cause you were all yellow | a.i.

sixteen.

talk too much COIN
"honey come put your lips on mine and shut me up."

i woke up the next morning and she was still asleep on my chest.

i could still hear her peaceful breaths as she navigate through whatever was happening in that pretty little head of hers.

i wanted to move, but i couldnt disturb her.

i reached over, picking my phone up off her bedside table. i didnt have many notifications. i had a few texts from our group, apparently the rest of the guys gave murphy a piece of all our minds.

i knew they would. i was just hoping i was gonna get to be part of it. i was just thankful someone did something.

im also kinda thankful that they did something and not me, cause im not convinced i would have had enough self control.

i only had a couple other texts but most were from my mom.

shit. i never told her i wasnt coming home last night.

i wanted to call her to explain to her but i couldnt wake her up.

ashton
sorry mum. i stayed at a friends house last
night and forgot to text you, but im okay.

as i pressed send, i felt clairo stir on my chest.

i waited to speak until i saw her eyelids flutter open so i knew she was actually awake.

"good morning, yellow," i whispered, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"good morning," she whispered back, rolling onto her stomach. she rested her chin on top of her hand on my stomach, looking up at me.

"did you sleep well?" i asked, playing with her hair.

"mhm," she nodded, her eyes falling back closed. "i think i slept better knowing you were here."

it was a simple statement she said, but it made me smile more than it should, cause i know i slept better knowing she was here too.

"what are we gonna do today, yellow?" she asked me, her head still on my chest.

"do you want me to stay?" i asked.

i still cant believe she even wants me around after i let that happen to her. it was like she was trying to forget it ever even happened.

"of course i do," she told me. "plus we wont be able to hang out like this once my mom gets back."

"cant you just tell her?" i asked.

"i wish," she huffed. "shes had a rule of no boys since i was a kid. i finally got her to accept the idea of me having a guy friend in general just last week. she wouldnt even let me around you if she thought we were anymore than friends."

i sat listening to her, running my hands through her hair. it was frustrating knowing, at least i, would adore to be more than just her bestfriend, but i knew she wouldnt cross her mom like that.

but that wouldnt stop me from protecting her like she was mine.

"i wish she wasnt like that, ya know?" she said looking up to me. "shes locked me in her bubble ever since i was a kid and i dont think she will ever let me out."

"you just have to learn to live inside of it," i told her. "thats what weve been doing this whole time. we didnt break any of your rules, at least not on purpose."

"i know," she said sighing. "but things like falling in love, my first kiss, none of that can happen inside her bubble."

"what she doesnt know cant hurt her," i smiled.