.

I'll stay awake and when he falls asleep, I'll go fight Jones.

I rest my head on his shoulder and curl again him, nestling into the covers.

I swear he naturally just smells like cologne. He wears it so often that maybe it's just become his sweat or something.

Who knows?

I inhale slowly and the scent of my baby lulls me.

I find myself drifting off again, and no matter how much I fight it, I know my attempts are futile.

I drift off to sleep.

****

It's around nine thirty when I wake again. Bradley is still fast asleep.

He got fired by Jones!

I slowly slide out of his arms and kiss his lips lightly. I slip into the bathroom and shower quickly. I brush my hair up in a ponytail and walk into our room. I pull on a pair of black leggings and a big blue sweater. I shove my feet in my white uggs and brush my teeth, and then I grab my big leather purse and walk out of the apartment.