The Mayors daughter chapter 23

When I woke up, the room seemed even darker, and once again I wondered just how long I had slept. I started to get back up, but my body fell back into the covers. It was one of those times when as much as I wanted to see what was happening, I wanted to sleep more. Why was I becoming so tired, or was it just pure laziness?

I stared up at the ceiling, admiring the painting of angels reaching up to heavens, or at least that was how it had seemed the first time I had seen it. Now the clouds the angels were reaching toward looked, menacing and evil. Almost like it weren’t heaven that they were reaching for but hell. Suddenly I didn’t feel so safe alone in this room, but as if something he was reading my mind. I felt a hand slink around my waist and pull me closer to the snoring body of Michael.

His hands were so cold against my waist I was getting Goosebumps, as I stifled the scream that was rising in my throat. He was hugging me so tightly to his body; I could feel every muscle that was in his icy chest. I wanted to wake him up, and push him off of me. But his face looked so peaceful a tiny smile forming on his mouth, as he mumbled something incoherently in his sleep. I couldn’t live with myself if I did such a thing.

So there I sat cold, and awkward. As he continued to snore softly in my ear, and occasionally mutter something. I strained my ears trying to understand just what it was that he was saying but it was no use. His lips were moving so fast it seemed almost impossible to see whether he was talking or not. Finally though I caught broken words of to what he was saying, and I felt my heart suddenly beat out of my chest. “Gem I’ve never loved.”

I didn’t know whether he was talking about me, or just saying that in general. But either way I wanted to hear more, and although I couldn’t even believe I was doing or even thinking this. I silently crossed my fingers in hopes that he was talking about me. Pressing my body harder to him I continued to listen to his mutterings.

“Christian, please don’t take her away.” He moaned. “Please let me have just one thing.” His voice was cracking even as he spoke in the dream, and suddenly I felt the urge to wrap my arms around him too. But this time instead of just ignoring the urge, I did. I wrapped my arms around his chest. And pulled him closer to me. Only to my horror he opened his eyes.

He didn’t look angry as I had expected he would, when he saw my body straddling his, but I guess he couldn’t really when his arms were still wrapped around mine. Instead he looked baffled and confused, and I think maybe even slightly emberassed.

“What are we doing?” He asked seriously but still remained to keep his arms wrapped around mine. I blushed, and felt the urge to turn away from him, and run far, far away from this scene. But remained staring straight at him with a goofy grin plastered to my face.

“I don’t know. I Sort of just woke up like this.” I lied I couldn’t admit that I had done this when I was awake, because that was awkward and in a sense creepy. He gave me a weird look one that I couldn’t read it was like he knew something though, as his lips curved into an upward smile. “What?” I asked and he shook his head.

“Nothing.” He said softly, and not to my liking he unwrapped his tight hold on me, and regretfully so did I.

“You seem to of woken up before me…. Did I…by any chance did I talk in my sleep?” he looked nervous as he said this, and as my response my heartbeat quickened, something that like everything else didn’t go unnoticed. “I did.” He muttered to himself cursing something underneath his breath. Quickly I conjured a lie.

“No, No it’s not that all.” I said trying to sound as convincing as possible. He looked up at me with warily eyes. “You see I usually talk in my sleep, and I was worried because the dream I was having…that you would hear just what I was dreaming.” The lie had slipped so quickly out of my mouth; I couldn’t believe it had even come out of my own. But Michael seemed to have bought it and that was all that really mattered. We sat there in an awkward silence, not able to look at one another, because both of us had something embarrassing on our minds. But only I knew that we both shared the same embarrassing moment.

Finally though Michael sat up, and hopped out the bed, me quickly following behind.

“Are you hungry?” he asked as he threw open the oak dresser. I shook m y head it felt like I had ate breakfast only and hour ago, but since I didn’t know how long I had been sleeping I could have been wrong.

“Sorry, I forget how hungry humans get and I thought that perhaps you would be hungry again.” He said absently digging through the dresser.

“Thanks for the offer.” I said.

“Of course.” He shut the dresser door and handed me to what looked like the cotton button up he was wearing only in black. I looked down at what I was wearing not getting why he was handing me this, until I saw that I had been sweating in my sleep. My face turned to what I could only assume was a very exuberant fuchsia. But Michael was polite, and didn’t seem in the least bit amused or concerned. I was thankful for this.

“I can turn around or leave.” He said brushing his hair out of his face. I glanced up at the ceiling and at the menacing angels and clouds; my eyes wandering quickly back to his face. Which in my opinion was a much more beautiful and pleasant art piece than the angels.

“Please stay.” I said softly not meeting his eyes. Nodding he turned around. He must think I’m such an annoyance. I thought as I stripped out of my clothes. He had stayed with me all day, and as thankful and as happy as I was for it. I couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. I was better now wasn’t I? I could go home now yea? I wasn’t a child, and I didn’t need looking after. The smell of soap, and something unrecognizable but put together the concoction was toxically alluring and irresistible. I pressed my nose deep into the comfy soft fabric inhaling the sweet smell repetitively. Forgetting that Michael was still in the room.